Duh, what was I thinking?

[HollowHill]

I am getting a woodstove for next season. Planning on it being the new Woodstock Frankenstove. In the back of my little mind, my thought was that if it didn't work out due to size (not enough btus with the 3 cubic foot), I could return it and get the Equinox. Then, it occurred to me that no, I could not do that because of the flue size (Woodstock 6", Equinox 8"). Drat, drat, and double drat. So, my question is, should I put in an 8" flue (stainless liner in interior, tile lined, masonry chimney), so that I would have the option to switch at a later point? It is a tall chimney (2 story house), but we have tall trees on the side where the wind blows, creating a turbulent air flow pattern.

 

[HotCoals]

I would go the 8..look how big the old fireplaces and chimneys were..and they still drafted.

 

[shawneyboy]

Stoves are designed with specific flue sizes. I would stick with the 6. If you increase the flue size from 6-8 you are increasing the volume of the flue quite a bit. With an 8 you might feel that the frankenstove isn't working to your liking when it was caused by the increased flue size and with the correct flue you would have been quite happy.

Shawn

 

[summit]

whats wrong w/ the current liner?

 

[HollowHill]

whats wrong w/ the current liner?

It's a clay tile rectangular one, about 8 x 12, I think, so too big. It worked great for the fireplace, though.

 

[begreen]

I'd go for a 6" liner. At 2 stories, if insulated it will probably draft strongly. Perhaps even enough for an Equinox.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

HollowHill, I highly doubt you would return that stove. It is one heating monster!

 

[BrotherBart]

Your aren't gonna get a eight inch liner down a eight by twelve tile flue anyway. If that is the outside and the inside is seven by eleven. Six inch is gonna be a job. Been there and done that with two clay flues. Ended up putting 5.5" liners down both of them.

If everything is perfect you can get a six down it.

 

[pen]

Mine is 7x7 and I thought I was going to need to roll it in KY to make the 6 in liner go down and that is with pretty darn straight tiles.

If it's not 9 inches at the narrowest part I wouldn't consider an 8 inch at all. Just going to damage it if you try and stuff it. Other option would be to buy ovalized but I can only imagine what the cost would be.

pen

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I'm pretty sure that the woodstock with the 6" flue will work better for both draft and btu's produced. That size Firebox should heat well enough for at least a minimum of 2,000 sq ft of heated living space. How many sq ft do u have?

 

[HollowHill]

I'm pretty sure that the woodstock with the 6" flue will work better for both draft and btu's produced. That size Firebox should heat well enough for at least a minimum of 2,000 sq ft of heated living space. How many sq ft do u have?

2400 sq ft of 206 yr old farmhouse. Improving the insulation as we can and as we go, but its not tight yet by any means.

 

[SolarAndWood]

If I was looking to save money heating a big ole less than tight farm house in central NY, I would be looking for one of those $600 Englander 30 deals at Home Depot. Sure, you can amortize the cost of the more expensive stove out over the life of the stove. But, you have to spend it year 1. If those deals are still around, that price is as good as a 6 mo return policy.

 

[snowleopard]

+1 on SAW. Get yourself a learner stove--I've steered you towards a barrel stove because they are forgiving, cheap, and burn just about anything. But this would be a good answer as well, maybe better. That 30 would pay for itself in a month or two, and then you could start socking the savings away for the stone stove.

Sometimes when we're trying to pull all of this off, we loose perspective because we're smack in the middle of things. Most of us have our own variation of this story, and we have enough distance to be able to give you some feedback (accurate or not). You sound stressed, but managing okay. This could be the dealbreaker that makes this work/not work. Instead of going through all the strain of trying to wean yourself off of the heating system you have (and associated costs), AND get a wood supply, AND learn to process and store wood, AND learn to operate the tools at hand, AND make connections in the firewood dealer community, AND make a multi-thousand dollar choice in stoves while crossing your fingers that it's the right one, you could give yourself a little breathing room by holding off with the stove.

If you get a learner stove--even used if you find one you're comfortable with--and get to know woodburning a little better, you will probably find that you like the lifestyle, but this gives you more flex than the six-month warrenty. With all the responsibility for woodgathering (and so much more) on your shoulders (even w/son as trusty second), you might find it's more than you want to deal with--in which case, there are other options to explore. If you buy a 30 for $600, or a barrel stove, or an Elm stove, you could probably get at least half of your price out of it in a year on CL, and have saved up the cost of very nice stone stove in that time, and you'll have a better idea of what your house needs and what you want.

 

[HollowHill]

I checked into the Englander when the sale was going on (oh so tempting), but as near as I could figure it was a top vent and I don't think that will work with the Rumsford fireplace I have. The fireplace sides angle in too quickly, so it can't sit back in the fireplace and there is not enough clearance fireplace height-wise for the stove pipe to go out the top of the stove and get back into the fireplace to the flue.

As to the Elm stoves, I liked them, but it seems that they are no longer made? I'm not comfortable going with a used stove because I don't know enough about them to know what to look for as being dangerous.

Thanks for the suggestions, tho.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The problem with buying a "learner" stove (or anything else) is that then you are faced with two purchases. Even after "learning" there will be differences in the two stoves and than means not only two purchaces, making it more costly but you also then have the problem of changing out the stoves. I put the "learner" thing in with the "entry level" stuff and really do not like that idea at all. Every time I see "entry level" is associate it with "cheap." Buy the right one first and have done with it. It is no more difficult learning to operate one stove over the other.

 

[oldspark]

I'm with backwoods on this, no such thing as a learner woodburner.

 

[fossil]

It ain't like getting a new toaster or coffeemaker. It's real work. Do your homework and get a stove installed and live with it. The concept of a "learner stove" with a thought of replacing it in a couple of years is something I just can't get behind. Rick

 

[begreen]

Agreed. Every stove I've burned in has taught me something, so they all are learners. The stove you've got is the one you learn on.

 

[Flatbedford]

I would not go with the learner either.
With regards to flue size, my Fireview is working great with the 7" flue that was in the house when we bought it. Woodstock sold me 6" stove pipe and an adapter to the 7" flue.

 

[MishMouse]

The only way a learner stove is introduced is when you buy a stove too small for its use and you have to run the thing at its max to get any heat out of it. The lesson learned is that you should have saved and bought a stove that would better fit your situation instead of trying to get something just to heat a small area. Save your money and buy the stove that will heat your house and have the burn times to allow you to get the burn times needed.

 

[NH_Wood]

I was worried about my flue as well. I'm venting my Mansfield (with a recommended 6" flue) into an interior masonry chimney for my fireplace, with 11" square tiles. I thought the flue would be too large and I wouldn't have adequate draft. Not the case - stove ran like a champ and draft has not been an issue. Heated 3000sqft with the stove this winter and didn't use any other heat source but the stove. You could try to use the stove in the existing flue and if it isn't working well, you can then line. That was my plan, turned out that I don't need the liner, and I saved a lot of cash. Cheers!

 

[tfdchief]

I was worried about my flue as well. I'm venting my Mansfield (with a recommended 6" flue) into an interior masonry chimney for my fireplace, with 11" square tiles. I thought the flue would be too large and I wouldn't have adequate draft. Not the case - stove ran like a champ and draft has not been an issue. Heated 3000sqft with the stove this winter and didn't use any other heat source but the stove. You could try to use the stove in the existing flue and if it isn't working well, you can then line. That was my plan, turned out that I don't need the liner, and I saved a lot of cash. Cheers!

NH_Wood, I am just curious, how you are connected to the masonry flue.....stove pipe directly into it horizontally?

 

[firefighterjake]

The problem with buying a "learner" stove (or anything else) is that then you are faced with two purchases. Even after "learning" there will be differences in the two stoves and than means not only two purchaces, making it more costly but you also then have the problem of changing out the stoves. I put the "learner" thing in with the "entry level" stuff and really do not like that idea at all. Every time I see "entry level" is associate it with "cheap." Buy the right one first and have done with it. It is no more difficult learning to operate one stove over the other.

Agreed . . . then again I am of the mind that I would rather wait and save up for something I really want vs. buying something that may not be what I really need or want just because it is available and cheaper . . . well that and I hate doing the same job twice . . . and while installing a stove isn't all that hard I'm at heart basically too lazy to want to haul out and haul in another stove.

 

[firefighterjake]

It ain't like getting a new toaster or coffeemaker. It's real work. Do your homework and get a stove installed and live with it. The concept of a "learner stove" with a thought of replacing it in a couple of years is something I just can't get behind. Rick

Probably shouldn't tell you how many hours I spent researching toaster ovens before I bought one then huh? I will confess that I did spend a few more hours researching woodstoves though.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Jake, I did a bit of research quite a bit before I got my wife too.