I dont wanna waste a soapstone brick nor do I have time right now to whittle! I may take the advice though. This may need to wait till the spring
Soapstone replacement for insert firebrick
- Thread starter SolaGracia
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Because I work 60 hours a week, have a new baby at home and NFL Football to watch. A man must prioritize. The grant idea is an interesting one. Imagine getting a grant to put bricks in an oven and shoot em with a heat gun? Now that I think of it, scientists get grants to study stranger things.
Franks said:
With over 1400 posts (on just this forum...), you have the time.
The scientific world is anxious for data.
Aye,
Marty
Typing a 20 second blurb between customers is different than an experiment. But I'll go see what I can come up with.
For a true experiment in the spirits of the original post, you need to use bricks of the same size, not the same mass. I'm also having trouble figuring how you're going to manage to fit the same mass of pumice into the stove without lowering the fuel capacity significantly.
Franks said:
I would stick with your original experiment because it is more practical. The density of soapstone is higher so you would need more firebrick to compare however you can't double the firebrick in a stove. Do the one for one deal and try soapstone on half a side and firebrick on the other. Just my thought, as my friend would be replacing 1 firebrick for 1 soapstone like the OP.
Franks said:
You're the man Franks...You can watch that football next year. I am sure the Mrs will understand you not being there and that baby won't even remember you not being there. It's fine man.. You're the go to guy RIGHT now. This experiment could shake the very foundation of the wood stove world...
In all seriousness, if you found out that soapstone can replace firebrick and be more efficient, it would be a great discovery. Dealers would start selling a lot more soapstone to replace firebrick and you could even start offering upgrade packages to soapstone.
Yeah, I'm wondering if I should scrap the oven idea, contact Hearthstone and see if they want to send me a box of soapstone bricks for me to mess with in my showroom. I would love to completly line a steel stove with soapstone and see what happens. Video tape the seconday combustion, etc.
I must, as the OP, demand at least a small royalty for the original idea! I'd say 15% is reasonable---
Franks said:
Yeah, no point in doing the other test with equal mass. I can only fit one soapstone or one firebrick to line my vogelzang. You get good results and can prove it, I may order a box of soapstone from you myself. The problem with my steel stove is that it doesn't hold the temps very long. Maybe it may heat up slightly faster than iron, BUT I only get a few (maybe two) hours of good heat output. I would sacrifice a little longer heat up time and even a little on the temp if I could hold a steady temp for say double the time.
You test it, you get good results, you get a steady supply of soapstone that you can cut to order, you will have orders out the ears.
Heck, I would even let you date my sister....If I had one.
Pics!
I'm not looking to sell Soapstone because of this. I just have some replacement bricks I got from Hearthstone for a Clydesdale. I'm doing this to see if what I have been led to believe for 20+ years is accurate, and if so, what kind of a difference there is.
Now about this sister..it doesnt really need to be your real sister...or real at all
I'm not looking to sell Soapstone because of this. I just have some replacement bricks I got from Hearthstone for a Clydesdale. I'm doing this to see if what I have been led to believe for 20+ years is accurate, and if so, what kind of a difference there is.
Now about this sister..it doesnt really need to be your real sister...or real at all
Franks said:
FYI: To be 'really' accurate, the Scientific Method requires starting with a "null hypothesis"; i.e., challenging what you think to be true in the form of a 'reverse' statement, such as:
Example: Franks Null Hypothesis: "Firebrick holds heat longer than soapstone."
Now, design the experiment, if you can, to 'disprove' your null hypothesis...
Please let us know your Null Hypothesis before getting into this so far you invalidate the entire experiment by omitting this essential first step. Adding it, or changing it, later just doesn't cut it... There's just too much schlep out there already.
Oh. One more thing: there's a difference between "working 60 hours a week" and "being at work 60 hours a week". Believe me. I know.
Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "By Golly, one day they'll put a man on the moon!"
Your nerdiness almost has me talked out of doing this. I think I may just keep telling folks soapstone holds heat longer than firebrick and let someone else with a larger vocabulary do the testing. Your welcome to spend 6 days with me one week, Marty, and see what it consists of during the cold months.
Franks said:
I wouldn't go into a project less than 100% enthused. Maybe it's best for all if you do drop this apparent challenge which might be picked up by some one with more 'bling'.
Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say: "Any job worth doing is worth doing well."
Yeah, but I may revisit it when we slow down in the spring/early summer. Excellent use of the term "bling" by the way
Franks said:
SURE! It might blow up and retain hot air for a while, but all yours. Show you what happened to a buddy of mine when he asked for pics of women's feet while I was on vacation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G--7yJwYqYQ
@ Marty, if you have nothing else to do but act like an ass, find somewhere else to do it please. The OP and myself would really like if you would quit belittling Franks with discontent. Do your own experiment and write a thesis on it. We are talking about wood stoves and replacing one brick with one soapstone.
That was a terrible use of the word 'bling.' Bling has always been used to describe or identify flashy jewelry, automobile paraphernalia, or personal 'accouterments', usually in connection to pop-culture, as a means of indicating status. The etymology of the word indicates its origin to be connected to the perceived sound a diamond makes in the sun or otherwise bright light source. Its development was somewhat facetious and implied the simplicity of attraction to 'shiny objects' but has come to represent something 'pretty' or 'desirable.' It, however, is never used by people to indicate wealth or financial resources. In fact, it is often contrary to that as many poor, urban youngsters will wear 'bling' in the form of fake diamond studs.
Regardless, I think it would be simple and effective enough to throw some firebricks and soapstone bricks in a stove, heat it to a given temp, and time how long it comes down to another given temp. If in the end it's only a half hour or so, than it doesn't really matter anyway. If we're talking an hour or more, perhaps there should be further inquiry.
S
Regardless, I think it would be simple and effective enough to throw some firebricks and soapstone bricks in a stove, heat it to a given temp, and time how long it comes down to another given temp. If in the end it's only a half hour or so, than it doesn't really matter anyway. If we're talking an hour or more, perhaps there should be further inquiry.
S
The whole premise behind the original posting was that my steel insert is horrible at retaining heat. It takes a long time to get to temp, and then when it gets there, it does not stay very long. It is especially bad at retaining heat when the blower is on high. I will have gone through about 1.5 cord of wood in just under a month here if the pace keeps up. Considering I have no reserve, this is slightly distressing. And overnight burns? Forget it---I am lucky to get 3 hours of useful heat out of one load. These companies that claim 8 or 10 hour burns on a single load should be sued for misrepresentation.
I am going to take some time to monitor the heating cycle and plot it out on a spreadsheet to post here to see if I am just crazy--and to try and figure out if it is really the insert, or the wood, or a combination of both + user error.
I am going to take some time to monitor the heating cycle and plot it out on a spreadsheet to post here to see if I am just crazy--and to try and figure out if it is really the insert, or the wood, or a combination of both + user error.
Sola, have you posted a thread about your situation? Specifically, about the wood you're using, temps you're using it in, size of the room, load cycle, etc? Our steel stove definitely heats up and cools down quickly, but we can get at least 6 hours of meaningful heat from it, and it's got a small firebox (1.5 cu. ft?).
S
S
- Status
Similar threads
