Newby Old timer needs education and opinions

[monkfarm]

I have had a Taylor outdoor stove helping a propane boiler for the house and also heating a 1280 sq ft shop/studio for the past 25 years, and I am suspicious that it's on it's last legs. I want a good wood stove for heating the shop/studio that is well insulated with straw bale construction, but has 12 to 20 ft ceiling.
We would like a soapstone stove to retain the heat, but I'm not certain that is the best move. South central west Wisconsin has cold months, and sooner or later the Taylor outdoor stove will be toast. Right now the Taylor outdoor stove keeps the shop at 42 f. And we have a small inadequate quadra fire wood stove that barely raises the temperature.
We have a couple hundred acres in extremely hilly country, some forested, but can't always get to the deadfall we like to use. Last year I used almost all my wood up. I am 70 years old and slowing down considerably in the wood gathering department, so I want something efficient.
I got a lot out of the professor's post and all of your fine responses, which is quite similar to my situation in sq ft heated, and gathering dry wood appropriate for burning in an efficient stove.
I am capable of making a stove and probably have enough flat stock and angle, would need a good door and hinges, but don't feel that ambitious. I don't know if mine would be as efficient and wouldn't mind spending necessary funds for a good stove. We live here all the time, but we aren't always in the shop.
Would a soapstone stove be a good idea? I understand there is some maintenance of the catalytic converter, even replacing which i don't like that idea.
Is avoiding a catalytic converter prudent? I would like a stove that could burn wood with a little more moisture, although we could possibly buy a load, which I don't like the idea.
Thank you for your expert opinions, and any offerings in prudent advice would be well considered.
I'm originally from the country in Northeastern Minnesota that grew up hauling in wood.

 

[begreen]

Forget the soapstone. Higher maintenance and little advantage, especially for a shop stove. Get a stove that has a big belly for a long burn time. You could make a simple stove, but it would take a lot of trial and error testing to boost efficiency. There is a lot of science behind making a good one that burns cleanly. The only caveat is that the wood needs to be seasoned for the stove to burn well.

I would recommend a big Drolet for something that is affordable and a good workhorse. The Drolet Myriad, or the HT3000 would work. If you want added thermal mass, get a cast iron jacketed stove like a Jotul F55 or Pacific Energy Alderlea T6.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I bet with those high ceilings all the heat goes right to the top. Do you have ceiling fans?

 

[Ashful]

Is the Englander 30-NC still high on the list of reliable low-cost high-horsepower stoves? There was a time not long ago, when that was the standard reply to every "I need a stove to heat my big cold shop" thread.

 

[stoveliker]

You will need to be able to get the temps up quickly (because you won't be always in the shop). Soap stone (or any thermal mass) evens out the output a bit. I think you want to be able to blast quickly.

Indeed, forget the cat stoves.

Not knowing what type of shop this is, be aware that in many places it it illegal to have gasoline in a shop that also contains a wood stove.

 

[Todd]

I second a big Drolet!

 

[begreen]

Note that the Englander 32-NC and all other Englanders are now SBI products.

 

[barnaclebob]

As the owner of a soapstone stove, I agree with the others that it would not be a good stove for a shop. The soapstone does even out the heat but mainly it looks great IMO. I wouldn't be afraid of cat stoves though.

If you were trying to heat a deer camp tent then you could try making a stove but for a volume that big, theres no way youll make an efficient stove.

 

[Ashful]

Note that the Englander 32-NC and all other Englanders are now SBI products.

What does that mean to those not keeping their finger on the pulse of the stove industry? Have they moved production? Has there been a change in design, quality, price?

 

[bholler]

What does that mean to those not keeping their finger on the pulse of the stove industry? Have they moved production? Has there been a change in design, quality, price?

Sbi bought englander. It's honestly too new to say how it will change things but SBI quality has always been very good at their price points

 

[begreen]

Yes, this is TBD. I suspect the main interest is their pellet stove line.

 

[jalmondale]

I've got a soapstone cat stove that I love, but I'd agree with everyone else that if you're looking for something that only gets intermittent use, you'll want something that's more fast-and-hot than steady-and-low. I'd look for steel stoves - steel is even more responsive than cast iron, and they tend to be less expensive. Maybe a Woodstock Ideal Steel? It's a hybrid, so it can do a nice efficient secondary burn, and should be able to heat up a space quickly from a cold start. It does have a cat, but you can opt to bypass it and just do the secondary burn if you don't need to run in low-output mode.

 

[monkfarm]

I bet with those high ceilings all the heat goes right to the top. Do you have ceiling fans?

yes, one ceiling fan.
Sorry for the delay in answering this! Harvest time is busy. I appreciate your interest.

 

[monkfarm]

You will need to be able to get the temps up quickly (because you won't be always in the shop). Soap stone (or any thermal mass) evens out the output a bit. I think you want to be able to blast quickly.

Indeed, forget the cat stoves.

Not knowing what type of shop this is, be aware that in many places it it illegal to have gasoline in a shop that also contains a wood stove.

This is a sculpture studio, with welders and torch. But I do a variety of tasks in there with a good vise, tormek sharpener, basic repairs and my wife does some artistic painting in there. We usually keep it heated to 42 f with the taylor outdoor stove. Then I like to bring the temp up with a wood stove. So a better wood stove is mandatory.
I have another building for car and tractor repairs that I don't heat.

 

[monkfarm]

I bet with those high ceilings all the heat goes right to the top. Do you have ceiling fans?

yes, one ceiling fan.

 

[monkfarm]

I bet with those high ceilings all the heat goes right to the top. Do you have ceiling fans?

yes, one ceiling fan

 

[monkfarm]

I bet with those high ceilings all the heat goes right to the top. Do you have ceiling fans?

Yes, I do have a large ceiling fan, which is pretty effective. I have a lazer thermometer, hardly any difference in the temp with the fan going. Sorry for the delay in responding. I appreciate your answers, and your expertise. Thank you!

 

[monkfarm]

Forget the soapstone. Higher maintenance and little advantage, especially for a shop stove. Get a stove that has a big belly for a long burn time. You could make a simple stove, but it would take a lot of trial and error testing to boost efficiency. There is a lot of science behind making a good one that burns cleanly. The only caveat is that the wood needs to be seasoned for the stove to burn well.

I would recommend a big Drolet for something that is affordable and a good workhorse. The Drolet Myriad, or the HT3000 would work. If you want added thermal mass, get a cast iron jacketed stove like a Jotul F55 or Pacific Energy Alderlea T6.

Thank you for your recommendations. I take you all's recommendations seriously, and will look at these.
Sorry for the delay in responding, Harvest time is busy around here, etc. Thank you all!!

 

[begreen]

Thank you for your recommendations. I take you all's recommendations seriously, and will look at these.
Sorry for the delay in responding, Harvest time is busy around here, etc. Thank you all!!

No problem. Garden harvest time here too.

 

[monkfarm]

I bet with those high ceilings all the heat goes right to the top. Do you have ceiling fans?

Yes, one ceiling fan. It seems to work well, I have a fluke laser thermometer and there is only a degree or so difference in the ceiling temp. I have 18 to 24" of loose insulation in the ceiling.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

With such good insulation, and since it’s getting harder to get the wood in, I’d look at something like the blaze king 40. It’ll burn cleanly and give you long times between reloads in all but the coldest weather. You could even leave the other stove in to bump temperature if you want to.

 

[monkfarm]

Thank you for your recommendations. I take you all's recommendations seriously, and will look at these.
Sorry for the delay in responding, Harvest time is busy around here, etc. Thank you all!!

Thinking about pulling the trigger on a Drolet HT 3000. A little more research. Thanks All!