An idea for keeping warm and cooking in an economic depression [Archive]

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O.S.O.K.

11-10-2010, 08:31 PM

OK, my town has this nice service. Anytime that you have limbs down or you just clean up brush in your yard you can put it out by the road and eventually, the city will come by and run it through a chipper and haul it off. They take it to a mountain of chips area and you can go and get this "mulch" any time that you want...

So I'm thinking why not get some hog wire sections and construct a holding bin in the back yard and fill it up with these chips - putting something over the top to keep them dry.

And then get yourself a nice little stove like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/173896_lg.jpg

The bin of chips is free and would last for a long time... and it would be a source of wood fuel that other's wouldn't think of... especially if you keep your "operation" under wraps...

aliceinchains

11-10-2010, 08:55 PM

Them chips burn mighty fast! How much for the wood stove.

ubersoldate

11-10-2010, 09:01 PM

Thats a pretty good idea..

Ive kind of dumped some coin in the last thirty days on my new house so Ill throw my two cents.

I would look at one of these.
http://www.toyotomiusa.com/products/laserventedheaters/L-73.php

They run on alot of different fuels, can be placed in a living room and they will heat and entire house if rooms are left open to airflow.
They are really something.
Im running mine on red diesel fuel, I purchased a large tank to put out behind my house, ran the copper lines myself.

I like the wood stoves, Ive got two lopi stoves in two bedrooms and a large fireplace insert in the living room, but they dont project heat like the toyo stove.

Only difference is, it has to be plugged in so a generator is a must in power outages.
Im hoping my tax return this spring will pay for my solar plans, and that alone will run the kitchen and that heater.

Wood is awesome though...I just split and stacked a few cord, and its awesome on these chilly nights to get a nice fire going!

O.S.O.K.

11-10-2010, 09:46 PM

That's awsome Uber. Especially if your place is sans central H A/C. I really like the flexibility of fuel. Did you see my post about the guy in Japan that invented a plastic "still" that renders oil from plastic trash? That'd be a great go-with to that heater.

The wood stove shown is $269 plus shipping of course and you need the stuff to go with...

Wood stoves are nice but they do need a lot of tending and aren't really all that efficient. But, if you've got the wood fuel...

Penguin

11-10-2010, 09:47 PM

Seems like a good idea to me especially if you can get fuel for free. Even if it burns it up fast all you are out is the time it took to go get the chips.

O.S.O.K.

11-11-2010, 11:33 AM

Northern Tool lists this one too for $199...

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/172921_lg.jpg

Smaller...

There's something listed about a $1500 tax credit for this! Hmmm.

Oh wait - it would only be 30% of the cost - so $60 for the stove... of course you could include the pipes, etc.

chiak47

11-11-2010, 02:17 PM

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_03/2riotAFP_468x310.jpg

O.S.O.K.

11-11-2010, 04:30 PM

You think people are going to riot in the streets and burn cars over this thread? :lol:

El Laton Caliente

11-11-2010, 05:02 PM

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll228/ElLatonCaliente/New%20House/141.jpg

aliceinchains

11-11-2010, 05:05 PM

I just took down a wood fence. And it is cheap wood. But it is throwing pretty good heat as long as i keep it going.

PROBASCO

11-13-2010, 02:14 PM

being in a business that creates paper files that need to be kept for 5 years, i would start a small fire in the wood stove then throw a box of files they will smolder all day and into the night much better than any hardwood i have tried.

hawk1911

11-13-2010, 04:18 PM

I just like the look of the wood stove. It is a definate option that I plan to incorporate.

HDR

11-14-2010, 08:12 AM

Before buying a wood stove; research the cost of a replacement catalytic converter and how to clean one.

The easy way is to buy a stove which doesn't have one.. :D

hawk1911

11-14-2010, 10:28 AM

Before buying a wood stove; research the cost of a replacement catalytic converter and how to clean one.

The easy way is to buy a stove which doesn't have one.. :D

Do they have catalitic converters? If it became a problem then just eliminate, similar to an automobile.

Lysander

11-14-2010, 10:39 AM

Do they have catalitic converters? If it became a problem then just eliminate, similar to an automobile.

Yes, EPA regulations dictate that all newly manufactured wood burning stoves have them.

Like Top said, just buy an old one.

I'd go for a two prong system; something like Uber's for general heat, and then the stove as a backup/alternative cooking surface should you not want to burn through all of your propane for cooking.

hawk1911

11-14-2010, 12:01 PM

EPA is just into everything, I thinks thats a little overbearing.

I am really liking this stove, I will keep my eyes open and jump on an old one with no cat. Solid cast iron I guess it really doesn't matter how old it is.

O.S.O.K.

11-14-2010, 10:08 PM

Oh, the cat would come out right away - I'm not fond of cats :)

HDR

11-14-2010, 10:48 PM

I don't know if they can be taken out.

Mark Ducati

12-08-2010, 07:34 PM

How tall is this thing? I'm wondering if the crap really hit the fan, to buy an iron wood burning stove as a back up for a couple hundred bucks would be a wise investment... living here in the country, on 5 acres, we have a plethora of dead fall that we could burn for a long time.

What I'd like to know is if this is situated on my fireplace hearth on the floor... would it be possible to run the exhaust/smoke pipe directly up my chimney flue?

El Laton's fireplace looks to be about my size... but his looks to be 12" off the ground... mine is about 4".

swampdragon

12-08-2010, 10:03 PM