Open question for top-load owners vs log length

[brider]

I just got my first load of 2 cords of wood today ($210/c, supposedly seasoned hardwood, some looks kinda wet like it's been laying in the mud for a while), and it looks like a majority of it is around the 19-21" length.

How do you top-loaders fill the firebox thru the top, if the top door is (usually) smaller than the front door, and your wood is say, 18-20" long? Seems to me that after the first couple of logs go down on the coals, the geometry of the stove/top door/logs already loaded would make it impossible to fill the firebox from the top.

Is this the reality of a top-loader? That you really have to stuff the box full from the front (or side)?

 

[Jags]

Positioning of logs is more difficult using the top load feature on most stoves. For that reason alone, I use the front load, with the double doors feature of my stove about 95% of the time. That and I feel more comfortable loading the stove from the front, but thats just me. I don't like the idea of "dropping" logs into my stove and allowing them to "land where they may".

 

[kwburn]

it's probably just personal preference but we feed our top loaders from the top 99% of the time. most of the time we build our fires through the top as well and never open the front doors. it may also depend on your stove design.
there's definitely a bit of science to it and the closer to the top you get the smaller the log that will fit because of the load angles. you get better and better at it with experience though and sometimes when you get the perfect reload you have a real feeling of accomplishment when you close the hatch!
my wife hates to give up when something won't fit that she 'believes' should and she takes it as a personal challenge to get it in.

over the years we've probably had one or two smoking logs that wouldnt fit and we spent too much time trying that had to be brought outside
live and learn though.

overall though, from a safety standpoint alone nothing beats top loading to me.

 

[MishMouse]

It all depends on the design of your stove in which method would work the best.

For me on my Harman I start the fire from the front, then once it gets going I load it from the top.
I can really stuff it full using the top load then I could if I loaded it from the front.
Top loading allows you to place the wood where you want it since you are viewing the fire from above.
The only problem I have is when I try to put in a piece that is to wide to fit through the hole.

If you do use the top load, remember to buy some welders gloves or something similar.

 

[brider]

my wife hates to give up when something won't fit that she 'believes' should and she takes it as a personal challenge to get it in.

That's what she said.

Sorry! I mean no disrespect to you or your wife, but I just had to take a swing at that softball!

Thanks for the input, I never thought about the searing heat going UP when I'm trying to drop logs DOWN.

I wonder why Harman doesn't list the width dimension of it's top lid?

 

[kwburn]

[/quote]
That's what she said.
quote]

No offense taken. I should have seen that one coming! LOL

What stove do you have anyway?

Personally I don't notice any 'extra' heat exposure with top loading requiring gloves compared to front loading. If anything, I think the exposure is much less since you have the ability to drop the wood from probably close to a foot away from well above instead of front loading where your hands are inches away from the bed of coals and there is a much greater chance of something burning falling out at you!

 

[brider]

Well, after picking over the pile of split wood just delivered, thinking about top loading, then measuring again a few pieces, I have a feeling I'm going to have a heck of a time loading some of this wood thru the top. Pieces are too big, mostly under 21", but not by much.

I drive by a guy's house everyday who has no less than 8-10 cord of wood stacked as neat as a pin in his driveway, all the time, on pallets supported at the corners on foundation blocks. So the whole long line of stacked wood is up off the ground 12".

But my point is that the individual pieces are no more than 16" long. I think I'm gonna have to specify a shorter length to my wood guy, or find out who supplies the 10-cord guy.

He's my inspiration for a neat, efficient wood stack, although I've never met him.

 

[MishMouse]

brider, what type of stove do you own?

Depending on its make an inch or so over the max stated in the manual will fit.
With my TL-300 I can angle fit a 21" in there even-though they say you can fit only 20".
I wouldn't try to only put 21" in there as it would create allot of wasted space.
But, most of my wood I try to keep under 20".
My main problem with top loading has been some of my logs are a little fat.

You may have to give your wood a shave to get it under 21", then use the pieces to start the fire.

 

[brider]

I'll be using a Harman Oakwood, will be picking it up in a week or so.

 

[MishMouse]

I'll be using a Harman Oakwood, will be picking it up in a week or so.

You will enjoy that stove, make sure you pick up the cooking grill for it and post some pics of your install.
Grilling burger or chicken when you have a few feet of snow on the ground and it is way below zero is a real treat.
Also grilling over wood gives the meat a good flavor.

 

[brider]

Yes, I ordered the optional grill under protest from my wife, who, even after the praises sung by the dealer for the cooking option, insists she will never let me use it. We'll see about that...

 

[woodburn]

I have the avalon Arbor. I like to load through the font doors, then top it off through the top load. I find it is always helpful to have a mix of log lengths varying from 16" to 19". That works best for my stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

People who cut wood two inches shorter than the "max log size" advertised are the happiest wood burners in the world.

 

[gyrfalcon]

People who cut wood two inches shorter than the "max log size" advertised are the happiest wood burners in the world.

I'll drink to that!

I would say never, ever trust what the manual says about wood length. The manual for my Hearthstone Tribute STILL says it takes 16 inches max, but that's totally false and you'd think Hearthstone would have figured that out and corrected it by now. You can get one or two small 15-incher splits in diagonally one corner to the other if you have nothing else in the stove (useful, huh!), but that's it. Otherwise, max is 14 inches. Thank God I figured that out by trying some before I ordered up a couple of cords of wood that wouldn't fit.