20x32 A frame cabin Central KY

[EaglesSJ]

Here is a couple pics of SOME of yesterdays work. I also trimmed out some windows and both doors in the addition. Starting on the closet today, got some rough sawed red cedar from the local mill and it smells fantastic! Really gonna be nice in the closet. Still have to trim it out and build a set of doors. Pics to come tomorrow hopefully.

Here are the pics of the new hearth setup. Its 5/8" fireboard with an air gap behind it painted it a dark grayish blue to match the stones underneath and then I added a 8" pipe around the top section of 6" to act as a heat shield. It now stays cool enough to lay your hand on the upper most corner where the pipe meets the box. (hottest portion of the whole set up) I am going to add a small fan in the corner to help circulate the air away from the whole area as much as possible if for no other reason than to distribute the heat through the cabin a bit more.

[OkieJohn2]

Just curious if you have seen these:
http://www.amazon.com/Caframo-Ecofan-Original-Black-Blade/dp/B001AYXNUY
I have never seen one in use, perhaps other people here have more info.  They are rather cool looking tho, if they work.

[Redoverfarm]

Just curious if you have seen these:
http://www.amazon.com/Caframo-Ecofan-Original-Black-Blade/dp/B001AYXNUY
I have never seen one in use, perhaps other people here have more info.  They are rather cool looking tho, if they work.

Okie my parents have one and yes they do work.  Not sure about this one but the original does.  I think there's as about $50 more.  They sat theres on the stove top as it needs a good bit of heat to work. 

[MountainDon]

I have also heard from a couple people who own them that they are not sure they really do much good or are worth the expenditure.   They work best when the stove is really hot. My experience has been that a hot stove manages to create convection currents reasonably well. 

We do get reasonable use from our ceiling fan and it also helps in warm weather.

[Bob S.]

AWESOME!!!

[scott b]

Hi, I have been following your thread for quite a while now and I have to say you're doing a great job.  I'm trying to make a decision and thought maybe you could help.  I recently bought a run down A-frame that I have been remodeling, or rebuilding I should say.  I refaced the rafters with osb, then tar papered it, then put on purlins and then the steel roof.  I am now ready to insulate the inside, but not sure the route to go.  I know spray foam is the best way to go but it's a little pricier than I'd like.  I would like to go with batt insulation but I'm being told that I need to vent it with baffles because the plywood is going to sweat.  I noticed that you did not vent yours and was just wondering if you had heard anything about this. Is it better to vent or not vent??

[EaglesSJ]

Hi, I have been following your thread for quite a while now and I have to say you're doing a great job.  I'm trying to make a decision and thought maybe you could help.  I recently bought a run down A-frame that I have been remodeling, or rebuilding I should say.  I refaced the rafters with osb, then tar papered it, then put on purlins and then the steel roof.  I am now ready to insulate the inside, but not sure the route to go.  I know spray foam is the best way to go but it's a little pricier than I'd like.  I would like to go with batt insulation but I'm being told that I need to vent it with baffles because the plywood is going to sweat.  I noticed that you did not vent yours and was just wondering if you had heard anything about this. Is it better to vent or not vent??

I was pretty sure that the only thing that sweated was the inside of the metal roof. That is the point in putting tar paper on before the roof. I dont think you will have a bit of trouble installing batts. I havent and Ive now had the walls apart and could see if there was any water.

[EaglesSJ]

pics as promised, going to add some bigger knobs but other than that the closet is finished.

[MountainDon]

scott b.  With your roof sheathed on the outside with OSB there is the possibility of moisture laden air from the interior contacting that surface when the space is insulated with batts. If that surface is below the dew point moisture will condense on that surface. That's the reason cathedral ceilings require an air space with batt type insulation; and an A-frame is pretty much all cathedral roof. Spray foam of sufficient thickness will bond to the underside and make it warmer than the dew point. Rigid foam sheet insulation added to the outside of the OSB sheathing will do the same thing and permit the cavity to be filled with batt inmsulation.

[EaglesSJ]

[ben2go]

That looks great.Nice work. 

[OlJarhead]

Very Nice!

[EaglesSJ]

well even after the new hearth I still wasnt happy with all the heat that was building up in that corner. I tried putting a fan back there and various other alternatives but when I would go to bed at night I just didnt feel safe knowing how hot all that wood and the window and such were getting. The only other thing to do short of a complete remodel of the cabin was to get a different stove. So thats just what I done and boy are we glad we did. This thing uses probably 1/4 of the wood the other one did, it keeps the house alot warmer, and it has that nifty little window which we are growing quite fond of. The best thing is that it has a built in heat shield all the way around and a blower so the clearances are reduced to 6" to the rear (we have it at about 20") and 8" to the sides (we have it about 16") as for the pipe going into the ceiling it never even gets warm to the touch! The wall and the whole area behind the stove is nice and cool now. We are very happy and feel alot better about the safety aspect of it.

[rhelm]

Right on!  Looks great!

[MountainDon]

[thumb]  Looks like a good choice. Much better than the old one. I'm sure you will be much happier with it.   [thumb]

[rick91351]

Thanks I will sleep better as well knowing that has been changed.  Not being a smart ass!    No really it has been bothering me as well.  I get way to wired into some of these projects and builds.     Rick

[southbalto]

Looks great.........

The secondary combustion system on those things really makes for a nice fireworks show.  I remember when I switched over from a 1970s VC Defiant to a new epa stove there was a bit of a learning curve.  My old stove seemed to burn 1 year oak no problem.....the new one needs super dry wood 2-3 year bucked, split, and stacked.  That really was the only downside.  No brainer given the substantially increased heat output and clean burns.  When my epa stove is running at temp there is zero smoke coming off the stack... 

Your chimney system is relatively short.....Any issues with draft and getting the top plate up to temperature?

[ajbremer]

Thursday Morning - January 19th, 2012 @ 5:01am Oklahoma

Hey EagleSJ,

That stove looks great. I think I found it on the internet, is it the Country Hearth Wood Burning Model 2500? I
see that it runs around $1,300. I would imagine it's around a $2000 project with all the triple wall pipe etc?

Here's the link that I found to the stove:

http://www.northlineexpress.com/item/5SV-2500/Country-Hearth-Woodburning-Stove-2500

[southbalto]

Thursday Morning - January 19th, 2012 @ 5:01am Oklahoma

Hey EagleSJ,

That stove looks great. I think I found it on the internet, is it the Country Hearth Wood Burning Model 2500? I
see that it runs around $1,300. I would imagine it's around a $2000 project with all the triple wall pipe etc?

Here's the link that I found to the stove:

http://www.northlineexpress.com/item/5SV-2500/Country-Hearth-Woodburning-Stove-2500

If you're in the market, and can wait a few more months, you might check lowes/HD.  They typically have blow out sales on their EPA stoves beginning in March. 

[EaglesSJ]

Thursday Morning - January 19th, 2012 @ 5:01am Oklahoma

Hey EagleSJ,

That stove looks great. I think I found it on the internet, is it the Country Hearth Wood Burning Model 2500? I
see that it runs around $1,300. I would imagine it's around a $2000 project with all the triple wall pipe etc?

Here's the link that I found to the stove:

http://www.northlineexpress.com/item/5SV-2500/Country-Hearth-Woodburning-Stove-2500

Its not the 2500 model its the 2000 model. I bought the stove at tractor supply and it was on sale for $499. If you have one in your area you might want to look into it. If not they have them for sale every year for $599. They go on sale for 100 bucks off around january every year. I paid about 100 bucks each for 3 ft sections of chimney pipe. If you want to do some reading on it you can search for US STOVES 2000 model. Lots of good reviews and even a couple videos I think.

[ajbremer]

Thursday Night - January 19th, 2012 @ 6:46pm Oklahoma

Hey Eagle,

Wow, thanks for the info on the stove. My wife loves it and the price is great! I'm pretty sure we're going to buy one of them, maybe even kind of copy how you build your back and platform.

Thanks again.

[EaglesSJ]

Sounds great to me. Anyone have any ideas on how to get a transfer of air between the rooms going. Last night it was 84 degrees in the living room and only 58 in the addition. Thats an incredible temp difference. Not only that but it was downright uncomfortable!

[Redoverfarm]

Being that there is just one doorway between the two rooms it is doubtful that you will ever get enough warm air transfered that way.  You may be able to build a couple of air chase's near the ceiling in the stove room and another for cold air return near the floor.  Not sure whether natural convection will be enough though.  You might have to assist it with a low voltage fan in the chase. 

As a temporary solution something like this might help

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/door-frame-fan.aspx?a=196430

[southbalto]

Sounds great to me. Anyone have any ideas on how to get a transfer of air between the rooms going. Last night it was 84 degrees in the living room and only 58 in the addition. Thats an incredible temp difference. Not only that but it was downright uncomfortable!

I've struggled with this too.  I've found it to be way more effective to position fans so that they blow the colder air into the stove room as opposed to the other way around.

Would it be possible to cut out an interior window at the top of the stairs providing air flow to the addition?  It would probably make for a nice convection loop.

[glenn kangiser]

Being that there is just one doorway between the two rooms it is doubtful that you will ever get enough warm air transfered that way.  You may be able to build a couple of air chase's near the ceiling in the stove room and another for cold air return near the floor.  Not sure whether natural convection will be enough though.  You might have to assist it with a low voltage fan in the chase. 

As a temporary solution something like this might help

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/door-frame-fan.aspx?a=196430

I used to build stoves and we had a model that was ducted underneath and a return under the floor came up under the stove.  As the air was heated in the double wall of the stove convection caused it to rise and pull the cold air from under the floor in the back room out and replacement warm air was pulled in near the top of the room or through an open door and wall vent.  As John mentioned the cold air must be drawn from the floor area directly from the room - ducted - for best effect.