Both good choices. I would also consider a PE Alderlea T5 or T6 then as well. Especially if you want a stove you can occasionally cook on, mitten driers, etc.
I'm here for advise on switching to wood heat
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For good looks in a practical, well made stove you also might want to look at the Jotul Oslo.
http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-stoves/Jotul-F-500-Oslo/
http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-stoves/Jotul-F-500-Oslo/
On the OP subject of chainsaws. Be sure no matter what saw you get that you get some training on safe usage. Yes, I would advise the same thing to hairy legged old boys too. And purchase personal protective equipment consisting of chainsaw chaps, helmet with hearing protection and steel toed footwear.
Wish I'd had mine on the day I tried real hard to cut my left leg off. The PPE cost me a lot less than than the emergency room did.
Wish I'd had mine on the day I tried real hard to cut my left leg off. The PPE cost me a lot less than than the emergency room did.
There are a zillion choices...pared down somewhat in practicality by what's available from dealers locally. It's all a matter of heating capacity and personal preference in the styling. We needed a fairly large capacity stove, and we liked the clean, (simple yet elegant 
) look of the Lopi Liberty, so that's what's in our house. We like it very much, but we don't ever cook on it. Rick
) look of the Lopi Liberty, so that's what's in our house. We like it very much, but we don't ever cook on it. Rick
KeithO
Minister of Fire
Wondering
My advice is to forget about the exact stove right now. There is lots of time till late fall to decide, choose, install etc.
On the other hand, NOW is the time to get your green wood at the best price and get it bucked, split and stacked. If you get started on that immediately, your supply of fuel for next winter will be secure. If you don't, and you find yourself running around looking for "seasoned" wood in late fall or early winter you are going to have a problem. Expensive fuel has been with us for at least the past 2 seasons and I think there will be more price gouging this next season on any kind of fuel, along with greater demand from people who can't afford to heat with oil or propane. The majority of the "converts" are going to start thinking about this issue in late August / September when the chilly days return. By that time there is no way to get any wood seasoned anymore. Anyone having seasoned wood can pretty much charge what they like at that point (and the resaonable people will be sold out in no time). And there will be a thousand thieves selling "seasoned" wood for high prices that is so wet that it won't burn. I can get unsplit wood that I collect myself for $20/cord. You will need to establish some contacts in your area. I need about 5 cord per season, so it runs about $100/season + amortization of my wood splitter ($1000) and the chain saw plus some gas.
Get your wood sorted now. If you are short on cash close to the end of the season, simply buy an inexpensive steel plate stove like the century units (Canadian) (I got the 1000 sq ft model for $250 new). Here is where you can see the regular price
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(nwq3epz0deuy4n55bo0jit3u)/productdetails.aspx?sku=4168654&source=GoogleBase
They have specials at the start of every season. After that it can go into the workshop or be turned into a smoker or even heat a different part of the house. The cost of the stove will be amortized in the first month of burning. Next year, if you get the cash together, get a bigger better stove. You will need a proper class A chimney so you need that money saved up by October at the latest. There are no shortcuts other than the ones that leave your house burned down and the insurance wanting to deny payment.
My advice is to forget about the exact stove right now. There is lots of time till late fall to decide, choose, install etc.
On the other hand, NOW is the time to get your green wood at the best price and get it bucked, split and stacked. If you get started on that immediately, your supply of fuel for next winter will be secure. If you don't, and you find yourself running around looking for "seasoned" wood in late fall or early winter you are going to have a problem. Expensive fuel has been with us for at least the past 2 seasons and I think there will be more price gouging this next season on any kind of fuel, along with greater demand from people who can't afford to heat with oil or propane. The majority of the "converts" are going to start thinking about this issue in late August / September when the chilly days return. By that time there is no way to get any wood seasoned anymore. Anyone having seasoned wood can pretty much charge what they like at that point (and the resaonable people will be sold out in no time). And there will be a thousand thieves selling "seasoned" wood for high prices that is so wet that it won't burn. I can get unsplit wood that I collect myself for $20/cord. You will need to establish some contacts in your area. I need about 5 cord per season, so it runs about $100/season + amortization of my wood splitter ($1000) and the chain saw plus some gas.
Get your wood sorted now. If you are short on cash close to the end of the season, simply buy an inexpensive steel plate stove like the century units (Canadian) (I got the 1000 sq ft model for $250 new). Here is where you can see the regular price
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(nwq3epz0deuy4n55bo0jit3u)/productdetails.aspx?sku=4168654&source=GoogleBase
They have specials at the start of every season. After that it can go into the workshop or be turned into a smoker or even heat a different part of the house. The cost of the stove will be amortized in the first month of burning. Next year, if you get the cash together, get a bigger better stove. You will need a proper class A chimney so you need that money saved up by October at the latest. There are no shortcuts other than the ones that leave your house burned down and the insurance wanting to deny payment.
I will have the money to buy the stove I want. You're right, I'll get the chainsaw right away. I saw an ad for apple wood, you cut, for $25 a pickup, the trees are already felled. I want to act on that right away. A lot of apple growers have pulled out their red delicious trees since those don't demand a very good price.
P.S. I'll take the advise on the PPE, thanks. Stihl has an online video on safe usage of their saws, and I'll also talk to the dealer.
Jumping right on in with both feet. Good for you! If you don't already have them, there are a few other things you're going to need:
- A good splitting axe
- A nice hatchet
- A big round or something to use as a chopping block
- Something to move splits in/on from your storage to your stove
- Space(s) to stack your wood where it's not in direct ground contact and gets max exposure to sun & wind
- Tarps or whatever to cover the tops of the woodpiles in the rain/snow season
- Vehicle or trailer suitable for getting all of your collected wood to where you want it (unless you have it delivered)
- etc., etc.
Rick
- A good splitting axe
- A nice hatchet
- A big round or something to use as a chopping block
- Something to move splits in/on from your storage to your stove
- Space(s) to stack your wood where it's not in direct ground contact and gets max exposure to sun & wind
- Tarps or whatever to cover the tops of the woodpiles in the rain/snow season
- Vehicle or trailer suitable for getting all of your collected wood to where you want it (unless you have it delivered)
- etc., etc.
Rick
savageactor7
Minister of Fire
WW apple's a great burning wood but it's difficult to make any production with it. Still for $25 a pick up load that's a very good deal in the north west where most posters are burning soft woods. I thinking you could pack a full size bed with a face cord and a half...hell that's a real bargain the more I think of it. I take you've done this before? If not try and hook up with someone cause why learn the hard way...people that have done this for a few years can show you labor saving ways of doing mundane tasks like this and how to work safe too.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Ken45
Minister of Fire
There you go! Get a dozen loads and a splitter, sell the surplus to pay for the splitter.
I heartily agree with the splitter idea. Years ago I did it by hand. Oh what a difference! The Huskee 22 ton gets good reports around here. That's what I've had for 6 years. Well satisfied.
$300-400 a cord sounds crazy, BeGreen. Especially this time of year.
Ken
I heartily agree with the splitter idea. Years ago I did it by hand. Oh what a difference! The Huskee 22 ton gets good reports around here. That's what I've had for 6 years. Well satisfied.
$300-400 a cord sounds crazy, BeGreen. Especially this time of year.
Ken
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
That expensive apple wood is for the folks who aren't really hip on the whole idea of wood burning to save money. It would be as a novelty or for the guy who didn't grow up here and thinks that he has to have hardwood to burn or else he will have creosote. Call it the ultimate in wood snobbery. I have cut wood with some picky burners and have seen the opposite extreme of folks that refuse to burn pine, cedar, cottonwood, poplar based on misconceptions or what their daddy told them.
We often see madrona above 300 per cord here too. Another novelty wood.
I would love some of the apple if Kittitas wasn't 2-3 hours away and if I could haul more than 1.5 cords of it.
We often see madrona above 300 per cord here too. Another novelty wood.
I would love some of the apple if Kittitas wasn't 2-3 hours away and if I could haul more than 1.5 cords of it.
Adios Pantalones
Minister of Fire
When I was a kid, my dad would save apple wood when we cut firewood, and my uncle would use it in his smoker. He swore by it.
Apple is some of the nicest burning wood I've ever had the pleasure to load a stove with- and I've burned tons of oak, hickory, cherry, and locust (all great burning woods). If I were you, I'd do exactly what was suggested above. Get as much of that as you have the time and energy to get. You can't have too much. Then get a nice splitter and go to town.
Ken45 said:
I agree, but here it is:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/for/704539200.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/for/709344060.html
Highbeam is right, it's vanity wood. Though I really like it when I have madrona to burn. Fortunately there is a fair amount of it where we live and it grows pretty quickly.
Ken45
Minister of Fire
Oh gosh, we have plenty of black cherry here. It's pretty far down on my list of preferred woods (hickory, oak, hard maple). Hmmm....I wonder how much shipping costs to the west coast are? How much can I get in a $7 USPS box? ;-)
Ken
Ken
Say, how thick of a header beam will I need for that 7 foot opening in the wall, anyone have a recommendation?
sinnian
Minister of Fire
fossil said:
Not trying to pick on you Rick, but you had the most recommendations.........
I am surprised NO ONE mentioned anything about safety equipment!
~ faceshield (shop around)
~ chainsaw chaps (shop around)
~ Steel toed boots (shop around)
~ and gloves (ehh, optional)
WonderingWoman said:
Probably a better question for the DIY forum. Everything depends on the stuctural configuration of the existing house. 1 story, or more? Gable end wall, or load bearing? Seems to me you must be talking about opening up the original exterior load bearing wall. If that's the case, then I'd just swag that you need at least a 4x10 header (can be two 2x10's doubled), with added vertical support at each end. Bigger is better. It's something that, if you were having it built by professionals with a permit, this would be designed by a structural engineer and verified/approved by the local government community development department, or whatever they might call themselves there. Be careful. Rick
sinnian - This was brought up on page 2 of the thread.
But It never hurts to repeat it.
BrotherBart said:
But It never hurts to repeat it.
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