Suggestions for a 2nd stove?

[SWNH]

I currently have an Oslo heating my 1st and 2nd floor completely. Works great. Keeps the house at 75+ all winter. I have a walk-out finished/insulated basement that only has heat when the furnace is on, which is practically never. It's roughly 23x23 all open. The temps in the basement never get below 43F regardless of the outside temp. I'm looking to put a wood stove down there since we plan on finally using it as another living area. Actually it's the wife's Patriots room and she's in the running for the region's nutty fan competition. Personally, I'd rather get stitches without novocaine than watch football.

While it would be a perfect place for a pellet or propane stove, I would like to put something in there that does NOT require the "purchase" of fuel (otherwise I'd just put it on a separate zone off the furnace). So I'm looking for suggestions on what specific stove to put there based on the size of the area to be heated. The only requirement I have is that it has to have an ash pan and a grate to rake the ashes thru into it...like the Oslo. Cat/non-CAT, cast-iron/steel/soapstone...doesn't matter.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I currently have an Oslo heating my 1st and 2nd floor completely. Works great. Keeps the house at 75+ all winter. I have a walk-out finished/insulated basement that only has heat when the furnace is on, which is practically never. It's roughly 23x23 all open. The temps in the basement never get below 43F regardless of the outside temp. I'm looking to put a wood stove down there since we plan on finally using it as another living area. Actually it's the wife's Patriots room and she's in the running for the region's nutty fan competition. Personally, I'd rather get stitches without novocaine than watch football.

While it would be a perfect place for a pellet or propane stove, I would like to put something in there that does NOT require the "purchase" of fuel (otherwise I'd just put it on a separate zone off the furnace). So I'm looking for suggestions on what stove to put there based on the size of the area to be heated. The only requirement I have is that it has to have an ash pan and a grate to rake the ashes thru into it...like the Oslo. Cat/non-CAT, cast-iron/steel/soapstone...doesn't matter.

As a multi-stove owner, I recommend a cat stove for your second stove. Whether it is a Buck (steel), VC (cast iron), or a Woodstock (soapstone). Operating multiple stoves means burn times become important. Get a nice cat stove that is a bit over-sized that can offer you nice long burn times while cruising at 350-400 degrees.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I am also a 2 stove burner. My second stove is a jotul 602 and only gets used when the temps drop into the low teens, it supplements the main stove on the first floor, its located in the rear addition.

Since your only heating a little over 500 sq ft I would suggest a medium sized stove that will heat around 1000 sq ft, that way you can get longer burn times without going full bore and still being comfortable. I'm sure you could get something used in decent shape to heat your space.

 

[begreen]

The choice is going to depend on your budget, aesthetic requirements and usage. With the info given a Jotul F400 or a Morso 2210 would be a good cast iron choice, especially if the intent is not to heat the space 24/7.

 

[snowleopard]

Would she appreciate the irony if you were to get her a Morso Squirrel stove?

I think the second stove is a place to have fun, or at the very least, shopping for a second stove should be fun, so here's a few links to some of the most-fun stoves or sites for stove shopping that I've found. Some fall into the price-is-no-object category, and some do not--enjoy the eye candy, and who knows? You might find what you're looking for.

an Elm stove built with a 35 gallon drum instead of a 55 (http://www.vermontironstove.com/);

a Marine Stove by Navigator Stove Works (http://www.marinestove.com/newspaper.htm);

or an elegant 4 o'clock stove from Good Time Stove Works ((broken link removed));

Whatever route you go, consider getting a flat-topped stove so that a pot of chili can be kept warm on it, or a nice stew. That way, when you're widowed by football, you at least have the consolation of a hot meal.

 

[kingquad]

Buck Model 20. Steel, catalytic, ash pan, 1.9 cuft firebox, and it just looks like a kick A!@ little stove.

 

[leeave96]

A cat stove would give you some nice burn times. We are finishing-up an addition to our house and in the basement part, we are going to make it a den. I wanted a wood stove down there and just about settled on an XL cat Dutchwest stove, but with all the $$$'s flying around for the addition, when I stumbled across the Home Depot $649 plus free shipping to my door (thanks Hearth forum for the heads-up on this), I bought the Englander 30-NCH. If you do a recent search, there are a few zip codes that you can plug-in as "my store" and get one of these stoves. With that stove, if $$$'s are a concern, you get a reliable steel plate stove at a great price that ought to heat your basement and a 3+ cu ft firebox which should get you some long burn times with meaningful heat over that time span.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[Todd]

Get a Woodstock Keystone, they're on sale for $1800. Load it up twice per day and run it low and slow, it will keep that basement nice and toasty.

 

[leeave96]

Get a Woodstock Keystone, they're on sale for $1800. Load it up twice per day and run it low and slow, it will keep that basement nice and toasty.

+1

I kind of like the Keystone too....

Bill

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm just flabbergasted about the football statement . . . guessing you have plenty of time to buck, split and stack the wood on Sunday afternoons.

For the record, I would go with a small Jotul if you like the Oslo . . . or even consider a small Woodstock or Hearthstone (although I cannot remember if any of them have ash pans.)

 

[SWNH]

I'm just flabbergasted about the football statement . . . guessing you have plenty of time to buck, split and stack the wood on Sunday afternoons.

Damn right I do.

My wife enough of a fan for both of us.

 

[ddddddden]

+2 for the Keystone. Ash pan reportedly works very well. You can load it up on Sunday morning and split for ~ 10 hours. The Mrs. will probably appreciate the deluxe look. Current price is the best I've seen since I started watching them 3 years ago. They're right up the road from you; pick out the exact stove you want from their warehouse and save another ~ $200. :cheese:

 

[Bub381]

I liked the little squirrel stove but the taper to the back sure makes it low low low in the back.

 

[Dix]

How much of a burn time are you looking for?

 

[SWNH]

How much of a burn time are you looking for?

I think a few hours would be enough. Not looking for overnight burns. Basically it'll be used on an as-needed basis. I work from home, so I'm already feeding the Oslo every few hours. We burn alot of that *EVIL* pine... :coolsmile:

 

[BrowningBAR]

How much of a burn time are you looking for?

I think a few hours would be enough. Not looking for overnight burns. Basically it'll be used on an as-needed basis. I work from home, so I'm already feeding the Oslo every few hours. We burn alot of that *EVIL* pine... :coolsmile:

I'm still sticking with the cat stove that will provide long burn times. Less cold starts, less reloading, less wood hauling is always a good thing.

 

[Dix]

How much of a burn time are you looking for?

I think a few hours would be enough. Not looking for overnight burns. Basically it'll be used on an as-needed basis. I work from home, so I'm already feeding the Oslo every few hours. We burn alot of that *EVIL* pine... :coolsmile:

I heart that evil pine like whooooa (broken image removed)

IMHO, this is not a bad deal for back up

(broken image removed)

http://www.overstockstoves.com/50epacenowos.html

 

[leeave96]

+2 for the Keystone. Ash pan reportedly works very well. You can load it up on Sunday morning and split for ~ 10 hours. The Mrs. will probably appreciate the deluxe look. Current price is the best I've seen since I started watching them 3 years ago. They're right up the road from you; pick out the exact stove you want from their warehouse and save another ~ $200. :cheese:

Ash pan is great!

Good point - in as much as you are in their neck of the woods, you ought to go and have a first hand look-see, heck - you might move the Oslo downstairs and put a Woodstock upstairs for the long burns.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[SWNH]

Thanks for all the responses! Everything I've learned about heating with wood I learned here, so that's why I asked.

In response:

BeGreen: The Jotul F400 seems a bit overpowered for the space. I was looking more at the F3CB. The Morso 2210 looks nice, but I can't see the details on the ash pan.

Snowleopard: I am thinking of the Squirrel for a small cabin I plan to build way back on my property. Should be enough for a 10x16 cabin. The others you posted link to are interesting, but with no ash pans they are off the list.

kingquad: If the Buck 20 is anything like the Englanders (trap door or "plug" ash dump), they're not the kind of ash removal system I would like. Rake the coals around, ash falls thru the bottom grate, hot-swap the ash pan. That's what I'm looking for.

Todd / Leeave96: Woodstocks are on my list. Do either of you have pics of the interior bottom of the stove that shows the grate and ash pan system? It's not shown on their web site.

 

[kingquad]

Thanks for all the responses! Everything I've learned about heating with wood I learned here, so that's why I asked.

In response:

BeGreen: The Jotul F400 seems a bit overpowered for the space. I was looking more at the F3CB. The Morso 2210 looks nice, but I can't see the details on the ash pan.

Snowleopard: I am thinking of the Squirrel for a small cabin I plan to build way back on my property. Should be enough for a 10x16 cabin. The others you posted link to are interesting, but with no ash pans they are off the list.

kingquad: If the Buck 20 is anything like the Englanders (trap door or "plug" ash dump), they're not the kind of ash removal system I would like. Rake the coals around, ash falls thru the bottom grate, hot-swap the ash pan. That's what I'm looking for.

Todd / Leeave96: Woodstocks are on my list. Do either of you have pics of the interior bottom of the stove that shows the grate and ash pan system? It's not shown on their web site.

I can honestly say I know absolutely nothing about the ash removal system on that stove. I honestly want one for my main floor and there's no way my wife would ever agree to it.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Thanks for all the responses! Everything I've learned about heating with wood I learned here, so that's why I asked.

In response:

BeGreen: The Jotul F400 seems a bit overpowered for the space. I was looking more at the F3CB. The Morso 2210 looks nice, but I can't see the details on the ash pan.

Snowleopard: I am thinking of the Squirrel for a small cabin I plan to build way back on my property. Should be enough for a 10x16 cabin. The others you posted link to are interesting, but with no ash pans they are off the list.

kingquad: If the Buck 20 is anything like the Englanders (trap door or "plug" ash dump), they're not the kind of ash removal system I would like. Rake the coals around, ash falls thru the bottom grate, hot-swap the ash pan. That's what I'm looking for.

Todd / Leeave96: Woodstocks are on my list. Do either of you have pics of the interior bottom of the stove that shows the grate and ash pan system? It's not shown on their web site.

I can honestly say I know absolutely nothing about the ash removal system on that stove. I honestly want one for my main floor and there's no way my wife would ever agree to it.

I stopped asking the wife two stoves ago. She chose the Intrepid. Lost her voting rights after that one.

 

[begreen]

Thanks for all the responses! Everything I've learned about heating with wood I learned here, so that's why I asked.

In response:

BeGreen: The Jotul F400 seems a bit overpowered for the space. I was looking more at the F3CB. The Morso 2210 looks nice, but I can't see the details on the ash pan.

The F400 is about a 1.7 cu ft stove, not much more than the Keystone. It can be run easily burning just a few splits until the weather gets colder. The extra capacity and longer burns will be appreciated when it gets cold.

 

[Todd]

Todd / Leeave96: Woodstocks are on my list. Do either of you have pics of the interior bottom of the stove that shows the grate and ash pan system? It's not shown on their web site.

The fire box has a cast iron bottom with slots for the ash to drop down into. You can use a rake to help it fall through but most of the fine ash goes through on it's own. Right underneath the loading door is the ash pan door which holds the ash pan that slides out. There is also a cover you can slide onto the pan but I've never used it, I just take it out into the back yard and dump it into a large pail.

 

[SWNH]

Thanks, Todd! That's exactly the type of ash pan system I am looking for (pretty much the same on the Oslo). This puts the stove on my A list.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I'm just flabbergasted about the football statement . . . guessing you have plenty of time to buck, split and stack the wood on Sunday afternoons.

For the record, I would go with a small Jotul if you like the Oslo . . . or even consider a small Woodstock or Hearthstone (although I cannot remember if any of them have ash pans.)

I'm with Jake, I like the Jotuls. The 602 or the 118 would be great sizes to heat that space.