CaptainMauw
ArboristSite Member
Last year was a fiasco https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/first-year-heating-with-wood-fiasco.330018/ and this years winter has been pretty much polar opposite.
I have an old Dutchwest 2462 that I was struggling to get more than 3-4 hours of burn at a time out of, even when throttled back. The goal was to replace it in the off season last year, but farm work and a wedding at the farm prevented that from ever coming to fruition. As a stop gap I got my hands on an old Blaze King King Ultra from the early 90's, but discovered some not so great conditions once I got it into the light back home. So we sucked it up and went another year on this old VC.
Upon first startup in November the stove puffed like a Detroit Diesel on a cold morning, which in itself showed a few leaking areas. I sealed up every joint in the black pipe, and then dismantled the top end and sealed every cast iron joint on the stove with cement (whether it leaked or not). Fired it back up and it was an immediate change. Clearly there were air leaks, as it now takes the better part of an hour for the stove to warm up, come to temp, and generate enough coals to get a full load in (took maybe 20 minutes last year). Further, I now have 100% control of the burn with the primary air, which was a constant struggle last year.
I have mounds of hackberry in the barn, so its been our primary wood this year to just burn it up. With the above work, I was suddenly seeing longer smoother burns, never topping 1300F on the cat (would easily push 1500 last year if not closely monitored) and coals would remain even after 10+ hours away for work. Last year the CAT air setting had zero effect on the burn. This year, it does. Also, zero smoke smell indoors. Only side effect I see is a slight increase in creosote.
In the cold snap this week I brought in some of the big cherry splits and set them in front of the stove to "preheat." Thursday night I loaded with cherry before bed at 10, and reloaded at 2 just to keep the stove hot as we dropped to -5F. In the morning I stuffed the stove completely full, throttled back, and left for work. Almost 11 hours later I returned to find the stove still at 550F CAT temp and the house at a balmy 65 even though we never topped 5F with 10+ mph winds. I'm floored given the age and draftiness of this farm house.
Heating with wood is truly an art form and I fully appreciate it now. Its all about the wood you use, how dry it is, and you air settings based on outside temps and weather conditions. I'm not cursing this old VC so much now, to the point of even contemplating the replacement plan. I'm still drawn in by the burn times of the blaze kings which really is critical here. That and this winter has been mild, and I don't want to go another hard winter needing to work from home and feed the stove every 3 hours once it gets reallllllly cold.
Regardless, I heeded everyone advice and just gave it time and practice, and i'm impressed. Thanks all!
I have an old Dutchwest 2462 that I was struggling to get more than 3-4 hours of burn at a time out of, even when throttled back. The goal was to replace it in the off season last year, but farm work and a wedding at the farm prevented that from ever coming to fruition. As a stop gap I got my hands on an old Blaze King King Ultra from the early 90's, but discovered some not so great conditions once I got it into the light back home. So we sucked it up and went another year on this old VC.
Upon first startup in November the stove puffed like a Detroit Diesel on a cold morning, which in itself showed a few leaking areas. I sealed up every joint in the black pipe, and then dismantled the top end and sealed every cast iron joint on the stove with cement (whether it leaked or not). Fired it back up and it was an immediate change. Clearly there were air leaks, as it now takes the better part of an hour for the stove to warm up, come to temp, and generate enough coals to get a full load in (took maybe 20 minutes last year). Further, I now have 100% control of the burn with the primary air, which was a constant struggle last year.
I have mounds of hackberry in the barn, so its been our primary wood this year to just burn it up. With the above work, I was suddenly seeing longer smoother burns, never topping 1300F on the cat (would easily push 1500 last year if not closely monitored) and coals would remain even after 10+ hours away for work. Last year the CAT air setting had zero effect on the burn. This year, it does. Also, zero smoke smell indoors. Only side effect I see is a slight increase in creosote.
In the cold snap this week I brought in some of the big cherry splits and set them in front of the stove to "preheat." Thursday night I loaded with cherry before bed at 10, and reloaded at 2 just to keep the stove hot as we dropped to -5F. In the morning I stuffed the stove completely full, throttled back, and left for work. Almost 11 hours later I returned to find the stove still at 550F CAT temp and the house at a balmy 65 even though we never topped 5F with 10+ mph winds. I'm floored given the age and draftiness of this farm house.
Heating with wood is truly an art form and I fully appreciate it now. Its all about the wood you use, how dry it is, and you air settings based on outside temps and weather conditions. I'm not cursing this old VC so much now, to the point of even contemplating the replacement plan. I'm still drawn in by the burn times of the blaze kings which really is critical here. That and this winter has been mild, and I don't want to go another hard winter needing to work from home and feed the stove every 3 hours once it gets reallllllly cold.
Regardless, I heeded everyone advice and just gave it time and practice, and i'm impressed. Thanks all!
