[AT] another new shop

[Bill Brueck]

Cecil:

I'll take on the furnace part of your project, I've owned one for probably
15 years now so my experience is real deep but not very wide, I guess.

I didn't like the idea of going all the way outside to throw wood in the
furnace so I put it in my attached garage.  That way the waste heat (there's
a bunch of it, with a 185 degree tank just sitting there!) heats my
previously unheated garage.  Seemed like a good idea at the time, but my
insurance company didn't like it and cancelled my policy.  I found another
company but do pay an extra $500 a year or so for the darn insurance now.
Never mind that this setup is far safer than the woodburner that I removed
from the house when I did this project.  After 2 calls to the fire
department in 10 years I had had enough of the old furnace.  Not even a
close call in 15 years with this one.

Having a water cooled door on the furnace is important; at least that was
what I was sold on with this unit and it has worked with almost no
maintenance for 15 years now.  With water (actually a weak antifreeze
solution) surrounding the entire firebox, the steel can never get very hot
so there's none of that buckling and cracking normally associated with a
wood burner.

I fire the furnace twice a day, maybe 3 times in the coldest of weather.

This furnace provides 95% of the heat for my house.  We don't fire it up
until it gets consistently below freezing, yet somehow once it's running we
seem to keep burning in the spring until we're done needing heat.  Also
gives you a place to get rid of trash, that firebox will incinerate
anything.  I've even been known to throw a tire in there once in a while
when the wind is in the right direction.  But don't tell Linda.

B²

>
> I keep hoping someone is an expert on stand alone exterior wood
> furnaces and certainly appreciate any comments on the shop or concrete
work
> also.
>
> Cecil
> -- 
> The nicest thing about telling the truth is you never have to wonder
> what you said.
>
> Cecil E Monson
> Lucille Hand-Monson
> Mountainville, New York   Just a little east of the North Pole
>
> Allis Chalmers tractors and equipment
>
> Free advice
>
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