Looking For Better Woodstove

[FireRod]

So is the 18" wood requirement just because you have already cut a whole bunch of wood to that length? Or is for future wood as well. Like you really really like 18" splits?

Harbor freight sells cheap chop saws that would allow you to quickly lop off those last couple of inches and open up your stove options. Maybe that could be part of the solution.

18" isn't necessary but I need to stay in the parameters of what size stove I would like. The chop saw would be a good idea but I'm using a saw saw for that now.

 

[Grisu]

Could you maybe upload the picture of your current stove/hearth to the forum using the "Upload a File" button next to "Post Reply"? The embedded image you posted does not work (at least for me).

 

[FireRod]

 

[begreen]

Thanks for posting. That's a small hearth. What is the wall construction behind the stove? Is there a solid stone wall behind the stove or stone veneer over a cement board covered stud wall?

 

[FireRod]

Thanks for posting. That's a small hearth. What is the wall construction behind the stove? Is there a solid stone wall behind the stove or stone veneer over a cement board covered stud wall?

My house is cider block with a cement coat on the outside and this is a stone veneer cemented to the cinder block. Studs and wallboard were removed for the stone veneer.

 

[begreen]

Got it. Is there insulation in the rest of the walls or just block? How well insulated is the attic?

 

[tarzan]

Okay, this is my criteria; I would like a stove that would take an 18" log with a firebox at least 1.5 cu. ft. but no less and a burn time of at least 8 hours. Width no more than 24" and depth @ 20 - 21"". And, yes I have been looking at all the stoves mentioned. One more thing, I'm trying to keep the price of the stove between $1,000 and $2,000. Also, no side loaders, must be a front loader.

Well, my appologies. It looks as if you did manage to skin that cat!

Should be a great fit, keep us posted. Now you have a reason to look forward to cold weather!

 

[stovelark]

Hey Firerod- did you look at Morso stoves?? Smaller cast stoves 2110 and 7110?? Not sure about clearances, but might be a bit bigger than the F3 heat-wise, although their fireboxes still on the small side. They offer a unique look too.

 

[Woody Stover]

will take an 18" log, though the Keystone is listed at 16"....Personally, even if rated at 18" I would still cut to 16". I don't like jamming the wood into the firebox.

Keystone will take 18" but it's tight. I like to leave more room on the ends. Inevitably, you'll have 18" wood that is 19, then you have to go at an angle, which you can do when your home to re-load as required.

I would like a stove that would take an 18" log with a firebox at least 1.5 cu. ft. but no less and a burn time of at least 8 hours. Width no more than 24" and depth @ 20 - 21"". I'm trying to keep the price of the stove between $1,000 and $2,000. Also, no side loaders, must be a front loader.

Keystone's got ya covered except for the front-load and price. The Dutchwest 2460 has a front door but it's small and not useful for loading. A side-loader should work in your setup; The doors don't swing out too far on the small stoves. The 2460 is cheap but you get what you pay for. The risk is warped panels which may make it impossible to tear down the stove and get it back together. I like it well enough to keep it as my backup stove, and heated with it all winter. Quality is not bad, really; I've read of much more expensive stoves with bigger problems. I t would serve you for many years. Grated ash-handling system is important to me so I like my 2460 and Keystone. Keystone ash-pan is a side-unloader so you will need that clearance. I say buy quality and spend the extra money if you are in it for the long haul.

So is the 18" wood requirement just because you have already cut a whole bunch of wood to that length?

Yep, I'd cut it and move on, don't let that 18" wood you have dictate the future.

 

[FireRod]

Got it. Is there insulation in the rest of the walls or just block? How well insulated is the attic?

The walls are just block with firing strip and wallboard, the attic has adequate insulation. I did replace all the windows in my house and the door are well sealed.

 

[FireRod]

Hey Firerod- did you look at Morso stoves?? Smaller cast stoves 2110 and 7110?? Not sure about clearances, but might be a bit bigger than the F3 heat-wise, although their fireboxes still on the small side. They offer a unique look too.

Yes I have. Their stoves seem to be of the same size as the Jotul and being a non cat they really don't give me any more than I am getting from my stove. JMHO!

 

[FireRod]

Yep, I'd cut it and move on, don't let that 18" wood you have dictate the future.

I'll gladly go larger if the stove doesn't go beyond the limitations of my hearth. The Jotul I have in my opinion is a great stove, It's just a little undersized for what I'm looking for. I just need 2 more hours burn time which could be accomplished with a slightly larger firebox and better burn efficiency. I figure if I look hard enough I could find a stove that will accommodate my needs. The Dutchwest 2460 & 2461 seems to my best choice but I've read too many bad reviews on them.

 

[Woody Stover]

The Dutchwest 2460 & 2461 seems to my best choice but I've read too many bad reviews on them.

What are those models going for these days? They just brought them back in at a local stove shop but I haven't looked at 'em yet. Not sure how the quality compares to the older models like I have. They aren't bad for the price but you need enough room to side-load. The wide card is, how much heat is gonna suck out through those uninsulated walls? If it's anything like our place (basically logs with 1" cement covering the interior,) you don't want room temp to drop too much or the cement gets cold. Might not be as much of an issue with your air space/wallboard inside. My air space isn't sealed since wind can get through spaces in the logs and cool the inner walls. If air can't move between your blocks and wallboard, it might not be too bad. At any rate, one good thing about the Dutchwest is that it's a convective design (heats the air and vents it into the room.) I added a blower, and can recover room temp a lot quicker than with the Keystone, which is a radiant design. I could have a little fan circulating the air around the Keystone to pull more warm air...
The 2460 has quite a bit going for it; Grated ash pan, 8+ hrs. of good heat with the better woods, breathes easy, not hard to maintain. The door latches are adjustable, and more refined than you find on the value plate-steel stoves. And you get a cat stove for not much more money. You can loosen 2 bolts and drop the convection block-off plates down, to maximize convection if you don't want to run the blower. The air control system is kinda cheesy, a lever with a couple of flaps on it, but it works. Eventually, you will have to re-seal the interior cement seams at the panel edges and around the base inside, like you will with any stove that's not a welded steel box, but that shouldn't be for a long time if you run the stove moderately. I think the improved DuraFoil 6" round combustors that Woodstock supplies for their older stoves, will fit in the Dutchwest. I have a "diesel foil" cat in my 2460 now, but will upgrade to DuraFoil when the time comes. If you don't over-fire the stove, maintain the gaskets etc, I think the stove will hold up. Mine is about 20 yrs. old. It was hard for me to over-fire; My wood was too wet. The question, like I said, is how fast is your place gonna lose heat? The 2461 should give you a little more firepower, while still retaining the ability to run low.

 

[FireRod]

Well, it seems with the limitations that I have to work within my Jotul is a very good choice for me. This has been a tuff search with some ideas coming close to meeting my needs, but nothing with over whelming returns to make a change and spend extra money for a change. If a Cat stove saves me an extra chord a year the math doesn't add up to justify the cost. I guess I was hoping to find that stove that was slightly larger than mine and give me just the little more than I'm looking for. I'm not quitting but I think my options are pretty slim.

I think if I look for anything else I may move up to a Jotul F400 Castline. It looks like it will be a little tight in my hearth but it will give me the extra burn time and heat I'm looking for.

 

[stovelark]

Agree. Given your requirements you need, the 3cb sounded like a good choice. This past winter was brutal, a lot of us needed extra heat here in the Northeast.

 

[Highbeam]

Efficiency differences between modern stoves won't amount to a hill of beans. Certainly not enough to buy a stove and is the wrong reason to switch stoves. I hope that really wasn't your goal.

Extending the burn time from a tiny stove is absolutely achievable and is a far more realistic goal. The market offers short burn time stoves and long burn time stoves. You've got a short burn time stove today and it will certainly keep you warm.

Good luck and when you again consider new stove I believe Woodstock is working on a new tiny stove that may be a front loader with long burn times.