Two "new" tricks I learned with the old VC Intrepid

[MikoDel]

First is, if you pull the ash pan out a little, when you clear the ash fettles the pan catches the spill and keeps the ash lip clean. Of course you'd never know it from the pic I posted, but it's a simple idea and works great. Can't believe I've been burning the thing since 1998 and just thought of that last winter.

Second is, when I attempt to "quik season" wet splits behind the stove, they are adding moisture to the room, acting as a pretty effective humidifier. If you know anything about split wood, it loses a lot of its weight in water. In addition to my little green enameled water pot, I got 'dem splitz going for me.

That is all. Except: thanks be to God for dead trees cause nothing would be burning if everything I cut this year were healthy. Everything on my timetable got pushed back. I don't believe I even started the splitter until October or November. BLEH

 

[husky345 vermont resolute]

First is, if you pull the ash pan out a little, when you clear the ash fettles the pan catches the spill and keeps the ash lip clean. Of course you'd never know it from the pic I posted, but it's a simple idea and works great. Can't believe I've been burning the thing since 1998 and just thought of that last winter.

Second is, when I attempt to "quik season" wet splits behind the stove, they are adding moisture to the room, acting as a pretty effective humidifier. If you know anything about split wood, it loses a lot of its weight in water. In addition to my little green enameled water pot, I got 'dem splitz going for me.

That is all. Except: thanks be to God for dead trees cause nothing would be burning if everything I cut this year were healthy. Everything on my timetable got pushed back. I don't believe I even started the splitter until October or November. BLEH

I personally wouldn't put my wood that close to the stove. I almost burnt my house down because I had a pair of mitts to close and they caught on fire. Luckily I came home when I did. Ever since then I'm real careful about my clearances. Be careful micko

 

[Stella]

I personally wouldn't put my wood that close to the stove.

That's interesting as I have recently been putting wood on the hearth round the stove so that it is ready to be put inside. Have to say I did wonder if this was OK but I see that the design of many stove incorporates a kind of shelf beneath for stacking wood. Is this not such a good idea? I want to be safe as well as warm!

 

[begreen]

Stoves that have a wood shelf built into their base have additional shielding to eliminate ignition risk. That is not part of a regular, legged, wood stove design. Some stoves don't even have a bottom heat shield and have a high hearth insulation requirement as a result.

 

[Stella]

I have now removed all the wood from the hearth as I have no idea of the hearth insulation requirement of my Supra Mulhouse stove and would rather be safe than sorry.