My wife wanted to operate the stove...

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Skier76

Skier76

Minister of Fire
Apr 14, 2009
1,468
CT and SoVT
.. so I said: "Go for it!"

She wanted to get a better idea of how the stove worked. Plus, if she ever had to run up to VT solo, she wanted to be confident she could get a fire going in short order.

She requested that I stay pretty much hands off while she built the fire. I just made sure she knew which way was open regarding the air control. I didn't exactly watch her load the fire box...but the stove was up to 400F faster than I've ever had it. :lol: I tend to be a bit more conservative...a "less is more" type of fire builder. She loaded the box and let it rip.

When it comes time to reload...again, I'm a less is more type. I'll start with some smaller bits of ash, let those coal up and go with some regular sized splits. It's our first year burning and our wood supply isn't 100% seasoned. My wife grabbed three ash splits and tossed them on. The temp dropped a bit, but she nursed it back by cracking the door. The next thing I know, the stove temp is 600F. :coolsmile: She then starts backing down the air control and we saw some great action from the secondaries. When we went to bed that night, our downstairs was at 90F.

Cliffs: If your wife wants to start a fire...let her...you just may end up learning a thing or two. ;-)
 
Thats a good post. My wife asked me the same question the other day. She wants to run the stove when I'm not home. Gonna try and let her do the same thing,,build her own, maybe over the upcoming weekend. I think she will be fine,,but,,I will make sure all my fire extinguishers are fully charged !! Will also make sure to have plenty of neosporin, band aids and a burn kit available !!
 
my wife loads ours all the time, and occasionally has to start a fire if i am running late for work or it is not cold enough for me to need to do it. she always complained that it took her forever and it smoked alot. so a few weeks ago i had her come down with me and showed her my semi top down method. (keep in mind this is a furnace heating 2100 sq ft) i put 2 larger splits on the bottom then put 2 small 2x4's split in half going east/west, then 2 firestarter blocks in between (on top of the splits), then 2 2x4's split in half (4 total pieces) north south. i space them out a bit so theres lots of air getting in there. if its cold, then after a few min i will add 2 more splits on top. if its mild i dont add any more.


she called me at work a few days ago to say she used my method and she couldnt believe how easy it was.
 
My wife had already reloaded the stove before I got up and the cat was cranking away at over 1000 degrees this morning. The house was a comfortable 75 degrees.
 
CowboyAndy said:
my wife loads ours all the time, and occasionally has to start a fire if i am running late for work or it is not cold enough for me to need to do it. she always complained that it took her forever and it smoked alot. so a few weeks ago i had her come down with me and showed her my semi top down method. (keep in mind this is a furnace heating 2100 sq ft) i put 2 larger splits on the bottom then put 2 small 2x4's split in half going east/west, then 2 firestarter blocks in between (on top of the splits), then 2 2x4's split in half (4 total pieces) north south. i space them out a bit so theres lots of air getting in there. if its cold, then after a few min i will add 2 more splits on top. if its mild i dont add any more.


she called me at work a few days ago to say she used my method and she couldnt believe how easy it was.
Click to expand...

What furnace do you have? I'm still trying to get my wife to "try" it out.
 
I'm still amazed at guys who post here about their wife reloading the stove . . . I mean just because they're women doesn't mean they're helpless and completely unable to figure out this relatively simple skill. I mean to say, it's great when folks have a partner that is willing to learn how to run the stove when they have not expressed any previous interest . . . and it's even better (but more embarassing) when they can run the stove better than us . . . but let's face it . . . if someone were able to teach their dog or cat to run the stove now that would be a post truly worth reading. :)
 
Hang on here fellas... if we teach them how to run the stove whats next? Will they then try the lawn mower, the splitter, c'mon .... it will take away all my fun with the man toys! Next thing ya know she will have me pushing a vacuum, dusting and doing laundry! :->
 
firefighterjake said:
. . . if someone were able to teach their dog or cat to run the stove now that would be a post truly worth reading. :)
Click to expand...

I'm working on that. The dog will carry wood, but she is not placing it in the stove in the right order. And the cat burner her fur off last week trying to start the matches. Its gonna be a long haul on this one.
 
Skier76 said:
she nursed it back by cracking the door...
Click to expand...
Just hope she doesn't walk away from it and forget about it. One ground rule to set is never leave the room with the door ajar.

Aside from that, tell her "you go, girl".
 
Actually, I think that the real ability comes with running the chainsaw, the splitter, the plow, the stove, the tractor, the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, cleaning stalls, cleaning sheaths, amongst a host of other things.

I'll toss in emptying the litter box, and cleaning the toilet bowl for good measure.


*insert The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly music here*
 
Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
Actually, I think that the real ability comes with running the chainsaw, the splitter, the plow, the stove, the tractor, the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, cleaning stalls, cleaning sheaths, amongst a host of other things.

I'll toss in emptying the litter box, and cleaning the toilet bowl for good measure.


*insert The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly music here*
Click to expand...
LOL

Reminds me about the "Men at work" signs thing... When men work they put up signs. Women work all the time. They don't need signs.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YniKlbPh29k/SdDw_lzC1pI/AAAAAAAAD1g/i7uLbC2-AHs/s400/men-women-at-work.jpg
 
The only thing that bothered me when the wife and I first started burning was, she wasn't really interested in reading the owners manual or really paying attention to me when I tried to teach her about how to properly ioperated the stove for optimum burn. But by now I think she has a pretty good handle on it. She still makes fun of me because I can't help walking over and "tweeking" the air if she has started the fire.
Hank
 
freeburn said:
CowboyAndy said:
my wife loads ours all the time, and occasionally has to start a fire if i am running late for work or it is not cold enough for me to need to do it. she always complained that it took her forever and it smoked alot. so a few weeks ago i had her come down with me and showed her my semi top down method. (keep in mind this is a furnace heating 2100 sq ft) i put 2 larger splits on the bottom then put 2 small 2x4's split in half going east/west, then 2 firestarter blocks in between (on top of the splits), then 2 2x4's split in half (4 total pieces) north south. i space them out a bit so theres lots of air getting in there. if its cold, then after a few min i will add 2 more splits on top. if its mild i dont add any more.


she called me at work a few days ago to say she used my method and she couldnt believe how easy it was.
Click to expand...

What furnace do you have? I'm still trying to get my wife to "try" it out.
Click to expand...
newmac wood oil combo

LLigetfa said:
Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
Actually, I think that the real ability comes with running the chainsaw, the splitter, the plow, the stove, the tractor, the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, cleaning stalls, cleaning sheaths, amongst a host of other things.

I'll toss in emptying the litter box, and cleaning the toilet bowl for good measure.


*insert The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly music here*
Click to expand...
LOL

Reminds me about the "Men at work" signs thing... When men work they put up signs. Women work all the time. They don't need signs.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YniKlbPh29k/SdDw_lzC1pI/AAAAAAAAD1g/i7uLbC2-AHs/s400/men-women-at-work.jpg
Click to expand...
that sign is awesome!


and i wasnt trying to be sexist towards my wife, merly saying that she is finally willing to stop being so stubborn and using the ways her dad taught her years and years ago.


cant speak for the other gentlemen here though...

;)
 
Cavemen did the hunting; cavewomen did the cooking over the fire thing. Modern women build better fires than modern men. :)

(Let the flames come! :) )

I run the chainsaw, the logsplitter, tote the wood, load the wood, stack the wood, cut the lawn, do oil changes, clean out the house gutter, fix the sump pump, etc. along with doing the dishes, the laundry, cooking, etc. Not all of this was originally 'my job' but it has 'become' my job but such is life and life is good!

Shari
 
My wife and I both run the stove with equal abilities and results. She can't believe it when I tell her that guys here speak of women who won't run a stove. She says she's not strong enough do the cutting or splitting, but she helps with stacking and whatever else she can when she can. She has run the saw a few times, but would prefer that I do.
 
I don't care if she can do it better than I can- all i know is that I enjoy doing it more than she does.
 
rsgBJJfighter said:
I don't care if she can do it better than I can- all i know is that I enjoy doing it more than she does.
Click to expand...

Yup!
 
First thing the wood stove next they will want drivers licence and the right to vote! Hey in some countrys women collect the firewood and stoke the fire. Did you ever see those women with huge bails of wood on there back walking up a country lane. Just kidding I wish my Bride would get more involved with heating the house!
 
My wife's from Montana, born and raised. I'm from Calif., so she does all the cutting, splitting, stacking, and starting of the fires.- 'Cause I'm a left-coast nancy boy. I've stopped argueing with her, because it interrupts my knitting. She does build a nice fire, though.
 
my wife is only allowed to touch the stove if she is in short shorts and high heels. and a string bikini top.
 
greythorn3 said:
my wife is only allowed to touch the stove if she is in short shorts and high heels. and a string bikini top.
Click to expand...
A bikini in Alaska ( I DON"T THINK SO )
 
Had a similar experience with my new Fireview stove

My wife and I have been woodburners for years. She has started and run our old stoves (Avalon's) withouth difficulties.

When I installed the Woodstock Fireview I read and re-read the manual and spent countless hours on this website preparing for my first fires and operating the new CAT stove.

I drove her crazy always checking flue and stove temps and adjusting this and that and had less than satisfactory burns.... I was getting frustrated and thinking I had made a mistake switching to this new stove.

Then one day I was out late and the wife called and wanted to start the stove. She new the sequence regarding when to engage the CAT. I was very apprehensive about letting her "drive" the new stove given all the difficulties I seemed to be having.

I returned home later that night the stove was burning just beautifully, she was relaxing reading a book not the stove thermometers like I would have been. She remarked how easy it was to operate and didn't understand all the gymnastics I was going through to operate the stove.

I learned a 2 valuable lessons that day. 1) A well engineered stove will operate at most settings if you just give it time to adjust. 2) My wife is usually right at about most things

I am now able to really relax and enjoy the stove.
 
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