Help...I need help deciding!!!

[lynn03]

I have been reading all the info that has been posted and am more confused than ever....I am sick of being cold in the winter and was interested in getting a wood furnace...I am leary of spending that type of money without having any knowledge on the subject...from the sounds of it the cb sounds like the best option, but then I also called wood master and it is cheaper, but the dealer was to say the least not nice....so I was hoping to tap into all of your knowledge out there.....HELP

 

[MS-310]

First do you need all the trinkits and doodads with a wood master or CB.
What are you heating and what kinda wood are you using.
Plus where do you live? You need to find out who is the best dealler for service and parts.
Jack

 

[lynn03]

I hope this doesn't sound to daft, but what dodads and trinkets....I live in Wisconsin, I will be heating a 2400sqft house, and possibly a pool and also would like the hot h2o. Will be burning Oak (not sure if it is hard or not (my dad would be so disappointed I don't know that))

 

[lynn03]

I just received a call from a salesman that sells Empire wood stoves..anyone heard of them????? :bang:

 

[MS-310]

I would say out of those 3 stoves they all are very very well made stoves a little pricey but nice. If you lived in MI I would sell you a timber wolf stove, alsome product cheap price.

I allways lean with the Central boiler, for the fact I have put them in the most and seem to like them better.
Like I said before I would go with a good service dealer.
Jack

 

[JBFab]

Hello,

where in Wisconsin are you located, I have done a ton of research on this and know some of the local dealers for several brands.

 

[Butch(OH)]

I just received a call from a salesman that sells Empire wood stoves..anyone heard of them????? :bang:

Basicaly an Empire = a Central Boiler made of 304 stainless with a ash pan. The firebox is so close dont know how they avoid infringments. Nice unit but will Wow you on price. They also make same unit in 409 and carbon with each bearing a different name, Cozy Burn is one of them.

 

[lynn03]

Thank you all for your help...I live in Elkhorn WI....I was wowed at the Empire price...even pricier than the CB...woodmaster is cheapest....but from what I have been reading...there is a reason...any other names I should be checking into???

 

[JBFab]

I have heard many good things about Woodmaster stoves. I looked into the central boiler but I did not like the design of the firebox, particularly the wedge shaped radiator fins on top. I see this as a place for rust and particulate matter to build up. Again this is just speculation from a design standpoint. I would personally shy away from stainless steel stoves, my background with metallurgy tells me this is not worth it. Most stainless steel woodburners are made of a 400 series stainless with a reduced level of chromium compared with 300 series stainless steels. This is a main reason I would shy away as chromium is the element that provides stainless with its corrision resistant property. Another reason I shy away from stainless steel stoves is because of the heating and cooling that takes place in a stove. stainless steel reacts considerably more to this than carbon steel, whats worse is that the welds on a stainless steel weldment react at a different rate than the base metal, which can tend to cause cracking.

 

[JBFab]

A couple more brands in the area are the Altimate, the Johnson, and the AquaTherm

 

[Butch(OH)]

I have heard many good things about Woodmaster stoves. I looked into the central boiler but I did not like the design of the firebox, particularly the wedge shaped radiator fins on top. I see this as a place for rust and particulate matter to build up. Again this is just speculation from a design standpoint. I would personally shy away from stainless steel stoves, my background with metallurgy tells me this is not worth it. Most stainless steel woodburners are made of a 400 series stainless with a reduced level of chromium compared with 300 series stainless steels. This is a main reason I would shy away as chromium is the element that provides stainless with its corrision resistant property. Another reason I shy away from stainless steel stoves is because of the heating and cooling that takes place in a stove. stainless steel reacts considerably more to this than carbon steel, whats worse is that the welds on a stainless steel weldment react at a different rate than the base metal, which can tend to cause cracking.

I suppose you have read the other postings but I own a Woodmaster and the choice was not easy as there are many that look like they will do the job and just a few "cheapys". I wanted a forced draft, the Woodmaster has a lot of iron in it and the dealer is great,thats what my coice boiled down to. I have a feeling the gret debate over Carbon, 304, 409 will go on until enough have made the scrappers to get good data. That (hopefully) is a few years down the road. Mine is carbon as the dealer wont sell any other material. I believe he told me that Woodmaster is getting out of the stainless because of problems.