If I had my Chance..........

[soupy1957]

The Stove I bought (an Avalon Rainier 90) I am very happy with. It does what it should and gives me a really good view of the fire itself, (not just for looks, but for reading the condition of the fire, of course).

On the other hand, on the day that they installed it, I was a LITTLE concerned about the legs being bolted on, just BECAUSE they were "bolted on."

If I had to do it over (and perhaps 30 years from now, I suppose I could, but I'll be 83 at that point, Lord Willing, and I may not care much)............I think I'd buy a stove who's legs are fabricated as part of the stove (like a cast iron molding, sorta).

If YOU had a chance to do it over again (buying a wood stove), what changes would YOU make to what you buy??????

-Soupy1957

 

[grommal]

What we actually did:

In 1986, we narrowed our choice down to the Jotul 8 and the VC Defiant Encore, and decided on the VC.
In 2009, we replaced the cranky old VC with a fantastic Jotul F500 Oslo in basic black.


What I'd do differently:

In 1986, go for the Jotul 8 (or really any other stove that made our short list, just NOT the VC).
In 2009, assuming the same timing of stove replacement, I'd still get the Oslo, but I'd opt for the blue black enamel.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I think I'd buy a stove who's legs are fabricated as part of the stove (like a cast iron molding, sorta).

Name a stove that offers that. I can not think of one stove that doesn't have legs that bolt on. Maybe one of the Morso modern models.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I would have bought a bigger stove the first time.

 

[firefighterjake]

Easy answer: I would have ponied up a bit more cash and waited a bit longer to get the Oslo in the blue black enamel . . . it truly is my only regret with my Oslo. Even today I keep looking at other makes and models . . . but I always come back to the fact that I still love my Oslo's looks . . . and more important . . . the heat come winter time.

 

[Battenkiller]

I would have bought the stove I'm using now instead of the Jotul 118 copy I accepted as a gift from a friend. We got by for 18 years with that stove, but the Vigilant keeps the place 72ºF instead of 66º like the old stove. I didn't mind 66º when I was young, but getting long in the tooth brought with it an unexpected intolerance to feeling chilly. Lady BK loves the warmer temps even more than I do. Warm comes with a price, though - more wood gets eaten. I can live with that.

 

[lowroadacres]

Simple... I would have gone with a bigger stove and at the same time when we "built" our house I would have done more of the plumbing and heating myself so I could have spent money on getting a wood burning insert in our upstairs fireplace as well. In fact if I had gotten my stuff together I would have reworked my duct work in such as way as to heat the entire house from one of the larger inserts. I might have even gone with a zero clearance fireplace such as the BIS models in place of the wood stove downstairs.

The stove we have installed now is far smaller than we need for both levels but it does the trick on the lower level. I am especially looking forward to see how using higher btu wood which is seasoned properly will affect the heat output.

I do find that hindsight is always twenty-twenty.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I probably would have gotten the Heritage as the second stove instead of the third. And I would probably pick up a Jotul or a Harmon instead of the Intrepid.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I looked over a lot of legs before I married my wife. I still would not change.

 

[Battenkiller]

I looked over a lot of legs before I married my wife. I still would not change.

:lol:

Me, too! The ornamental front wasn't so inspiring, but the legs and backside won me over for life. :cheese:

 

[soupy1957]

Legs? Legs? Did someone say legs?...............

-Soupy1957

 

[begreen]

I would have bought a bigger stove the first time.

+2 (stoves that is )

But I was going to say that I would have sent my wife to visit her family for about a month. On return...

"Oh honey, look what the soapstone fairies delivered!", replied I as she queried about the Tulikivi in the corner of the living room.

 

[BrotherBart]

I looked over a lot of legs before I married my wife. I still would not change.

Were they bolted on or an integral part of the unit?

 

[vvvv]

bigger wife with bigger legs might allow for a smaller & more efficient stove?

 

[PitPat]

I've only been burning for a few years, but I think I was fortunate that I found this site before I started stove shopping. I love my stove and wouldn't have done anything differently. I can heat my entire house with it comfortably even in brutally cold weather, and I'm still as attracted to it as I was on the day we met.
However, the one thing that I would have done differently would be to buy a high-quality chainsaw before I started gathering any wood. I didn't realize how much easier a quality saw would make life.

 

[weatherguy]

I got lucky and got the stove I wanted right off the bat, the wife, well thats another story........

 

[Todd]

If I had my chance and a whole lot more money I would of gutted my house and build a huge masonry heater in the middle of the house. Oh well, maybe next time.

 

[schortie]

If I had my chance, I would have found this site before purchasing any stove, and burning any wood.

 

[Needshave]

If I had my chance and a whole lot more money I would of gutted my house and build a huge masonry heater in the middle of the house. Oh well, maybe next time.

We plan on building a home next year. I was thinking of getting a boiler but we decided to go with the masonry heater. We just started looking for someone in our area to build it. My worry is the upstairs bedrooms will be cold if the doors are closed. I'd like to hear from someone who heats with one.

 

[begreen]

If I had my chance and a whole lot more money I would of gutted my house and build a huge masonry heater in the middle of the house. Oh well, maybe next time.

We plan on building a home next year. I was thinking of getting a boiler but we decided to go with the masonry heater. We just started looking for someone in our area to build it. My worry is the upstairs bedrooms will be cold if the doors are closed. I'd like to hear from someone who heats with one.

Good plan. If I was building new, I would sure like to build it around a masonry heater. Center it in the house so that most upstairs rooms have a common wall with the heater. Or have it go up a central stairwell with the masonry exposed. Try to keep the downstairs floorplan open with the heater as a divider and have a large open stairwell. There will be no problems with cold bedrooms.

DIY with Tempcast?:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/14683/
here's some nice info:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/12045/
This is a picture of Marty S. masonry heater, also a temcast:
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/fireplaces/source/tilestove.html
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/47757/

 

[Needshave]

Good plan. If I was building new, I would sure like to build it around a masonry heater. Center it in the house so that most upstairs rooms have a common wall with the heater. Or have it go up a central stairwell with the masonry exposed. Try to keep the downstairs floorplan open with the heater as a divider and have a large open stairwell. There will be no problems with cold bedrooms.

DIY with Tempcast?:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/14683/
here's some nice info:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/12045/
This is a picture of Marty S. masonry heater, also a temcast:
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/fireplaces/source/tilestove.html
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/47757/

Thank you for the links. We're looking into building a 32'x32' two story post and beam. The only walled rooms on the first floor are the bathroom and laundry room. The bedrooms are upstairs. The heater is going next to the stairwell. It took us hours moving the 2nd story floorplan around to make space for the chimney. I have started cutting a clearing for the house. I've been cutting the logs 18". Sounds like it may be to long for some of these heaters.

 

[Vic99]

I played the game of what if, then did. First bought a Hearthstone Homestead. Good stove, but just a bit too small and not quite what I wanted for burn times. Two years later, sold it and bought a Woodstock Fireview. Better suited to my needs, although that Hearthstone had quite a dynamic looking fire.

 

[firefighterjake]

If I had my chance and a whole lot more money I would of gutted my house and build a huge masonry heater in the middle of the house. Oh well, maybe next time.

We plan on building a home next year. I was thinking of getting a boiler but we decided to go with the masonry heater. We just started looking for someone in our area to build it. My worry is the upstairs bedrooms will be cold if the doors are closed. I'd like to hear from someone who heats with one.

Martie you out there?

I believe Martie has one and can answer any questions you might have . . .

 

[soupy1957]

If I had known that there was a Jotul F600, I would have bought THAT stove, instead of the Avalon Rainier, ONLY because I like that style of stove body, it's cast iron, and it's got more room inside for a NS burn, and not just an EW burn.

I'm convinced that our Avalon will perform admirably as it already has, for many years to come, but I will always appreciate the beauty of a more "crafted" stove.

Perhaps I can talk the wife into installing a wood stove in the basement???????

-Soupy1957

 

[Hiram Maxim]

I'm pretty happy with how things have gone! :cheese:

I just think I will enjoy a CAT stove a little more?

We shall see!

I know if and when I build a house it will be smaller,have 1' foot thick walls filled with closed cell foam, an outdoor burner, a wood stove inside, and no stairs.