Must have stuff

Let's hear it, what are the tools/gadgets that you think are must have stuff for the wood stove? I need to make my birthday and Christmas lists soon.


fv

Pack of matches and dry firewood.

Gloves. Ash can ( %-P ). Shovel for said ash can.


And the Dixette & I both love these




http://www.horse.com/item/fortex-flexible-bucket/SLT901547/



Easily, portable way of containing the mess.

+1. If your birthday is not before heating season begins, get yourself some welding gloves, or you will get burned, sooner or later. I've seen 'em from $5 basic leathers at NorthernTool to ~ $100 elbow-length fancies made of Nomex or something that someone posted on here. You probably don't need the extra long ones for the FV. I haven't found it necessary to reach in that far for side loading.

The Pilgrim ash bucket works very well with the FV, like it was made for it. Perfect size and height to park right up at the door and load with ashes. The price seems to have gone up a bit though. This is the lowest price I see on the web.
http://www.dynamitebuys.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=223




SuperCedars are nice...seem to help the stove get up to temp a bit more quickly than starting with just paper and kindling. If he holds true to form, in another month or so, Thomas will offer us 15% off a box of 100 (400+ fires), which will last for years with the way the FV holds coals.

I agree with the standard tools, ashbin and kindling bucket.. One more item that my insurance company suggested was a fire extinguisher and I complied.. It's something you hope you never need but good to have if you do.. I also bought a Chimfex on clearance at Walmart for $5.00 to keep in my kindling bucket and picked up 2 for brother in law who has 2 stoves in NH as house warming gifts..

Ray

A metal ash can, so you don't burn your house down by putting ashes in a paper bag or cardboard box (it's happened many times). A good tool set with poker, ash shovel and ash brush. A good stove top thermometer. Ones by Condar work great. A box of firestarter blocks, which work much better than newspaper and don't contribute to ash build up.

I love my ash hoe, my go to tool. A coal rake woyld be nice but the hoe is pretty versatile

Nobody mentioned a FIRE EXTINQUISHER yet!! Oops..........yes.........someone did!! (ah well)

-Soupy1957

1. Chain saw (size of saw depends upon what size trees you will cut. (Also a way to sharpen saw.)
2. Skill to know how to fell and cut up a tree.
3. Knowledge of type of wood available in your area.
4. Cant hook
5. Axe
6. Trailer or truck for hauling wood.
7. Hydraulic splitter or splitting maul and knowledge on how to use them.
8. Wood stacking skills. Very easily learned.
9. Something for covering tops of wood pile or wood shed.
10. Good wood burning stove, hearth and chimney, properly installed.
11. Spend enough time with the stove to know best way to operate it.
12. Make sure at least one other person in house knows how to operate the stove .
13. Heavy leather gloves for loading stove.
14. Stove poker.
15. Ash bucket and skills to know how to handle ashes without making a mess.
16. Enough common sense to know where to store that bucket when it gets hot ashes or coals in it.
17. Enough sense to have 2-3 years wood put up ahead of time.

In addition, some kindling is nice but not totally necessary. Super Cedars are a big help to most. One also needs chimney cleaning tools or know a good sweep to hire. A wire brush helps for summer cleanup of the stove. Also, knowledge on how to replace gaskets. Of course there can be other things added to the list too but this should give a good start on the necessary things.

Oh yes, for heart.com, it appears one must also own a digital camera.

Apparently you didn't read my post Soupman! I keep one nearby and one in the dining area as well

Ray

Good point Soupy and I would hope that mos people have them even if they do not burn wood. Same goes for the fire alarms.

While we're at it how about CO detectors (mandatory in Mass.) also part of the permitting process to install a woodstove here..

"Carbon Monoxide detectors are required in any residence that has fossil-fuel burning equipment including, but not limited to, a furnace, boiler, water heater, fireplace or any other apparatus, appliance or device; or has enclosed parking within its structure."


Ray

Propane torch. Beats matches any day.
I have: BERNZOMATIC SELF IGNITING INTENSE HEAT TORCH TS8000 .

+1 on the torch. Just keep it out of reach of the kids.

Thanks and keep it coming! I've got fireplace tools, a metal ash bucket, welding gloves, Super Cedars, and a fire extinguisher. What else?


fv

As forum members do we get a discount from Super Cedars on their firestarters?

Ray

My wife found one of these at a yard sale (child's garden rake). It is heavy steel and I cut the handle down to about 18". With a welder's glove on, you can rake coals to the front and push ashes to the rear. If you can't find one of these, you could try cutting down a regular garden rake to about 6" wide.

I found this same product a Lowes only it was a hoe--indispensable. Less than 5 bucks! I'm planning to paint it black so it looks more classy.

I have a cheap little temperature gauge on my stovetop. It's very helpful.

How about a toasting fork, or a chestnut roasting pan.

Nothing like roasting chestnuts on an open fire (or a wood stove)

..... well just think of the Bing Crosby song and you'll be out buying one tomorrow ;-)

I've been using it (carefully, of course) for two years with no problems. When I'm raking coals and ash, there's little heat left. I originally thought I might have to wrap the handle in foil or foil-backed insulation, but it hasn't needed it. And I wear a welder's glove, I'm not bare-handed.

A warm hat. Eventually you will have to peel yourself away from all the toys long enough to get wood from the back yard. By the way, on this trip, do not try to wear flip flops. No matter how careful you try to walk, one will come off on the way back.

Matt

I'd like to either buy or make an ash rake or hoe.....I use the shovel instead. It has a wooden handle, but it only gets used once the fire is gone and just coals and ashes in the stove.....mostly, and very few coals at that. Might be a problem if I soaked it in oil or gas. Don't use gloves much, unless moving wood, to avoid splinters. Those seem to happen no matter HOW careful I am, yet I've only got a handful of very small scars from burning myself. :coolsmile:
Ash container, fire extin....uh, putter outer, um, a stove, DRY wood (just a personal preference of mine ;-) ), a woodshed for the previously mentioned wood, a plow on the tractor to keep a path clear to GET to the wood. I'm sure there's more, but I won't remember them until the fires start. At that point, I'll have forgotten this post.....more than likely.
I'm pretty easy....don't need much. :cheese:

Wood and metal shovel.....(and means to get more wood) that's it. :cheese: