Been thinking...researching...just messin' around

Wood Stoves

Since I'll be heating my cabin with wood, this is a huge deal...big purchase...and I don't mind spending a bit of money to get the 'right' stove. I want the best bang for my buck, too. Scary purchase...lots of pressure to 'get it right' the first time. So...primary (only) heat source is the first priority. Having a flat top...not those split leveled tops...so I can throw one of my cast iron pots on top for a slow cooked meal, and have room for the cast iron water filled tea pot for humidity is a secondary concern. Also...an oven to play with...eh...not necessary as I'll have a small propane stove/oven for cooking, but would be 'fun'. Finally, I'd like to be able to create a small water heating system hooked into the stove/pipe. I'm likin' the set up for water heater below. That can be done on any stove/pipe though, so that's not part of the decision.

Originally, my plan was to purchase and have installed a Vermont Bun Maker wood stove...without the soapstone surround. I like the idea of a small oven that I can play around with during cold weather stove usage, but the fire box is too small...heating for a max of 5 hours. Now, 5 hours would be enough to tend during daytime, but waking up to a freezing cabin after 6 or 7 hours sleep doesn't quite cut it for me.

 So, I started looking at other wood stoves with larger fire boxes...longer burn times. I've been looking at Vermont Castings stoves. The three I'm looking at are all EPA certified according to the EPA website on wood stoves, are also UL/ULC certified, OMNI (on the Aspen and Resolute models), and CSA Design on the Intrepid. One is catalytic, and the other two are non-catalytic. Catalytic seem to be more environmentally friendly, but have more parts to replace after about a 5 yr period from what I understand. That part of my decision is somewhat in limbo...not sure which way to go in regards to catalytic/non-catalytic.

I like the look of the Aspen (below)...size is a real plus, but it only has a 5 hr burn time @ 18,000 max BTU's. It heats up to 600 sq ft...well within the size of my cabin...but from what I'm reading are best used as supplement heat for a single room, or heat an occasional use cabin...not full-time use. I think I've pretty much decided this one's a no go for me. But it sure is pretty to look at!

Then there's the Intrepid II (below)...a beautiful stove. Catalytic, heats up to 1200 sq ft (overkill for a 560 sq ft cabin), 6 hr burn time @ 27,000 max BTU's, 81% efficient with a 2.1 g/hr. Very environmentally friendly...again, a sorta short burn time, but 6 hrs would be my minimum. Nice big fire box to handle a decent sized log. Matches all my criteria really. And...it's pretty to look at...even comes in different colors if I chose to do a color.

The Resolute Acclaim (below)...another beautiful stove...is non-catalytic, has a whopping 9 hr. burn time @ 40,000 BTU's heating up to 1600 sq ft (again, overkill for my 560 sq ft cabin), 72% efficiency with 3.4 g/hr. Again, very nice to look at, and with different colors. I kinda like the warming shelves on the side, but am not sure there'd be room for that once it's all said and done.

 

All three of these stoves are well within the EPA limits for g/hr...non-catalytic max @ 7.5 g/hr, and catalytic max @ 4.1 g/hr. So...I got that goin' for me. Everything I've read suggests that a small stove (like the Aspen) wouldn't work for full-time use, and that I need a medium sized stove...like the Resolute Acclaim or the Intrepid II. I looked at Jotuls, also...nice stoves...just got better reviews for the Vermont Castings. If there are others out there I'm not finding, I'd sure like to know about them. While I'll talk with a 'dealer' once I'm in NM and ready to decide on/order my stove, I'm wary of a dealer who might want to sell me something that's not really what I need. Paranoid wench!

Still thinkin' on my water heating issue, too. I know I won't be using a traditional water heater, and am leaning toward the on-demand propane fired water heaters, but I worry about the draw on my solar once that's being used. Talking with a solar pro will help me make that decision...when the time comes. This one can ride for now.

I make jewelry...still...just don't sell it these days. Eh...I give it away most of the time. However, I started making larger pieces out of wire and beads...not jewelry, but wall hangings, wind (type) chimes, weaving wire baskets, and the like. Have also been putzin' around making pieces for my fairy garden...houses, fences, doors, gates, furniture, etc. So...just messin' around these days.

Thanks for reading...Ciao!