Why I buck it 14.75!

[Jags]

Thanks Jags<
I generally stay around 350-450 good to know I've got some reserves!

You won't believe the difference in heat output from 450 to 600. It is leaps and bounds more powerful.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree with Jags. There is a huge difference between 400 or 450 and 600 or even 700 degrees. During the winter months when our stove gets down to 450 we can surely feel the difference. This time of the year though, when it gets to 500 we roast!

 

[thewoodlands]

I agree with Jags. There is a huge difference between 400 or 450 and 600 or even 700 degrees. During the winter months when our stove gets down to 450 we can surely feel the difference. This time of the year though, when it gets to 500 we roast!

Sav, I don't even want to think what this would do if it was on the main floor. :zip:

zap

 

[indiana4spartans]

Zap (and others),

Been hanging around for awhile but haven't added too much constructively to the board, I'll work on it.

This is our second year burning and I'm a lot better off with my wood. I also have a lot of 12" splits for N/S and about half of my wood is 16-17" for my E/W. My question is this - do you ever burn E/W? Why or why not? I didn't burn a lot of N/S last year (first year) because I didn't have a lot of wood that size. This year I purposely split a lot of basswood (for shoulder) and locust/maple/ash in 12" to give it a try. So far I like it, should I just consider always cutting that way?

 

[RNLA]

Boy-o-boy, all this talk about the stove temps is makin me nervous. Do I need a thermometer or can you just watch the fire? I always just fill it back up when it gets down to the coals. If I get cold I throw some more wood at it and let it get hot and shut it down, turn on the fan and wait for it to burn through.

 

[CTYank]

I never thought of loading that way. I like it. I might start cutting smaller

Works for me with a Morso Squirrel, which can accept 10" front-back or 12" side-side. My target: 8" for front-back and clearance from sloping top baffle.

Prime reason: primary airflow is a loop down the front then horizontal to the back. Morso says to leave space bewtween pieces- good suggestion.

Production howto:
Buck to 16" rounds. Split rounds to max width ~3.5". Buzz those splits on cheapie HF tablesaw. (Minimizes loss to chips.)

Of course, cutting & splitting smaller speeds drying once seasoning is done.

 

[Jamess67]

Thats how my stove loads. Its longer than it is wide.
(broken link removed)

 

[andybaker]

I always end up with a pile of short splits and last year I noticed that loading N/S was more convenient and it went through the night better. I thought about cutting it that short but I thought the stacks would be too unstable. This idea I will give more thought to.

 

[DiscoInferno]

Because I scrounge I wind up with all lengths. Anything under 10" or so goes in the Napoleon N/S, and stuff between 10"-15" or so goes N/S in the Ultima. 15"-18" can go E/W in either one, and stuff up to 22" or so can go E/W or diagonal in the Ultima. Above that I usually cut in half. I definitely prefer N/S, but usually wind up with a lot more E/W wood.

 

[rdust]

I always wonder why Lopi didn't make the firebox on the Liberty big enough to take an 18" split n/s. I will never load my stove e/w again(tried once) I can't imagine the amount of burns I would have on my arms/hands after a season of burning.

 

[thewoodlands]

I always wonder why Lopi didn't make the firebox on the Liberty big enough to take an 18" split n/s. I will never load my stove e/w again(tried once) I can't imagine the amount of burns I would have on my arms/hands after a season of burning.

rdust it sure does kick out the btu's so I can deal with the shorter splits.


zap

 

[dafattkidd]

Like 4spartans I have a small firebox. So to get N S I need to cut these suckers down to 12". I currently have a load of shorties and uglies that is burning way better than my usual load of 16"-18" EW. I have 4 cords of 16"-18" split/stacked. What do I do here? Any suggestions of how to quickly cut these guys down? BTW 4spartans, what kind of temps are you getting with you Napoleon 1101?

 

[dafattkidd]

I just reloaded and had a few shorties that I ran NS, and threw two 18" splits on top. My stove is fully closed and pinned at 575* It's fantastic. I gotta cut the rest of these down. I'm going to sleep now. I hope to wake up to some good suggestions of how to cut down 4 cords of splits from 18" down to 12" in a respectable amount of time. You guys are the best. I'm counting on you. Thanks.

 

[FireAnt]

My wood sizes are all over the place. I like short ones that I can fit north/south because they don't roll toward the glass. I load my bottom ones east west and the top with n/s.

I do the same thing. I put 2 big splits E/W then put 3 or 4 N/S in my stove. My stacks have shorts and longs mixed in.

 

[Jags]

Boy-o-boy, all this talk about the stove temps is makin me nervous. Do I need a thermometer or can you just watch the fire? I always just fill it back up when it gets down to the coals. If I get cold I throw some more wood at it and let it get hot and shut it down, turn on the fan and wait for it to burn through.

NEED? No - but can you tell the difference between a 1100F fire and 1300F fire by looking at it? I can't. How about a 650F stove top to a 750 stove top? I can't do that either, but the thermo can. I probably don't need the fuel gauge in my truck either, but it sure is handy. Just sayin.

 

[indiana4spartans]

Like 4spartans I have a small firebox. So to get N S I need to cut these suckers down to 12". I currently have a load of shorties and uglies that is burning way better than my usual load of 16"-18" EW. I have 4 cords of 16"-18" split/stacked. What do I do here? Any suggestions of how to quickly cut these guys down? BTW 4spartans, what kind of temps are you getting with you Napoleon 1101?

I'll be honest DFK - I don't really know. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to monitor temps with an insert. I would burn the 16-18" as you have them this year and work on smaller for future years - that's what I'm planning on doing. I had to cut down a whole bunch last year that were too big for n/s or e/w and that was a ton of time and work.

 

[thewoodlands]

I just reloaded and had a few shorties that I ran NS, and threw two 18" splits on top. My stove is fully closed and pinned at 575* It's fantastic. I gotta cut the rest of these down. I'm going to sleep now. I hope to wake up to some good suggestions of how to cut down 4 cords of splits from 18" down to 12" in a respectable amount of time. You guys are the best. I'm counting on you. Thanks.

DaFattKidd here is a link then go to post number 23.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/60241/


zap

 

[dafattkidd]

Zap,

That's awesome! I was thinking about it last night and I had a similar idea, but yours seems to be a perfected version of my half-assed idea. Thanks.

4spartans, I have a stove thermometer on my stove just above the hinge side of the door. You can kind of see it in my avatar. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it gives me a gauge and helps me have an idea of what I'm doing. I totally new to all of this so any tool that will help me I'll use it. Do you mind me asking the size and age of your house? Just curious how others with the same stove are performing compared to mine.

I think I'm going to cut a bunch of them down, so I can at least go N S with some splits in all burns. We'll see how it goes. With Zap's good advice I think I'll get it done a little faster.

 

[indiana4spartans]

Zap,

That's awesome! I was thinking about it last night and I had a similar idea, but yours seems to be a perfected version of my half-assed idea. Thanks.

4spartans, I have a stove thermometer on my stove just above the hinge side of the door. You can kind of see it in my avatar. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it gives me a gauge and helps me have an idea of what I'm doing. I totally new to all of this so any tool that will help me I'll use it. Do you mind me asking the size and age of your house? Just curious how others with the same stove are performing compared to mine.

I think I'm going to cut a bunch of them down, so I can at least go N S with some splits in all burns. We'll see how it goes. With Zap's good advice I think I'll get it done a little faster.

Built in 2006 - around 1500 sq.ft. on main level, about 500 on second. Keeps our great room, kitchen, eating area, and upstairs very nice and cozy. We have a geothermal system already, so we didn't go with a bigger insert - no need to heat primarily with wood - just a supplemental. I will burn 24/7 as it gets colder and it does very well. I like it a lot.

I'll have to look into putting a thermometer where you have it - I just figured it wasn't possible with my outfit.

 

[dafattkidd]

Built in 2006 - around 1500 sq.ft. on main level, about 500 on second. Keeps our great room, kitchen, eating area, and upstairs very nice and cozy. We have a geothermal system already, so we didn't go with a bigger insert - no need to heat primarily with wood - just a supplemental. I will burn 24/7 as it gets colder and it does very well. I like it a lot.

I'll have to look into putting a thermometer where you have it - I just figured it wasn't possible with my outfit.[/quote]

The thermometer helps me a lot to gauge how I'm doing. Sounds like you've got a really nice set up. Thanks for the input.

 

[nate379]

I never measured the inside of my Blaze King but I know that the 16" logs I have fit N/S with plenty of room.

 

[thewoodlands]

DFK here are a few pictures of it loaded up.


zap

 

[indiana4spartans]

DFK here are a few pictures of it loaded up.


zap

Zap - do you ever burn E/W? If so, why - if not, why not? Just curious.

 

[thewoodlands]

DFK here are a few pictures of it loaded up.


zap

Zap - do you ever burn E/W? If so, why - if not, why not? Just curious.

Last year we burned e/w most of the time because most of the wood was cut before we decided on buying the Lopi Liberty (the wood was cut 17-18 inches which made it to long for n/s loading), n/s I think it is safer because you don't have to worry about the wood rolling out and hitting the glass like you would e/w.

Plus loading n/s I think we can get more wood in.


zap

 

[SolarAndWood]

I think is safer because you don't have to worry about the wood rolling out and hitting the glass like you would e/w.

Plus loading n/s I think we can get more wood in.

x100. Not only can you get more in but it is also easier. I replaced 3 panes of $100 glass on my old EW stove but I don't think any log has even touched the glass on the new one even though it gets loaded this full every time.

Now, it the goal is ambiance instead of heat, I might think differently. Of course, if the goal was ambiance, I wouldn't have bought the stove I did.