Finally installing my Garn!

[Sawyer]

After a year and some delaying health issues/summer landscaping projects, I am finally able to install my Garn.

I have placed the Garn under the overhang and am ready to start enclosing the outside walls to make working on the Garn enclosure more comfortable.

I posted my photos at http://mygarnadventure.blogspot.com/ .

More to come once the installation is underway.

 

[Jim K in PA]

Great pics George! Man I wish my overhang was 2 feet wider. You did a nice job on yours. I had to thread a needle with mine, and my thread weighed nearly 2 tons! :lol:

Keep the pics and updates coming.

 

[Hydronics]

Congrats, nice setup, will be great once it's finished.

Jim,
Do most Garn users typically circulate from the boiler to the house 24/7? If so, do you see a loss in stratification?

 

[DaveBP]

Nice work on the boiler but I gotta say that live-edge siding (and fascia!) looks mighty handsome all varnished. I've done enough brightwork on wooden boats to appreciate the job you've done there.

And is that boiler sitting on an extruded styrofoam panel? I'm really interested in how much that compresses over time. My 1000 gallon storage tank will be sitting on a slab that has styrofoam under it and I was curious how much it might settle over time, especially if it gets a little warmer from the heat escaping from the tank. 10,000 pounds over 35 sq. ft. doesn't make much per sq. in. though.

 

[deerhntr]

After a year and some delaying health issues/summer landscaping projects, I am finally able to install my Garn.

I have placed the Garn under the overhang and am ready to start enclosing the outside walls to make working on the Garn enclosure more comfortable.

I posted my photos at http://mygarnadventure.blogspot.com/ .

More to come once the installation is underway.

George,

Congratulations! Now the real fun begins. We have been online now since Wednesday, and so far so good. You won't be disappointed when you finally get to light you first fire. Good luck, and keep the blog updated, love to see the pics!

 

[Jim K in PA]

Jim,
Do most Garn users typically circulate from the boiler to the house 24/7? If so, do you see a loss in stratification?

Nope - no need to. However, due to the large volume of the GARN, even if you did run them 24/7, stratification is not hindered. There was a recent thread on this, but I can't find it just now. Heaterman said that a client of his was pumping over 50gpm through the GARN, and even pumping at that rate stratification was not affected.

 

[Jim K in PA]

And is that boiler sitting on an extruded styrofoam panel? I'm really interested in how much that compresses over time. My 1000 gallon storage tank will be sitting on a slab that has styrofoam under it and I was curious how much it might settle over time, especially if it gets a little warmer from the heat escaping from the tank. 10,000 pounds over 35 sq. ft. doesn't make much per sq. in. though.

Dave - It is SOP to place the GARN on closed cell foam to have a thermal break between the floor and tank. Actually if it were only 10,000# on 35 sq ft. that is only about 2psi. A filled GARN weighs in at closer to 19,500#. That is still well within the compressive rating of the foam, which is in the area of 75+psi (cant recall the exact number).

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks all for the encouragement. Russ, I am Jealous!

I see Jim has answered the questions thoroughly so I will not repeat. He has been very helpful to me also.

I will post more as the project continues. Today was spent snapping lines for bottom plates, straightening posts, and running a 20amp, 240 volt line to the boiler so I can have two circuits available. I also hauled firewood for the fireplace, wont be long and that chore will be eliminated.

 

[Sawyer]

Nice work on the boiler but I gotta say that live-edge siding (and fascia!) looks mighty handsome all varnished. I've done enough brightwork on wooden boats to appreciate the job you've done there.

Thanks Dave, my wife and I have built the house from trees we harvested form the woodlot and sawed on our sawmill. It has been a long project which I look forward to finishing. Attached is a shot of the siding at the entrance on the lakeside. The finish is Sikkens. We used 110 gallons total for the house and workshop. It is a three coat process, first coat all sides.

 

[pybyr]

Bravo on the Garn (and the house); also looked at your wood-turnings on your blog photo site, and _wow_!

 

[tom in maine]

Hey George,
Good luck with the Garn.

You can't beat the look of the live edge siding. As a retired sawyer, I think it looks great and I like what you did with the fascia boards.

 

[Sawyer]

Bravo on the Garn (and the house); also looked at your wood-turnings on your blog photo site, and _wow_!

Thanks Trevor,

I am looking forward to having the Garn running so I can afford to heat the lower level of the house and the workshop which are kept at 45*, too low of a temperature for finishing my turning projects. Christmas time is a busy time for turning orders and my living room looks like a gallery/finishing shop with a TV and fireplace. It will be nice to have things somewhat normal.

 

[Sawyer]

Hey George,
Good luck with the Garn.

You can't beat the look of the live edge siding. As a retired sawyer, I think it looks great and I like what you did with the fascia boards.

Thanks Tom,

We must have sawn a lot of the same trees from what I have read and heard of Maine. I do hope to visit that state someday as it looks beautiful up there.

 

[Como]

Good stuff

I see you have 32 cord storage, how much are you looking at burning a year?

 

[RowCropRenegade]

Good stuff

I see you have 32 cord storage, how much are you looking at burning a year?

What if he says, ALL 32!

Good luck on the install!

 

[Sawyer]

Como,
]
we presently burn 8 cords a year in the fireplace. We have a 4 year rotation using 4, storage partitioned areas in the woodshed. It will be nice to directly on pallets load the boiler room with the tractor or the Bobcat rather than wheeling the firewood into the living room!

 

[Sawyer]

Good stuff

I see you have 32 cord storage, how much are you looking at burning a year?

What if he says, ALL 32!

Good luck on the install!

4000 sq/ft Tent?

 

[Como]

Do you have a view on how much will be going into the Garn.

I have certainly seen on here someone who used a pallet system, I think half a cord at a time, seemed a good idea.

 

[Sawyer]

Do you have a view on how much will be going into the Garn.

I have certainly seen on here someone who used a pallet system, I think half a cord at a time, seemed a good idea.

Not sure how much I will use for a heating season. I have not calculated the required btu's against the btu/cord x Garn efficiency. I am hoping to be under 11 cords a year. I will load the boiler room by pallets with sides using the Bobcat. It will certainly be easier than hauling it into the house!

 

[Jim K in PA]

I plan on palletizing my wood for the same reason. 40x48x48 will easily get me through a week in cold weather. I built my GARN shed with a door and half, so I can open up and just drop a pallet right in the shed with my tractor. However, right behind my GARN shed I have about 20 sq. of Peach Bottom slate waiting for me to hang it on the roof of my garage/shop. So for now I do not have access to the doors with my tractor, and am hand loading from the pallets into the shed until I get the roof done. :roll:

 

[Sawyer]

Jim,

I am framing the outside walls and just put in a header to allow a 60” wide opening for the loading door. I figured by the time I have a few pieces of firewood sticking out beyond the sides of the pallet and misjudge the opening a little that a foot on each side would not be excessive. I have enough room to place two pallets in front of the boiler.

I hope to have sheathing on the north outside wall today (keep the snow out) so I can start furring out the rafters to allow 12” of R38 in the ceiling and still have a 2” air space above for air circulation.

It will not be long and I can start on the plumbing; then “The fun begins”!