Steel to soapstone?

[Dutchstover]

Yeah, the wife likes its look better than the ideal steel... I think we will go with PH. Ashpan and outside air.
Thought about the H Green Mountain 80 too but unlike PH it requires an 8" pipe... and H Mansfield is back in re design for EPA compliance it looks like? (As is the H Equinox). Plus lots of happy PH owners out there... PH it is.

 

[Rearscreen]

Now you have to pick a color. One year at their open house picnic, they had 5 PH's each a different color all in a line. I have to say the Metallic Grey stood out for me. Made it look lighter weight wise...

 

[nortcan]

Now you have to pick a color. One year at their open house picnic, they had 5 PH's each a different color all in a line. I have to say the Metallic Grey stood out for me. Made it look lighter weight wise...

Rearscree, when you say : Metallic Grey, do you mean the Charcoal color ? What is the color of yours? If possible to get one/or more photos showing your PH, I love ph ( ph for photos). Thanks

 

[Rearscreen]

I have charcoal.

 

[Dutchstover]

Now you have to pick a color. One year at their open house picnic, they had 5 PH's each a different color all in a line. I have to say the Metallic Grey stood out for me. Made it look lighter weight wise...

Haha...
We were thinking black castiron.

 

[nortcan]

I have charcoal.
View attachment 277106

My favorite color.

 

[nortcan]

Haha...
We were thinking black castiron.

Very nice in black too, for me the charcoal and black are my favorite colors but that stove is beautiful in all dresses.

 

[Dutchstover]

Well, thank you all for your feedback. It's official... a new PH is now destined for Idaho. I'll try to remember to post a pic once it's installed.
Now to figure out the fate of the NC30. Definitely a good steel stove... but way too big for the garage.

 

[toddnic]

Dutchstover, welcome to the forum! You are getting some great responses from people very experienced with various woodstoves. My experience is with an old "smoke dragon" and a PH. My first wood stove would heat up quickly, use a lot of wood, and would cool down quickly. There was very little control to regulate the temperature or burn time. However, in our new home, I installed a Progress Hybrid. I typically use about 3 cords of wood each year and it heats our entire home (2,400 sq. ft.). We have been using it for the past eight seasons. What I love is that I can get 4 to 6 hours burn time during the shoulder season or I can get 12 to 16 hour burn time during the winter. I have a significant level of control by regulating the air, type of wood, and amount of wood coupled with the combustor and secondary.

Also, I highly recommend Woodstock Soapstone Company. Their customer service is exceptional and they stand by their products.

 

[defiant3]

Do you have access to any hardwood? Cuz that might help regardless of the stove. Longer more moderate burns than "fir and tamarack."

 

[begreen]

Do you have access to any hardwood? Cuz that might help regardless of the stove. Longer more moderate burns than "fir and tamarack."

Doug fir and tamarack are excellent firewoods. We burn mostly doug fir by choice but would be happy to try out some tamarack.

 

[Dutchstover]

Do you have access to any hardwood? Cuz that might help regardless of the stove. Longer more moderate burns than "fir and tamarack."

Unfortunately we don't have any plentiful naturally occurring hardwoods out here that are worth burning. Deciduous trees are mostly aspen (low btu, poor coaling) and cottonwood (pretty much worst wood for burning out there).
We're on 10p acres of woods full of ponderosa pine, grand fir, doug fir, and tamarack.
Tamarack (aka larch) in particular is a hard 'softwood' that does burn long and hot. I think I've gotten 9 hour burns in the NC30 with it. Most people consider it the best stuff in the NW... i believe it outperforms soft maple and a few other hardwoods.
There are a few maples here... but they're few and far between.
The most plentiful standing dead is grand fir... light weight... hot and quick. Even with that wood you can get a 6h+ burn if you have a big firebox and use really big splits... but definitely not the btu of doug fir.