My new toy (courtesy Big Orange and my wife's eagle eyes)

[jcims]

Nothing slices through the knotty 'which wood stove is for me' decision better than a really good price.

We were cruising the Big Orange Box store and my wife spies a wood stove on clearance in the corner. Sure enough, like two black sheep they had stuffed a couple of Englanders behind a jet powered, three story stainless steel grill. Fortunately one of the stoves there was the NCH-30 (NC-30 in Big Orange trim), one I had previously sized for my home. I take a peek at the tag...'Originally $999, now on clearance for $750'. Not bad at all! I wouldn't have any shipping b/c it's right around the corner, but I decided to sit on the decision for a bit.

After getting home, I realize that I'm not going to get more new stove for my money than that, so I call. 'Hi there, I was just in and saw an Englander wood stove you have in stock. You guys have it on clearance for $750, but I wonder if you might take a bit more off'. The manager asked what i had in mind. 'Can you do $500?'. She said that was quite a drop, but she would look into it and call me back.

About five minutes before the end of her shift, she calls and says 'Yes, we can sell it to you for $500'.

Woot!

So after enlisting my brother and his pickup truck, we are the proud new parents of an Englander NCH-30 for just a little over $1 a pound. Being rookies at moving stoves, we managed to get the firebrick into a nice pile inside the stove, but that will give me a good reason to pull out the manual and get to know our new baby.

I had previously looked at Englanders, but after comparing them to the QuadraFires and Jotuls and Woodstocks, they seemed quite utilitarian. Now that it's in the basement (and that gaudy gold trim is still covered up), that understated look really has a charm of its own...and I'm now convinced it's the perfect stove for us.

As much as I'm glad to see spring arrive, part of me can't wait until the next heating season rolls around so I can light this puppy up.

I hope i don't wear out my welcome here before then.

Take care, and if you're looking for a stove on the cheap, check out the local retailers...and don't be afraid to deal.

 

[SlyFerret]

And I thought I got a good deal on my 30 at $550 Good deal, man!

I had my eye on a quad for a while, but also couldn't pass up the deal I got on my 30. Knowing what I know now, even if money wasn't an issue, I'd still buy my 30 again.

It's been a great stove, and has paid for itself this year.

You're gonna love it, man!! Too bad you'll probably have to wait 'till next season to try it out!

-SF

 

[Todd]

Wow, what a great deal! I never thought they would go that cheap. If you get the itch to fire her up, just take it out in the back yard and stick a couple sections of cheap pipe on top and fire the stinky paint curing smell out of her and she will be good to go next season.

 

[Yamaha_gurl]

Never thought you could bargin with those stores?!

 

[jcims]

Never thought you could bargin with those stores?!

You can always bargain, you just have to make sure you're talking with someone with the authority to make the deal. Easiest thing to do is demonstrate a little interest and then say something like 'OK, is there anything you can do for me on the price?'. If you get the 'we can't deal' thing, just ask 'OK, do you think a manager could help?'

Thanks for the advice, Todd, I might just do that after i get done playing firebrick tetris.

 

[Stevebass4]

congrats now get choping

 

[wendell]

I took a tile class at HD and after the class returned some tile that I did not need. I waqs talking to the instructor and was told that it would probably be thrown out and that they dispose of dumpsters full of stuff each week of returned, discontinued and slightly damaged goods.

So, they may be happy to deal more than you think.

 

[Stevebass4]

even moreso on items that are on clearence

got my 33 ton splitter for $1500.00

was 2,200 marketed down to 1700 ask to buy it for 1,500 they said no problem

 

[Jags]

That is a mighty fine deal. Wait till ya start melting your eyebrows with it. Utilitarian - Yes! Heat monster - YES! I love my Isle Royal, but wish it had the firebox of the 30.

 

[jcims]

That is a mighty fine deal. Wait till ya start melting your eyebrows with it. Utilitarian - Yes! Heat monster - YES! I love my Isle Royal, but wish it had the firebox of the 30.

After spending an entire winter 'spoiling' my family with 69 degree temps on propane, 'Heat monster' brings a broad grin to my face. Regarding the deal, if QuadraFire hadn't stopped production of the Isle Royals to build pellet stoves (and hence had discount-worthy overstock) I would have missed this entirely.

That 30 is a deep one...can't wait to feed it. I have to finish my basement first, though, so the time should fly.

 

[Jags]

The Isle Royal is a trust worthy, classically handsome cast iron tank. I do believe that the 3.0 cu ft firebox is overstated for actual "usable" firebox, but I don't think that is uncommon in the industry. On the other hand, I think the firebox of the 30 is pretty darn close to "stated" usable room.

Edit: maybe we can get BroB to post up his pic of the 30 being used as a Natty lite cellar. It gives a clear picture of what I mean by "usable" fire box.

 

[karri0n]

Is the secondary burn in the 30 the standard burn tubes on the underside of the baffle type? I keep trying to get a look at one when I'm in the Lowes, but they always seem to have only non-EPA models and pellet stoves.

 

[BrotherBart]

If you stick to the suggested loading of the 30-NC, to the top of the brick retainers, you are using 3.0 CF of space. The 3.5 CF measurement includes the combustion space above that. All of the space is available for beer storage. It is a four case firebox, but I only had three on hand.

Also, congrats on the new stove. I must be the only person on the planet that actually paid list price for a 30. Here is your club T-shirt.

 

[BrotherBart]

Is the secondary burn in the 30 the standard burn tubes on the underside of the baffle type? I keep trying to get a look at one when I'm in the Lowes, but they always seem to have only non-EPA models and pellet stoves.

Yep. Four tubes under a ceramic fiberboard baffle setup.

 

[jcims]

I do believe that the 3.0 cu ft firebox is overstated for actual "usable" firebox, but I don't think that is uncommon in the industry. On the other hand, I think the firebox of the 30 is pretty darn close to "stated" usable room.

Edit: maybe we can get BroB to post up his pic of the 30 being used as a Natty lite cellar. It gives a clear picture of what I mean by "usable" fire box.

I just did a quick tour of my unused stove and came up with 2.82 cu ft below the tubes with the firebrick in place.

12" high at the back
13" high at the front
20" deep
20" wide

If you count the space between the tubes (where there's no wood but certainly combustion), you're almost exactly at 3 cu ft. There is almost a full cubic foot above the baffles as well (.92), but I don't know if any actual secondary combustion occurs up there.

Depth from flue to ceramic board.

Depth of box, back wall is plumb.

Width of box..sides are parallel, so this width is constant from back to front.

Height from fire brick to ceramic board at top.

Height at back of stove, note that the board has a small incline, reducing clearance at the back just a smidge.

 

[Jags]

I just did a quick tour of my unused stove and came up with 2.82 cu ft below the tubes with the firebrick in place.

Thats pretty close to what BroB has posted for usable space as well.

I personally DO load above the firebrick in my stove (this is not a recommendation for that practice), but I still bet the IR is below the stated 3.0 by a fair margin.

The 30 is stated to have a 3.4 (or 3.5 depending on where you look) firebox. So reality is: if you follow the manual for the 30 you are dealing with 3.0 cu ft of fuel load. I PERSONALLY wish that all mfg's would advertise all stoves using this number.

 

[karri0n]

I just did a quick tour of my unused stove and came up with 2.82 cu ft below the tubes with the firebrick in place.

Thats pretty close to what BroB has posted for usable space as well.

I personally DO load above the firebrick in my stove (this is not a recommendation for that practice), but I still bet the IR is below the stated 3.0 by a fair margin.

The 30 is stated to have a 3.4 (or 3.5 depending on where you look) firebox. So reality is: if you follow the manual for the 30 you are dealing with 3.0 cu ft of fuel load. I PERSONALLY wish that all mfg's would advertise all stoves using this number.

To clarify, by "this number" you mean usable space, right?

 

[Jags]

To clarify, by "this number" you mean usable space, right?

Yep! That gives you the "real" number when it comes to fuel load.

 

[fossil]

OK, I guess my next step needs to be coming up with a way to label every one of my splits with a code that indicates what percentage of the useable burning volume of my stove it's going to occupy (to the hundreth of a cubic inch), and put together a combination of splits for each reload that most closely approximates 100%, taking into account both the estimated volume already occupied by the hot coal bed and the required configuration of the selected splits to attain maximum fuel load. Back in a while...I think I need a more powerful computer. Going to see what Dell has to offer these days. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

I barcode each of my splits so I just have to scan them to put together a stove load.

 

[Jags]

RFID - that way when you walk by the scanner with splits it automatically reduces inventory.

 

[fossil]

RFID - that way when you walk by the scanner with splits it automatically reduces inventory.

Sounds promising, but I'm wondering whether or not there might be some electromagnetic interference between that system and this thing the county strapped around my leg. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

RFID - that way when you walk by the scanner with splits it automatically reduces inventory.

Only Harman stove owners have RFID.