I'll be 1/4 in 3/4 out, so it might work. Probably would not be able to get the big stuff in that way, though
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My Jotul will have to be front load only...
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I'll be 1/4 in 3/4 out, so it might work. Probably would not be able to get the big stuff in that way, though
Not really. It is just a big door on the F400 and a shallow firebox. If you open the door rapidly and have not cleaned the stove in a long time the vacuum may pull some ash that will spill on the ash lip. I get this with the T6 too. That is very different from the ash spillage folks complain about with the F500. Go to the store and compare the two side by side with a ruler and you will see the difference.
ok, so the castine actually is better for the ash, just as pretty as the oslo, but undersized for my purposes (even for supplemental)
We have a Jotul F600, but only load through the side door. Our install is on a raised hearth and the stove rear legs sit just inside the fireplace opening.
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As you can see, I can open the side door nearly all the way. The F 600 is a rather deep stove measuring 19" from the front glass to the back of the stove. You have a full 16" from behind the doghouse to the rear. If ash spill out was a problem this extra space would let you build your fires further back inside the stove so that less ash would build up against the front door. However, I would recommend you try to manage an installation where you can load through the side as I do since that will solve the ash out the door problem all together.
As you can see, I can open the side door nearly all the way. The F 600 is a rather deep stove measuring 19" from the front glass to the back of the stove. You have a full 16" from behind the doghouse to the rear. If ash spill out was a problem this extra space would let you build your fires further back inside the stove so that less ash would build up against the front door. However, I would recommend you try to manage an installation where you can load through the side as I do since that will solve the ash out the door problem all together.
This is how my setup is as well, I had initially wanted to set it back into the fireplace opening more, rendering the side door useless, but I am happy I pulled it out, I can now open the side door about 85%, enough for easy loading.
If you intend on using the Oslo as a front loader only you will want to give up on wood burning fast. thing makes a focking mess when you open the front door.... I dont even like opening it to clean the stove. frigan dust goes EVERYWHERE and cleaning the ash lip is also a pita.
that's really a shame, it seems like the perfect stove in so many other ways...
Have you had many other modern stoves to compare it to? I have had several, and they all dump ash out the front a little. I never thought anything about it.
There is a big difference between a little ash and a lot. FWIW we rarely get much ash on the ash lip unless I get a little sloppy. semipro has owned both the F600 and F500. You might want to ping him and get his opinion. I think he front loaded with the Oslo.
Found the threads by F500 owners. Note that some have figured out ways to get around the issue:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/oslo-front-door-ash-spillage.94302/#post-1244080
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/jotul-oslo-ash-nuisance-solution.46101/#post-46101
Found the threads by F500 owners. Note that some have figured out ways to get around the issue:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/oslo-front-door-ash-spillage.94302/#post-1244080
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/jotul-oslo-ash-nuisance-solution.46101/#post-46101
Just a dusting of ash comes out of the F600 when opening the front doors slowly,
as you would with any other stove.
As for opening the front doors I have not found it to be a hassle at all, handle works smoothly.
as you would with any other stove.
As for opening the front doors I have not found it to be a hassle at all, handle works smoothly.
Someone somewhere made the argument that if you always side load, and rarely open the front, the ash is just going to build up in front of the door and create problems.
But if you always front load, you'll be able to keep the ash away from the door, and not have a problem.
Any thoughts?
But if you always front load, you'll be able to keep the ash away from the door, and not have a problem.
Any thoughts?
Get thee to a store and look at the stove's construction. The opening for the front door is slightly below the ash bed. Then compare to some other stoves like the F55 or F400 and you will see the difference where the ash bed is well below the door edge. Start a conversation up with semipro on the topic.
I've been reading every thread on the topic on hearth, wise heat, arboristsite, garden web, etc. today.
I think I get it. There's a trench that fills up, even with diligent ash management.
This brings the Castine back into serious consideration, plus the F55. (Castine's prettier, though)
You are right, there is a little gap between the door and the face of the stove. A little ash will get in there, hardly worth passing on a great stove over though.
I looked over all of the Jotuls today, the 400,500 and 600 are very similar inside, they have about 4" below the door. The only reason that the castine would be less messy is because the front door gets used all the time, therefore the ash gets moved away every few hours instead of twice a week with the others.
We have the F600 top/front loader in the basement and an Oslo in our fireplace on the first floor in the great room.
I really don't see much difference in ash buildup/spill between our F500 and F600.
Because of space considerations we load the Oslo from the front only and use the side door only for additional air when starting.
In general I think you might be worrying about ash leakage too much. Burning wood is not for neatniks in general. If you like things clean you'll need to clean up often whether ashes or stuff that falls from your wood as you load. If you're really uptight about clean then wood burning may not be for you.
I agree with an earlier post that if you use the side door on the Oslo to load that the ash just builds up at the front anyway requiring that you open the front door allowing ash to fall onto the ash tray and then cleaning that up.
I see the major advantage of side loading as better and more complete loading of the firebox. You can load the firebox well from the front but not as well as from the side.
You're going to want to open the front doors to clean the glass anyway especially if you like a clean view of the fire as I do. The primary air supply enters via a "doghouse" at the front of the Oslo. I like to keep that area clean also so that ash doesn't fall into the inner workings of the stove. I'd imagine its hard to do that through the side door.
I feel like I'm rambling here a bit but suggest you base your decision more on other factors such as heat output, aesthetics, space considerations, rather than on ash spillage.
Edit: I just let the ash gather on the lip and brush it into the ash pan when I remove that for emptying.
2nd edit: If ash really bothers you you may consider using a vacuum rather than a broom to clean it up.
I really don't see much difference in ash buildup/spill between our F500 and F600.
Because of space considerations we load the Oslo from the front only and use the side door only for additional air when starting.
In general I think you might be worrying about ash leakage too much. Burning wood is not for neatniks in general. If you like things clean you'll need to clean up often whether ashes or stuff that falls from your wood as you load. If you're really uptight about clean then wood burning may not be for you.
I agree with an earlier post that if you use the side door on the Oslo to load that the ash just builds up at the front anyway requiring that you open the front door allowing ash to fall onto the ash tray and then cleaning that up.
I see the major advantage of side loading as better and more complete loading of the firebox. You can load the firebox well from the front but not as well as from the side.
You're going to want to open the front doors to clean the glass anyway especially if you like a clean view of the fire as I do. The primary air supply enters via a "doghouse" at the front of the Oslo. I like to keep that area clean also so that ash doesn't fall into the inner workings of the stove. I'd imagine its hard to do that through the side door.
I feel like I'm rambling here a bit but suggest you base your decision more on other factors such as heat output, aesthetics, space considerations, rather than on ash spillage.
Edit: I just let the ash gather on the lip and brush it into the ash pan when I remove that for emptying.
2nd edit: If ash really bothers you you may consider using a vacuum rather than a broom to clean it up.
Thank's semipro. I don't mind a dusting of ash. But the way people have talked about it has been giving me visions of a landslide.
Thanks webby, that was my hope as well.
Thanks webby, that was my hope as well.
You're welcome. Thank BeGreen for jarring me loose from another room here.
Meant to mention that if you'll open the front doors while removing the ash pan it will lessen the "blacksmith forge" effect that can crack a stove and will also provide for evacuation (into the stove) of airborne ash that may arise as you clean the ash lip.
I owe begreen a lot of thanks. He's a one man woodstove consultation service, and very tolerant of my obsessive quest to avoid repeating my previous purchasing mistakes.
The real ash issue for us is when we've used only the side door for 3-4 weeks. It tends to build up. I don't think it's because of the shallow firebox; I think it's fly ash that the airwash drives down between the door and the body of the stove. If you're using the front door every time, the ash issue isn't really that bad (in our experience). It's just a little bit at a time. I think the biggest drawback to your situation that you would be loading E-W (with the side door, it's N-W...go figure). I believe the F55 is a N-S loader and that would absolutely seal the deal for me. It's just easier to pack the firebox that way.
If we don't get a "real" winter here soon though, I'll probably sell the Oslo and get something smaller. It's just too big for our (apparently) well insulated 2,200 sq/ft. I'm thinking F45 but I haven't seen one in person yet...
If we don't get a "real" winter here soon though, I'll probably sell the Oslo and get something smaller. It's just too big for our (apparently) well insulated 2,200 sq/ft. I'm thinking F45 but I haven't seen one in person yet...
I use the front door almost exclusively on my Oslo, (I use side door only with a larger/longer piece of wood, or if I get into a tight spot with loading), and I can knock down or push back any ash before it even becomes an annoyance...to be very honest, if it weren't for all the talk about it on this site, I wouldn't even know this was a "thing" with the Oslo stove : )
That's something else that keeps coming up, is this stove too big. I created a thread this summer about this topic.
The stove will be in a 300 sq ft room, 8 feet from the sofa. Total footage of house is big, over 6,000, but relevant heatable, space is 1,000 downstairs, bedrooms upstairs kept cold.
It sure doesn't sound like the stove will be too big unless this room is closed off from the house. How open is this room to the rest of the first floor? If you can post a floorplan sketch indicating stove location and room opening widths that will help.
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Hi Lumbering- The ash buildup from the Oslo is from loading through the sidedoor, the best feature of the stove in most people's opinion. If you use the front door most of the time for reloading, I don't think it would build up as readily. But if you're not utilizing the side load, I'd think the F55 would be a good choice too, with the blower as BG noted. Still long burn times and a big heater. The F45 is a great midsize stove too, a smaller version of the F55, heats about the same area as the Castine. The F55 has an attractive price and a nice handle design too. The one knock (if one thinks its a knock) is that it doesn't fully "look like a Jotul" with an open glass. Interesting to note though, most people have taken to the cleanface version of the Oslo and CB550 Rockland Insert quite nicely. Always the most important thing is good dry seasoned firewood. Good luck with whatever choice you make.
Went to the dealer today, saw what everyone is talking about, see how it could be annoying, but not a deal breaker.
Wife LOVED the look of the Castine, better than the Oslo.
(Also spent a good deal of time with the Hearthstone Shelburn, which came out of left field for me)
Floor plan is below. Would like to make the decision soon. Still not sure about sizing. The sizing issue is the last piece of the puzzle.
At this point its a two horse race, castine and oslo, with a shelburn making a move down the backstretch.
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