Used my one match for the season.

[fire_man]

What we do to extend the life os stainless for coal is right when people shut down for the season we clean it and spray it down with wd-40. But really clay is a better liner for coal

How the heck do you spray down a liner with WD-40? I picture a pump spray can with a long hose attached getting dropped down the flue. Then you have to twirl around the spray head 360 degrees on the way down. Sounds awkward.

 

[bholler]

How the heck do you spray down a liner with WD-40?

The big blast cans and spray about a half can in the top it runs down the sides and coats it well

 

[venator260]

I've often thought about getting a few bags of coal for my stove (it's set up for it) to burn if I'm going to be away for awhile like a long day at work or some other such issue. The best I've been able to get from my stove is about 9 hours; and that with as big a split as will fit in the door and the air shut way down.

Good to know that it will eat at a stainless liner. I probably won't do the above, and just deal with starting fires every now and again.

 

[bholler]

I've often thought about getting a few bags of coal for my stove (it's set up for it) to burn if I'm going to be away for awhile like a long day at work or some other such issue. The best I've been able to get from my stove is about 9 hours; and that with as big a split as will fit in the door and the air shut way down.

Good to know that it will eat at a stainless liner. I probably won't do the above, and just deal with starting fires every now and again.

get a wood stove not a combo unit, most combo stoves don't have very long burn times for wood. 9 hours is actually pretty good

 

[venator260]

get a wood stove not a combo unit, most combo stoves don't have very long burn times for wood. 9 hours is actually pretty good

I know these things. I grew up with a wood stove (one made for wood) and the burn times were quite a bit better. It is a late-80's Kodiak, and it still keeps my parents warm. My dad always made me fix it for the night, as it would always be still going pretty well for him in the mornings. The secret was, again, selecting longer splits and playing a Tetris game with the wood to pack the firebox as tight as possible. He never wanted to take the time to do all of this, he would rather just grab the first piece he touched, put it in the stove, and repeat until he couldn't.

The thing is though, free and already installed is a pretty good deal. I inherited my grandparents house from my mother, and I'm using the stove that was already there. My eventual plan is to get a modern stove for the house and install this one (and a chimney) in my garage. For now, the stove that I have does rather well; both from my experiences living here and what I remember when I was younger.