Who Heats With A Range / Wood Stove?

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Just thought this could kick up some interesting and worthwhile discussion and tips, maybe?

 

I'll start off then by saying that I have a rather clapped out range in my kitchen. RayBurn / Stanley. One or the other. What ever it is, it's all grotty and siezed up, but the fire box works fine and f*ck me; Does it chuck out some heat?!

 

I've been here for, effectively, three 'winters' now and have tried just about most of what's on offer, except Turf ("Peat", as ye'd know it in england). But I've done all the coals and various woods, in both the open grate fire and the range. I'm here to tell ye that the range is The Dogs B*llocks!

 

I sit with my back to the fire place as I work away at this thing all night, and that makes governing the open fire a right pain in the arse. That and the fact that I'm for ever up and down governing it anyway! And the heat's all shooting straight up the bloody chimney I reckon I'm kept warmer by motion and stress than I am by that bloody thing.

 

Now, my range, out there in the kitchen? ' Looxury! '! I've realised that it burns slower, hotter and, with less fuel consumption, throws out enough heat that I can just leave this door open and sit here in perfect comfort

 

Coal burns well in it. I use " EcoBright ", made for 'Closed Appliances' and that has the advantage that I can fire her up, then go off into town for the duration and come back in time to top her right up again and the place stays warm as toast throughout. However, coal of any sort costs me money. So would turf. Wood? I have people slyly sidling up to me all the time, suggesting I help myself to their own gash timber. I have a Builder who just can't wait to come and dump another whole trailer load of hardwood window frames on me. Mate even turned up just the other day with a f*cking tree! I had That chain sawed into logs and stored away in the cow shed before the next sunset, I can tell ye! Now I have my eye on a dead Ash that's blocking out a Holy beside my mates paddock. With his say so, I'll have that f*kka down too! I'm getting the hang of this life style!

 

What's Your experiences then? Come on; Let's talk about Ranges, Wood (Multi Fuel) Burning Stoves and Grate Fires: 'Cottage Life'

[mad al 146]

Haven't got one ourselves these days Ditch, fecking oil combi boiler, here when we moved in, so we live with it. Always had coal fired Rayburns before which were OK, but my favourite was the AGA.

AGAs are very popular here and a local guy who has done good here, had a house built over the last twelve months or so with every mod con you could think of. Cost?, over a million for sure, but what's the heat source?................an AGA . Says it all really..............Al

[gardener 0]

Get yourself a load of turf in - lovely stuff - its good for putting in at night and then it'll all burn away nice and slow and still be glowing in the morning........and it smells better than coal does

I use a mix of wood and turf and chuck in a bit of coal to bump the heat up, but I don't like coal........or the cinders it leaves....

[Guest reload]

100% Wood for me, but its a burner not a range or AGA, I just stick a few big logs on last thing at night and shut it down, so it burns slow, and it still goe in the morning.

[Guest MOLLY]

The range was 'pinched' from this cottage before i moved in, fireplace bricked up and a normal coal fire put in its place. I have to burn house coal, nothing else gives off enough heat

No radiators, central heating, nor would i want any. I have an oil filled radiator i use on a timer when i get up at silly'o'clock for work during the winter to take the chill out of the air, as my fire will not stay on no matter what i do! And a very small calour gas heater in this room for when im on the PC in the winter, otherwise i lose the use of my fingers with the cold

MOLL.

[chillitt 0]

DS if you find a nice straight bit of Ash, I reckon you should save a bit, and make yourself a longbow out of it. Then at least you will have some shavings for tinder...

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Gardener; I'm up for trying out some turf. They're always advertising it for 100 E's a trailer load. Only thing is, right now I simply have no where to store it yet. I built a small wood store and later bought a coal bunker. Now both are crammed full of sawn wood and, come to think of it, I have shit loads more logs down in Pat's cow bier! All this, more dotted about the place, waiting to be cut. Eye on that old tree. And Noel or John liable to bring me another tree or load of window frames at any time? I badly need to sort out a garage sized store, like everyone else here has. Got my eye on just the place. But I won't be able to get it ready this season. Maybe next year? Then I can put turf in it and try that.

 

I must say, last year, when I was using coal, it was rather a treat to be able to bank it up late at night, then bank it up again, before going into town. Then come home to a warm cottage and still have enough life in it to bank it up again and get on with the evening! I'm obviously softening in my old age. But I must admit; I enjoy being comfortable!

 

Al and Loader; Come on then, guys. Explain for us, please: What's the differances in Aga's and Burners? Mine's a Stanley, by the way. And I was given to believe that either Stanley or Aga (or maybe even Rayburn?) had bought one another out? Read it on their own web site. Two of the big names have become one now. In the last year or two, so ye may not have noticed.

 

Hey! How about some pictures? That'd be cool! I'll show ye mine later. Only attatching my camera to this thing will mean I'll at least have to switch off completely. Then hope and pray it doesn't freeze me up and force me to reinstall the bare system all over again, like my key board and mouse do, for some strange reason! That's why I'm resistent about even taking any shots with my camera just lately. But, anyway; Come on, let's See what we're all talking about here

 

Moll; Check out wood (multi fuel) burning stoves! They're actually bloody cheap! Few hundred quid'll get ye a little beauty. Plonk it down in front of that hearth. Stick a flue pipe out the back of it and up the chimney. Away ye go! Ye'll be able to burn gash timber and wind fall in it and, if ye get one with boiler pipes? It can be fitted up to a couple of remote radiators and that bedroom'll be a warm and welcoming place on a cold winters night Ye'll step out of a cosey room into a cosey room! Best bit is, it'll have paid for itself in a year or two with the savings ye'll make on chucking fossil fuel heat up the bloody chimney! As said: Hearth fires lose probably 70% of their heat straight out the roof. 'Stoves' retain their heat selfishly. Then radiate 70% of it into the air around them. With my old box going, I could comfortably sit here naked. In fact, most nights I'm only wearing a T shirt anyway!

 

 

 

Chills; Have ye never been to Eire, mate? 90% of the trees here are Ash!

[chillitt 0]

I haven't been cos I probably wouldn't want to come back!!

[mad al 146]

Gardener; I'm up for trying out some turf. They're always advertising it for 100 E's a trailer load. Only thing is, right now I simply have no where to store it yet. I built a small wood store and later bought a coal bunker. Now both are crammed full of sawn wood and, come to think of it, I have shit loads more logs down in Pat's cow bier! All this, more dotted about the place, waiting to be cut. Eye on that old tree. And Noel or John liable to bring me another tree or load of window frames at any time? I badly need to sort out a garage sized store, like everyone else here has. Got my eye on just the place. But I won't be able to get it ready this season. Maybe next year? Then I can put turf in it and try that.

 

I must say, last year, when I was using coal, it was rather a treat to be able to bank it up late at night, then bank it up again, before going into town. Then come home to a warm cottage and still have enough life in it to bank it up again and get on with the evening! I'm obviously softening in my old age. But I must admit; I enjoy being comfortable!

 

Al and Loader; Come on then, guys. Explain for us, please: What's the differances in Aga's and Burners? Mine's a Stanley, by the way. And I was given to believe that either Stanley or Aga (or maybe even Rayburn?) had bought one another out? Read it on their own web site. Two of the big names have become one now. In the last year or two, so ye may not have noticed.

 

Hey! How about some pictures? That'd be cool! I'll show ye mine later. Only attatching my camera to this thing will mean I'll at least have to switch off completely. Then hope and pray it doesn't freeze me up and force me to reinstall the bare system all over again, like my key board and mouse do, for some strange reason! That's why I'm resistent about even taking any shots with my camera just lately. But, anyway; Come on, let's See what we're all talking about here

 

Moll; Check out wood (multi fuel) burning stoves! They're actually bloody cheap! Few hundred quid'll get ye a little beauty. Plonk it down in front of that hearth. Stick a flue pipe out the back of it and up the chimney. Away ye go! Ye'll be able to burn gash timber and wind fall in it and, if ye get one with boiler pipes? It can be fitted up to a couple of remote radiators and that bedroom'll be a warm and welcoming place on a cold winters night Ye'll step out of a cosey room into a cosey room! Best bit is, it'll have paid for itself in a year or two with the savings ye'll make on chucking fossil fuel heat up the bloody chimney! As said: Hearth fires lose probably 70% of their heat straight out the roof. 'Stoves' retain their heat selfishly. Then radiate 70% of it into the air around them. With my old box going, I could comfortably sit here naked. In fact, most nights I'm only wearing a T shirt anyway!

 

 

 

Chills; Have ye never been to Eire, mate? 90% of the trees here are Ash!

 

 

Ditch, no I didn't know about the merger and the difference between Agas and burners is something that I'm sure someone who has the knowledge will be along shortly to give us the gen. What I found with Agas, was that they burned cleaner with more heat than the Rayburn. Every Rayburn that has been in our family were all the same, filthy things to keep on top of that would give you a house full of stife if they didn't get the attention.

Thinking about it though, feck knows what my old man would burn and in those days, what flue???

[rabitin girl 16]

We have got a woodburner with a back boiler that heats radiators, its brilliant. We live near forestry so there is always a good supply of wood

[Guest reload]

Ditch, a woodburner in my book is a potbelly type, cast or welded plates, generally not for cooking on...Ideal for living wagons front roooms, etc etc

 

A aga, rayburn range etc is a cooker or at least has a hot plate or two with the lift up lids,and with a back boiler generally........who knows, and I am sure you know this mate.

 

Anyhow I would findout about the turf, bet its far cheaper than logs unless your logs are free like mine

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Yeppers, well mine's definately a Stanley. Still not sure which one that's most closely associated with. It's completely clapped out and the oven appears pretty well useless. Not that I'd have much clue how to do anything with it, mind. But the hot plates on it DO get bloody hot! Christ yes! Boil a big ol' two gallon sort of kettle on there in no time when this baby's in full rage.

 

What amazes me though is when I see other peoples here. They're so clean! I tried to do something with my one, but it's beyond it. The top's too rusty and the enamel's gone. No ammount of graft or chemicals could make it look anything but the eye sore that it is now. Still; It fits in well!

 

What I've got my heart set on though is a gorgeous little Waterford they've got down in town. 700 E's, so that's about the £500 mark. Hellishly expensive by any standards. Ah, but it's a f*cking Rolls Royce! 100% maroon enamel finish. Single hot plate on top, for my kettle. Dear little thing, up on it's own long legs. It's an absolute stunner and will save me tons of room while it sits there and puts the rest of this place to shame. One of these days the b*stards will pay me. That day I'll be in town, buying that little stove! That one would take pride of place in a Reading, Loader!

 

Anyway, wood? I don't have to pay for wood here. Like I say; Local builders are for ever ripping out hardwood window frames and they fetch those to me. They'd have to pay a fortune to have them disposed of otherwise. Neighbours (Farmers) bring me trees they've removed. I have my own stand of about fourteen big fir trees on my land. One of those got a fungus and came over. That's logs!

 

Thing is; I have the space here to store a world of cut timber. And the timber's freely available. I'm getting to be a dab hand with that chain saw too. I can run and maintane that like a pro' now. Just wish I was any good at sharpening the bloody thing! But I'm well on top of chain tension and shit now. Never had a problem with it in hours and hours of more recent use.

 

Next I'm getting a Log Splitter. Was looking at those in town the other day. Nice, fibreglass handled jobbies Save me whacking and hacking away at my bigger logs with my bloody hand hatchet. That's how nasty accidents occur!

[T.F.Student 0]

At a place i used to live they had all the fencing renewed, it took me 14 months to burn the old posts in my woodburner and a heck of a lot of chainsaw sharpening. I shut it down at night and in the morning opened the vents and it was still in. I got abit carried away at one point and it got that hot i could feel the heat from the kitchen sink, 25 feet away and you couldn't get withing 8 foot of the fire the water tank started banging so loudly i thought someone was breaking in Just to say...if you see any there great fuel.

[mad al 146]

At a place i used to live they had all the fencing renewed, it took me 14 months to burn the old posts in my woodburner and a heck of a lot of chainsaw sharpening. I shut it down at night and in the morning opened the vents and it was still in. I got abit carried away at one point and it got that hot i could feel the heat from the kitchen sink, 25 feet away and you couldn't get withing 8 foot of the fire the water tank started banging so loudly i thought someone was breaking in Just to say...if you see any there great fuel.

 

 

the "banging water tank" is a sound that'll be with you for life

[wood smoke 0]

Just thought this could kick up some interesting and worthwhile discussion and tips, maybe?

 

I'll start off then by saying that I have a rather clapped out range in my kitchen. RayBurn / Stanley. One or the other. What ever it is, it's all grotty and siezed up, but the fire box works fine and f*ck me; Does it chuck out some heat?!

 

I've been here for, effectively, three 'winters' now and have tried just about most of what's on offer, except Turf ("Peat", as ye'd know it in england). But I've done all the coals and various woods, in both the open grate fire and the range. I'm here to tell ye that the range is The Dogs B*llocks!

 

I sit with my back to the fire place as I work away at this thing all night, and that makes governing the open fire a right pain in the arse. That and the fact that I'm for ever up and down governing it anyway! And the heat's all shooting straight up the bloody chimney I reckon I'm kept warmer by motion and stress than I am by that bloody thing.

 

Now, my range, out there in the kitchen? ' Looxury! '! I've realised that it burns slower, hotter and, with less fuel consumption, throws out enough heat that I can just leave this door open and sit here in perfect comfort

 

Coal burns well in it. I use " EcoBright ", made for 'Closed Appliances' and that has the advantage that I can fire her up, then go off into town for the duration and come back in time to top her right up again and the place stays warm as toast throughout. However, coal of any sort costs me money. So would turf. Wood? I have people slyly sidling up to me all the time, suggesting I help myself to their own gash timber. I have a Builder who just can't wait to come and dump another whole trailer load of hardwood window frames on me. Mate even turned up just the other day with a f*cking tree! I had That chain sawed into logs and stored away in the cow shed before the next sunset, I can tell ye! Now I have my eye on a dead Ash that's blocking out a Holy beside my mates paddock. With his say so, I'll have that f*kka down too! I'm getting the hang of this life style!

 

What's Your experiences then? Come on; Let's talk about Ranges, Wood (Multi Fuel) Burning Stoves and Grate Fires: 'Cottage Life'