Beers are on me!

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CT Pellet

CT Pellet

Minister of Fire
Dec 1, 2012
667
Torrington, CT
www.ctpellet.com
Hi folks…..my name is Scott, and I am usually found playing around over in the Pellet Mill, not here in the Wood Stoves and Fire Places room. I am a pellet man by trade, (literally, by trade) but I also sell the Envi Blocks (and their lesser counterpart, BioBricks)
But I must say, last year I bought a brand new Harman Oakwood stove. Now, I am not a diehard firewood cutter like most of you here because I just don’t have the time, (To say that I am unwilling to put in the effort is probably more true, but whatever!) so in my Oakwood, I am burning the Envi Blocks.
At first, I did not understand the stove and this whole “downdraft” thing went a bit past my dominion of comprehension. Couldn’t get the stove to stay going and she just smoked and smoked, like Cheech and Chong. So, under the name of SkeezixMcGoo I came onto this site and asked for help.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/is-my-afterburner-not-working.77313/#post-982120
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/exploding-harman-oakwood.76780/
Want to send a personal thank you to:
North of 60, BrowningBAR, stejus, spirilis, branchburner, punchy, oldspark, jdonna, BrotherBart, stoveguy2esw, troutchaser, treacherous and Soupy1957.
With your help, I went from buyer’s remorse to realizing one of the best purchases I have ever made. I get nice slow, long lasting and hot burns, the house is 75 degrees, kids love the stove and the wife is happy! Thanks again for all of your advice and let me buy the next round…Happy New Year!
Scott
 
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Scott, glad to hear you got your stove working correctly. Find some aged hardwood and you'll never go back to Envi Blocks. Not saying the blocks don't work, it's just a better burn experience with good ol' seasoned wood. I'm sure you've read that the only way to guarentee seasoned wood is to age it yourself. This is soooo true.

Don't know your situation, but if you can, plan to season wood for at least 2 years with most hard wood species. These new stoves don't do so well with wood that isn't properly seasoned. I can get green wood for $135 c/s/d around my parts. You should check out prices in your area and see if it makes financial sence to buy wood and age it vs Envi Bricks. Good luck!
 
stejus said:
Scott, glad to hear you got your stove working correctly. Find some aged hardwood and you'll never go back to Envi Blocks. Not saying the blocks don't work, it's just a better burn experience with good ol' seasoned wood. I'm sure you've read that the only way to guarentee seasoned wood is to age it yourself. This is soooo true.

Don't know your situation, but if you can, plan to season wood for at least 2 years with most hard wood species. These new stoves don't do so well with wood that isn't properly seasoned. I can get green wood for $135 c/s/d around my parts. You should check out prices in your area and see if it makes financial sence to buy wood and age it vs Envi Bricks. Good luck!
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Thanks for the advice stejus......Please understand that I'm actually a dealer for Envi Blocks, so around my house, "firewood" is a swear word! we all do what works best for us, and what works best for me is the "hands-off" solution. But where you and I DO agree, is on the beauty of a wood stove!
 
yea wouild not be good for business I guess if your customers found out you were using wood instead of your bricks!!

But I would bet there is no comparing the heat from real wood to sawdust compressed.
 
You're right, densely packed sawdust can be a more efficient fuel that burns hotter and longer.

Good to hear that the Oakwood is working well for you Scott. How are you loading the stove? What is your burn cycle like?
 
begreen said:
How are you loading the stove? What is your burn cycle like?
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I load it from the top, and usually put in 3 bricks every 4 hours or so. No real "cycles"...Just wait til it burns down a bit and throw in some more. Love this stove!
 
CT Pellet said:
I load it from the top, and usually put in 3 bricks every 4 hours or so. No real "cycles"...Just wait til it burns down a bit and throw in some more. Love this stove!
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!!! HOw big of an area are you heating and with what size stove? And how much are those things retail? I was thinking I saw something like those at TSC for like $4 for like 6, is that right? If so that seems awful expensive?

Im not trying to convince you to use wood I am just curious and don't think the economics wouldwork out for me. I burn wood tgo save money and those brick seem like they would cost more than the electricity to heat my home with the heat pump?
 
Glad to hear it worked out for you, I am getting a beer right now.:)
 
begreen said:
You're right, densely packed sawdust can be a more efficient fuel that burns hotter and longer.
Click to expand...
Not to mention much less ash.
 
NortheastAl said:
Not to mention much less ash.
Click to expand...
With the warm weathwer in the northeast this weekend probably most of us are on a slow burn. I loaded six canawick bricks in the f100 at 7:30 last nite. This morning 12 hrs. later the stove was at 200 and alot of coal left to start again. never had performance like this with cordwood, really works great for us. GO PATS,HAVE A DAY
 
........so....since you are a brick salesman........and.....you are promoting the sale of the bricks by burning them in your stove........did the company "assist" you in your purchase of the stove? i think you should try and float that one as its necessary for the business.....just saying ;)

cass
 
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