Comments on: The Wood-Burning Cook Stove In My Kitchen http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-111995 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-111995 Kate, congratulations on your "new" stove! I don't use canola oil, but yes, when you need to condition the stove top, I would just use the same oil as you do for your cast iron cookware. I almost never put oil on the top of our stove... I sometimes use a cloth well wrung out in hot, soapy water to go over the surface. I do this when the stove is hot so any water dries immediately and the surface looks new again. You could do the same thing with a cloth and a bit of oil. Kate, congratulations on your “new” stove!

I don’t use canola oil, but yes, when you need to condition the stove top, I would just use the same oil as you do for your cast iron cookware. I almost never put oil on the top of our stove… I sometimes use a cloth well wrung out in hot, soapy water to go over the surface. I do this when the stove is hot so any water dries immediately and the surface looks new again. You could do the same thing with a cloth and a bit of oil.

]]> By: Kate http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-111702 Kate http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-111702 We installed my grandma's cook stove in our home last weekend and I have been cooking with it all week :) I was wondering what you use for oil on the surface? I have been seasoning my cast iron pans with flax oil and so far I am happy with the results, but I'm not sure if I should use it on the top of the stove or just canola oil ??? We installed my grandma’s cook stove in our home last weekend and I have been cooking with it all week :) I was wondering what you use for oil on the surface? I have been seasoning my cast iron pans with flax oil and so far I am happy with the results, but I’m not sure if I should use it on the top of the stove or just canola oil ???

]]> By: Michele C. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-100495 Michele C. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-100495 In August we had the Elmira Stove installed and with the colder temperatures in December, we are seeing just how much we love this stove! It's beautiful, practical and has become the heart of our home. Most of the time people just respond with a gasp when they see it. It's truly beautiful. We refer to your blog for help with different aspects of cleaning, cooking, etc. Thank you so much for the detailed information in this and your other posts. We are embracing a simpler life and have found so many helpful tips here! All the best, Michele In August we had the Elmira Stove installed and with the colder temperatures in December, we are seeing just how much we love this stove! It’s beautiful, practical and has become the heart of our home. Most of the time people just respond with a gasp when they see it. It’s truly beautiful. We refer to your blog for help with different aspects of cleaning, cooking, etc. Thank you so much for the detailed information in this and your other posts. We are embracing a simpler life and have found so many helpful tips here!
All the best,
Michele

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-100276 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-100276 Kent, in my stove, the main regulator of oven heat is how hot the fire is, but the fire heat can be directed and controlled. The heat can be directed into a channel that goes around and on top of the oven... also around the water reservoir. Vents can be closed to direct the heat to just the oven or just to the reservoir or to bypass both. There is also a damper to adjust the air flow up the chimney and two controls on the stove itself. Kent, in my stove, the main regulator of oven heat is how hot the fire is, but the fire heat can be directed and controlled. The heat can be directed into a channel that goes around and on top of the oven… also around the water reservoir. Vents can be closed to direct the heat to just the oven or just to the reservoir or to bypass both. There is also a damper to adjust the air flow up the chimney and two controls on the stove itself.

]]> By: Kent http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-100009 Kent http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-100009 I am 79 and we had a wood burning cook stove when we were kis. I have a question, since I can not remember: Does the smoke and heat go down around the oven to heat the oven or does part of it go directly to the flue? Is there a vent you open and close to regulate the oven or do you do it with how hot you get the fire? I am 79 and we had a wood burning cook stove when we were kis. I have a question, since I can not remember: Does the smoke and heat go down around the oven to heat the oven or does part of it go directly to the flue? Is there a vent you open and close to regulate the oven or do you do it with how hot you get the fire?

]]> By: Kathy http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-99918 Kathy http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-99918 Beautiful stove, not the cheapest by a long shot, but simply beautiful. There are more fully functioning stoves for the discriminating baker, and make sure you have heat shields on the floor and wall(s). I keep a wood stove outside in a carport-style building to keep it dry and I cook there in the summer - keeps the house cool. These stoves are built for canning, their cast iron tops have varied heat and make great conversation pieces, but make sure you learn how to use one! A wise investment for the savvy cook or decorator, but be careful! Beautiful stove, not the cheapest by a long shot, but simply beautiful. There are more fully functioning stoves for the discriminating baker, and make sure you have heat shields on the floor and wall(s). I keep a wood stove outside in a carport-style building to keep it dry and I cook there in the summer – keeps the house cool. These stoves are built for canning, their cast iron tops have varied heat and make great conversation pieces, but make sure you learn how to use one! A wise investment for the savvy cook or decorator, but be careful!

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-93849 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-93849 Roger, your insurance company will be able to give you definite figures for clearances from combustibles, outside walls, etc., that you must follow for safety purposes. I would also check with the stove manufacturer... your stove may or may not have heat shields or other features that would affect these distances. Roger, your insurance company will be able to give you definite figures for clearances from combustibles, outside walls, etc., that you must follow for safety purposes. I would also check with the stove manufacturer… your stove may or may not have heat shields or other features that would affect these distances.

]]> By: Roger http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-93722 Roger http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-93722 I actually have question on where to put my newly aquired monarch wood and coal cook stove. The question where physically to put it in my kitchen? Spacing from combustibles and outside wall or inside wall, etc ? This may seem intuitive to some but not to me! I actually have question on where to put my newly aquired monarch wood and coal cook stove. The question where physically to put it in my kitchen?
Spacing from combustibles and outside wall or inside wall, etc ? This may seem intuitive to some but not to me!

]]> By: Lee Wilcox http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-76568 Lee Wilcox http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-76568 Just finished reading your article and found it to be informative and well based. I am a retired chimney sweep and wanted to add to some comments. Relative to efficiency: A cook stove is not designed to do this but a modern air tight will give efficiency that is way up there. A fireplace built on the side of the house will not give efficiency because of two reasons. It is not radiating heat inside the home when it is added to the side of the house. Also it won't do it if it is all zero clearance equipment such as many of the modern metal fireplaces are. The heat goes up the flue or chase to keep it zero clearance and safe. There are fireplaces that shoot the insulating air back inside the home and they have some efficiency. Commonly called heatalator. Gas logs or a wood burning insert stove (properly installed) are the only ones that give any efficiency to a fireplace that is worth the cost. A well built masonary chimney inside the house will give some efficiency but not much. You are correct that the openings are too large. With all the above factors, you simply take in more heat/room air to burn the fire than you give back. Just about any wood burning stove will outperform a fireplace and that includes a cookstove. Btw, putting your HVAC fan to on while burning a woodburner will circulate that heat all over the place. Your comments on draft are spot on. Refractory cement is much like concrete. It should be used for casting with reinforcement wire. I rebuilt the inside of several wood stoves using 1 inch fire bricks and laid them with fire clay. Fire clay is used more like glue than morter (laid thinly). Never had a problem with them and they can be cut to size with a regular circular saw with a masonary blade. Enscribe them with a saw, then tap with a chisel. I love woodburners and hope you continue to use and enjoy yours. I don't have one but live on a 5 acre wooded site. I will change that pretty quickly if all goes well. Keep up the good work. Just finished reading your article and found it to be informative and well based. I am a retired chimney sweep and wanted to add to some comments.

Relative to efficiency: A cook stove is not designed to do this but a modern air tight will give efficiency that is way up there. A fireplace built on the side of the house will not give efficiency because of two reasons. It is not radiating heat inside the home when it is added to the side of the house. Also it won’t do it if it is all zero clearance equipment such as many of the modern metal fireplaces are. The heat goes up the flue or chase to keep it zero clearance and safe.

There are fireplaces that shoot the insulating air back inside the home and they have some efficiency. Commonly called heatalator. Gas logs or a wood burning insert stove (properly installed) are the only ones that give any efficiency to a fireplace that is worth the cost. A well built masonary chimney inside the house will give some efficiency but not much. You are correct that the openings are too large. With all the above factors, you simply take in more heat/room air to burn the fire than you give back. Just about any wood burning stove will outperform a fireplace and that includes a cookstove. Btw, putting your HVAC fan to on while burning a woodburner will circulate that heat all over the place.

Your comments on draft are spot on.

Refractory cement is much like concrete. It should be used for casting with reinforcement wire. I rebuilt the inside of several wood stoves using 1 inch fire bricks and laid them with fire clay. Fire clay is used more like glue than morter (laid thinly). Never had a problem with them and they can be cut to size with a regular circular saw with a masonary blade. Enscribe them with a saw, then tap with a chisel.

I love woodburners and hope you continue to use and enjoy yours. I don’t have one but live on a 5 acre wooded site. I will change that pretty quickly if all goes well.

Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Dannielle http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-73771 Dannielle http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/the-wood-burning-cook-stove-in-my-kitchen/#comment-73771 excellent info! we moved into a home that has one. at first, I thought, wow, it's taking up a lot of space, but now I think I'd like to use it. and the idea of it providing some heat during the winter is appealing- there's more than enough wood here and heating oil (which is what the furnace runs on) is going to be ridiculously expensive this year. excellent info! we moved into a home that has one. at first, I thought, wow, it’s taking up a lot of space, but now I think I’d like to use it. and the idea of it providing some heat during the winter is appealing- there’s more than enough wood here and heating oil (which is what the furnace runs on) is going to be ridiculously expensive this year.

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