Jealousy rears its ugly head...

[ampersat]

I'm on about week seven of my woodstove project. I was at the fireplace shop (again) this Friday and was trying to recall just how long I've been at this thing so I went back to my pics and found out I started at the beginning of August.

Yesterday was a big day for me: I finally placed the stove.


I was out working the wet saw cutting up the cinderblock for the roof of the alcove and smelled something familiar. My head swiveled about until I saw this:


Darned stupid neighbors enjoying their fire. I hope it gets so hot they have to open all the windows.

So, back to my own "fire", here's a few pics of the latest work. All things considered, I'm right about on schedule. I'd hoped to be done by the last week of September so I could focus on silver season. I'm done enough now that I can afford to go do some fishing, then come home and do some more work on the stove.



I only missed the centerline by half an inch or so. I'm glad I live by myself or I'd probably have to listen to for years to come.



Buster has gotten pretty used to the house being a disaster area for almost two months now.

[Taildragger]

Hey Amp that looks really good! It may have taken you awile, but you are saving yourself some serous dough.

[Reel_Big_Fish]

Looks great! Want to come do something similar to my fireplace area?

[duckboy]

I think it is really cool that you were able to get a dog that matches the Slate color..

Right on!

[STGRule]

Buster looks "well fed".

The firebox looks very great! You do good work.

[Dave G]

Buster looks like he is saying, Crank it up!!

[StickFish]

That is why they call it sweat equity. Looks like it will be a really nice addition to your home. Buster is just scoping out his spot, "Hum ya right about there should be just right!"

[Bloom]

Perfect placement between your Barcalounger and the flatscreen. Those toes are going to be nice and toasty while you're watching Green Acres re-runs. Nice work and nice addition to the home.

Buter does match those tiles nicely.Was that planned?

[TJfirebug]

Looks good! Some days I wish I had one, then on others it is nice just it hit a button and it is warm.

[Jennie@ifish]

Wood heat is Sooooooooooooooo much nicer than a button!

Way to go! I think it's beautiful!

[fishkisser]

Looks very nice ...

[Duckwheat]

I have a couple of questions. I like the masonry around the sides, but what is the top made of? That is going to get pretty hot from the set up you have. Why did you set it back?

You should trademark that dog and get a breed going. He is good looking dog and a fine representative of the canine gene pool. I think you are missing an opportunity there.

DW via AK

[HOGGEMIN]

Looks great Doug if you need a fishing partner for silvers let me know..............

[ampersat]

Originally Posted by Duckwheat

I have a couple of questions. I like the masonry around the sides, but what is the top made of? That is going to get pretty hot from the set up you have. Why did you set it back?

The top is masonry as well. 3.5" of masonry is the requirement for the greatly reduced clearances of the alcove. The first layer of the roof went down last night. It's sitting on angle iron; the middle sections where the chimney support box goes in are two pieces of angle iron tack welded together (I should have taken pics of them before they disappeared into the alcove) to provide greater structural integrity.

I tucked it back into the alcove because my house is only 912 sq ft (but I've got a nice two car garage that I can back the boat into at the end of the day). The alcove is located where the old zero-clearance fireplace used to live so I'm just re-purposing the space with something a lot more efficient. If I were to jam the stove in the room somewhere, I'd have to give up a piece of furniture.

I think what has contributed the most to long timeline of this project is that at every step along the way, I've had to figure out how to execute stuff, stay within code and build quality as best I can (I'm no mason and will not be looking into a job as a brick layer, ever). I had no idea there was power running through the wall over the old fireplace, thus the junction boxes and jumper romex. The guys who put in the fireplace some 30+ years ago (sorry Ryanfish) just stuck a saw through the wall to create the opening and faked in a header; that wall holds up one end of the beam that holds up the roof, so I had to put king studs in for my own peace of mind. Fresh air intake is via a hole under the wood stove that was created by chopping out about 11" of the foundation sill board into the crawl space.

And who woulda thunk Buzz would be such a hit?

[Chrome Bumper]

Looks like Buster can't wait for the heat bath. A circulating fan will help you get more heat out per cord of wood BTW.

[Duckwheat]

I was concerned that upper part was not masonry. Sounds like you did a good job on it.

Buzz is the dog. Don't leave him out in the yard unattended.

DW

[ampersat]

Originally Posted by Chrome Bumper

Looks like Buster can't wait for the heat bath. A circulating fan will help you get more heat out per cord of wood BTW.

I'll likely top of the project with one of these:
Heat Wave Wood Stove Fan

The peltier chip fans that most of the stove shops have are somewhat suspect of failing in a year or two. The stirling engine at the heart of this thing is practically indestructible and quite the conversation piece although I'm not sure whether the 395 degree temperature required to get this thing going is going to suit my stove. Do they really get that hot on top?

[uhmw]

Nice job!! -Now get out their and cut and split a few cords for next winterIts hard work but feels much better than givin it to the man.

[OceanBlue]

Geez! I had to do a double-take. There for a sec I thought I might have been your "darned stupd neighbor". It was cold on Saturday! We had a fire in our woodstove, too.

Nice job Amp! Lookin' gooood!