# Wood stove extras?



## ditzyjan56 (Oct 3, 2009)

I went to Lowe's today to get a length of pipe I needed for a project my son was working on and was browsing down the wood stove supply isle and saw the Gasket replacement kits. :gaah: Made me realize I replaced mine but didn't get any extra for when :shtf: Grabbed 5 before I left but got me thinking about what else I might need extra for that old wood stove I have. 

Anyone got any ideas? Would like to get whatever I might need now while the stock is out.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

wouldn't it have been cheaper to buy a spool of the (fiberglass black rope?) gasket material? so you could cut your gaskets to the perfect size?... with less waste?


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Thin wall stove pipe eventually burns/corrodes through and needs to be replaced periodically.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

The better half and I are going to buy a heat-powered fan to set on top of our cook stove. I'd love to tear one of those little rascals apart to see how it works. 

Anyone have any experience with them?


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

I always buy the heavy duty black pipe from tractor supply and spray paint it every spring with heat resistant black paint, first clean the inside real good, the pipe will last for yrs doing it this way.


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

McMasterr-carr had the fiberglass rope/door gasket very cheap. I use it for making 12v heaters. The info is on my blog if you're interested or need the links. 

I have heated my last house with wood for four yrs before moving. As Flead stated keep it cleen and it can last a long time. I removed it and brushed out the inside every fall before putting the stove back into service. I'm still using the same pipe with my Tarm stove. If you want a spare one on hand buy it at the end of the season clearance blow out sales.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

I need to get new pipe for our wood stove in the shop. I'm going to try your advise and clean and paint it at season's end. Seems like I am replacing it every year.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

there are several grades of black stove pipe, the hardware store snap together stuff doesn't last very long, the better pre sized thick stuff lasts well, magnetic pipe temperature guages (from Lee Valley tools here) help keep the stack temp where it should be, Although people have been doing it for ages the intake air should not be used to slow the burn ,except in an emergency, Fire size is the bestway followed by a exhaust damper


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

Are you using woodstove rated black smoke pipe? It should hold up for several years. If you are using the correct pipe try a different manufacture. Don't use thinner hvac duct or smoke pipe(unless it's an emergency or temporary situation), it's not built for the heat from a wood stove.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

Tirediron said:


> there are several grades of black stove pipe, the hardware store snap together stuff doesn't last very long, the better pre sized thick stuff lasts well, magnetic pipe temperature guages (from Lee Valley tools here) help keep the stack temp where it should be, Although people have been doing it for ages the intake air should not be used to slow the burn ,except in an emergency, Fire size is the bestway followed by a exhaust damper


Our new (one year old now) wood cookstove is an airtight with a mechanical thermostat. When it shuts the draft down, it smolders -- sometimes for hours and when the thermostat call for heat it is up and cookin' in minutes, and the fire will last all night. We absolutely love it.

We have to clean the chimney more often, but this new stove cut our wood consumption in half last winter compared to the old, cast iron cookstove we had for so many years.

So, tirediron, your point is well taken about keeping a low fire rather than a slow fire, but in some cases, such as banking a fire down for the night, a tight draft works best.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

I'm in the process of installing a couple new wood stove inserts (they slide into an existing fireplace).
As part of the install, I'm going to run a 6" flue liner down to direct connect to the stove.
Can I sweep this flex-pipe liner in the same fashion as a regular chimney sweep or is it too flexible? _It'll be inserted into an 8" rigid pipe._


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

bczoom said:


> I'm in the process of installing a couple new wood stove inserts (they slide into an existing fireplace).
> As part of the install, I'm going to run a 6" flue liner down to direct connect to the stove.
> Can I sweep this flex-pipe liner in the same fashion as a regular chimney sweep or is it too flexible? _It'll be inserted into an 8" rigid pipe._


not sure about sweeping it, but you could drop a shop vac hose down it.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

horseman09 said:


> The better half and I are going to buy a heat-powered fan to set on top of our cook stove. I'd love to tear one of those little rascals apart to see how it works.
> 
> Anyone have any experience with them?


They work awesome. Even if you pull one apart, you won't figure out how it works ... unless you understand the technology behind it all ...



> These ingenious stovetop fans are completely silent and cost nothing to operate. They have a thermoelectric module that generates electricity based on a thermocouple, which exploits the difference in temperature between the stovetop and the ambient air, a phenomenon known as the Seebeck effect.
> 
> The fan speed on each varies with the temperature difference (greater difference, greater speed), quietly moving warm air from the stovetop. Made largely from anodized aluminum, they are an efficient way to disperse heat.


All I know is - they are amazing to watch spin-up on the top of a wood stove and they will spin "forever" .. well, as long as there is a differential in temperatures ...


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

NK, thanks for the info. Fascinating! Is it ok to put them on a very hot stove surface?


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

horseman09 said:


> NK, thanks for the info. Fascinating! Is it ok to put them on a very hot stove surface?


I bought the one that sits on a wood-fire'd stove and it works amazing. The store also has one designed for lower-temperature GasFire'd stove which allows it to work at cooler temperatures. I imagine that the temperatures of the wood-stove are in the high 100's of degrees (900° or so) and the fan has shown no signs of slowing-down - even almost three years later.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

The thermo couple fans are designed for stove top use, Ideal stack temperature is between 300 and 575 degrees F so stove top shoould be +/- 75 of that , the fan motor prolly doesn't see ever 200 deg. because of airflow.


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## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

Get you own brushes for sweeping. It only takes a few mins in the fall to be safe!


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## mmszbi (Nov 14, 2009)

Those stove fans are very cool. Only problem is here they run about $120.
I think I will let the ceiling fan do its thing for a while longer, that $120 could be put to much better use!


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## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

If your stove is bricked lined, get several extra bricks. They are cheap! I tried the fan that mounts on the pipe...don't bother! If your Insurance guy see's it he will cancel your policy. They tend to create a cool spot in the pipe and crap builds up inside the pipe in this area. I use a simple box fan in the area of the stove to blow heat further into the house...


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## 41south (Dec 4, 2010)

If you have a round chimney brush to fit your pipe, the kind with the loops or eyes on each end, and the pipe is vertical, you can melt lead and stick one end in the lead and let it harden, the weight of the lead will pull the brush down the pipe for you.

I used a piece of steel pipe, for the mold on the one I made, it made a twenty pound weight and it pulls the brush just fine.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

On a more basic level, any recommendations on a wood stove? I've added one to my "to get" list as funds become available. It will need to heat a bit over 1000 sq/ft and would be a retro fit. If SHTF happens will also be used for cooking on too. Midwest winters if that helps.

I've seen them at Menards for $500ish but also online for in excess of $2000. We've used a few at lodges on vacation and were impressed with the heat they put out.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Check out a Tractor Supply Company if you have one hear you. They have a decent selection (at least, the did about November). They had one for about $300 that's the kind you cook on, but I don't know what the square footage is on that one....


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## aluminum (Mar 29, 2009)

One of the things you should watch out for if you are getting a woodstove for SHTF situations... Get one that does NOT have a fan in it that is the major source of recovering heat from the stove. Unless, of course you have the solar/wind/hydro power to run it. Mine will run down my battery bank (granted, it is small) in one night if the electricity goes out... I do have a back-up stove that doesnt use fans, but is ugly (who cares in SHTF) and not as efficient.


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## worldengineer (Sep 20, 2010)

Put away some CSL, or similar products along with burshes. Chimeny fire anytime can be deadly, especially post SHTF.


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## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

I have a Napoliean (sp?) stove. No elec. Just radiant heat. I have it in the entrance way of my 1600sqft ranch home. Sometimes its so hot in the house that I am wearing shorts!...in the middle of a Wisconsin winter! Whatever stove you get, get brushes to clean the chimney, a GOOD set of tools (poker, tongs,etc) a metal bucket for ashes, and good SEASONED wood!


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## TheAnt (Jun 7, 2011)

I have one just like this one in my back yard for having fires just for fun. I would look for something like this (maybe just a bit bigger) if I were wanting to heat the house but this one would work. I grew up with a wood stove that is slightly bigger than this one and I love that thing. I told Mom and Dad if they left only one thing to me when they pass away I wanted the wood stove!


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## SwampRat (May 31, 2010)

TheAnt said:


> I have one just like this one in my back yard for having fires just for fun. I would look for something like this (maybe just a bit bigger) if I were wanting to heat the house but this one would work. I grew up with a wood stove that is slightly bigger than this one and I love that thing. I told Mom and Dad if they left only one thing to me when they pass away I wanted the wood stove!


I have a brand new one JUST like that one in my garage. Not hooked up yet. I was going to put it in a cabin at one point...


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