What Is In Your Stove Right Now?

[stoveliker]

Reload with either 4 but if my memory is correct 5 year old maple. Ungodly amount of ashes that the uglies of this afternoon left... Tomorrow 42, so I'll clean out the ashes before a 27/31/14 F sequence.
Using maple now so I don't have to live with its ashes for too long.

 

[Riff]

Mix of spruce and red maple. Using up the last of the 1/3 cord of spruce we had for this winter. Need to get some more split and stacked away.
Had our first winter weather Friday. Left about 3" of powdery snow that has mostly melted today but still gave the kids the chance to go play in the snow and get a little sledding in.

 

[MRD1985]

This was this mornings. No fire tonight as I’m at work until the morning. Maple and oak and cut offs. Going to have clean some ashes out when I go home. First time in a week probably. Had a bit too many coals this morning to really load it up. Going to clean the glass too I think! Been almost a week.

 

[Turbo89]

Tonight’s reload, 1 piece of ash, 3 large mystery heavy/stringy splits, and 1 small piece of maple to fill the right side gap.

Coal rake:

And the reload/takeoff:

Nice game of Tetris tonight, stove is packed. STT was only about 350 when I left, CAT seams to be initially settled around 900, air a crack past closed all the way down.

I’m guessing the CAT will creep up for the next hr or 2 as it offgases.

 

[GG Woody]

Upstairs PE is just cooling off, it's hot in here...
Family is away for the weekend, I think I'll go without a fire tonight, first time since Oct 20ish. Fire the BK in the morning.
I guess I forgot how hot the PE can get the main floor. I wonder how I would burn if it was just me in this house? It's not a huge house but sure is huge with just me and the dog.
Both stove got ashes and windows cleaned today BK got cat cleaned, was pretty dusty, I'm guessing the dust wasn't helping me out!


Few hours back... Doug Fir (as almost always) bark burn.

 

[thewoodlands]

A big warmup from the temps we were getting (minus 13 was the lowest) tonight it's 23.4 with a load of ash burning down.

 

[Todd]

-18/68 Another cold morning! Glad I have some primo Red Oak for the firebox!

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

-18/68 Another cold morning! Glad I have some primo Red Oak for the firebox!

I like your setup. What are the blocks behind the stove? Do they retain or reflect the heat?

 

[all night moe]

I like your setup. What are the blocks behind the stove? Do they retain or reflect the heat?

Both?

 

[Todd]

I like your setup. What are the blocks behind the stove? Do they retain or reflect the heat?

Thanks, those blocks are 20x10x4” concrete pavers I picked up at Menards. There’s about 1500 lbs of thermal mass there that helps even out the heat. They heat up to 140-180 degrees during the fire and are still a little over 100 in the morning.

 

[Todd]

Both?

Yup

 

[all night moe]

GF got up before me this morning.......sort of. I fed the dragon about 2am. I drag myself out of my sleep a bit before 7. She had already been down in the lair. She fed the beast and did some cleaning down there. She left the bypass open and air damper was closed. I switched everything, added a couple more sticks, and the fire took to the fuel.

She tried.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Thanks, those blocks are 20x10x4” concrete pavers I picked up at Menards. There’s about 1500 lbs of thermal mass there that helps even out the heat. They heat up to 140-180 degrees during the fire and are still a little over 100 in the morning.

Nice! I have a hearth rebuild project coming up in the off season. You have given me inspiration.

 

[stoveliker]

Nice! I have a hearth rebuild project coming up in the off season. You have given me inspiration.

Best to put a layer of (foam board) insulation behind such mass so it radiates more into the room.

 

[all night moe]

Best to put a layer of (foam board) insulation behind such mass so it radiates more into the room.

I really like this idea. Gives me more food for thought on a future project.

Would have to refinance this house first and get everything straight,

 

[Turbo89]

Morning reload, about 11hrs or so on the burn, STT still 320 and some flames in the box:

Some 2 pieces of maple and 1 mystery log in there warning it up now, and burning off the glass:

 

[Todd]

Best to put a layer of (foam board) insulation behind such mass so it radiates more into the room.

Agreed! I keep telling myself I need to do that.

 

[MRD1985]

Came home, cleaned out some ash (still had some glowing coals from yesterday), cleaned the glass and loaded up with oak, cherry and ash. Warming up nicely

 

[Crab]

Came home, cleaned out some ash (still had some glowing coals from yesterday), cleaned the glass and loaded up with oak, cherry and ash. Warming up nicely

Real nice reload. Looks like pine cones in there? How many? If so how long do they take to dry enough? Thanks...

 

[MRD1985]

Real nice reload. Looks like pine cones in there? How many? If so how long do they take to dry enough? Thanks...

3. I have dried them for a year before. But, I tried ones that dropped this season and are fully spread open, and it lights better in my opinion than a year dried in the garage.

 

[Crab]

3. I have dried them for a year before. But, I tried ones that dropped this season and are fully spread open, and it lights better in my opinion than a year dried in the garage.

Interesting, will grab a few from under neighbor's trees and try them... I only have a handful of pines here. Thanks for the reply.

 

[MRD1985]

Interesting, will grab a few from under neighbor's trees and try them... I only have a handful of pines here. Thanks for the reply.

You got it. I have 8 80 ft white pines so I have a near endless supply.

Paired with dry white pine kindling, it lights near instantly

 

[Turbo89]

You got it. I have 8 80 ft white pines so I have a near endless supply.

Paired with dry white pine kindling, it lights near instantly

I’ve been using that crap paper Amazon stuffs in the boxes and the cheap Amazon paper bags. They must be waxed because they go up fantastic and between the wife and kidos it feels like and endless supply!🤣

 

[NickW]

2 degrees. Pine and aspen ripping along getting the temperature above the thermostat setting. Blower shut off as I was firing up the coals again 10-11 hours after loading, so not bad. The Stratford 2 holds heat for a long time and continue's to produce usable heat through the coaling stage.

 

[Pinesmoke]

It wasn't going to be cold enough last night,30, for a serious load. Tossed a couple of slabs of beech and a hickory chunk for the embers this morning.

Some beech in right now.