n/s here, I messed with the e/w a little last year but just like the straight in better. Stove will take about 21" n/s and still have a little room in the front.
I like N/S best when I'm running full time; less chance of them wanting to roll against the glass or right out of the stove. When I'm starting it, I like to put two going E/W on the bottom to make the "wind tunnel" I start the newspaper/kindling in. I get a couple more inches going E/W though, so if I have a couple pieces that are too long, I'll save em for the overnight burn, and put them on the bottom.
At the temps we are having today (30 ° night - 38° day) with no wind. 24 hours +/-. 23 hours on last nights load. (just reloaded)
N S most of the time , I can see good, stack them nice and tight and fill it up good, no setting my shirt on fire
Exactly, I love burning n/s, but the splits have to be <12"- unstackable. My compromise is to have some n/s kindling at the bottom of the load when starting from a cold stove, the old "Tunnel of love" strategy. Still allows for pretty good airflow & startups.
Fireview loads from the side. This makes it really handy for our stove as you can see the wood rack (along with some of wife's junk) in this picture.
I'd love to burn n/s all the time because of the reasons stated above with wood rolling out. My only issue is that it would force me to cut everything down to around 12-14". That and I'm a little concerned with someone else loading it and then slamming door with a piece sticking out just far enough to hit the glass...my personal little nightmare scenario right there. So e/w I can fit 17" in so maybe I'm not gaining too much by worrying about it huh? Just cut 'em short and go with it? They'd split easier, heck I could even stack them for splitting. Is there any concern that you're creating more sawdust (waste) with making a few more cuts per bolt?
I think I would stick with the 17 inch pieces for the Answer. I reloaded my daughters answer a couple of times and with a pair of welding gloves its not that far back so its not so bad reaching across the coals
Usually I'll get a good coal bed and then rake them all to one side. Put a couple pieces on opposite side than a few "blocker" pieces on and next to the coals. Seems to help burn times. Wanted to ask Backwoods Savage if he thought this would cause any issues in an old all nighter?
Well I'm loading East-West now only because I've so much wood that was cut 24" for an open fireplace 4 years ago. I don't much like it north-south though. My Buck 80 will take 22" east-west and 18" north-south so I've re-cut a bunch at just under 22" so as not to loose too much wood. I keep seeing pictures of stoves crammed full of wood; I can't seem to do that in the 80 without the catalyst over heating. Two and a half seasons and I still don't have the hang of a cat stove. Buck and the maker of the combustor both say make a small fire, only 3 or 4 splits. How are you kids doing that? And how do you cool the catalyst if it starts to get too hot?
