Not much to say (at least nothing of importance) but I just got in from digging up some wood from my big pile and moving it up to my deck. This is the time I don't really like having such a tall deck - it is a full story up since our lot is sloped and it's on the back above the walk-out basement. Twenty two steps if I'm not mistaken, heh. So I refilled my deck rack - 1/4 cord and it looks like we'll be burning a lot of oak, many of them branch rounds, for the next week or so. I was out there wacking them together to get snow off the pieces and I have to say I like that "Crack!" sound they make, I think being frozen likely helps in that dept.
Was odd having to dig up the pile - it is right next to the driveway and I have tried to be diligent about not blowing the snow on it and even trying to clear a path around the one side. However I still had to dig a foot or so around to get to the base. I sure am glad that I decided to go with the pile next to the DW again this year. I keep thinking it may be a waste to move the wood there but I sure would have hated to have to bring wood around the house. I'd have to cut a path through the snow which is now up to my knees when I walk around (playing with kids).
I got a new cat for the stove. Yes it is "too soon" based on a lot of estimates but the old one took a lot of abuse as I was (am?) learning the stove. We run hot a lot of the time with lots of flames in the stove. Honestly I wasn't sure how bad it was - it wasn't totally dead clearly as it would still work, but there was far more smoke outside than I like - not the 'just heatwaves' that I like to see and I didn't see it light up much (even fresh from cleaning). On the bright side it only cost shipping as Woodstock was kind enough to consider it under warranty without any hassles. The new one is SS and the replacement process wasn't hard. Although it did take almost two weeks before stove got cold enough to do the job. Removing the old one out of the bracket was interesting as it seemed stuck shut, then when I pried the bracket apart the cat broke into halves the hard way - i.e. top and bottom. Boy is that material fragile! Once it was apart it started falling to pieces - no option to go back. So I knocked the rest out of the brackets and scraped the gasket out etc to get new one in. Took opportunity to shop-vac the stove top area so it was totally clean.
Now first fire after new cat told me I made a good (if not optimal) decision - it glowed right up after engaging and has every fire after. I don't notice as much smoke smell outside and I'm convinced that I'm getting more heat from the stove. Of course it is above freezing today so we don't need as much heat, but in any case house is warm still at 5p after loading at 8 (loaded at 10 previous night and no problems with being cold this AM either). So hopefully I won't abuse this one too much - perhaps it can take it better anyway.
I am feeling a bit guilty about not cutting as I burn though. I had planned to get a load of logs to chew on during these cold weekends but just didn't get around to it. I suppose it would have been quite a mess/challenge to deal with 3' of snow on top of the load and the ice etc that goes with it likely wouldn't make working the stack any safer for an amateur such as myself so I'll wait until spring. Given that I'm on track for burning just over 3 cords and I had 12 at the start of the season I think I'll be ok even cutting in the spring as it will get at least 2 and maybe 3 years to dry out before I burn it.
Anyway, I'm still alive and warm. Kids still love the heat and the wife now loads the stove like a pro without complaint. Although she does find it annoying that the wood catches well before she is done loading - she is a bit shy of the flames for whatever reason.
Was odd having to dig up the pile - it is right next to the driveway and I have tried to be diligent about not blowing the snow on it and even trying to clear a path around the one side. However I still had to dig a foot or so around to get to the base. I sure am glad that I decided to go with the pile next to the DW again this year. I keep thinking it may be a waste to move the wood there but I sure would have hated to have to bring wood around the house. I'd have to cut a path through the snow which is now up to my knees when I walk around (playing with kids).
I got a new cat for the stove. Yes it is "too soon" based on a lot of estimates but the old one took a lot of abuse as I was (am?) learning the stove. We run hot a lot of the time with lots of flames in the stove. Honestly I wasn't sure how bad it was - it wasn't totally dead clearly as it would still work, but there was far more smoke outside than I like - not the 'just heatwaves' that I like to see and I didn't see it light up much (even fresh from cleaning). On the bright side it only cost shipping as Woodstock was kind enough to consider it under warranty without any hassles. The new one is SS and the replacement process wasn't hard. Although it did take almost two weeks before stove got cold enough to do the job. Removing the old one out of the bracket was interesting as it seemed stuck shut, then when I pried the bracket apart the cat broke into halves the hard way - i.e. top and bottom. Boy is that material fragile! Once it was apart it started falling to pieces - no option to go back. So I knocked the rest out of the brackets and scraped the gasket out etc to get new one in. Took opportunity to shop-vac the stove top area so it was totally clean.
Now first fire after new cat told me I made a good (if not optimal) decision - it glowed right up after engaging and has every fire after. I don't notice as much smoke smell outside and I'm convinced that I'm getting more heat from the stove. Of course it is above freezing today so we don't need as much heat, but in any case house is warm still at 5p after loading at 8 (loaded at 10 previous night and no problems with being cold this AM either). So hopefully I won't abuse this one too much - perhaps it can take it better anyway.
I am feeling a bit guilty about not cutting as I burn though. I had planned to get a load of logs to chew on during these cold weekends but just didn't get around to it. I suppose it would have been quite a mess/challenge to deal with 3' of snow on top of the load and the ice etc that goes with it likely wouldn't make working the stack any safer for an amateur such as myself so I'll wait until spring. Given that I'm on track for burning just over 3 cords and I had 12 at the start of the season I think I'll be ok even cutting in the spring as it will get at least 2 and maybe 3 years to dry out before I burn it.
Anyway, I'm still alive and warm. Kids still love the heat and the wife now loads the stove like a pro without complaint. Although she does find it annoying that the wood catches well before she is done loading - she is a bit shy of the flames for whatever reason.
