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Soapstone or not soapstone
I know this is early but, does anyone have experience with soapstone wood stoves? We're thinking of replacing our catalyst stove and we're looking at Hearthstone wood stoves. My concern is that the stove will hold the heat too long into the warmth of the day and not warm up fast enough at night. I have it down pretty well with the cast iron, and I'm wondering if this will be do able. During late fall, all winter and early spring, we only burn wood and our Vermont Castings is becoming a real pain with catalysts burning up. Now are when the sales are so that's why we're looking now.
Next question; Our current stove has a top loading feature which I've really grown accustom to. Is front loading alone sufficient, or does side loading allow you to stack more wood in the fire box?
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Soapstone or not soapstone
The cost of soap stone wood stoves is outrageous in comparison to other options. In my opinion, one of the best if not THE best wood stoves EVER built were built were Fisher. I have a "Grandma Bear" and a Fireplace insert. The king of the Fishers size wise was the "Papa Bear" The fireplace insert was basically the Papa Bear but made to be an insert. It will take 29 inch long logs. A friend has a Papa Bear that I have been trying to sweet talk them into selling but no luck yet. Can't say as I blame them either. These stoves can be found and are usually in very good condition and just require some cleaning up and painting along with replacing the fire brick. They are EXTREMELY heavy as they were made out of 1/4 inch welded steel. Another good thing about them is that they have NO catalytic coverter.
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Soapstone or not soapstone
Actually the Hearthstone is the same price as the Jotul and Quadra-Fire we're looking at. My wife tolerates the wood mess and I want to make her happy with something that looks good. A reconditioned jeep she will go for, a reconditioned stove in the living room, I doubt it.
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Soapstone or not soapstone
Hey Randy,
I had a super big 1/4 inch steel plate 500+ pound Timberline stove way back when...I seem to remember they were about the same as the Fisher you mention. Mine had a cast iron door on it.
Stephen I rekindled my interest in stoves after decades of avoidance and was looking at the Jotul to stick in my fireplace. But one of the things that pushed me off was the fact that they need alot of clearance even with a heat shield to a wooden mantel ( I have a large 9" deep 6" thick Cherry mantel I built) I do not have enough clearance ( they say 30" min with shield). I really did not feel like taking out the Cherry mantel and putting something else in, and what? Stone, awful heavy.
Anyway the costs were about $2200 + for the Jotul stove another $2000 for the stainless steel liner, and then I would have to do somthing because my hearth is about 20" and I the stove would use some of that. I found that fire regulations would not allow me to just put a slab alone in front without some asbestos under it.
Anyway, the stove installation stuff "cooled" my interest (pun intended). But with fuel going nothing but up I am thinking of it again. I think high oil prices will keep prices on stoves high.
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Soapstone or not soapstone
I've been trying to find a forum like this on wood stoves, but haven't seen a good one out there yet. I talked my wife into wood when we built the house by saying it would pay itself off in about 3 years. Replacing catalysts are not helping, ~$190 per year is not efficient. I'm definately going to a non-catalyst stove next time.
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Soapstone or not soapstone
A friend of mine put in a soapstone stove last fall. He really loves it. He heats his whole house with one. His very much looks like the Heritage or Tribute model in the Hearthstone website. It's really a nice looking piece of furniture. I think he said it was $2300 or so.
He is very picky about the wood he uses. He always has his oak cut at least two years in advance so it very well seasoned. He seems to put very little at a time in to burn, just a piece here and there. I suppose small fires keep the peak heat managable.
Dave
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Soapstone or not soapstone
Not all new metal stoves are catalytic, so you could still go with metal if you wanted.
Pay more attention on getting the right output stove for your situation. You don't want something super-big if you've got a cottage or if it's in a small closed-in room.
You also don't want an oversized stove if you're going to burn smaller fires most nights. Bigger isn't always better.
Pay attention to clearances on that model you're looking at. Some can be placed closer to a wall than others. Some require you buy an optional heat shield if you want it anywhere close to a wall.
Front vs side loading: it might be convenient and/or allow you to stack the wood better BUT pay attention to clearances. When you have a door you may have to leave more room between stove and a side wall than you would otherwise.
I'm looking to get one for here before fall. I've also looked into the corn stoves (corn is *dirt* cheap here) and the larger wood-fired whole house furnaces. The funny thing is that the chimney professionally installed would be $1500... this is more than the cost of some of the stoves I looked at!
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Soapstone or not soapstone
There are very nice, we're looking at the Heritage and Pheonix in seafoam. Since you're from Wisconsin, I assume your friend is also. Here in Pennsylvania, winter afternoons can get warm and nights get cold, I'm not sure the soapstone will give me the margine we need.
Someone sent me to the Harmon web site and they have something interesting.
It's relatively new so I'm skeptical
Link:
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Soapstone or not soapstone
funchy,
We've been burning for 6 yrs now. I love it! One word of advice, DO NOT BUY A CATALYST STOVE! And with corn, it's a food source for vermin.
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