Essential Accessories Suggested For New Woodstove Burner

[isipwater]

This will be my very first season burning wood. I have just installed a Lopi Endeavor.

What wood burning accessories to you recommend for a successful experience?

So far I have purchased the following:

1. Stove top thermometer
2. Fire starters (Fatwoods and Super Cedars)
3. Moisture Meter
4. Maul
5. Ember scoop tool

Items on my list of accessories to still get are:

1. Hearth gloves
2. Ash bucket
3. Ash shovel

Any specific recommendations for brands/stores/products you like are appreciated

Anything else I am missing?

Thanks!

 

[dougand3]

Welder's gloves work well as hearth gloves. Cheap, too at Harbor Freight. 3 pr for $10.

 

[Lakeside]

Soot Eater is one best items I have purchased.

You also might want to consider a steamer.

How are you set up for wood storage in the house ?

 

[isipwater]

Soot Eater is one best items I have purchased.

You also might want to consider a steamer.

How are you set up for wood storage in the house ?

I have not looked into chimney cleaning tools yet, was hoping to do that toward the end of this burning season. What have your experiences been like with the Soot Eater as compared to more traditional chimney cleaning products?

As for a steamer, yes, that is something I was planning on waiting to see if we will need. We do live in a humid area, fairly close to the ocean.

An for wood storage in the house, any suggestions? I am not sure what to use.

 

[isipwater]

Welder's gloves work well as hearth gloves. Cheap, too at Harbor Freight. 3 pr for $10.

That is cheap. How long does a pair last for you?

 

[dougand3]

Welder's gloves are still good after 3 years - unsure when they'll wear out.

 

[Shadow&Flame]

Some kind of indoor log rack is nice...perhaps one that combines a log carrier...

 

[aussiedog3]

infra red digital thermometer

 

[firefighterjake]

Matches or a lighter.

Actually, I also like having a thermometer on the stove pipe as well . . . or in my case with my double wall pipe . . . in the pipe. Combined with the stove top thermo it has helped me quite a bit in running the stove and knowing how I am doing in terms of when to start closing down the air for the secondary action.

And to echo . . . cheap welding gloves are not as well insulated as decent hearth gloves, but for just adding some wood to the hot coals they work pretty well and in fact I find them more comfortable for everyday use.

 

[Jags]

Fire extinguisher.

 

[jlightning]

I just started using a sooteater this year and really like the job it did along w/ not having to go up on the roof. I used a 14.5 volt drill but I suggest an 18 volt.

 

[fossil]

I have a steel ash bucket with a nicely fitting lid and a double bottom. About 5-6 gallons. You can find them with or without shovels. I just use a shovel & the bucket, and I put it outside on concrete if there's anything even remotely warm in it. If you google something like "double bottom ash bucket" you'll see what I'm talking about. Rick

 

[WES999]

This ^
TS8000 - High Intensity Trigger Start Torch
Nothing I have found works better for lighting a fire.

 

[Paulywalnut]

A cord of seasoned wood if possible to start. Sometimes that's hard just starting out.

 

[Lakeside]

have not looked into chimney cleaning tools yet, was hoping to do that toward the end of this burning season. What have your experiences been like with the Soot Eater as compared to more traditional chimney cleaning products? As for a steamer, yes, that is something I was planning on waiting to see if we will need. We do live in a humid area, fairly close to the ocean. An for wood storage in the house, any suggestions? I am not sure what to use.

Regarding Soot Eater - see this link
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/...n-chimney-first-time-tips.90981/#post-1189802

for wood storage in the house, any suggestions? See this link
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/anyone-have-an-indoor-wood-rack-they-love.114160/#post-1525808

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'll second welder's gloves being good for protecting your hands and arms, but I can go all season without wearing them. I just forget to put them on. For an ash shovel I use a metal dust pan. They are cheap and work well. I use a 16qt metal can with a lid for ash. It was cheap and I found it at Home Depot.

Don't get caught up with the gadgets. They are fun, but aren't necessary. The sooteater mentioned above does a good job cleaning a chimney. Since it is the first year burning you should probably inspect your chimney every month or so until you learn how to run your stove.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

For wood storage I use rubbermaid totes. You can carry them and control the wood dust, spiders and dirt that comes in with the wood.

 

[cygnus]

Ash rake. I don't like having to many gadgets but, for me, this is a must. I think I bought mine on Etsy from some metal worker.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

This will be my very first season burning wood. I have just installed a Lopi Endeavor.

What wood burning accessories to you recommend for a successful experience?

So far I have purchased the following:

1. Stove top thermometer
2. Fire starters (Fatwoods and Super Cedars)
3. Moisture Meter
4. Maul
5. Ember scoop tool

Items on my list of accessories to still get are:

1. Hearth gloves
2. Ash bucket
3. Ash shovel

Any specific recommendations for brands/stores/products you like are appreciated

Anything else I am missing?

Thanks!

1) Loose the stove top thermometer

2) Loose the moisture meter

 

[Jags]

1) Loose the stove top thermometer

2) Loose the moisture meter

????? Whut?

That is akin to driving without a speedometer or a gas gauge. You can, but why would you? Keep in mind, Redd - this is a person just getting into it. Not somebody with 3 years cut/split/stacked in the back yard, with 4 years of use on a stove.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

????? Whut?

That is akin to driving without a speedometer or a gas gauge. You can, but why would you? Keep in mind, Redd - this is a person just getting into it. Not somebody with 3 years cut/split/stacked in the back yard, with 4 years of use on a stove.

1) They are crutches. 2) People who have these tend to hyper focus on such things while ignoring what their eyes and common sense are trying to tell them. 3) If one's wood isn't ready a MM and stove top thermometer won't make one's fire burn any better.

 

[Jags]

So is a speedometer and a gas gauge, but I will bet you use both. Even after all these years, I can't visually tell if my stove top is at 550 or 650F.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

So is a speedometer and a gas gauge, but I will bet you use both. Even after all these years, I can't visually tell if my stove top is at 550 or 650F.

I don't suppose you can, but I'm betting you know when your stove is too hot or too cold.

 

[dougand3]

isipwater, definitely keep the moisture meter and stove top thermometer. MM - you can tell if wood is 20% MC or less and good to burn or 30% MC or more and you should find other wood. As Jags said, you can't tell if stove is 550* or 650* without a stove top thermometer.

 

[Jags]

I don't suppose you can, but I'm betting you know when your stove is too hot or too cold.

I do, but I am not a new wood burner running a new wood stove. With the very few bucks that those items cost, it isn't worth going in blind. Also - they are one heck of a troubleshooting tool if the new user has problems.