How's Your Wood Pile Looking?

[zogger]

The Sotz kit was airtight, and stamped steel. The air intake was specifically designed so that the barrel could not get hot enough to burn out. The owner of the Co was an engineer who made them out of a specific type of steel.

After the Consumer Reports article, the Gov came down on them for not doing emissions testing. The owner of the Co argued:

1) No one has demonstrated that they are not compliant, and

2) You can not afford to do that testing for a $35 kit.

The owner lost the argument and was forced out of business. Don't know who the rules apply to, it may depend on the volume of your sales.

They also developed the Monster Maul (which I used for years) and other wood handling equipment (hand tools like log rollers, etc), and an air intake device that would open when the stove was cold and close when it was hot (it was temp adjustable). They also offered a catalytic converter device for your stove pipe. They sent out a monthly newspaper with their products, and owner stories. This was before the internet, it was really cool.

I still have both my kits, and I started using them to heat my house +/- 1980. One I used for my house, the other for the upstate cabin. Only had to replace one barrel for each kit, and that was because I let them rust.

This was truly a good Co making a superior product that the Gov put out of business. I believe that the other wood stove companies, who were all selling $500 - $1,000 wood stoves at the time, that had been beaten in efficiency and total BTU output, had something to do with this.

You could offer the wood burning world a nice set of measurement and specs and pictures. Perhaps with looking at that, and the kits they have today, some alterations might be made to make them work much better. I mean the price is certainly spiffy.

 

[MustangMike]

I'll try to take some pics of it the next time I'm upstate. The door was square, with the sides angled like a funnel, and when you lowered the handle, it cammed it into the frame, sealing it w/o any gasket. The air intake (on the outside) was about 2/3 up the door, then it went to an internal channel that directed it down so that it would create a swirling motion on the bottom of the stove. The new ones, if they are air tight, may work just about as good, but this was a very nifty setup.

I found that the connectors they use on RR tracks have two ridges, that when inverted fit perfectly on top of the stove barrel to create a flat surface. Not hot enough for cooking most things (except eggs), but a great "warming" surface. At night we put the coffee pot on the warming plate, and have hot water in the AM. Pour a cup of coffee, make some instant oatmeal, and you are out in time to get UR deer!

 

[MustangMike]

This is the best I could find on the net. The door is laying over the door frame, and the hinges have not been installed.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?29968-Need-heat-Sotz-barrel-stove-kit-for-sale

 

[zogger]

This is the best I could find on the net. The door is laying over the door frame, and the hinges have not been installed.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?29968-Need-heat-Sotz-barrel-stove-kit-for-sale

Thanks for the description and the work involved to find the link!

My friends dad had one years ago, then he modded it to drip feed old crankcase oil, he had a shop, so had plenty of it. I just couldn't remember all the little details.

edit: Ha! pretty cool, small world link there

 

[Icehouse]

Started a new pile don't know how much there will be, working on 2018 wood.

That gray wood is a buckskin tamarack, best wood in this neck of the woods.

 

[MustangMike]

Very Nice!

 

[zogger]

Started a new pile don't know how much there will be, working on 2018 wood.
View attachment 373922 View attachment 373923
That gray wood is a buckskin tamarack, best wood in this neck of the woods.

Sorry, stacks just too tight straight and pretty! HAHAHAHAHA!

 

[user 122190]

Sorry, stacks just too tight straight and pretty! HAHAHAHAHA!

Could be an illusion. Backside is probably all spiky, dirty, punky.

Looks like this Flawless Firewood Stacker took a belt sander to the wood stacks front.

 

[ZeroLife]

I'm afraid if they don't get that Ebola under control soon the least of our worries will be firewood...

If this Ebola thing gets out of control(I'm not buying into the sensationalism) firewood will be at the very top of our list of worries.

 

[zogger]

If this Ebola thing gets out of control(I'm not buying into the sensationalism) firewood will be at the very top of our list of worries.

Have not confirmed or denied this yet, but worth a read

http://www.infowars.com/doctor-u-s-army-rejected-successful-ebola-drug-2-weeks-before-outbreak/

 

[benp]

I amazed at how you guys get your consistent lengths. Holy crap

Im like Daffy Duck as the painter with one eye closed staring at his outstuck thumb going "Yep.....good enough."

My piles will tell you exactly where I started for the day to where I started getting tired to where both the saw and myself are shot. lol

My hats off to you guys.

 

[cantoo]

benp, that's why I use a spray bomb and measuring stick now. Got tired of my pieces being every length. The small stuff I cut on my buzz saw so it's easy to get it exactly the right length, the big stuff gets measured. I can put 54" stuff in my owb but it's nicer to have everything the same length. Might sell some too and it looks better the same length.

 

[benp]

Gotcha

 

[Full Chisel]

My pile is coming along, got about a cord and a half of freshly cut and split red oak, a face cord or so of wild cherry, and a face cord of seasoned red oak stacked on the back patio. Started stacking up the green oak today.

 

[zogger]

I amazed at how you guys get your consistent lengths. Holy crap

Im like Daffy Duck as the painter with one eye closed staring at his outstuck thumb going "Yep.....good enough."

My piles will tell you exactly where I started for the day to where I started getting tired to where both the saw and myself are shot. lol

My hats off to you guys.

Stuff that isn't going to be split, I eyeball, and also cut the knots out (not all, but a lot), so wind up with a huge ugly pile. Bigger stuff that is getting split I either use the bar as a known measure, or on large trunks...I cheat, use a tape measure. Takes a minute to run it out and mark either 16s or 12s. I can fit bigger but hand splitting, meh, speeds up the drying as well.

I can eyeball 16s pretty well though, did it for years, but decided to start measuring a bit closer the last few years.

 

[regulate34]

I am going to try a "Mingo marker" next season.

Bet I'll get even more wood in the shed if they are cut all the exact same.

http://www.baileysonline.com/Forestry-Woodcutting/Measuring-Tapes-Markers/Mingo-Markers/

 

[MechanicMatt]

I've seen two old fellas do wood. One guy would use a 2x4 cut to 16inces and a rattle can while the other guy ran a 266. After a couple of trees the'd switch. You don't have to get super fancy.

 

[steved]

I have my five year old marking logs with a measured piece of 3/4" PVC and chalk. The chalk method works for me.

I drug all my logs out of the pile into the center of the yard. Started marking them, will start cutting them tomorrow. I have enough for this year, and next. Lost my log supplier, so I need to start cutting and hauling from my grandparents...half a cord at a time.

 

[Herd8497]

I am far from perfect, but find that I am pretty close w/o a mark. As long as the visible side is pretty, I can hide my mistakes. Great looking stacks though guys.

 

[MustangMike]

If I had to measure every d*** piece, I would not burn it!