Top Ten "Favorite" Hearth Necessities...

Big piece of cardboard for when the fire alarm starts ringing
Fan for when the cardboard doesnt do the trick
Shorts and t-shirts
A duster for the TV and brickabrack

Steamer for humidfying the room. I got this one:

http://store.patiohearth.com/halfkettle.html

Bear skin rug

Champagne for the first successful overnight burn.
Doctors note to explain why you didn't go to work after the first successful overnight burn
box o kleenex for ths first second and third times you clean the ashes out, and get lots in your face.
Seriously, though, did anyone mention fire extinguisher?
oh! And cigar!

1. Some fire starters when you are to lazy or tired from working all day to find some kindlin!

2. Stove glass cleaner

3. Log carrier or some other device so you dont get your pJ's dirty before bed.

4. Party supplies.....Invite all your friends over And ask why they don't have a stove.

5. Consider buiying the fiberglass maul till you get good again at spliting logs. then once you break that one after hiting the shaft a hundred times buy a wood one so you can replace it.

6. My favorite the "the log grenade" sold at the the home desperet. replaces old fashoned wedges.

7. Beer

A cute blonde?

1. ratty old boots that you can slip into w/o lacing up to march through the snow to grab wood, only to slip out of quickly and back into slippers upon return
2. a good rake/hoe to comb trough your all night burns the next morning looking for that perfect charcoal!
3. what...does no one drink whisky???

yup part of the first overnite burn can't sleep crowd

11. Mr. Zogg's Sex Wax.

oh, no, wait, sorry... wrong forum.

I never knew Surfing and wood burning went hand in hand

That's right. Just look at the man's house! Out surfing, when he should have been watching his wood stove.

<grin>

Marcus said:

A cute blonde?

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Or brunette

Mike Wilson said:

11. Mr. Zogg's Sex Wax.

oh, no, wait, sorry... wrong forum.

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No, its the right place for it

Fires are romantic after all :rofl:

Great Question!

There is so much unnecessary junk accessories out there that one does not need for a successful relationship with your new wood stove. Fireplaces are different, they require much more tending.

My VC tending tools go as follows:

One very good poker, not too long handled, be careful with it around the glass and firebrick.

A good ash bucket, two if you are going to be burning a lot. They fill up very quickly. Keep it on the ground, not on the deck.

A small stool kept nearby, so you can plunk your bum down when its time to have a good clean out/fill up of the stove. I find it saves the back and makes the job much more enjoyable.

A good shovel, I have find the old fashioned coal-type the best. Paid $4 for it new, its just plain stamped steel with crimped corners.

Glass cleaner in a spray bottle. I have used less than 1/2 of one in 3 years, but when you need it, its the best.

Some kind of firestarters. I buy a pressed log and cut it into hunks. You get about 20 or 30 per log. Works great. I use about 3 logs a year.

A dust buster and a small wisk broom/dust pan....keep that hearth clean and as uncluttered as possible, keep the dust down.

An old washtub made of tin, to keep your wood in, standing on end so no piece gets trapped on the bottom, destined never to make the cut and actually get burnt in the stove. A smaller metal container for kindling is handy too. I use an old high sided stainless steel pot I picked up at a garage sale.

A couple of small fans, to occasionally push the heat a little quicker or farther.

That's about it. It goes without saying, good wood, and as big a variety as you can get your hands on. Kindling, 1-2" rounds or splits, then progressively bigger/harder. For the next two weeks, we shall need our best wood. Its going to be cold enough for the temp/wind to really get into all those cracks and crannys of the best house.

Safe heating all, enjoy the warmth that only a well tended wood stove can bring to our lives.

Donna

got wood? said:

2. a good rake/hoe to comb trough your all night burns the next morning looking for that perfect charcoal!
3. what...does no one drink whisky???

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Bingo, I regulary sfit through the ashes after they cool for charcoal. That all goes right into my Big Green Egg for some good oak flavor on my steaks!

As for whiskey, it's OK, but I prefer a nice bottle of Ron del Barrilito to sip with my Brador.

Bourbon or Scotch here please

If I can pick and choose its Bookers and Langavulin if you please

A few things that will not make the top ten

1. Nothing romantic about Boone's Farm Apple wine

2. Honey you tracked mud in the house and there are pieces of bark everwhere

3, why do you have to keeping opening the stove and get smoke in the house. The ceilings are turning yellow

4. The shop Vac Filter is useless and you will be dusting the house for weeks.

5. when cleaning out the stove try to get the ash in the bucket next time

6. Nothing romantic about having the fire extinguisher on the couch between you and your partner

7. nothing romantic about setting off the smoke alarms

8. You are giving the stove more attention than me

9. Nothing romantic when you exclaim oh sh** I forgot to open the damper when loading as smoke billows into the room..

10 Gosh darn my kids sand pail shovel just melted

martel said:

Believe it or not I have 2 Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stouts in the fridge with a bottle of riesling (for the wifey) to commemorate our first burn... and she's a brunette.

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Off-topic, but if you like the Samual Smith's Oatmeal Stout, which is one of my favorite beers, see if you can get the Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout. It may only be available in the DC area (Old Dominion Brewery is in Norther Virginia) but it's good enough that it's worth looking for.