Fosters Maple No.18...Info

It seems 18" stoves have been making there way onto the market these days. The Fosters Maple fell through but now there's a Home Herald Oak 18 for sale. So...question for all you guys operating stoves with 18" fire pots. Would I be able to idle it back enough while getting a decent burn? I know there are many factors and it seems there really is a sweet spot on stoves...not too hot and not too cool. I was thinking I may need to run it so low that it wouldn't burn very efficient, is that possible? I really need to open up my G109 in the heart of winter, completely different scenerio than an 18" pot. My G109 runs almost 600 and I'm getting just about 10 hours out of a full pot. I do like the ability to run for extended periods of time and not have to worry about reviving an almost extinguished fire. Also with an 18" pot I wouldn't need to push the stove, better for the stove! Another question regarding the rear pipes on oak stoves. It would be ideal to vent straight out the top of the rear pipe since my chimney is going directly through my ceiling. Is this possible or would I need to vent out the back of the rear pipe due to the damper and internal baffle system? Does the internal baffle run all the way up to the cap on the top of the rear pipe?

Tom,
From reading what owners have reported on here over the past few years, seems that base heater/base burner type stoves, with their ability to preheat the primary air, will give more complete burns at idle than an oak stove will.

I have 18 inch back-pipe oaks and a 16 inch base heater. After what I've read about both types, even though it's firepot is about 10-20 pounds of coal smaller, the base heater is the one I'm going to use.

My house is similar in size and length to the one Melissa grew up in. Typical old country house with rooms added on at the back as the family grew. They still have the 18 inch oak stove, on display in the family store, that was used for many years in the front parlor of their house (picture below). It has a back pipe. Combined with the coal range like mine in the kitchen at the back of the house, it was enough to heat the entire 14 room house through western Massachusetts's cold winters back in the 60's and 70's. I was originally going to use the 118, but after reading what's been posted on here, I think a 16 inch base heater should be close to the equal of a back-pipe oak.

As you can see in the picture, many of the oak back pipes are able to vent straight up. That Bengal has a cast collar. Glenwoods have a removable pipe cap and the stove pipe attaches directly to the back pipe. But, if the back pipe already has a rear exit collar, then just use a 90 degree elbow.

Paul

Thanks Paul

the Herald you mention has a brand new back pipe that's already cut for the exit collar out the back.

personally, I would go that way unless you are totally busted for space.

best of luck,
steve