Well eleven actually but who's counting?
So due to it's relatively small and E/W loading firebox the Jotul 550 doesn't boast the longest burn times. Unless I spend an inordinate amount of time playing Jenga, about 4-6 hrs is pretty much what I get. But I had a special plan for Christmas, a round of Ironwood that I've had for many years.
This 12" log showed up in 2011 with a load of wood my landscaper dumped from Hurricane Irene. It was attractive, perfectly round and straight so I pulled it and another just (well almost) like it from the pile saving them from the Fiskars.
At first they both did time as outdoor stools and beer stands around the fire pit for 3-4 years. But early on t's brother started showing signs of rot and age on the ends so during the burn season, only the Yule Log came down to the house to act as a splitting block for making kindling.
It had a good run but after a few years even it got too ratty but it was still solid and heavy so it served as a weight to hold down a corner of the pool cover over winter, or as a tractor stand and other less than glamorous jobs. Finally this past summer it sat purposeless on a piece of slate, neglected in the sun.
This burn season I knocked the dirt and bugs off of it and brought it into the house sometime in October. Since then its been sitting in my cardboard kindling box waiting for the big day.
Well it went in last night around 10:00 w/ a couple 3" splits on the bottom. I watched it burn for about 2 hours while I sipped a glass of Glenlivet (or two), enjoying the XMas feeling then set the air low, called it a night and wondered if it would burn down well.
Overnight I woke up once or twice and considered going down to turn up the air or add a split for fear I would find a smoldering hunk sitting in a blacked box or a cold stove housing two half burnt ends but I let it ride.
This morning as I went down around nine I could still hear the fan running and the house was warmer than normal. I checked the stove and it was still about 350 and putting out some warmth. The log itself was pretty well completely and uniformly gone. I smiled.
All that was left to do was stir for some coals, make "the tunnel" and add a couple small splits. Stove fired back up and quickly came to temp. That was a good log.
So due to it's relatively small and E/W loading firebox the Jotul 550 doesn't boast the longest burn times. Unless I spend an inordinate amount of time playing Jenga, about 4-6 hrs is pretty much what I get. But I had a special plan for Christmas, a round of Ironwood that I've had for many years.
This 12" log showed up in 2011 with a load of wood my landscaper dumped from Hurricane Irene. It was attractive, perfectly round and straight so I pulled it and another just (well almost) like it from the pile saving them from the Fiskars.
At first they both did time as outdoor stools and beer stands around the fire pit for 3-4 years. But early on t's brother started showing signs of rot and age on the ends so during the burn season, only the Yule Log came down to the house to act as a splitting block for making kindling.
It had a good run but after a few years even it got too ratty but it was still solid and heavy so it served as a weight to hold down a corner of the pool cover over winter, or as a tractor stand and other less than glamorous jobs. Finally this past summer it sat purposeless on a piece of slate, neglected in the sun.
This burn season I knocked the dirt and bugs off of it and brought it into the house sometime in October. Since then its been sitting in my cardboard kindling box waiting for the big day.
Well it went in last night around 10:00 w/ a couple 3" splits on the bottom. I watched it burn for about 2 hours while I sipped a glass of Glenlivet (or two), enjoying the XMas feeling then set the air low, called it a night and wondered if it would burn down well.
Overnight I woke up once or twice and considered going down to turn up the air or add a split for fear I would find a smoldering hunk sitting in a blacked box or a cold stove housing two half burnt ends but I let it ride.
This morning as I went down around nine I could still hear the fan running and the house was warmer than normal. I checked the stove and it was still about 350 and putting out some warmth. The log itself was pretty well completely and uniformly gone. I smiled.
All that was left to do was stir for some coals, make "the tunnel" and add a couple small splits. Stove fired back up and quickly came to temp. That was a good log.
Imagine a lifetime supply of that top notch stuff!
