Mansfield owners ...loading question

[mark cline]

Learning to run my Mansfield , I have a loading question. When I load in the wood , I keep the wood behind the "dog house", when I load E/W ? Or does anybody put wood on top of the "dog house" when loading N/S ? I cut my wood to 17", its 15 1/2" to the front of the "dog house". About 20 " to the glass , any thoughts?

 

[Dairyman]

I try to cut to 18"lengths. On cold starts I load around the doghouse, on reloads I haven't found it to matter much. I don't do much E/W burning so can't help you there.

 

[mark cline]

I guess my concern is , will the dog house and surrounding plate , distort from the heat or is it made to withstand it?

 

[Dairyman]

No problems here in 2.5 years I think it can take it.

 

[tryingtostaywarm]

1st year with Mansfield trying to figure it out too. Is the "dog house" the square block in front taper to keep wood away from glass? Also is N/S front to back and E/W side to side?
I think the whole things pretty sturdy and the metal can take lots of heat around it. My assumption was that the dog house" was there to keep the wood away from the glass. I've tried loading it both ways, which works better for you?

 

[Highbeam]

I had a heritage for several years and pusged just under 30 cords through it. It has the same doghouse setup made of cast iron right below the loading door.

I always stacked wood on that doghouse. Up to and even occasionally touching the glass. Of course, I also loaded E/W through the side door so I was not conernced with glass breakage from closing the glass into the splits.

That cast iron around the doghouse is part of the firebox and designed to get hot.