Woodburning Stoves?

[scotspine1]

Thanks people, very good info all round.

 

Good to hear the Franco Belge Belfort is good, thats at the top of our list at the moment, nice looking little stove and at a decent price as well. We're still looking though, probably gonna be a few weeks yet before we decide.

[davetaz]

Villager stoves - nothing wrong with ours! Had it 13 years, in 3 different properties, now with boiler giving us plenty hot water. Burns very efficiently, gets cleaned out about once a fortnight, ash goes straight on to garden

[woodrascal]

anyone seen or used the Broseley Hercules 20B?

I went to see one of these at a dealers. It looked like a really badly cast, iron lump. As far as I know these are made in China and re-badged over here. The dealer didn't think a lot to it either, not very good build quality or controllability. Beware - the Btu output is not based on burning wood.

 

After having had your Franco Belge, I think you'll be dissapointed with a Hercules.

[firewoodman]

one thing i will mention is if the stove is lined with firebricks, try to get one with clay firebricks and not vermiculite. the latter crack very easily

[treebloke]

Villager stoves - nothing wrong with ours! Had it 13 years, in 3 different properties, now with boiler giving us plenty hot water. Burns very efficiently, gets cleaned out about once a fortnight, ash goes straight on to garden

 

We had a Villager in the last house which run 3 radiators. The only issue we had was the asbestos rope used to be replaced now and again.

 

We also had little Wenlock which is a small fire but that one did two raiators as well.

 

Both fires would stay in all night, just open up the air vents next morning, stoke em up and away they go again. Rads warm in ten minutes.

[Mr Wood]

I went to see one of these at a dealers. It looked like a really badly cast, iron lump. As far as I know these are made in China and re-badged over here. The dealer didn't think a lot to it either, not very good build quality or controllability. Beware - the Btu output is not based on burning wood.

 

After having had your Franco Belge, I think you'll be dissapointed with a Hercules.

 

I havent seen one in a shop yet but havent really looked hard as just thinking ahead for the summer to do it. I did look at few pictures and it does look rough so tried search real pics to see it in a proper light didnt have any luck no wonder if it rough cast!

 

This why i like the net can get so much info before buying anything. Anyone got any recomdations with big stoves with water jacket to heat a

tank of hot water

5 double raditors 6 foot

2 double 10foot

Multifuel

 

ow PS Tim Craig i have the Montfort not belfort my fault the monfort was only £70 more then the belfort you get a lot bigger fire box worth a extra £70.

[sylvestris stew]

I havent seen one in a shop yet but havent really looked hard as just thinking ahead for the summer to do it. I did look at few pictures and it does look rough so tried search real pics to see it in a proper light didnt have any luck no wonder if it rough cast!

 

This why i like the net can get so much info before buying anything. Anyone got any recomdations with big stoves with water jacket to heat a

tank of hot water

5 double raditors 6 foot

2 double 10foot

Multifuel

 

ow PS Tim Craig i have the Montfort not belfort my fault the monfort was only £70 more then the belfort you get a lot bigger fire box worth a extra £70.

 

as said before, I've a morso dove doing 7 rads and all water, no sweat, excellent stove, I use mostly wood with a bit of anthracite now and then, shop the net and you'll save a £ or 2

[woodrascal]

one thing i will mention is if the stove is lined with firebricks, try to get one with clay firebricks and not vermiculite. the latter crack very easily

That's a fair point Firewoodman, but the 2 bricks are designed for slightly different applications. Both, to some extent, protect the stove interior from direct contact with the flames.

 

However, heavy (dense) 'clay' firebricks while being mechanicly stronger also soak up the fires heat. They take a while to initially heat up so the stove gives out less heat to the room on initial fireup. The plus side is they hold on to the heat when the fire dies down (making it easier to re-kindle) and it still throws out heat even when the fire goes out (acting like a storage heater).

 

Vermiculite (light, fragile) firebricks are designed to insulate the firebox. This raises the firebox temperature quickly, which promotes a cleaner burn and more heat to the room in a faster time. On the down side, once your fire has died, the stove will soon cool as the vermiculite bricks don't hold onto the heat.

 

It's interesting to note that an increasing number of top rated stoves (including some mentioned on this forum) have vermiculite bricks fitted.

[woodrascal]

Anyone got any recomdations with big stoves with water jacket to heat a

tank of hot water

5 double raditors 6 foot

2 double 10foot

Multifuel

 

 

Have a look at the the British manufactured, Dunsley Yorkshire. I've seen a couple on demo and they look really nice and solidly made. They've got the water boiler in a seperate chamber from the firebox (as opposed to a water jacket) so they burn wood much more efficiently and cleaner - which means less smoke and cleaner flueways.

[Mr Wood]

as said before, I've a morso dove doing 7 rads and all water, no sweat, excellent stove, I use mostly wood with a bit of anthracite now and then, shop the net and you'll save a £ or 2

 

 

Are they Double rads that you have? also i see you can have a selection of legs did you go for standard 150mm legs or higher?