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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Wood Stove
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project_north
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 15:57
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Was thinking of going with the Horse Flame Shetland:

http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Wood-Stove-and-Accessories/Cast-Iron-Stoves/Horse-Flame -Shetland-HF-905-Wood-Burning-Stove

Does anyone have experience with it? Reviews?

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 16:07
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No experience with it, never heard of it, but I see from the owners manual that its Chinese.

Don't know how much you know about iron castings quality, but my experience shows that there are great variations in casting quality from different manufacturers around the world. I would want a credible assurance that any Chinese item with iron castings in it was made in a foundry that bothered to do it right. Unfortunately, if there is anywhere on earth where it might not be done right, guess where that is?

Last thing you want is a stove with a cracked casting.

groingo
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 19:22
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I agree, if you possibly can you want to check it for thickness, have had a US stove and Vogelzang and both looked nice but cracked out as they we maybe 1/8 inch thick cast iron plus the just don't put out much heat because of the thin castings.

hueyjazz
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 20:02
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I got this stove with the thermostatic blower and ash pan option. I delighted with the heat output and log consumption. Canadian made

http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Wood-Stove-and-Accessories/Wood-Stoves-Small-under-1500 -sqft/Timberwolf-2100-Economizer-EPA-Wood-Burning-Stove

RidgeRunner
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 20:57 - Edited by: RidgeRunner
Reply 


I wouldn't buy a stove that doesn't have a proven track record of dependability and, most importantly, the ability to hold a fire well for a long time.
There are a LOT of junk woodstoves available.
They're poorly made, won't hold a fire well and you'll go through a LOT of wood unnecessarily!!!
It's also very important, IMHO, to have a stove where the draft opening is near the end of the log and NOT the side of the log, they draft better, they operate better and they start FAR easier.

I subscribe to the K.I.S.S philosophy.....if it's simple, well designed and well built there's FAR less chance of something going wrong!

For a smaller stove, look for an old Fisher Baby Bear.....the Fisher single door woodstoves are great.

If you want a smaller stove that's new....look into the Jøtul 602.

No communist Chinese garbage.

rockies
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 21:29
Reply 


There is the "Kimberly" woodstove, if you want something smaller and incredibly efficient.
http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com/

Sustainusfarm
Member
# Posted: 18 Nov 2013 22:12
Reply 


Jotul is a great stove....the cheaper metal/cast stoves often warp from heat then the doors don't close right! I learned the hard way....

project_north
Member
# Posted: 20 Nov 2013 10:16
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Amazing Feedback. Thanks gang. I was a bit suspicious of Chinese made.
I was also considering the Morso Squirrel as first choice but it's much more expensive:
http://www.morsona.com/Morsø-1440-487.aspx
I will check out your proposed alternates.

project_north
Member
# Posted: 20 Nov 2013 13:01
Reply 


I like the Timberwolf 2100 but the BTU's are 45,000. I am worried I will be creating a sauna. My stage two square footage will be around 220 square feet.

groingo
Member
# Posted: 20 Nov 2013 13:43 - Edited by: groingo
Reply 


I have a Waterford, smallest they make 100B which is good for 6 to 800 square feet (my cabin is 195 square feet) so I made small fires using 12 wood but even at that it easily cooks you out of the place so after much deliberation and many years of wood heating I finally got tired of the whole wood mess and moved over to propane with zero regrets, efficient, affordable and most of all easy to control the temperature (no more open windows at 15 degrees outside).

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 20 Nov 2013 14:00
Reply 


I have a Morso Squirrel 1410, in storage, haven't used it yet, but I'm coming to the conclusion that its going to be too big for my 300 sq ft well insulated cabin. So I plan to put in a small propane wall heater for when its not real cold. Also, any small woodstove won't hold enough wood for overnight so the propane kicks in by thermostat at 3AM

project_north
Member
# Posted: 20 Nov 2013 15:35
Reply 


I have a small propane through wall heater already which works well, but i'd like the security of having a woodstove in winter in case the propane won't light or runs out. I'm 10 kms from the nearest road so there is no turning back
once you ski in.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:10
Reply 


like many others I have a small woodstove in my 240 sq ft studio. the key advantage is wood is free if you cut it and chop it yourself.
the disadvantage is getting up at 3 a.m. and stoking the fire so you don't wake up to frozen ... anything.
i just installed one of the small propane through wall vent heaters (whew...) and last night I woke up at 1:30 thinking "nope not cold enough to ... hey the heater is kicking in."
slept the rest of the night through.
now the woodstove is going. burning a combination of pellets (easy starting with a blast from the propane brazing torch) and wood.
hybrid solutions rule.

project_north
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:13
Reply 


Creeky that sounds great. Exactly what I want. What type of woodstove have you installed?

Dillio187
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:18 - Edited by: Dillio187
Reply 


I want one of these for my ~300 sq foot cabin. Maybe with this years tax return...

8000 BTU per hour as opposed to 30000 or more, shouldn't totally bake your out of your place.

I have a smaller stove now, a Jotul Combifire #1, and it won't bake you out if you dampen it way down. I don't really like doing that though as it is smokey and leaves a lot of creosote on the stove pipe.

http://graystoveworks.com/

creeky
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:47
Reply 


project_north. I have a no-name circa 1980s mass of rolled steel. sold by a local bigbox (initials are CT) from back in the day.

it does not have epa approval.

i burn small fires. it's a tiny place. i bought a brush and a pole and clean my pipes when they get too flaky. takes less than a half hour with beverage of choice. someone mentioned throwing salt into the fire now and then. i have a bag of salt i won't use for cooking in a dozen years so i toss in a hand full now and then. it may help. i don't know.

not a bad price on that gray stove. and would work well with the propane combo. that Kimberley is just too rich for my blood. and the vapour ware / water jacket / electrical generation / 9.5" log / heating room size ... still i look forward to following their progress.

a previous neighbor has a huge wood stove. he cuts 24" logs. i still remember the pickup trucks slowing down and admiring his wood stack (before he hides it in his garage).

course it doesn't matter if you cut it yourself. i cut my stuff a little short to make it easier to load into what is a fairly small stove.

oh. and a heads up to Just if he's about. his trials installing his gas furnace helped me a lot when putting mine in. the despair. and the joy of 3rd time done.

tedd
Member
# Posted: 25 Jan 2014 19:08
Reply 


Groigo

Where can one buy a Waterford wood stove in North America. I see only one dealer and theyadvertise cook stoves.

Tedd

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