WINTER TWENTY FOURTEEN (+1) you do the math ;) i couldn't.

It's on at SkyCastle and time to turn up the thermostat...

WINTER!
 First sun and snow then the dreaded 'polar vortex' ice fog and high altitude frost. At night the 'teens' come out!

Front after front blows in. Log after log is reduced.

   12" X 24" oak barely fits in. We burn whole logs one or two at a time when ever we can, if it's cold for long. 60 pounds of fuel to hold off the 'super vortex ice fog'.





The 'thermostat' is wide open on a home made wood stove my good friend and I made some 12 or15 years ago from a flat sheet of steel. My friend, being from the age of iron is quite exceptional, a Master, if I may, in metal work. I, being from a more primitive age of stone and bronze, am only 'journeyman' quality in the realm of modern steel. My friend cut and formed the 3/16" thick sheet into a steel box and welded it air tight. (we joked about pulling it down into the sea to crush depth be for I cut into it) I cut and fabricated the two layer door and riveted hinges and a air control and installed a hole and collar for the 1/4" thick flue pipe.

Back ten years ago, I had it connected to a horizontal, central heat duct for good heat distribution. It had a second lighter steel jacket around it with a belt drive blower to push the warm air. Just like anybodies central heat but fueled with wood rather than gas or electricity. Now living off grid with out the unlimited power to run a big blower around the clock for months, I'm designing a way to put it under the castle and use a much smaller blower to do the continual pushing of air. The duct will be much more vertical than in most designs and larger vents to take advantage of natural convection to the upper floors. My grandfather had a coal burning furnace system in his basement. (I could go on for awhile about that). I wish he were here! I digress. Anyhow it sets on the second floor right now and is operated like any wood stove, all the heat being concentrated. But that day is coming when we will have a high thermal horse power, BTU's to some, vertical flow central heat system. Mountain Style!

Stay warm everyone.