E/W vs N/S splits

[brooktrout]

I've read a lot on this forum about E/W loading and N/S loading. What's best for my stove- non-cat, front-loading, draft sliders in front on bottoms of doors. Will one loading technique give longer burn time or hotter burns (specific to my stove)? I am considering bucking and splitting a load of logs accordingly, i.e. shorter splits to fit N/S, or whatever. Thanks for your input. I need to do everything possible to get the most out of my old "classic". ;-) (short of replacing it, that is!)

 

[RonB]

Buck up your logs for each direction so that you can experiment. That will be the best way to tell what is best for your stove. Other than that, you have apparently read up on the pros and cons of each. Perhaps someone has a stove like yours and can offer more specific advice.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

My stove is made for EW. If I put the logs in NS I can get a hotter burn as the primary air will sweep down and inbetween the logs. This burns the logs faster in my stove.

Matt

 

[Henz]

no matter what stove you have, as long is it is front loading, prettty much you will get a shorter burn but hotter loading N/S

 

[swestall]

Take that info to the next level and you can burn in one direction to get some fast heat when you get home, etc. and then the other direction when you are loading up for the long burn at night or while at work.

 

[Hogwildz]

East to West in my Summit just don't not burn well. The back splits will charcoal and not burn completely.
I get tons of heat & lasts plenty long North to South. So thats how I burn. Once in a while I'll load N-S then E-S on top.
But most the time N-S for me. You need to experiment and see what works for you.

 

[brooktrout]

East to West in my Summit just don't not burn well. The back splits will charcoal and not burn completely.
I get tons of heat & lasts plenty long North to South. So thats how I burn. Once in a while I'll load N-S then E-S on top.
But most the time N-S for me. You need to experiment and see what works for you.

Now that you mention it, I find that the front 2/3 burn great, then splits in the back burn real slow, sometimes without any flame. Somestimes those back splits roll toward the front on their own, and I don't have to mess with them. I think I will cut a bunch to fit for N/S, and see how it goes.

 

[whphel]

I don't have a Buck but personaly if I have wood that fits NS that is what I grab. I have found that the air penetrates the wood stack better, burns more compleatly than EW. I have also found, I can load way more wood in my stove, that way and can char it faster then damper it down while having secondaries for a longer time and have a better coal bed in the morning. This is what I have found works best for me which may or may not work for you as your stove is a different animal. Try a few methods and you will find what works best for you all stove set ups are difference and burn differently.

Let us know what works out for you.

 

[Woodrat]

I've read a lot on this forum about E/W loading and N/S loading. What's best for my stove- non-cat, front-loading, draft sliders in front on bottoms of doors. Will one loading technique give longer burn time or hotter burns (specific to my stove)? I am considering bucking and splitting a load of logs accordingly, i.e. shorter splits to fit N/S, or whatever. Thanks for your input. I need to do everything possible to get the most out of my old "classic". ;-) (short of replacing it, that is!)

Brooktrout---- I’m in the same position-- needing to get everything possible out of my old Nashua that can be gotten. Like everyone says, they’re all different animals to one degree or another. I try to “ pick brains” as much as possible- much valuable knowledge here!!
-- I thought that the whole E/W--N/S loading probably had no relevance to older “Classic” type stoves, but figured I couldn’t lose anything by trying. First-- added a “second story” of firebrick all around the firebox, including some on top of the large thick angled baffle plate at the back of the stove. Then started to change the way I built fires in the stove for 35 yrs--- instead of pulling all the hot coals forward and trying to get the longest splits I could get into the firebox in N/S (figuring more is better) --- I started pushing the coals sideways so I could remove the ash, then raking them out from the extreme BACK of the stove under the baffle plate about 1 foot toward the front---- my bandsaw is near the stove, so I just trim off any splits that are too long to fit E/W in the firebox.
-- I now build much smaller fires than I ever used to, but seem to be getting as much useful heat out of the stove as I ever did! I can only think that it is a combination of the extra firebrick helping retain the heat in the stove (making it burn more efficiently) & keeping the fires at the back of the stove, where the heat is forced to take the longest possible path before exiting the stove. Don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner, but the first foot of all the long splits I was burning was ahead of the baffle, therefore most of the heat was being “wasted” in the sense of it going more or less directly up the flue!
-- In short, my wood consumption has probably dropped by 1/3 & we’re just as comfortable, -- even with much smaller overnite loads, there is still plenty of coals after 8-9 hrs to restart the fire in a couple of minutes!
-- There are other changes I’d like to make, but they will have to wait till “burning season” is over.
-- Alterations on a stove like the Nashua are probably easier in one sense because of the massive size of it (outside firebox dimensions 36"L X 26"H x 26"W) lots of room to try extra bricks/baffling etc.
-- I guess this is my long-winded way of trying to say that I’ve always believed the older stoves could be given a “new lease on life” with a willingness to try new methods and maybe a little tweaking and tinkering with design. Don’t know if this ramble will be of any help to you or not.
BTW--We supply 90% of the heat this leaky old 1815 1800sq.ft farmhouse needs with that stove!

--Best wishes-- Woodrat