Thanks to all who responded to “In the Nick of Time”. As a result of all that great input, I’m still trying to figure out what kind and size stove to buy. I think I’m more on the beam than when this all started and I appreciate y’all for steering me away from some and toward being more open to all.
We are not in the coldest part of the country, but sometimes you’d swear that the only thing ‘tween you and the North Pole is one strand of “bob wahr” an’ it’s down! So, it can get cold here AND I want to eliminate as much of my dependence on propane as possible. SO, that said, I THINK I’ve narrowed down my playing field to soapstone or cast iron and about a 3.0 cu. ft. firebox. I also think I’ve learned to expect about 50% of the stated “max” BTU output as the norm and use the stated output only for comparison, and not even sure that’s reliable!
So, all you gurus, since y’all have been there and done that, what are my considerations? SS seems to be a gentler heat and long lasting after the flame dies away, but slow to come up to temp. Then there's cast iron that heats up faster, but dies away more quickly, but it has its champions, too. I don’t want catalytic--seems to be more trouble than it’s worth and counter-productive in some ways. (thank you FW?)
Hearthstone looks good, but the size I think I need/want (the Mansfield) is only a top vent and I have a max flue height of 30.25”. Didn’t see any “short leg” sets for the Mansfield that would allow it to come in at or under the limit, unless I missed something somewhere. I see all sorts of stoves mentioned, but mainly HS, Englander and one or two others consistently. Why do I not see as many Jotuls? Is there something wrong with ‘em? Seems everyone aspires to the Hearthstone, but they seem pricey. I’d like one, too, ‘cept for the price, BUT I’m willing to pay for it if it’s that good and has a reasonable ROI.
What stove(s) have the capacity to fend off single digit nights and stretches of no days reaching 32 for a week at a time or longer AND handle the not-so-cold days of 30s to 40s needing a small but consistent burn, with the same precision? My dealer is pushing a unit that most of y’all don’t think I should get, so please give me some educated input from what you’ve found in your efforts to reach wood-burning nirvana!
I won’t live long enough to make "all the wrong mistakes" and I sure don’t have enough money to walk that path. Thanks for all your advice. I’ve learned way more this week about using wood for heat than I thought possible. Standing by . . .
We are not in the coldest part of the country, but sometimes you’d swear that the only thing ‘tween you and the North Pole is one strand of “bob wahr” an’ it’s down! So, it can get cold here AND I want to eliminate as much of my dependence on propane as possible. SO, that said, I THINK I’ve narrowed down my playing field to soapstone or cast iron and about a 3.0 cu. ft. firebox. I also think I’ve learned to expect about 50% of the stated “max” BTU output as the norm and use the stated output only for comparison, and not even sure that’s reliable!
So, all you gurus, since y’all have been there and done that, what are my considerations? SS seems to be a gentler heat and long lasting after the flame dies away, but slow to come up to temp. Then there's cast iron that heats up faster, but dies away more quickly, but it has its champions, too. I don’t want catalytic--seems to be more trouble than it’s worth and counter-productive in some ways. (thank you FW?)
Hearthstone looks good, but the size I think I need/want (the Mansfield) is only a top vent and I have a max flue height of 30.25”. Didn’t see any “short leg” sets for the Mansfield that would allow it to come in at or under the limit, unless I missed something somewhere. I see all sorts of stoves mentioned, but mainly HS, Englander and one or two others consistently. Why do I not see as many Jotuls? Is there something wrong with ‘em? Seems everyone aspires to the Hearthstone, but they seem pricey. I’d like one, too, ‘cept for the price, BUT I’m willing to pay for it if it’s that good and has a reasonable ROI.
What stove(s) have the capacity to fend off single digit nights and stretches of no days reaching 32 for a week at a time or longer AND handle the not-so-cold days of 30s to 40s needing a small but consistent burn, with the same precision? My dealer is pushing a unit that most of y’all don’t think I should get, so please give me some educated input from what you’ve found in your efforts to reach wood-burning nirvana!
I won’t live long enough to make "all the wrong mistakes" and I sure don’t have enough money to walk that path. Thanks for all your advice. I’ve learned way more this week about using wood for heat than I thought possible. Standing by . . .
I can't see anything burning! Is the stove out? Getting closer to the stove, I can't even see any red coals. However, I can see some light from something. Bending down and looking up the front of the glass, I can see this pretty red glow. That, sir, is the catalyst doing it's thing. It appears the wood is not burning but, in fact, this stove is keeping us very, very warm, thanks to the cat. We also know we aren't losing heat up the chimney nor are we polluting the air a bunch. 
