Good morning to all. I've been lurkin here on and off for a number of weeks and have felt the need to crawl out from the shadows. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to all of the friendly (?) banter between all of the GI's and DGI's.

As for me, I'm trying to stay right-dead-center-in-the-middle. I have had some first hand experiences at work with Y2K, so I know that there are problems...but I have a number of unresolved issues that I'd like to put out here for all of your input.

Before I do, I need to preface these remarks by saying my questions are not intended to piss any body off, I merelely want to gather everyones feelings so that I can make a more informed decision.

I'll post one question / remark per string, and look forward to you responses. Also, my questions are not intended to reflect my current sate of mind, so I ask for your assistance in keeping the flames to a minimum, as this will be the only introduction to myself that I will give.

Question: I have a wonderful wife and three great (most of the time) kids. My wife stays at home with them, so we are a one income family. We have just spent a considerable sum on a wood stove and will need to fork out another considerable sum reapiring an old chimney.

Given the fact that we only have one, limited income, are we nuts for spending the cash on a stove?

-- dan (dbuchner@logistics.calibersys.com), May 03, 1999

Answers

If it gives you peace of mind, than don't worry about it.

-- Mark Mastrorilli (mastrorilli@hotmail.com), May 03, 1999.

if wood is your cheapest heating option, then no. hopefully you penciled out the recoup timeline of powercosts vs woodfuelcosts/time (cutting, splitting and stacking wood is hard wook and time consuming. if you have more time than money, it has been my experience that wood heat is the cheapest way to go).

-- Long time lurker (NOYB@Tthis.time), May 03, 1999.

Dan,

Since were not absolutely sure about the outcome of Y2k, the stove may come in handy to warm up your family. If food is an issue, then with the stove running, you will stay warmer, thus expending less calorie energy requiring less food to use up. Even with Y2k, "Maslowe's heirarchy of needs" still has a purpose. Water, food, shelter, warmth, clothing.....actually i'm not sure of the order but that seems close. If you purchased a wood stove, it is not absolutely neccessary to run it with a chimney. I used galvanized pipe for mine. If you get the insulated variety then big bucks could be wasted. I got the pipe that lasts a ew years that you replace. It comes in flats that you bend and put together round. It holds together by itself. You get 2 sizes so you wrap the larger size around the smaller one. First you put the smaller one together and screw the joints with sheet metal screws until full length is desired. Then you slip the larger galvanized pipe around the smaller (after beding it round from flat sheets as well) pipe, thus creating a heat dissapating medium around the first pipe. Be patient and do one step at a time. Just make sure it goes above the roof line. The pipe from the stove goes out the wall horizontally and connects to a tee. One part of the tee goes up toward the top of the stack while there is a foot long piece that goes down and is capped off with a hole in it; that allows for rain water to drain out the bottom if rain gets into the stack. Of course you can buy a hood to cover the top for cheap. Go to one of those a.c. supply places or to home depot. My 24 ft long stack I did and installed by myself was not too heavy. Of course I do everything myself and am not small either.

good luck!

Sincerely, Feller

-- Feller (feller@wanna.help), May 03, 1999.

Hopefully you have "killed" 2 birds with one stone. If you will be able to do any cooking on top of your wood stove you have good reason to be satisfied with your purchase. That is why we bought the stove we did. We also have a propane stove, but what happens if/when the propane runs out?? I will be able to make do with the surface of the stove rather than resort to a campfire in the rain/snow/wind/whatever.

A suggestion for the chimney. Can you barter for services?

-- winna (??@??.com), May 03, 1999.

good deal,now buy food,guns,mathes,and ammo.

-- zoobie (zoobie@zoob.zab), May 03, 1999.

"Given the fact that we only have one, limited income, are we nuts for spending the cash on a stove?"

Dan,

I assume that you don't live in Arizona or Florida. If not, then you've provided the basis for existence should things turn bad: heat and a place to cook.

I have to believe that your real question is "Will things be bad enough that I'll need the stove?" That's one only you can answer, and the answer is complex, because it depends on your current life style, what you intend to do in the future, and what you are preparing for.

Many of us have decided that, regardless of how Y2K turns out, it makes sense to be able to be much more reliant on our own situation, rather than depend on someone else to provide all our needs. We'll never be totally self reliant, and know this, but a family with a wood stove and a source of firewood has a leg up should many emergencies occur. As noted, heat and a way to prepare food.

Next, water. Do you have a source of water other than your faucet and a public supply company? Then, do you have food to cook on the stove?

So, you have to answer your own question: what do you have in mind as a final goal?

-- De (delewis@(nospan)inetone.net), May 03, 1999.

Dan,

Keeping warm is a top priority. It'll be winter and even down south there's enough cold to sap your strength fast. Up north its easy to die. In my opinion its a good choice for money well spent. Your children will know how to actually work toward the good of the family even if it is simply a matter of hauling wood into the house to burn. There is a visceral saticfaction in a good wood fire.

Always use dry hardwoods (maple, oak, poplar,birch) , never softwoods (pines or evergreens) or green wood of either type. It takes 6 to 9 months in warm weather to 'season' (dry) wood well.

Two things you need to know about wood heat; humidity and air quality.

1) You need to provide humidity in the house (using a simple drip pan).

2) It would be good to get an 'ion' generator to refreshen the air (approx $150 -200). A hot woodstove (metal) will electrically charge the air 'positively' which is unhealthy and will created alot of dust. An 'ion' generator will throw 'negative' ions into the air, will nuetralize the charge thrown off by the stove and will make the dust settle out of the air really fast. Once a week it would be good to open all the windows and doors for a few minutes to let the stale air gush out into the wild and all that cool fresh air take its place. (Old houses used to be very drafty and this wasn't 'necessary', just happened).

It may seem that the added expense of an 'ion' generator is optional but indoor air quality is a real significant factor in terms of respiratory illnesses.

You can make one of these things for a few bucks with a spark coil and some wire, a relay, small fan and a 12 volt battery.

I'll send you a schematic if you like.

-- David (C.D@I.N), May 03, 1999.

David,

Thanks for the feedbck. The kids and I have already made it a ritual to get get the wood...believe it or not, the little guy actually looks forward to it.

If you have a schematic, that would be great!

Regards,

Dan

-- dan (dbuchner@logistics.calibersys.com), May 03, 1999.

Hi Dan, Yes, definitely take those kids with you when you go cut wood. The kids will be a great help to you, and when you get home, you split the rounds, and when you have done that, teach the kids to stack the wood so that it can dry out this summer. Plus, the kids will like being outdoors with you, and spending time with you.

I grew up in a one-income family with 6 kids. We didn't have a lot of luxuries, and the work we did as kids taught us well how to do MANY things for ourselves (like gardening, basic home repairs, the whole wood/wood stove operation, cooking, etc.)

Making/Teaching kids how to work is valuable education for the kids...

nobody

-- nobody (nobody@nowhere.com), May 03, 1999.