See Our Small Cabin Project

Started by argalax, November 05, 2007, 03:51:11 PM

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argalax

Hi.

We have built a small cabin in the wilderness. Fairly modest, but is enough for our recreational use. It is also completely off-grid (solar power).
We like staying there and enjoying the nature.

Take a look:  www.small-cabin.com
Comments are welcome.

MountainDon

Looks like a nice location.

How much time do you get to spend there? Winter access?

I'm curious about what stove you use for heating. And what part of the country are you located in?



tjm73

#2
QuoteHi.

We have built a small cabin in the wilderness. Fairly modest, but is enough for our recreational use. It is also completely off-grid (solar power).
We like staying there and enjoying the nature.

Take a look:  www.small-cabin.com
Comments are welcome.

May I ask where you took those pics? Reminds me of going to Canada as a kid to visit family with my Grandmother. Some of the pictures look very much like the area I spent a lot of time in North of Kingston. Beautiful pics by the way.

glenn-k

Interesting site - thanks and welcome to the forum.

Homegrown_Tomatoes



argalax

#5
QuoteLooks like a nice location.

How much time do you get to spend there? Winter access?

I'm curious about what stove you use for heating. And what part of the country are you located in?


I spend every other weekend or so there during May-Oct, plus couple weeks of vacation. Not winters yet.
Still in process of setting up a wood stove in the cabin - trying to figure out stove clearances and heat shield...
Once stove is setup I would go there in colder month, perhaps into Christmas.
The cabin is not winterized (i.e. no insulation).

The site is located in Ontario, Canada, near Bancroft. Winter access could be a problem.
All pictures in the photo gallery are taken around the area.

GunPilot


MountainDon

#7
QuoteStill in process of setting up a wood stove in the cabin - trying to figure out stove clearances and heat shield...
I asked about the stove as on your web page on cabin heating you've pictured a camp or outfitters stove. I know they're not approved or UL listed but could be an attractive choice for a part time cabin. I've seen an installation of one on a remote cabin, primarily used for fall hunting. Without any special techniques such a stove needs 36" clearance, in the USA. Canada may vary.

Any unlisted stove can be used with reduced clearances with proper heat shielding. In the USA the non-shieleded 36" can be reduced to 12" by using 24 gauge sheet metal with a 1" air space behind it. Canada's standard may be different. The sheet metal / air shield is very effective in reducing temperatures at the combustible shielded surface.

I was just wondering what you had used or were thinking of using. I'm going the metal / air shield route in the cabin to be as it worked very well in my gazebo with chiminea.

jan_nikolajsen

i too used one of those very inexpensive sheepherder's stoves for my 700 sq ft wood shop.

the picture show how i wrapped it with 4" precast concrete blocks, held in place with hardibacker cement board. this has worked great for several years now. the outside of the wrap never gets dangerously hot, and the whole affair retains heat long after the stove has gone out.



MountainDon

#9
That's cool, Jan. Very serviceable for a workshop.

Jan, what wood stove do you use in your main cabin... with the chimney thru the wall? Has that worked out well?

rbelk

Would you draw a rough sketch of the interior layout for us?

speedfunk

#11
i really like both your cabin and the very detailed website.. very nice.  

Also built a cabin kinda like yours. http://oursideofthemountain.com/projects/cabininthewoods.html Just got the wood stove up to the cabin.  Have everything purchased just need to find time to get over there and install it.  

Good luck and thanks for sharing your site.
Jeff

jan_nikolajsen

mountaindon: we have the aspen stove from vermont castings. it is plenty big for our meager cabin, and, to answer your second question, yes, we're very happy with it.




best,
jan

MountainDon

That's what we're planning on getting.  :)  But I'm planning on going thru the roof.  I see you are using the external air supply.

Thanks for the photo.


jraabe

#14
Nice stove... I used an earlier version of this type of stove for over 20 years. It heated 1500sf on two floors without even breaking a sweat. (The firebox air supply is a big improvement!)

Is that all insulated flue pipe right out of the top of the stove?

MountainDon

#15
We had a VC Vigilant back in Canada some 22 years ago. Wonderful stove. There have been many changes since then. The Vigilant is now only available in a coal burning version.

The newer VC's are available in colors too. Pretty and pretty expensive.

jan_nikolajsen

john, re the stovepipe: we have regular singlewall black pipe up to the fat sleeve coming out of the wall. from there it is stainless triple wall clear up the top.

that stainless stuff cost twice as much as the stove itself! all together the complete installation was $1500 in 2003.

the decision to go thru the wall as opposed to the way of the roof was for weatherproofing concerns. snow and ice buildup around an alternating hot-cold chimney seemed to me to be troublesome.

anyway, the cabin we live in has no "thru-hulls" in the roof or the floor platform. all cables, pipes and hoses go thru the walls. much simpler to install, service and ultimately make bug and water resistant. all in my opinion, off course...

sorry argalax, for diverting from the topic of your post concerning your neat little project.

best,
jan

MountainDon

My eyes may be deceiving me... is that 8" flue? Looks larger than the 6" I know they use now??