How forgiving are wood stoves?

[faye smith]

What is that loose thing inside at the top, a "cardboard" looking thing that lays on the "pipes" going across the top inside?

The loose sheet on top of the secondary burn tubes is the baffle. It needs to be treated with care and not poked at or hit with logs being loaded. The baffle is made of high-temp ceramic. Page 7 of the manual.

Just to clarify what you said about the "baffle", I was reading in another thread about a piece of fiberboard" between the burn tubes and the baffle. So maybe what I was feeling and moving around was a piece of fiberboard because the material did feel very lightweight like, well, like a piece of cardboard or rigid foamboard insulation---not heavy like a piece of tile. So in that case would it seem that the baffle was not displaced? I hope not, anyway.

 

[Woody Stover]

I saw this below the section describing the 3-2-10 rule; "The recommended minimum chimney height is 10 feet (3 m) off the floor." Apparently the stove is an easy breather and you may be able to get by with that chimney height, unless there are additional 90 degree turns, discounting the first one if the stove is rear-vented. As mentioned, the colder it is, the better your draft will be.

I need to get a rack though to keep it off the ground, otherwise, I do think I have a sheltered place to put it where it would be outside. It would be on the north side at the back of the house, wooded, so not too much breeze, but probably better than the garage.

That sounds good; A bit of air movement will help, and you'll have more room in the garage to store useless junk.

Just to clarify what you said about the "baffle", I was reading in another thread about a piece of "fiberboard" between the burn tubes and the baffle.

Some baffles are stainless steel, others are light fiberboard as you are describing. Its function is to route the smoke past the burn tubes, where it is burned. A good deal of heat comes from burning the smoke, and the exhaust is cleaner as well. Like bg said, make sure it is all the way back so that the smoke will be routed correctly.

 

[georgepds]

Thanks, begreen. When I ordered my stove, I bought a 1/depending on salerd of wood without considering the size log I might need for it, so I didn't specify to the guy I bought it from what size to cut it. The pieces are 2 feet long and I need them half that size, which means I'm going to have to get someone else to cut them smaller. Live and learn. Maybe I'll call the guy and see if he'll cut them for me if I bring him a car-full at a time, rather than have someone come out and do it.

It was nicely warm in the house last night when the fire was going, even with the patio door and a couple of windows open...of course the temp was only in the 50s, but my hands actually warmed up for the first time since the days when it started getting so chilly in the house. And though it may be too late now, no matter how cold it gets, I'm going to make my next few fires small ones.

You can buy a slididing arm mitering saw from harbor freight to cut those logs in half


Costs $100 -$200 depe

 

[Woody Stover]

You can buy a slididing arm mitering saw from harbor freight to cut those logs in half. Costs $100 -$200 depe

Yeah, at least you get a saw outta the deal.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Hey, thanks for that! That's really a relief to hear because you nailed it...despair is truly what I was feeling! It may not be a cadillac stove, but it's perfect for me and I'm paying for it with my projected income tax refund which should just cover it (this is the last year I can claim head of household since my daughter just graduated college last week). It is a cast iron stove and I don't know what your father's was, but I'm hoping his was cast iron too.

It was cast iron as well and from a time at the start of the wood burning revival which means the quality was nowhere near what it is today. To be honest, we've owned and used countless stoves. My wife and I now have the Cadillac of wood stoves. While I like it, I can't say it works that much better or I get more enjoyment out it than some of the older, non EPA models I have had. Point is, enjoy your stove regardless of whether it is the 'best' one out there

 

[firefighterjake]

My stove is pretty forgiving . . . it usually takes me saying I'm sorry a couple of times though and I buy it a bouquet of flowers.