Old stove for big time heat

[yankeesouth]

I am planning on putting a wood stove in a cabin in place of the old stone fireplace. I have been looking at older stoves, pre-EPA ratings. The cabin is 2 br with loft, about 1000-1200+sqf, very open with exception of the bedrooms. The stove will be pretty much in the center of the cabin, or at least on the center wall and the cabin is not well insulated. (Ceiling R-19, walls maybe R-10) I will most likely use the cabin and stove 5-10 times (30 burning days) a year TOPS, mostly 2-3 day weekends from October-April. Here is my question(s).

1. Would one of the old workhorse wood stoves for $200-300 (Hearth Craft, Naushua, or comparable make) heat up nice an fast and do the heating trick?

(broken link removed to http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/hsh/2189414316.html)

(broken link removed to http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/clt/2201136850.html)

2. Only using it less than 10 times a season how often would I need to clean the chimney?

I guess the bottom line is I am not real worried about wood consumption. I am looking for something to heat up fast and stay hot. (Cast iron vs. steel) Many of the post I have read about the newer wood stoves is that they burn cleaner and use less wood......but do not put out the same heat as the old stoves. As I said the cabin is not very well insulated so I will need something to kick out the heat when it's 20F degrees outside. I plan on having a propane insert for some quick heat as well.

Or would I be better going with a newer stove? EPA approved?????

(broken link removed to http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/for/2186166996.html)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Motor7]

For a cabin I'd throw an older stove in there. Something like a Fisher or copy because I like a big rectangle box. That Heartcraft is not going to hold a lot of wood & I can't tell the size of the Nashua by the pic. Something like thisbroken link removed to http://nwct.craigslist.org/grd/2195971633.html)
I have one like this but a 1970's copy...it will keep a cabin your specs warm & still have coals in the morn.

RD

 

[wkpoor]

I've owned 2 Nashuas. They were a bigger unit than the one pictured. Same basic style though. Will do a fantastic job.

 

[jaybird396]

An old VC Defiant would be a good choice also.

 

[remkel]

A VC Vigilant would also be plenty to heat that space.

 

[Battenkiller]

Either VC mentioned would be adequate for an open plan that size, but they will likely be at least twice the price of the ones mentioned by the OP. Used VCs in my area usually sell for close to what a new one went for back in the late 70s.

 

[szmaine]

I guess the bottom line is I am not real worried about wood consumption. I am looking for something to heat up fast and stay hot. (Cast iron vs. steel) Many of the post I have read about the newer wood stoves is that they burn cleaner and use less wood......but do not put out the same heat as the old stoves. As I said the cabin is not very well insulated so I will need something to kick out the heat when it's 20F degrees outside. I plan on having a propane insert for some quick heat as well.

Or would I be better going with a newer stove? EPA approved?????

My opinion - old cast iron stove is what you need.
We got two old stoves, really old, and the plain truth is that they crank it out and if you are not worried about worried about wood consumption for the limited use then it is the most practical choice. You'd wait far to long to get some heat from a modern EPA stove-disclosure, I only have used the Oslo we have now but have heard the same and it seems to be the case.

 

[MF1529]

I would go with an older VC Defiant. I recently saw one on craigslist here in Vermont for $250 and it was in great shape. This one was made in 1975 but still in great shape.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I would also go with an old Defiant as it has a bit more size, but a Vigilant would work as well. Centrally located would be best. You can get a Vigilant in good-great shape for $400-$500. Defiants run about the same, perhaps a bit more.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Many of the post I have read about the newer wood stoves is that they burn cleaner and use less wood......but do not put out the same heat as the old stoves.

That's kind of incorrect. You just have to size the stove appropriately. I'm pretty sure if you threw in an Englander 30NC or a new Vermont Castings Defiant it would heat the hell out of that place.

But, for what you are doing, an old Vigilant or Defiant would work just as well and it would save you a few bucks.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah I ain't buying the older heats better line. 650 pounds of 4.3 cubic foot steel went out back to be a meat smoker after 21 years and 3.5 cf of 455 pound stove is heating this joint better than it ever did. Even when I was flogging the old one at the thousand degree line.

I don't live in the Tundra like a lot of folks but heat is heat. When we were at five degrees it was toasty all night long in this barn. With my old love of my life stove it would have been down comforter time up stairs. That comforter has been in a closet for five years now.

On half the wood every stinkin year.

 

[wkpoor]

I would love to compare what I'm doing to a BlazeKing or the Englander to see if they can live up to the hype. If I had a stove in the first floor living space I'm sure I would agree with you BrotherBart. Fact of the matter for me is the Magnolia can't get my basement to 80 and the old stove did.

 

[BrotherBart]

Sold the old one. Didn't ya?

 

[wkpoor]

Oh don't get me wrong, there are many likes. Haven't used a stick or kindling in over a month. In fact not at all since new stove, not one relight. Love seeing the fire through a clean glass all the time, not just when the fires at its peak. And I'm sure in the shoulder season it will really shine. Just pointing out, if it were a race to the top the old stove would have won. Hey but winnings not everything right. Going to be real curious to see what the new guy can do. Not going to be any kind of comparison but hope the burn times extend and hope heat output is more. Burntime should extend mostly do to being able to load 3xs the wood. Knowing I wasn't going back I took the sale when it came. Hard to sell a stove in the summertime especially an old smoke monster.
BTW..... nice use of moderator privileges.

 

[begreen]

There are other moderators here and this is a public forum with some straight-forward rules about respecting others.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Forum_Rules/

 

[wkpoor]

I started to read and then realized I probably violate at least half of those in any one day oops.

 

[Jimbob]

Did I miss something?
:scratch:

 

[wkpoor]

You sure did. Don't worry , if this is like other forums your get plenty caught up in PMs.

 

[hotprinter]

I loved my old OSBURN! But I really love my new BLAZE KING, but that would be overkill for your cabin.

 

[SolarAndWood]

We have an old steel stove at our family's camp. I think steel with blowers is a good choice when you are going into a cold building and want to crank some heat out quickly. My opinion is that thing puts out more raw heat than the BK King at home but it is at a terrible price. That stove can easily go through a 1/3 of a cord in a weekend if someone is cold and motivated enough to feed it. And it takes that much wood over that period of time to put out more heat than the King that might use 1/3 the wood and comes close to the same heat.

 

[szmaine]

Yeah I ain't buying the older heats better line. 650 pounds of 4.3 cubic foot steel went out back to be a meat smoker after 21 years and 3.5 cf of 455 pound stove is heating this joint better than it ever did. Even when I was flogging the old one at the thousand degree line.

I was basing my comment on my own stoves which are the only one I have experience with.
The older stoves really seem to pour alot of heat from all over and do it very quickly. The Oslo, from a cold start, takes longer to get up to temp and it really only on the load after the start up fire that we're in business. Most of the heat comes off the window and I was surprised at how little heat is radiated from the sides relative to my older ones. I guess due to that heavy metal shielding inside (can't remember what to call it).

They both can heat the house and for sure the Oslo uses less wood to do it - but on a cold start my oldies get on the job faster.

 

[szmaine]

I didn't even look at the Craig's list stoves until now.

I doubt that franklin fireplace style thing would be a good choice at all - that's probably not much better than an open fireplace.
Take you time something better will come along.

 

[sparklow]

I have never seen a stove put out more heat than my old Kickapoo BBR - yes it could eat a whole tree trunk but you were warm!

 

[yankeesouth]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess the bottom line is I am looking for something to throw heat fast and furious. Especially because if mamma and the girls ain't happy then there ain't nobody happy. And mamma wants the place to be warm.

 

[begreen]

If that is the case you will do ok with an older stove. Try to get a decent one that has a baffle in it and maybe a rudimentary secondary burn system. It's not rocket science, a giant box, with just a sheet of steel between you and the best part of a small tree burning is going to radiate a lot of heat fast. And it will eat a lot of wood doing this. A Nashua, Upland, Kent Tile, later Fisher would all do the job. A Vigilant in good condition will also work well. Just be sure to watch clearances. Most of these old stoves need 36" clear sides and back unless there is an NFPA 211 wall shield. Don't scrimp here, especially if you are going to be pushing this stove hard. Your family's like depends on a safe installation.

Or, just get a new Englander 30NC or a Drolet 3 cu ft stove for closer clearances, less wood consumed and much cleaner burning. Either will do fine at heating up the space quickly and will have the potential to turn the cabin into a sauna.