Wood Heat Thread ~ post pics

The dogs are smart.

 

Happy dogs you have there; they like the stove.

 

Happy puppies tell the story.

What size or model number is it? What is the manufacturer's claim for square footage heating capacity? I probably won't get a soapstone stove, too rich for my blood. But I am in the market.

 

You bought a truck that has thousands of dollars of emission parts on it. The wood stove smoke issue was so bad in Aspen CO and Reno NV that they have regulations concerning there use and design and Reno even had to go as far as to require the owners to shut down their wood stoves during a major smog event. Your freedom does not trump others health.

 

The specs say 55k btu and up to 1,600 sqft. I've found that the specs greatly undersell the efficiency of their stoves. These are handmade in New Hampshire and their customer service is second to none. My stove sits in one side of my finished basement (1,100 sqft finished). My open staircase is located at the other end of my basement. I have around 2,100 sqft on the main floor. At some point, I'd like to put a floor grate in above the stove, mainly to release the heat in that side of the basement as it cooks us out done there.
www.woodstove.com

 

If you are going to buy a stove don't overdo it you will end up with a smoky fire and nasty chimney buy something that is adequate not bigger than what you need just because, a fire makes more heat with air so if you buy a wood stove for 2000' and you only have 1000 you'll either have to open a window or damp the fire down.

 

GF got this pic of the firebox on the cookstove last night before I reloaded it. We had below-zero temps with windchills of -25 last night (-32, if you're Metrical); 72 in the house. Gotta love wood heat.

 

Anyone ever have a chainsaw that cut crooked through the wood? I can't figure out if it's the chain or the bar but both appear to be in good condition. Starts off fine but then seems to want to wander off, the chain isnt too tight or loose. It's a Dolmar 5100s, I googled the problem but can seem to find any info. Personal experience would help.

 

Is it a new chain? If so, are you sure it is the correct gauge for the bar?

If its a chain you have hand sharpened, the cutter angles could all be off on one side, or the cutter lengths could be longer on one side. Both are common issues with hand sharpening. Check the cutter lengths with a caliper or if you don't have one a crescent wrench works.

To check the bar take it off the saw and lay it on a flat surface, its easy to tell if its bent. While its off check to make sure that the channel on the bar is dressed and that one side is not worn lower then the other. If it is worn but its not too bad you can dress it with a file.

Any of the above can make the saw J in the cut.

While its all apart make sure you clean all the bar oil passage ways, and if its a sprocket nose clean and lube the sprocket.

 

Yeah usually bad sharpening

 

Definitely bad sharpening job...done it a time or 2 myself. The teeth on one side cut better than the other side. Until you resharpen, cut half way through, then cut from the other side of the log the rest of the way.

 

I use an electric chain sharpener like this one.... don't laugh, this sucker really works and keeps your chain sharp on both sides, beautiful straight cuts....and very EZ to use...

 

Yep chain. If there is any thing left have it sharpened by a saw shop including the rakers. I have one of those harbor freight things they work fine however do not believe the markings on the sharpener they are not accurate side to side. Chains have an etching on them. Line the sharpener stone up with the line on the chain mark it, switch the stone to the other side and mark that side they will be off once marked your golden. If your saw has any guts and your chain is sharp it should throw saw dust a good 5'

 

I love wood heat. Warms you up several times: first when you're cutting, next when you're bucking, again when you're piling, and finally when you're burning.

These are my tools:

This wood splitter is bullet proof. I've had it for 10 years.


I evolved from various brands of chainsaws to Husky, mainly because they are a stout saw and I can get impeccable service less than 6 kms away. And a 5 year warranty is a bonus:


... and for haulin'. I own a managed forest, but I also collect free wood when I can get it (which is a quite often):


Works for me!

 

Are those rounds of maple I see in the trailer? I wouldn't complain if you shipped me a few of those...

 

Electric chain saw sharpeners are great, I have the northern tool, oregon 510 knock off, but you'll never get a sharper cutter than with a round or square file, in my experience.

Get a bar mounted sharpener guide you can sharpen it better then new. I only use my chain grinder for rakers now or when some one gives me a mangled chain just to get it trued up.

 

I just picked one of these up. Haven't tried it yet, but have heard excellent reviews.
https://www.timberlinesharpener.com

 

I've used wood heating my entire life. Some of my fondest memories are firewooding with my dad and uncles, riding in the back of a '57 Chevy 1-ton flatbed on Forest Service roads, splitting and stacking logs since I was old enough to lift an axe. My dad always maintains about 10 - 15 cords, mostly scrub oak. My wood pile now is far less than spectacular as I haven't had much chance to go firewooding since buying our new house. One of the first things we had to do when moving in was scrap the useless open zero-clearance and put in a hearth stove.



My dad keeps his old '64 Chevy half ton almost exclusively for the purpose of firewooding.

 

What did that stove run you if you don't mind me asking? I'm ready to get rid of our open fire place since it's useless for providing any worthwhile heat to the house.

 

It's a Regency H2100, refurbished, with a blower, installed including chimney kit for $2,200. It heats the majority of our house (2,900 sq/ft with vaulted ceilings) pretty well. I'm considering getting a smaller free-standing for the great room to supplement the hearth stove and prevent both from having to to be run wide open.