Boxwood stoves

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There's an ad for a cast iron standard boxwood stove(firebox measures 25 3/4" x 21 1/2" x 26"). Would this be a good little stove for backup heating when the power goes out or heating fuel runs out? It's only $99.99 brand new at the local hardware store compared to over $300 for the wood burning stoves. What are the differences? Is the boxwood just for cooking? I am totally ignorant about woodstoves!(although I have had to stoke a few while staying at other people's homes. All I know is: don't let it burn out and open the vent in the door to make it burn faster) There's a patched hole in the wall of our kitchen where we are told there used to be a wood stove, so it shouldn't be too hard to get a chimney out there. Wood is going for free up here, so it will be easy to get a reserve supply going. Any advice would be so very much appreciated!

-- Epona (staceyb@myway.com), October 10, 2000

Answers

The dimensions you described are just a tic smaller than the stove I have. I believe my friend has the same one in a cabin that you are describing. Boxwood is just a small stove and they really are not the best suited for other than stove top cooking, but in a pinch they will do a better job than nothing!

First off, the precautions, if there is an old chimney to use that is a great asset, BUT make sure it is clean before you use it. Aged creosote loves to burn down houses. If it's shiny when you look at it with a flashlight I would invest in a good cleaning, if there is just a lot of soot and a lump or two I would take a heavy chain and go up on the roof and knock the heck out of the inside of the chimney with it to take down the build up. Check to see if you have a clean out at the base of the chimney as well. Hopefully there is one as that makes things a lot moe safe!

Secondly, you need to make sure that you have either a good distance between the stove and the wall or a non flammable barrier with a smaller distance, and the stove needs to be up off of the floor on fire brick or a metal plate on top of brick.

Heating with wood is very safe and makes a real "homey" atmosphere, but you must take some precautions. Good luck with this and congratulations on getting your husband involved!!!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), October 10, 2000.


I've found that most, if not all, new cast iron stoves to be not nearly as good as the old time built stoves. When working them rather hard and getting them hot, they tend to crack. I'd presonally stay away from new cheapies and go with an older cast iron stove. Around here those box stoves were used in wash houses to help heat the small structure as well as heat the wash water. Not used very hard or very long. New air tight stoves are a much better investment. They don't probably look as "old fashioned" but will perform much better and are not even in the same comparison level as the little dudes. Somebody already mentioned the saftey issues to consider. Flue fires burn lots of houses! An even better choice, although much more expensive, is to buy a wood burning boiler that sets outside-and then pump the hot water inside the house for heat and water heating. My $2.00 worth. Be safe--not all bargins are bargins! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), October 10, 2000.

The chimney is the main deal along with properly cured hardwood. if you can get a good tall lined chimney with good draw, you can get by with any stove in reasonable shape. I have a friend in KS who heats her old house with one of these cheap Taiwan box stoves. Its not airtight, but since she has good drawing chimney, it works for her. She has gotten used to knowing just when to add a stick or two of wood to keep temperature right. Even found that she could remove one of the cook plates and set glass coffee pot from an old automatic coffee maker over hole for humidifier, and hot water for tea.

Would drive me nuts. I have an old Sotz airtight barrel stove with auto draft control. Rake coals, load it full, shut door, and forget it for several hours until I feel little chill in air then go through process again.

-- Hermit John (hermit@hilltop_homestead.zzn.com), October 11, 2000.


Epona, I second the above responses about making sure the chimney is safe FIRST, before you hook the stove up to it. If you can get some help from your husband, you would be better off to buy a barrel stove kit and build a barrel stove -- they take up more room, and aren't pretty, but will do an excellent job of heating your house. Even the non-airtight ones do a good job. If Sotz was still in business, I would highly recommend them, but Vozelgang's kits aren't bad, and are even cheaper than your little box stove. If you do go the barrel stove route, either hammer down the top of the barrel to flatten it for cooking on, or (preferably) get someone to weld a thick piece of steel plate on the top -- cut the top down a little first -- to make a more level surface for cooking. You can get a bigger chunk of wood in one of these, and don't have to cut the wood so short. Both are important if hubby isn't particular about his woodcutting (as mine isn't!), or if you should have to do the woodcutting yourself. If you keep a layer of sand or ashes on the bottom of the barrel, it won't burn out for years, and won't get as hot on the bottom, though you will definitely still need a heat shield under it as well as behind it (unless you've got a solit brick chimney back there). For summer storage, remove the sand or ashes, because they draw dampness and the barrel will start to rust. Some black stove paint (do the painting outside, and fire the stove for the first time outside) will help improve the appearance. Otherwise, I would say check the ads for a used stove. You can probably find a better stove than that little box stove, for very little more money. Good luck!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), October 11, 2000.

Epona: I bought a cast iron boxwood stove last fall, just for a nice fire on a cold night or the odd power outage. Living in coastal South Carolina the winters are very mild, but for our needs the stove has been great. With proper banking there is even a good bed of coals in the morning. good luck. Tim

-- Tim Price (PRICEX4@prodigy.net), October 11, 2000.


Epona, my aunt and uncle heated an old house with a boxwood heater for years. The house was in poor repair and not insulated, but the heater warmed it to reasonably comfortable levels. That is a good price. I think it would be a good start on preparation for power outages or extremely high fuel bills.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), October 12, 2000.

Thanks all for the input! Between the suggestions, new Countryside issue and my Old Fashioned recipe book/ Encyclopedia of Country Living, I should be able to make a sound and safe choice. Thanks!

-- Epona (staceyb@myway.com), October 12, 2000.

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