# So I'm burning Pellets in my wood stove, vids inside. =]



## jeremy85 (Oct 2, 2011)

(Note: All important info for this topic will be in this first post that is edited over time.)

I mess up this year and didn't split and season enough wood to get me through the winter. I need about one more cord and noone around me will deliver and drop just one cord plus I don't want someones "seasoned" wood be not-to-seasoned, yomsayin?

SO I built a pellet basket and bought a bag of pellets to try it out.
Hereâ€™s video detailing the basket, check it out. =]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQUp3LIAJFo



Here's some vids of my trials today. Outcome looks good. =]]

All my videos in the following playlist are trials from this morning, watch them as they go over important info I learned thru trial and error and every step I took including refueling, etc. and anything I though was important to show.

(vids are raw and uncut of my first trial)

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL55B93380FAB06770

click the link and then at the top of the next page click "play all"
the vids are short so it goes quick. =)

Questions, comments, concerns?
all feedback welcome!! ;]


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## DanCorcoran (Oct 2, 2011)

I had pellet stoves (3, in two locations) for 5 years.  I'll be interested to see what you figure your 24-hour cost to be.  In our pellet stoves (with forced air combustion and pellets feeding into the grate automatically), we seldom if ever used a 40-pound bag in 24 hours.  (I realize you're not doing it by choice or to be economical, but out of necessity).


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## jeremy85 (Oct 2, 2011)

I just figured it's easiest, no stacking or moving or respliting anything too big.  Guaranteed dry. Saw others on Youtube do it. 
Most of all I'm sure it's cheaper then the oil to run my 40yr old oil fired forced hot air furnace. 

I was gonna split a load of 4 cords with my Dad, but now he wants me to build him a pellet basket. =D


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## SKIN052 (Oct 2, 2011)

Great idea. Maybe not as efficient as using them in an actual pellet stove but works in a pinch. I used a pellet stove in the past, one problem, no coals?

If I am into a another 8 month heating season this year, I may be doing the same.


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## fredarm (Oct 2, 2011)

Or get some Bio/Geo/Eco/Wood Bricks.  No basket required.


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## gyrfalcon (Oct 2, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> I mess up this year and didn't split and season enough wood to get me through the winter. I need about one more cord and noone around me will deliver and drop just one cord plus I don't want someones "seasoned" wood be not-to-seasoned, yomsayin?
> 
> SO I built a pellet basket and bought a bag of pellets to try it out.
> Here's some vids of my trials today. Outcome looks good. =]]
> ...



Really interesting.  Talk about the "basket" a bit-- what's it made of, how does it sit inside the stove, etc.?


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## raybonz (Oct 2, 2011)

That basket works pretty good but Fredarm asked why not use EcoBricks or similar? That's a valid point and I think it will burn longer and if packed tightly be more controllable.. I would like to try those bricks sometime out of curiousity..

Good Luck!

Ray


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## gyrfalcon (Oct 2, 2011)

raybonz said:
			
		

> That basket works pretty good but Fredarm asked why not use EcoBricks or similar? That's a valid point and I think it will burn longer and if packed tightly be more controllable.. I would like to try those bricks sometime out of curiousity..
> 
> Good Luck!
> 
> Ray



OP is in NH, and if it's anything like VT, Ecobricks are hard to come by other than wildly expensive small packages in supermarkets, but there are a lot of places one can pick up a reasonably priced 40-pd bag of pellets.  Plus, there are a lot of folks around here who use pellet stoves and from whom one might borrow or buy a sub-one ton supply.  Nobody I've ever heard of around here uses the biobricks.

No clue whatsoever about who buys those expensive packages in the supermarket or for that matter how there's any kind of market for single bags of pellets, but there must be one.  Maybe people with uninsulated fishing/hunting camps that don't get that much use?


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## raybonz (Oct 2, 2011)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

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I recall seeing Tractor Supply up your way when travelling there and they carry them as far as I know.. My brother in law lives in the sticks in NH so I know what you mean though.. He has to drive to another town to get his mail lol.. He lives in a beautiful area but some conveniences are necessities to me.. I do like the basket idea and would try it myself if I had the chance..

Ray


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## jeremy85 (Oct 2, 2011)

Pellets were easily obtained on my way home from work and were cheaper then bricks or pucks I could find close to me.

I'm going to make a vid detailing about the basket and how much it will hold and prolly for how long a full basket burns for tonight.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 2, 2011)

Dang pellets look like coyote turds.


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## gyrfalcon (Oct 2, 2011)

raybonz said:
			
		

> I recall seeing Tractor Supply up your way when travelling there and they carry them as far as I know.. My brother in law lives in the sticks in NH so I know what you mean though.. He has to drive to another town to get his mail lol.. He lives in a beautiful area but some conveniences are necessities to me.. I do like the basket idea and would try it myself if I had the chance..
> 
> Ray



Good to know, but the nearest TS to me is a good 40 miles or more, so not something I'd do unless I was really committed to it.

I actually get my mail delivered -- at least until they rip the ^%%$^% out of the post office budget -- but nobody lives in the country for the convenience, if ya know what I mean.  Personally, I'd kill for some decent Chinese food, but not enough to be worth living for the rest of the time in the burbs.


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## raybonz (Oct 2, 2011)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

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I love all the Northern states! Here is a link to TSC for Eco bricks.. http://www.tractorsupply.com/heating/fireplace-accessories/redstone-trade-ecobrick-pack-of-8-1001261 they were on sale $1.00 off a little while back so a pretty good value.. There is one about 25 miles from me but haven't been there.. I live in the country here too but have all the conveniences close by..


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## gyrfalcon (Oct 2, 2011)

raybonz said:
			
		

> I love all the Northern states! Here is a link to TSC for Eco bricks.. http://www.tractorsupply.com/heating/fireplace-accessories/redstone-trade-ecobrick-pack-of-8-1001261 they were on sale $1.00 off a little while back so a pretty good value.. There is one about 25 miles from me but haven't been there.. I live in the country here too but have all the conveniences close by..



Thanks again, Ray!  I forgot these things do burn longer than cordwood, so might be worth the trip to pick some up after all.  My tiny stove does a decent enough job keeping me from freezing to death when I'm around to keep feeding it, but the burn cycle is so short, it doesn't come close to a useful overnight burn (and I'm not one of those who can get up in the middle of the night and reload competently).  It'd be nice to keep the dam oil burner from coming on overnight quite so early in the depths of winter.


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## raybonz (Oct 2, 2011)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

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Yes that's a pretty small stove, do you have a smaller home? I wouldn't like to get up to load wood either and never have.. Hopefully the T-5 gives 8+ hr. burns and people say they do so I should be good.. If you have the room maybe a larger stove would be a plus for you.. One like a Woodstock Fireview will give you 8 hrs... Those Hearthstones are nice looking stoves.. If I ever get to TSC I will have pick up a pack or 2 of the Eco bricks and try em out..

Ray


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## jeremy85 (Oct 2, 2011)

Sorry I hate typing. So here's video detailing the basket, check it out. =]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQUp3LIAJFo

I'm going to fill it right now too, to see how much it holds and hold long that will burn for..
Mind you I have a small stove and couldn't get a full load of wood to burn much longer then 3-4 hours max on a good day.


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## gyrfalcon (Oct 2, 2011)

raybonz said:
			
		

> Yes that's a pretty small stove, do you have a smaller home? I wouldn't like to get up to load wood either and never have.. Hopefully the T-5 gives 8+ hr. burns and people say they do so I should be good.. If you have the room maybe a larger stove would be a plus for you.. One like a Woodstock Fireview will give you 8 hrs... Those Hearthstones are nice looking stoves.. If I ever get to TSC I will have pick up a pack or 2 of the Eco bricks and try em out..
> 
> Ray



I call it Mighty Mouse....

Yes, pretty small house, and lucky me, I prefer indoor temperatures on the cool side and I'm perfectly happy with unheated 2nd floor bedrooms.   i've learned how to get the most out of this stove over the last few years, so with the right high-BTU firewood (beech, black birch, etc) split fairly small and a careful hand on the primary air (plus judicious use of electric space heaters for farther rooms I only use an hour a day or so), I do OK.  I work out of a home office and don't have a commute, so I'm around most of the time to feed it every few hours.

I haven't ruled out raiding the retirement funds to get a larger stove, but so far haven't been able to find the right one that would make a big enough difference to be worth the $$, and also work with the existing hearth and clearances, etc., so there'd be the additional cost of making the necessary modifications there, which would probably cost more than the stove itself.

I'm also, to be perfectly honest, a little uncertain about having to wrangle larger/longer splits.  I can sling 14-16 inchers well enough, but 18-20 starts to be a real problem.  So with this and that, I'm still on the fence on the whole question.  Much as I'd love to kiss the oil man good-bye forever, I'm not sure it entirely makes sense in practical terms.

Yeah, the Hearthstones are to my taste head and shoulders over even the Woodstocks esthetically, and I really, really like the soft quality of the heat.  It's nice to have the great blast of cast or steel (from a little distance) in mid-winter, but I really hugely prefer the less aggressive heat of the soapstone most of the time.


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## gyrfalcon (Oct 2, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> Sorry I hate typing. So here's video detailing the basket, check it out. =]
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQUp3LIAJFo
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Thanks very much, Jeremy.  Lousy sound on this computer, so can't hear much of your narration, but I'll check it out on the other one that has louder speakers and probably have some questions for you.  Really interesting idea.

What's your stove?


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## tbuff (Oct 2, 2011)

This is very interesting, great videos Jeremy; let us know how long it burns for I may be doing this as a backup. Just a question, do pellets burn hotter/faster than wood? Is there an increased chance of a runaway fire with these as opposed to wood?


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## Bubbavh (Oct 2, 2011)

I wonder if it is really cheaper than oil to do it this way? Pellet stoves are not really a huge savings over oil.


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## raybonz (Oct 2, 2011)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

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Gyrfalcon,
It sounds to me that you're satisfied with things as they are and that's a good thing.. I like the style of the Hearthstone Stoves with that 1-1/4" thick stone and the style is more traditional which I prefer.. I will be at Woodstock to see their stoves in person Friday and Saturday so that will be interesting as I have only seen pics of their stoves but read great things about them.. Should be a good time and look fwd. to meeting Hearth.com members..

Ray


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## tbuff (Oct 2, 2011)

Bubbavh said:
			
		

> I wonder if it is really cheaper than oil to do it this way? Pellet stoves are not really a huge savings over oil.



How do you figure?


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## jeremy85 (Oct 3, 2011)

All my videos in the playlist are trials from this morning, watch them as they go over important info I learned thru trial and error and every step I took including refueling, etc.

And please let's not hijack this thread too much more with off topic chat so it serves as good info for people that would like to do something like this.

Thanks guys.


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## fishingpol (Oct 3, 2011)

Jeremy,  It is interesting that you brought this up.  I made one maybe over a year ago.  I built the basket in the same fashion, figuring I could use it for shoulder season and save the hardwood for the cold weather.  It was more like I wanted to try and see what happens.  I picked up all the materials at Lowe's and built it in less than 2 hours.  I used to use starter gel to get it going, but I would probably use a piece of supercedar now.  I made the legs on it and have a lower pitch in the front to ease loading.  From the pics you can see that I added an upside down "v" of expanded metal along the width in the middle to let more air circulate up through the pile.  

I have a bigger stove this year and a s/s lined flue, which I don't think I had when I tried it last.  I may pick up a bag and see what happens.  You know as well as I that there are days when we have a crappy Nor'easter up here and you need just a small fire to chase the dampness away.


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## DexterDay (Oct 3, 2011)

Bubbavh said:
			
		

> I wonder if it is really cheaper than oil to do it this way? Pellet stoves are not really a huge savings over oil.



This is my 1st year with a woodstove. But I have been using pellet stoves for the last 3 seasons. And all I can say is it depends on what you used to heat your home. We used Propane and spent almost $4,000 a yr doing so. Since the pellet stove, we have not used LP at all and only burn 4 tons a yr (avg around $200/ton) . So thats a savings of $3,000 a yr to me. To say they are not efficient is not true. Mine runs on a thermostat (if needed, But I normally run on its lowest setting/ 24/7 during the coldest months)  and will keep your place just as warm. . 

To the OP. I made a basket this Summer to use in our outside wood pit. Worked pretty good, but imagine that the draft created by the woodstove would make them burn much better. Pellets need a good deal of air to burn effectively. I may be building a larger basket, just to give it a try. I have plenty on wood for this season. Almost 5 cord is good to burn. And plenty for years to come. 

I will continue to burn my Pellet stove and the Woodstove. Both cost equal parts money to me. Even if you get your wood for "Free", it aint free. My time and equipment cost a lot of money. So do pellets. It may actually be cheaper, by the time you factor in the time. I get paid very well at work. If I were to use this same #. Then it would cost much more. I do it for the savings, YES... But I also enjoy it. Both thr C/S/S of wood and the hunting for a good deal on pellets.

Looking forward to a experiment soon. Thanks for the video's....


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## Bubbavh (Oct 3, 2011)

tbuff said:
			
		

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I don't think burning pellets like that will be very efficient. 

In regards to pellet stoves I should have said compared to wood!  Wood is free for me!


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## tbuff (Oct 3, 2011)

Bubbavh said:
			
		

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I agree.


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## jeremy85 (Oct 3, 2011)

My 2nd burn ever last night I went thru 12 lbs in 2 1/4 hours.

I'm going to use a different refueling strategy as well as different air damper and pipe damper settings tonight and hopefully cut the usage in half.

Trial and error works wonders.


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## tbuff (Oct 3, 2011)

Thanks for the update!


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## agartner (Oct 4, 2011)

Keep us posted - this is good stuff.  I use biobricks in my stove currently, but have wanted to try the pellet route just for kicks.  Right now, consumption seems high with 12 pounds for 3 hours of burn.  Using biobricks, 40 to 60 pounds will get me through 24 hours, depending on how aggressively I reload .  I still want to try pellets, only because they're readily available just about everywhere.


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## wood-fan-atic (Oct 4, 2011)

DexterDay said:
			
		

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50 lbs of pellets a day x 5 months (150 days)= $800 (@ $200 a ton)
 Now, figuring in all the hours I spend pondering scrounging, scrounging, loading, unloading, cutting, splitting, stacking, fetching splits, and feeding the stove.....I might as well move to Bermuda. However, oil costs $4 a gallon here - and that means, for me, about $4000 a winter.
  We dont get "paid" for raising our kids either.... but sometimes you allow yourself to take facts and figures off of the see-saw and just live. I, for one, _LOVE_ the whole experience of self-reliance, and keeping my family as warm as they want all winter..... all for the "cost" of my blood,sweat, and tears. Well, usually theres no tears (unless I drop an oak round on my toes). ;-) 
 Heating with wood is not for everyone. You either LOVE it - or you dont. I do.


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## DexterDay (Oct 4, 2011)

wood-fan-atic said:
			
		

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I too was spending $4,000 a yr on oil.. I was just stating that burning pellets still has a savings. Please reread my last 2 sentences.. I too, absolutely love the whole experience of wood and wood pellets.


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## jeremy85 (Oct 4, 2011)

Pullin wood out of the forest IS pretty rewarding. Plus, every boy wants to be a lumber jack. ;]


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## Rob From Wisconsin (Oct 4, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> Pullin wood out of the forest IS pretty rewarding. Plus, every boy wants to be a lumber jack. ;]



My words exactly......besides, my wife like the lumberjack "buff" look.... :coolgrin:


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## Milton Findley (Oct 4, 2011)

Although I would not admit it here Jeremy, I have a commercial pellet basket of welded steel bar construction in my stove and two tons of pellets stacked out where the wood pile normally is.  I get two tons of pellets for slightly more than the same price as one cord of wood, and at 8000 btu's per pound versus something less than 6000 for the junk wood that I have been buying I feel like I might just be financially ahead.  

The pellets burn with a yellow flame, and they burn very thoroughly, and although I have burned slightly less than a bag so far, in relatively warm outside temps, I have been encouraged by the results.  Secondary flames start very quickly after the top surface gets going, a quarter of a Super Cedar gets it going in short order, and adding another scoop full adds to the fun.  My stove is soapstone, so getting the pile of rocks hot is the goal.  The air flow is more than sufficient to insure combustion, and once up to temp, I shut off the primary and secondary air keeps it flaming.  

I will keep track of duration once heating season really gets going, and I will update as well.  I think that you are on to something with this.


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## ort5 (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm trying pellets this season as well.   My welder and most of my metal working tools are in another state at the moment, so I hacked one together to test the idea first.   I actually bought a large deep fryer basket on eBay and modified it slightly.    I cut off the handle and hook, added some stainless bolts for feet and two v-shaped perforated air channels going from front to back.  I'm hoping that this will aid with complete combustion.   I'll take some pictures tonight. 

I haven't tried it yet, but I will probably fire it up in the next week.   I imagine it could hold around 10 pounds of pellets if I filled it all the way.   I've got a small stove though, so that may be too much.  

Here is the link to the basket I bought.   Maybe it would work for somebody else?  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-LARGE-D...125?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588f326715

Dave


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## Milton Findley (Oct 4, 2011)

I think that the price was right on that basket, but I doubt that it will last more than a couple of months, less if used heavily.  Those pellets get very hot, and eventually the light wire will ablate away.  The same is true for the expanded steel plate, or steel rod for that matter, the only difference is the time frame.


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## ort5 (Oct 4, 2011)

You're probably right Milt, but I am expecting that.   This is just a cheap way for me to test the idea before I go whole hog!


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## Milton Findley (Oct 4, 2011)

ort5 said:
			
		

> You're probably right Milt, but I am expecting that.   This is just a cheap way for me to test the idea before I go whole hog!



Yep, I tend to jump off the deep end and buy the whole hog at once.  My wife has a spare bedroom full of my projects, she calls it my Trophy Room.  I stay out of there myself.   :red:


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## mhrischuk (Oct 4, 2011)

Now somebody is gonna burn wood in a pellet stove.


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## fredarm (Oct 4, 2011)

Good point about brick availability versus pellets.  I got mine from Tractor Supply this year (bought a ton) but it's only about 10 miles from the house.  Last year I had them delivered from South Shore Wood Pellets in Holbrook, MA.  There is a place in Southern NH that delivers them, Woodpellets.com.  But I have noticed that pellets are generally more available and cheaper than the wood bricks.  If you can make pellets work in the basket, go for it!  Also, you may be able to burn cheaper pellets that the complicated mechanics of pellet stoves may have difficulty with.


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## ort5 (Oct 4, 2011)

I hear you Fred.   I bought a ton of Envi-8 blocks last year and they were great.   Unfortunately, it would cost me around $330 to get a ton delivered this year and I'd rather not pay that kind of money.   I'm hoping the pellet basket works well enough to get me through.   I can get a ton of pellets for under $200 and take them home at my leisure from the Lowes near my house.   

Good, seasoned wood is around $325 a cord around here, and it's NEVER fully seasoned.  

I have over a cord of some punky wood that I would love to burn though.   The bricks work well to mix with the less than ideal wood, but the pellet basket won't work that way.    Can't have it all I guess!


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## firefighterjake (Oct 4, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> Pullin wood out of the forest IS pretty rewarding. Plus, every boy wants to be a lumber jack. ;]



I wanted to be an accountant . . . or Spiderman.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 4, 2011)

Not to get too far off tangent, but . . . if a person is just looking for a way to get through the shoulder season or to supplement their wood supply a really cheap and relatively easy way to get some heat would be to find some free pallets and bust them up.

Also in regards to bio-bricks, Envio-whatevers . . . you may want to check with your local hardware store and see if they might have a supplier . . . I know our local hardware store was selling bio-bricks or something like that . . . but it was a special order and not something they had stacked outside.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 4, 2011)

Here is the other toy ya need to make.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wood-Pellet...ultDomain_0&hash=item2c5ee6977a#ht_500wt_1287


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## Milton Findley (Oct 4, 2011)

I see that Brother Bart, and I am impressed.  I ordered a six quart aluminum ice scoop and sat around polishing the interior to a nice slick mirror finish while hanging out in the ash can.  It holds somewhere around 4 pounds fully loaded, and three full scoops fills the basket, even with the stoves low over head.  I also lowered the front of the basket by sawing off a couple of the bars.  Slides right out into the basket that way.


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## jeremy85 (Oct 29, 2011)

Just a little update.
I've been using the wood pellets almost everyday. 
About a bag a day, and it's been nice and toasty even with the last 30 degree nights.

One thing is my basket has warped a bit, but is still fine to use. =]


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## North of 60 (Oct 29, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> Just a little update.
> I've been using the wood pellets almost everyday.
> About a bag a day, and it's been nice and toasty even with the last 30 degree nights.
> 
> One thing is my basket has warped a bit, but is still fine to use. =]



So,  whats a bag of pellets worth?


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## jeremy85 (Oct 29, 2011)

$3.97


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## Milton Findley (Oct 29, 2011)

I have lit mine off a couple of days as well.  I notice that the flames are yellow, and don't seem to be burning very hot, not like cord wood.  I am not burning a lot of them at once, so the stove is not up to temperature, but interestingly enough, there are secondaries fairly soon in the process.  A little soot is deposited.  I have a couple of tons left, so I guess I will be finding out how to get them hot.  I also notice that pellets that spill to the floor burn just fine.


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## jeremy85 (Oct 29, 2011)

Just load it up Milt, gets nice and hot with a bunch in there.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 30, 2011)

If I can find me a basket I am just gonna have to try this. I have three tons of pellets in the basement.


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## North of 60 (Oct 30, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> $3.97



 Thanks for the reply and thanks for sharing. I know you are experimenting.

Thats so far an easy $110-$120 dollars a month without even being winter.
 Thats cheaper than a gallon of fuel oil but wouldnt take me as far as a gallon of oil would to heat my house for the day with less hassle.
 Thats 16 to 18 good cycles of 2.5 minutes of heat from the furnace with a .6 gpm nozzel for the day at 32f  with a well insulated home.

Does it cost you more than a $100 a month down there now to heat a home at 32f with NG or oil/propane?


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## HotCoals (Oct 30, 2011)

Now wait a min..lol.
16 cycles at 2.5 mins is 40 minutes x.6 gallons/min is 24 gallons x 4/gall is 96 bucks!
You must have meant 6 to 8 cycles for the day?
Maybe I'm doing the math wrong?


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## Milton Findley (Oct 30, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

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Natural gas will heat my home relatively inexpensively, about 300 dollars per month.  It will not heat my home as warm as I would like it, nor will it heat the room we spend the most time in comfortably if I wish to keep the bills in the relatively inexpensive range.  The point is, that come what may, I am going to be spending money heating this place.  I like the ambiance and presence of a wood stove.  I like the heat.  What I spend on pellets I save on gas and electricity, figuring on about 55 pounds of pellets per day.  Cord wood is 329 a cord, for less than the best, not particularly dry, not particularly dense, not of any specific variety.  I can have oak, basswood, birch, locust, cottonwood, elm, hackberry, or pine in any given cord.  Pellets are predictable, dry, easy to handle and store, and a even if they were not the equivalent per ton of a cord of wood, I could buy more than half ton of pellets with the difference in the price.  So if I am burning wood, the small rounds would seem to be the cheapest option.  

I don't give two hoots about hassle.  If I did, I would have bought myself a condo.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 30, 2011)

If I could heat this joint for $120 a month with something other than cord wood or pellets the stoves would be on craigslist. And I live in the tropics.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 30, 2011)

I also don't remember, he may have said but I am old and forget stuff, what temp N of 60 maintains in his abode.


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## North of 60 (Oct 30, 2011)

HotCoals said:
			
		

> Now wait a min..lol.
> 16 cycles at 2.5 mins is 40 minutes x.6 gallons/min is 24 gallons x 4/gall is 96 bucks!
> You must have meant 6 to 8 cycles for the day?
> Maybe I'm doing the math wrong?



I did it wrong. gpm should read gph.  That would be a mother of a furnace.


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## North of 60 (Oct 30, 2011)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> I also don't remember, he may have said but I am old and forget stuff, what temp N of 60 maintains in his abode.



20c/68f @20%rh is more than warm enough.  We will have it at 70f when we are home in the evenings.

$300 a month is telling me a waste of energy, house is to big or needs insulation.  Thats a good chunk of toy$.


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## HotCoals (Oct 30, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

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AH!


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## Milton Findley (Oct 31, 2011)

jeremy85 said:
			
		

> Just load it up Milt, gets nice and hot with a bunch in there.



it sure does,


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## tmckenzie (Oct 31, 2011)

I have been trouble getting good seasoned wood and have been burning the evi bricks, but they are hard to come by around here, where pellets are everywhere. Saw this post and while I am capable of building one, I saw some online ready built for around 100 bucks, so I just ordered one. I think it is a great idea.


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## raybonz (Oct 31, 2011)

tmckenzie said:
			
		

> I have been trouble getting good seasoned wood and have been burning the evi bricks, but they are hard to come by around here, where pellets are everywhere. Saw this post and while I am capable of building one, I saw some online ready built for around 100 bucks, so I just ordered one. I think it is a great idea.



Let us know how it works for you along with some pics if you can..

Thanx and good luck!

Ray


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## tmckenzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Well, the one I ordered was the pelleteer. So far I have been very impressed. I got it in yesterday and last night, since it was not too cold, put maybe half a bag in. That was at 6 30. I stayed down and slept on the couch, it went cold around 1 30. Put out a lot of heat. I am playing around with mixing in pea coal tonight. I think this thing may actually work.


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## madrone (Nov 9, 2011)

I'd bet an old fry basket from a thrift store would work.


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## Milton Findley (Nov 9, 2011)

You are right Madrone, it would, if you could get air underneath the pellets.  Otherwise, what happens is that you get a nice long slow burn that is not very hot.  Right now, I have secondaries and a nice warm room.  Primary shut completely down, and the ftrdgyfrt (puppy is typing), stove is right at 300 degrees.  Hot enough for a 45 degree windy rainy night.


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## jeremy85 (Nov 9, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

> $300 a month is telling me a waste of energy, house is to big or needs insulation.  Thats a good chunk of toy$.



House too big? No such thing.

Mines a 2200 square foot 2 story cape. I good through about a bag or a bit more a day, and have had many 30 degree nights so far.

I spend 4 bucks a day for pellets but if you read my first post, it's only for the fall. I have plenty of wood for winter.
And 120 bucks for a month of heat in this house is way less then half what spend in oil...


New update thread here:  https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/83097/

Admin, please close this thread.


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