And then man invented fire

[Duck]

Since my neighbor was finished with my woodstove and unceremoniously drooped it in the middle of my lawn in June, I've been trying to get wood heat in the house. I got the stove into the basement in July, Half a transport of 14 foot logs arrived in Late October. After cutting, splitting, transporting into the basement and stacking that wood, there appears to be just over 17 cord. That job was finished last week. Many months of shopping at the local mall, bartering and trading, got me the insulated stove pipe I'd need to exit and clear the house. A few weeks now of spending Decembers budget, I acquired enough tin to connect the chimney to the woodstove. I find out that they don't make an adapter at the top end to go from insulated back to tin pipe, so I convinced the two they were made for each other. I put a metal screw in to consumate that marriage. Okay, now we are up to 48 hours ago. So, I'm ducking around with this &$%$%^$ woodstove trying to start a fire, but the draft is blowing out instead of going up the chimney. Here's the kcker, for all you other city boys out there. Batteries Not Included! "If you want the air to flow up instead of down the chimney, you have to show it where to go" says my lumberjack buddy on the phone. "Look," I sez, this road has been too long for me to put up with much bullshit, can you make it fixed?" So buddy comes over, and takes a peice of birch bark, lights it and watches as the wind blows out the stove bringing the smoke with it. So he says, "more bark". I am doubtful but give him a handful. He starts it afire, the room fills with smoke, then reverses and starts up the chimney. "Had to show it" he says with an "I tol' ya so" kind of grin. We stoked that box full of wood and after some time, couldn't see our breath any more in the basement. I let it die so I could rest easy overnight. Now I'll go fire that puppy up. It is my hope that by lunchtime, I'll not be wearing my snowsuit for "around the house scrubbies", and I'll bet my typing will improve when I stop chattering and vibrating. Yes folks, we have fire! Prove positive that not every Duck need migrate to find a place to call home in the winter. Many thanks to all who helped, intentionally or no, I am one grateful Ducky.

Have a Merry, Warm, and Beautiful Christmas peeps.
dd

[Marco Renda]

Hey I told you NOT to get all your FEATHER PLUCKED!

Glad you finally have HEAT

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[chief tatanka]

tho cold Duck does go good with chicken, pork,beef,lobster,king crab,:D:D

[coco_artist]

Duck, I am not always the smartest bulb in the package these days, but it seems to me that for smoke to fill the room is not too kewl, cause it really shouldn't do that I don't think. Sounds kinda dangerous.

[dykster]

Heated with wood for 25 years. If it's cold out it's hard to get it to start drafting. I use to light some newspaper and use that to warm things up quickly. You can stuff some on top of your wood after you have built your fire. Shit man....it sounds like a lot of work and your neighbors.....well....that was rude. Keep warm man...

[reddiet]

Duck,
Do you have a cap on the top of the exhaust flue. The kind that will allow the smoke to leave but not allow the rain to enter. You will also need to install some kind of damper that can be shut, when the stove is not in use and stop any downdraft that may just allow cold air to fill the area, and opened when your enjoying your fire. You also said that you had a delivery of wood logs that you spent many hours cutting and splitting. Were these logs weathered.
Firewood should be kept outdoors. exposed to the natural weather for at least a year before using in a fireplace. You could cover the top of the pile of wood with a tarp or plastic, but the sides, front and back should be allowed to be exposed to the weather. I have even seen people who don't even cover the top of the pile and just let it weather naturally. This weathering allows the wood to dry out properly and will burn much better than non-weathered wood, which still has quite a bit of moisture in it.

ps you will also need some kindling (small thin pieces of wood) and some old newspaper to help you start the fire easier

RED

[Blaster]

I had the same problem. With time your whole house will smell of smoke. Our problem was that there wasn't enough pipe to clear the roof, so the cold air fell down the pipe instead of being pulled up by the ventury effect of wind blowing across the top of the pipe. you may also need a cap or "T" type conector to help with that.

check out this site. sounds like a very efficiant and cheap way to heat the house. Best thing is that you can make it out of cheap, readily available things.


http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html

[pflover]

i sure hope you don't have to put up with filling your basement with smoke every time you need to light it! sheesh. glad you have heat tho! :D

[slater]

congrats ducky, i know its been a long journey to get to where you are today. enjoy your stove.