Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

[OlJarhead]

Snow this weekend they say....can't come soon enough!  The minus temps are killing me! lol

On the VC:  I think this stove is a good little stove for those who have to buy low particulate stoves (or want to -- I like the very little smoke it gives off myself) and have a small cabin to heat and it WILL run for close to 12 hours (I think Vermont Castings claims 8 or 9 hrs but I've had mine go longer now that I'm learning to use it more efficiently).

The biggest trouble I have today is a combination of failing to get the last bists of insulation installed and being too lazy to bring in more seasoned wood when it gets very cold out.  You see, I have two full 24"x10' roof/ceiling bays that have not been insulated except a few feet at the bottom and 18" at the top and then I have each of the bays along the entire roof on both sides that are only insulated with R21 up to within 2-3 feet of the peak and then some temp R19 for 18" at the peak leaving a gap.  This means I lose a lot of heat.

I keep saying I'm going to fix that and I keep putting it off for other things. 

Had I completed the insulation and interior paneling etc then I would not have the problems I have now with these cold temps as the VC stove works well.

On the seasoned vs half seasoned wood:  I burn both.  I try to use nicely seasoned wood to get the stove going and warm up the cabin but once I have a good bed of coals and the place is warm I start burning half seasoned Fir which burns longer with a little less output (much of the BTU's are used to dry the wood out first)...why?  To conserve fuel.  You see, it takes a lot longer to burn through half seasoned wood and when you don't need the BTU's it's a great way to keep the stove going for longer periods of time (like overnight or during the day when I'm not there).

Of course, doing this probably means you should clean the chimney more often but I do it every couple months anyway.

[rugger8]

OJH - Sometimes it is easier to see things from far away, rather than being there and doing it.  But I would have to think that you are spending an awful lot more time cutting and chopping wood to make up for a partially insulated roof.  Just saying the couple hours it would take to finish insulating probably saves days worth of wood over the course of a winter.  I hate insulation too, but your a Marine!  Get on it!

Of course, that's just a friendly suggestion from an old Army guy!  Or is it too easy there, so you have to make it harder on yourself, that sounds like a true Marine, ha ha...

Keep up the good work!

Jeff

[OlJarhead]

LOL

Truth is most of the time it isn't an issue and the two bays are above the opening to the lower floor which means I'd have to construct a catwalk to get to them -- which is why they were left.

This cold has me thinking I might just have to get to it today!  I have some 10' long 2x8's around and could set them up to give me access...I keep thinking:  go by HD and get the darn insulation you idiot!

Luckily though, I'm not using much wood actually.  I had about 2 1/2 cords or so and have only used about half of that so far this winter.  I'm fairly sure I'll have a cord left by spring or maybe 1/2 a cord. 

Next year though I'll have more and will need less   Much better place to be!

OH and no splitting wood anymore, it's all split, I just have to haul it in.

[OlJarhead]

Pulled the mill down off the hill yesterday as I have a job milling Walnut this weekend.


You can't tell the grade here but I've caculated it at 16%...it's very steep and in the winter almost scary.  Dragging the mill down was something I worried about but it was no problem thanks to my plowing it constantly this winter and the ice chains on the truck.


Maybe a better shot...where the truck is the drive is only 9 feet wide.


The last section of our private road was washed out a bit and the stream froze solid leaving 12" of ice with deep ruts in it.  Almost lost the mill here!


A little video of me dragging the mill down the last big grade.  It's another one that's about 16% but you can't tell in the video

[OlJarhead]

Hmmm not sure why that pic doesn't rotate...it is rotated on pb

[UK4X4]

You'll be loosing a lot of heat, even though it looks to be a small area, insulate it !,

In our RV at -20oC just putting silver double bubble over the windows at night made a huge diference with comfort, even the fan hole pillows made a diference to the heat escaping through the skylights.

also are you running a fan ? to circulate the heat back down and arround ?

its critical in a high ceiling room, to get that movement

heat rises.....put a digital thermo on a 2x4 and see what it reads up there in your heat chimney !

I use one of those cheap ones with a seperate remote sensor to check on temps

Under the RV, in the hold, in the garage, skylight holes
we used it everywhere to track down the heat leaks.

If we did a whole winter in the RV we'd definitely stop wind from comming underneath, and tape all the slide seals.

the double bubbled windows made a huge diference, we remove the south facing in the day and leave the rest on 24hrs

We can get 16-17oc inside in the day just from the sun through the south main window, no heating, but come sundown.....its drops like a stone !

[OlJarhead]

Thanks to heat loss the loft is often cooler than down below 

OK OK!  I'll get that insulation fixed....I need to anyway because I heard propane is $5/gallon and I'm down to about 45% on my tank....

[rugger8]

See, I knew all you needed was a little push!   You've only been talking about it for 2 years now.  Thw whole place is almost complete, except for 2 rows of insulation, ha ha.  Just having a little fun!

Jeff

[OlJarhead]

You inspired me   as did others.  I'm going to get that sorted tonight (the cold has also inspired me as has the loss in propane)....

On a side note, I also have a 12vdc ceiling fan I need to install...hmmmm

[OlJarhead]

I got lucky and had to run north passed the hwy to my place so took lunch and ran by the cabin.  The fire was almost out and the inside temp was 56F so I cleaned out the stove and got the fire going again   Also brought in some 2x6 to make a catwalk with for when I install the insulation.

[OlJarhead]

Got those two bays insulated and a few other spots plugged up.  More work to do tomorrow though.

Holding at 69 inside the cabin after getting to 70 with the backup heater helping out for a few minutes.  I'm going to stock up the stove and hit the hay  It will be interesting to see how the heat holds throughout he night as it's VERY cold outside!

[OlJarhead]

Down in the valley it is reading -13F so it's around there here though usually it's a little warmer.  I'll know as soon as I go start the truck

Meanwhile back at the cabin it was a nice 63 when I got up this morning (for the last time as I got up periodically throughout the night to keep the fire going strong) which is a 5 degree improvement over the day before and considering it's as much as 5 degrees colder outside I'd say that's a win!

I'm at 66F now which is comfortable and while I'd like it to be 70 before I leave that just isn't going to happen.  So I'll stock up the stove, tamp it down in hopes that it will burn all day and leave the place with the curtains open on the south side to catch some solar heating.

Life at the cabin below zero

[OlJarhead]

It turned out to be -18F (yes Minus eighteen) outside and it was -22 down the hill from me!  Good thing you guys spurred me into working on that insulation!    More to be done tonight and I might even work on that fan.

Sure was nice waking up to 62F inside the cabin this morning!

[OlJarhead]

Completed half of the roof insulation (with foam vent boards) and stuffed left over R19 that I removed from that half of the roof (the top 18" that I'd placed there a couple years ago to plug up the vent) into the gaps on the other half so while the North side still needs to have the top 24" of venting and R21 installed it is at least for now, filled with R19.  Next chance I get I'll remove that last bit of temp R19 and replace with the vent foam and R21.  Then I can get back to installing panelling.

Having that catwalk makes a huge difference!  I can now work anywhere up there which was the reason I'd not completed it before.  Now I just need to fire up the table saw and rip some panelling at a 45 degree angle so I can place it where the roof pitch hits the straight walls.  Once done I can get back to installing the panelling up the ceiling.  I only have enough to do a couple feet at most but that will get my through a couple weeks since I only have nights and the occasional weekend.

Once I have the last of the panelling used I'll have to start planing and routering more panelling.  Hopefully it will be warmer weather, or at least sunny!  I'll probably have to get the gas generator fixed too so I an use it as propane is more expensive than gas right now and I need to conserve it for a while.  At least the insulation should help cut down the propane use

Temps outside are about 9 degrees and it looks like it will snow tonight and stay warmer.  We need the snow so that's a good thing but if the roads are bad I won't be able to pull the mill down to the Tri-Cities and do the milling job I had lined up for this weekend.  I guess tomorrow will be the decider -- if the roads are bad I'll just go home for a weekend at home, but if they are good I'll go do a milling job

Oh and it's now 70 inside the cabin   I noticed a difference as soon as I began filling gaps with insulation, now I just need to sweep up the mess, pack and clean up before getting some rest.

[OlJarhead]

Saw a grey wolf chasing a deer yesterday...just a glimpse and within 1/2 mile of my cabin.

[rick91351]

Saw a grey wolf chasing a deer yesterday...just a glimpse and within 1/2 mile of my cabin.

No thanks we have plenty here.   We had some smaller black wolves here.  Even though the US Fish and Wildlife said we did not.  They were pretty good neighbors.  We never minded them so much, they pretty much stayed up high.  Then came this type or breed we have now.  Twice too a third larger - they visit here way to much.  I think we ought to sue the Feds because the smaller blacks that hung around here have vanished.....  But then they never existed so it is claimed.

   

[new land owner]

For the first few minutes perhaps and only if the stove hasn't been cleaned.  There is a steel plate right in front of the door on the floor of the stove with a screw in it.  Remove the screw and lift the plate.  The first time it might be hard because they put some hitemp silicone or glue on it (this is a Vermont Castings officially recommended cleaning procedure) then brush out the dust that has gathered under the plate.  Once done, if the stove has not run for a while and is completely cool, vacuum out the air ducts which can get clogged with ash over time.  Finally put the plate back (I do not glue back down as I remove it often).

You will be amazed

   Just a note of thanks.  I did pull the steel plate you were talking about and found this area to be full of ashes.  Once I cleaned out the ashes it could not have worked better,  Thanks again.

[OlJarhead]

Rick - they just keep adding them.

NLO -- you're quite welcome

Back at the cabin and getting it warmed up, spent the day plowing the little bit of snow we had in anticipation of more this week.  With luck we'll start getting some up in the hills for summer water!

[OlJarhead]

It's been a little warmer out and this week I've even thawed out the kitchen sink cold water

Now I'm waiting on up to 6" of snow tonight.  I had about and inch yesterday -- just enough to make things white again -- and was glad I'd plowed on Sunday.  Now I'm hoping we get a full 6" tonight.  Then I'll go into work late and take the time to plow it off first

[rugger8]

OJH - First off, I am glad we were able to help provide a little motivation, that's usually the hardest part.  But secondly and more importantly, I am glad it is making a difference.     Would have felt bad if you did the work and did not see a difference, but somehow I thought you would.   Besides, now you have the inspiration to finish the paneling, which is the fun part!

Jeff

[OlJarhead]

OJH - First off, I am glad we were able to help provide a little motivation, that's usually the hardest part.  But secondly and more importantly, I am glad it is making a difference.     Would have felt bad if you did the work and did not see a difference, but somehow I thought you would.   Besides, now you have the inspiration to finish the paneling, which is the fun part!

Jeff

I appreciated it and yes, I can't wait to get to panelling!  But I need the weather to improve a little first as I have to work on some panelling first and planing, ripping and routering out of doors demands less snow and more sun!

Speaking of snow, the DOT site predicts up to 10 inches of new snow in the mountains (which means me)...weather underground says up to 5 but that's what the DOT says is in the valley's below....we'll see!  I'm prepared however, to start work from home tomorrow so I can get out and plow as soon as it's light.  That way if I get 5-10 inches of fresh snow I won't have to worry about it in the morning (would suck to have to chain up to get down from my place and then do it again to get home without enough light to plow in.

We shall see!  But I'm kind of excited because 10" of new snow is what we need!

[OlJarhead]

So much for the weatherman! lol it went above freezing last night (just) around 8pm and then stayed there all night.  Snowed about 1" at my place and that's it.

Snow level is supposed to be at 3500 feet now which is a few hundred above me....I guess we can hope they got a good dump in the mountains above me.

[OlJarhead]

Wanna save electricity? Easy! Put the Olympics on TV and toss in a bunch of reruns and I pick up a good book! Hey, the generator has gone 3 days without running and I see a 4th in the works Give me a little sun and I'll go a week!

Of course it helps that a Chinook blew in and the weather has been warm. It's 34 down in the valley below and supposed to get above 40 again today. The only real downside is that we don't have enough snow in the mountains to provide water in the summer....good thing our well is deep! Shouldn't affect us but it will others.

[OlJarhead]

Already very warm today and while they are predicting snow tonight I'm doubtful.

I may, however, try to sneak out early and plow the road a little more.  I'm hoping to get there when the snow is snoft and the ice is slush, that way I can remove it before it freezes again overnight.

Now I just need to find where folks are talking about cabins and stuff

Can you tell I'm bored today? lol

[JavaMan]

snow level at 3500' you say?  If so, the ranch is still snowed in.

Good to see you're making it work out there.  I'm still looking for work (again) ...

Say, do you know anyone that is good at finding water (dousing or simply reading the signs)?