Advice on buying my stove

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jekayan

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Aug 16, 2008
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I'm insulating a 500sq ft. cabin in Southern Vt. and looking for a good wood stove to keep me toasty through the winter. I'd prefer something that will make it through the night, but I most things I find (the Jotul 203, Vt. Castings Intrepid II) that are small enough only burn for 5-6 hours. Any advice on what might work best would be much appreciated!
 
I think you are on the right track thinking about a cat stove, but 500 sq ft is a small space regardless. Woodstock also makes a couple smaller cat stoves in soapstone which will further even out the heat and will retain some residual warmth after the fire has died down. Does the cabin have electricity? If yes, I would rely on a room heater like an oil-filled radiator or a baseboard to keep it above 60 in the wee hours of the morning.
 
If its a weekend place be careful with a cast stv. they don't like to be woke up on fri nite and made to go to 600 degrees, a steel stove will have a far better life span in those conditions. A quadra fire 2100 millimum sounds like it would be good, long burn-8 hrs, close clearance, good stv.
 
Intrepid II is the right size....I heat most of a much larger home with one. However, keep in mind that the Intrepid, while rated for 16" logs, loads (from the top) a bit easier with 12-14" logs. Multiple 16" logs can be tricky if the firebox is already partially full.
Front loading really isn't possible if you have the andirons in and an established fire.
 
This isn't a weekend place, it's our only place! To elmoleaf, how long does your Intrepid II burn for? It's our most convenient choice as we've got one offered to us from a friend (who seems to know nothing about it!). Does anyone know of a stove this size that will burn all night? Thanks for all the help!
 
humpin iron said:
If its a weekend place be careful with a cast stv. they don't like to be woke up on fri nite and made to go to 600 degrees, a steel stove will have a far better life span in those conditions. A quadra fire 2100 millimum sounds like it would be good, long burn-8 hrs, close clearance, good stv.

I use a cast iron stove in my cabin, which is not heated when we are not there, it's usually 10 degrees in the house in winter, and never had a problem with my stove. Remember it takes a while to get the stove hot, by the way my car has a cast iron block and it gets hot and cold all the time.
 
You need a small soapstone stove for that place so that when you are burning it hot it doesn't run you out of there so bad, though it will to a degree, and then hold some heat for the longest time possible after the fire dies down.
 
Yep, check out a Palladian or Keystone at Woodstock's website.
 
how about one of those Home Depot hot rods? NC-13 I think. Im thinking of geting one for my garage. $700
 
The 13NC in a little cabin would be overkill and harder to make a small fire last long.

Your application is different. If the garage is attached it is illegal to put a woodstove in it. If not, my guess is that it is uninsulated and you won't be sleeping overnight in it. Well, at least not if you've been good.
 
its finished off and insulated, and yes I know the wood police wont think its cool, but I have this class A chimney thats not being used, goes back to my wood furnace days. Only thing in this garage is my Harleys (no gas). and my wifes shoe collection
 
Hey by the way mr moderator, how many post do you have to make to become a master dude such as your self and others like BB
 
Hanko said:
Hey by the way mr moderator, how many post do you have to make to become a master dude such as your self and others like BB

I think after 500 you become a master, after 1000 or maybe it's 1500 you become a jedi knight.
 
cool, no seriously what are the steps, or is that a classified
 
When I hit 8,000 posts mine will change from Pyro Extraordinaire to Babbling Old Fool.
 
:lol: I'm well beyond that (the babbling old fool stage that is).

Hanko, you'll have to ask Craig. It's just a counter setting in the forum software.
 
I've just been offered a VC Resolute--for free. It seems too big, but we're thinking of slacking a bit on a one part of the insulation (the part that's the most pain) and I'm wondering if this might work. It's a pretty big stove, but we're in a pretty cold spot and don't have great insulation to start with.
 
BeGreen said:
...It's just a counter setting in the forum software.

And, as clearly evidenced from my case, it has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of posts, nor the poster's knowledge of the subject matter. Rick
 
Hearthstone tribute
 
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