Talk me out of it? Real steel hybrid.

[mannytheseacow]

Good news on the duct work, Drew. And dang, your spread there is looking really nice! My thoughts on your question about the lip, and consider the source now.... I'd forget about the lip and get all that carpet out of there!

Now granted, I've got way too many projects to be vacuuming very often, my my experience with burning wood is that you are going to have a mess. Ashes, embers, little pin burns... It looks like you can lay tile very well; if I were you I'd tile the whole room!

[TruGrit]

.. thanks Drew! .. dang, that's a pretty quick turnaround .. you gave me an idea to check with a local hardware store here too, I've bought a lot from them .. they might accept the load .. maybe when I purchase my Stihl 660 from them, I'll ask ..

.. "if I were you I'd tile the whole room!" .. lol @ Manny .. good one, and not too far off .. I been burnin' for 40 years and still can't keep it neat .. the mess just seems to wander on it's own .. and then there is the "dust layer" .. just keep a shop vac handy .. and tell the Mrs it must be an atmospheric condition ..

.. It seems like a large chunk of loot, but a one time deal, and that would be an end to it .. if it's efficient as they say .. I could justify it in my mind .. the space savings over an RMH is the key for me .. as well as less wood needed than my box stove ..

.. thanks for the report Drew, I get to check it out in detail before taking the leap .. I appreciate that! .. thx .. Tru

[DrewInToledo]

Hey no sweat trugrit! I just picked up a stihl from a friend here.. Its a farm boss with a 20" bar model 290. Almost unused and because i bought it from my most trusted friend, i didn't question the price.
The power is silly. I sliced through some decent sized logs like butter. Never owned a saw before. I reckon this one will be with me till I'm done here.

[mannytheseacow]

Nice score on the saw, Drew! Stihl is the best stuff around, in my opinion. I ran a chainsaw for three years when I was in college and we had a whole suite of Stihl products from big to small. My hands down choice of saws to run was the 029 with a 12" bar. Tons of power and totally agile.

The story I have heard is that the 029 is the best selling saw ever. So popular that Stihl ran out of serial numbers and had to change the product line to 290.

I've had an 18" 290 for several years now and it runs as well as all of their products. Keep your chains sharp and keep fuel in them.... You'll really enjoy that saw for years.

[TruGrit]

.. well, call me foolish, but I just couldn't wait .. ordered me a Real Steel stove too .. ugh, there goes the budget .. but my heating situation is solved .. should be here 1st week in December .. thanks Drew! .. Tru

[thickstrings]

Yeah, I have the "Farm Boss".. I like it! Good saw... Still have 2 old "Mac's" that will run when they feel like...if my shoulders are up to starting them...ha ha. Good Luck with your stove Tru and Drew!

[DrewInToledo]

Thanks TS! I've been using the saw like crazy. I already have a feel for when it's going dull, so I sharpen it regularly. I feel that it's one of the better investments I've made in the past few years. I've cut down 4 trees already which may not seem like a lot to many but it's something I've never needed to do before.

WOW Trugrit!! I'm glad I have someone to talk to who has the same stove. You're right... it's a lot of $$$. May I ask what color combo and artwork you selected? I ended up with a metallic brown with the horse motif. I also sourced the stovepipe, albeit expensive, from Woodstock too which is nice because 1.) They will paint it to match 2.) They use 22 gauge pipe, and 3.) They created an entire bill of material. I just provided them with the height and slope. I know I could have figured it out and bought something comparable at a much lower cost but it's nice to know I'm getting quality parts.
I spoke to Lorin last week to check on my order. The stove will *hopefully* be here this week. I just checked my credit card because I've been making payments and asked her to hold on the last $600 until it's ready. I don't see it on my statement yet. When I had her on the phone I asked her how sales are going. She replied that they have been swamped with a study flow of orders and they have about 3-4 months of work lined up just building stoves. It's good to know I'm not the only one with one of these stoves!

[matt walker]

Awesome news Tru, can't wait to read the first hand reports from both of you guys. You are going to love those things. What a great service they offer with the flue bill of materials and such. They really are a great outfit.

[TruGrit]

.. Drew, we're getting the charcoal on charcoal, that's what the Mrs wanted .. I got to choose the dragons! ..

.. I already had the double walled Superpipe that I was gonna use for the RMH and will prolly start mounting that this week .. gonna install my little box stove for now, then change it out when Soapy gets here .. that should make for a good comparison.

.. Thanks Matt, we're really excited, and a bit relieved that our heating is resolved, was rackin' my brain on which way to go .. it's amazing how many problems can be fixed with .. a big wad of cash ..

.. I'll be getting pix of the whole process, at least I hope so .. dropped my camera and then ran over it with the tractor .. still works, just can't tell for sure what your pointing at ..

.. this week is the stovepipe, next week, back to cutting firewood .. I have plenty ready, but want to get a year ahead if possible ..

.. thanks again guys .. Tru

[pa_friendly_guy]

Looking forward to those pictures Tru. Nice to know that your camera can take a licking and keep on ticking. I agree that a Big Wad of cash can make a lot of problems go away. At our age its nice to have a little cash squirreled away so that we can make the problems go away. As my son says, We are problem solvers. Or as my Father-in-laws always says, " Its no sin to be poor, its just Damned inconvenient" .