Summary Of Our First Self-Imposed 48-hour Personal 'Off-Grid' Test

(long post warning - turn back now or suffer the consequences)

Disclaimer: The following represents our own observations only. Your mileage may vary. This is not intended as advice applicable to anyone else's specific situation.

OK, first let me say that anyone who has recently lived without electricity for 48-hours or more due to weather or other causes is exempted from reading this. I'm probably not going to say anything you don't already know from personal experience.

To everyone else, I cannot overstate how important this testing was to us. It clearly demonstrated what we were ready for and more importantly, what we weren't ready for. In short, we definitely need to make some adjustments and test again - hopefully on a much more winter-realistic weekend. If you think you are prepared, try shutting your main breaker off for 48 hours - it's not all that long really - several on this forum have gone a week or more. To them I say "Can't we all just keep the lights on?"

Background: After many months of preparation Mrs. Rimmer and I finally agreed to quit stalling, making excuses, slipping the schedule and other such high-statisfying diversionary tactics. We spent this weekend (48 hours) with our main breaker switch shut off. We live in Iowa and the weather was not bad at all (lows in the mid 20s, highs in the upper 30s/low 40s). No snow, no ice, no wind, no severe cold. In short, a highly unrealistic setting for Iowa. If we couldn't go 48 hours in this setting, we would be forced to turn in our 'self-sufficiency tenderfoot' merit badges.

We have a one story house in a semi-rural setting with our own well and septic. We have set up our basement as a shelter complete with woodstove and bed. Population: 2 adults and 2 cats.

Overall, we did quite well. We didn't starve. We didn't freeze. We didn't panic. And we didn't have to end the test early. But we did have our fair share of problems:

Lesson #1: Everything Takes A LOT Longer

Everything we did took a lot longer that it would normally take. From cooking to cleaning to keep the temperature reasonable, daily tasks consumed a greater amount of time than what we are accustomed to. I don't know how our foreparents did it and still found time to enjoy themselves.

Let There Be Light

Not too long after the main breaker was shut off, we finally located one of our half dozen flashlights (why did we not have these in an 'easy to find in the dark' location - or better yet, strategically placed throughout the house? mea culpa). After we found the first one, the rest were easy to find.

Next job, fill the oil lamps. We had purchased 4 'hurricane'- style lamps -- 2 Dietz Model #80s and two cheapies. We quickly discovered the error of our ways. The two cheaper models leaked oil from the bottom tank seal and we quickly relegated them for use outside only. The 2 Dietz lanterns did not leak and performed flawlessly all weekend. Lesson learned: Don't try to save a buck or two on cheap lanterns. We will be buying more of the Dietz - we'll pay a bit more but they're worth it. A leaking lamp is nothing but a fuel waster and a fire hazard.

Over the weekend we tried both the regular cheap lamp oil from Wal-Mart as well as the Ulta-Pure (also from Wal-Mart). The smell from the cheap oil takes a bit of getting used to. The Ultra Pure put out no noticeable smell at all but is a lot more expensive. Our decision is to have a little of the the expensive stuff but primarily use the cheap stuff.

Another note on these lamps. If you've never used one, it is important to keep the wick below the slot in the metal dome cap. If you don't, you'll end up wasting your wick and getting the glass chimney (and the room) smokey.

You must also keep the wick trimmed.

Let There Be Heat

This went very smoothly. We had purchased a woodstove in November but couldn't get it delivered and professionally installed until the second week of January. As we have run the woodstove on several occasions since getting it, we got it going this time with no trouble at all. It's a Lopi Liberty and worth its weight in gold.

What About The Food In The Refrigerator

Hmmmm, OK no problem. Got coolers. Got cool weather. Unload the frig into the coolers. Set the coolers outside. Make plans to use the most perishable stuff first. Under control.

Uh, wait. With frig not powered. It needs to be cleaned and wiped dry so that mold/mildew does not form. Guess this is going to take a bit longer than we figured. (a recurring theme throught the test)

The Generator from Hell and ^%$*@ Gas Containers

We decided quite a while ago that there was no way we could afford the fuel and storage for enough gas to run a generator continuously. For one thing, storing gasoline is dangerous. We constructed a special storage shed about 100 ft away from our house and garage for the storage of flammables. Even so, we are limiting the amount of gasoline we are storing there. The generator is used primarily to run the well pump. We had a double pole transfer switch installed last fall and have the option to run any electrical device in our house from it. However, as we invetigated further, it became clear the conservation of resources needed to become the primary concern.

We purchased one of the Coleman Powermate 5KW gensets with the 10hp Tecumseh engine. Finished the two hour break-in period with out too much difficulty. But man, is this thing loud (just ask the neighbors).

Unfortunately, when we hauled it out Friday night and started it up, the engine would not run at a constant speed. It continuously backfired and engine speed up then slowed down as the governer constantly adjusted. At first we thought that it was just cold but after 30 minutes it was still going up and down. We turned on a light circuit and watched disapprovingly as the lights pulsed in 2-second cycles. We decided to go ahead and run the well although this is definitely not advised. In about 45 minutes we had filled the bath tub, sinks, 4 33-gallon clean plastic garbage cans and 4 5 gallon buckets. It should be stressed that none of this water was intended for drinking. We intended to use it for flushing, washing dishes, bathing, etc. Into the garbage cans we added about 1/3rd cup bleach just so bacteria would not grow. We then shut off the generator and did not use it again for the weekend.

FYI, we are using premium gas with Sta-Bil added for long term storage.

The instruction manual for the genset does not address this problem and so I will call the 1-800 service number this week. Obviously this generator will need to be fixed or replaced. Without a steady output, we risk damage to our well pump motor. I'm beginning to think that we should have gone with a better (i.e. more expensive) generator but I guess we'll see. Has anyone else had this problem?

Oh yeah, the gas cans. Cheap plastic $7.00 5-gallon gas containers from Wal-Mart. The spouts on all of them leak like the Titanic. Spilling gas on your hands and clothes and shoes in cold weather is simply not acceptable. If I can find a nice replacement spout, I'll try that first, otherwise, they're outahere. Another misguided attempt to save a buck. 'Nuff said.

The Baygen Radio: Ignored

Perhaps not too surprisingly, the Baygen radio sat unused all weekend. Why? Basically because we were far too busy doing other things to listen. At the end of the day we were both tired and just wanted to sleep. I'm not sorry I bought it however. I think in a longer outage, it will still come in quite handy.

Safety Lesson: Cats and Oil Lamps Do Not Mix

It only took one close call with one of our cats jumping onto a table where an oil lamp was burning to convince us that this was one issue we had overlooked. The cats, as much as we adore them, were delegated to the upstairs for the remainder of the test. Result: They survived and so did we.

OK, I have more to add to this but the clock is telling me it's time to stop here for tonight. In tommorow's installment, BATH SOUP, WHY DIRT IS UBIQUITOUS, A FULL BUCKET BEATS A HALF FLUSH and "ISHMAEL" HITS LIKE A BASEBALL BAT. BTW, the hot shower tonight after we turned the power back on was wonderful - I promise never to take them for granted again...there's no place like home, no place like home, no place...

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 08, 1999

Answers

Arnie, thanks for the heads up. We're not anywhere near ready to do a trial run, which has me scared silly :-( Your post is great motivation to keep on prepping.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 08, 1999.

Hi, Arnie, lots of this is familiar! Possible solutions for some of your problems:

1. Get a couple of those emergency plug-in lights. When the power goes out their light lasts for about 45 minutes. We have a couple of these, strategically placed, so that we can find the flashlights and oil lamps easily, then shut off the emergency lights and conserve their batteries.

2. Try siphoning your gas with those little hand-squeezed, pump-type siphons, works for water, should work for gas, but kinda slow--maybe look for one with a wider tube? I think I saw some in US Plastics' catalogue.

3. Cats--ah yes! Been there, etc. I've bought several smallish shelves at yard sales, usually used for knick-knacks, and put them beyond leap height on the wall in appropriate locations throughout the house--and away from any launch pads, like a chair or sideboard. Where this was impossible, as in the bathroom where I put up a shelf on the wall behind the john, I placed a basket of silk flowers on the water tank--the cats usually avoid cluttered launch pads. I've also thought about Stickum (craft shops), which is that green sticky stuff florists use to anchor arrangements--seems it might keep a lamp fairly stable. (Wow, Martha would be so proud of me, knowing this decorator stuff.) I'm strongly considering putting hooks in the ceiling to hang lamps from. I know none of us would ever leave an oil lamp unattended, so I won't lecture on that, but I do wish everybody'd keep a fire extinguisher handy--you know how us old buggers worry about things that never happen.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 08, 1999.

My cats, lamps, and I have come to an agreement:

I will put the lamps only on firmly anchored surfaces (mantle) and they will not try to push them out of the way as they go by. (Something about cats not liking the smell of singed whiskers nor the feeling of singed paws helps enforce the agreement on their side. A wife (who shoots better than I do) enforces it on my side, as she enforces a number of things. LOL)

Chuck

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 08, 1999.

Arnie-I wondered how the test went. Thanks for being so specific on the details. I'm especially anxious to read your next post--bath soup and why dirt is ubiquitous--sounds familiar. Two questions, though. 1. Were the gas cans from Wal-Mart the Rubbermaid ones? I bought one Saturday, cost $6. and would buy more if nozzle doesn't leak. 2. Were did you find the Sta-Bil? Thanks for the info. Linda-newbiebutnodummy

-- newbiebutnodummy (Linda@home.com), February 08, 1999.

See what I mean about Coleman gensets?

Getting VERY late in the game, if ya'll out there are considering a genset.

HONDA, laddies, HONDA

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 08, 1999.

Nothing liked yours, but I shut down the power on my fiance the other night for 2 hours. Obviously we faced none of the problems you faced, but the point was still made. Things do take longer, but the big one for us was it seemed like time stood still. It sounds like that changes rapidly, but I realized I really need to understand that entertainment in simple form might/will be important from going ga ga.

-- choo choo (555@y2k.com), February 08, 1999.

Choo choo, I AM sorry, but I have a naughty mind and your post incapacitated me for several minutes! I know you didn't mean it that way but perhaps your subconscious did. Seriously, folks, the point about everything taking longer is important, especially in winter when daylight hours are shorter. Wouldn't hurt to stash away some prepared foods like canned potatoes, soup, stew, veggies, etc., minute rice, quick dry mixes, jars of pasta sauce--use your imagination. If you get sick, even with a slight cold, you KNOW how the slightest effort seems like a major undertaking. Make it a little easier on yourself.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 08, 1999.

Arnie, A well driller told me it is easy and inexpensive to put a hand pump on a dug well or a dilled well (as long as the drilled well is not to deep). I wondered what I would do if gas were not available for the generator.

-- monique (me@home .here), February 08, 1999.

One other point if I may be so bold. I use gas cans a lot in my work. Gas cans from Rubbermaid work fine and dandy IF the rubber gasket is seated properly on the base of the fill spout. By properly I mean this:

On the base of the fill spout is a lip. The gasket, which is shaped like an O-ring, has a split around the circumference on the inside. Be sure that the lip of the spout is inside of this split, so that when the cap is on the can the gasket can seal both mating surfaces, gas can to spout, spout to cap. If the gasket is not securely seated on this lip the can will leak badly, which is dangerous and messy. The leaking trouble usually results from the cap dislodging the gasket as the spout is pushed through the cap, as it is a tight fit. When pushing the spout through the cap, using a clockwise spinning motion will help to avoid having the cap threads dislodge the gasket.

One other quick point, I have found it helpful to add a section of clear plastic hose to the end of the spout because the stock spout is too short to pour a full can of gas safely. This will give you a LOT more reach, and has the added benefit of letting you see the gas as it runs through, allowing you to gauge the amount a bit better. Go to Home Depot and get yourself some clear vinyl plastic tubing, one inch outside diameter three quarter inch inside diameter. Cut off a two- foot section and force it onto the end of the spout. It will take a bit of doing the first time because it is a very tight fit. Force it on good and tight, push laddie, push! Once the hose is added to the spout I have found it best to just leave it there. To cap the other end of the hose, use a half inch threaded PVC cap screwed into the open end. After about a year or so, the plastic will get hard and discolored. Throw it away and add a fresh piece.

Hope this helps.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 08, 1999.

Arnie:

Regarding the generator, heed your own advice about spending a little more and getting quality. The only thing that ever causes trouble on my Snapper lawnmower is the Tecumseh engine. I've mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. Take a look at buying a welding rig powered by an Onan engine. We have an 8,500 watt rig that runs on propane (you can get tri-fuel gens). It is noisy, but it'll run from now on. The welding rig (it's a generator, after all) is quite a bit cheaper than a comparable generator.

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), February 08, 1999.

Our test was weather related. I noticed may of the same things that you noticed with some differences.

1. We were the only house in miles that had light at night. Hmmm. and inviting target? Considering blackout cloth for windows.

2. Gen set is a Kohler and quiet but still hearable within 200 yds. Will run intermittantly only to power well and then only during day.

3. Children playing with lamps...variant of cats... all lamps now hanging from chains too high to reach by little hands.

4. Wood insert uses fan to help distribute heat. Doesn't work if generator isn't on. Considering solar panel and batteries for small motor.

LM

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), February 08, 1999.

Welcome back Arnie! (Hey folks, did you notice the coincidence? No Arnie this weekend. No trolls this weekend. We missed you anyway.) ;o)

Two cats here too. Fire extinguishers are my next investment. After I bought a bunch of tabletop oil lamps, I came across one store (Ann & Hope) that has a Lamplighter wall-mounted style. That might help some folks.

It sounds as though you may not have checked all your equipment out ahead of time (or was the generator just being ornery now that something was at stake). I had a couple of Lopi wood stoves installed in January, and finally procured a dutch oven, camping oven and camping stove. I'm holding off buying more food provisions until I know what I'm capable of cooking with them. I have assembled enough basics now to try a dry run, but as you said, it has been too warm to give it that life-threatening pizazz. And the things I have most enjoyed baking in my dutch oven and camping oven required me to open the windows wide and took quite a while for the coals in the wood stove to get hot enough!

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), February 08, 1999.

Suggestion for future testers.

Accomplish what you want to test, but near the end of your test add a simulation of injury.

Have one person put on a sling and put dominant arm in sling. Have another person put stone or similar iritant in a shoe to cause limp or impatied mobility.

Now go back and try some of the same chores in whatever your test enviornment is.

Better a small simulation and *some* idea of just how difficult it would be than being thrown tn the water to learn to swim.

-- Greybear

- Got experience?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 08, 1999.

Arnie: What a great post - thanks. We did a short test too and I was LOL reading your post due to some similarities. I will print this thread and show it to my better half to get going on a longer test while the weather is still cold. Looking forward to the next part, Rob.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), February 08, 1999.

OK, as i promised I'll give the next installment shortly but first, lets take care of the business at hand..

Gas Cans: These were not the Rubbermaid brand. The stamp on the bottom reads "Manufactured by Chilton Products, Chilton, WI There is no rubber seal (turns out I do have one of the Rubbermaids with the seals -- it does not leak like the Chiltons. Mrs. Rimmer also pointed out that at least some of these may have been purchased at Shopko rather than Wal-Mart. Anyway, they are definitely not suitable for my purposes without modification.

Old Git: Thanks for the suggestion about the siphon pump - I could get a fairly nice one from a marine supply store. Also, we do have fire extinguishers strategically placed - 4 in the basement and 3 upstairs - all the mid-sized commercial variety (Sams $20).

Linda: Sta-Bil: You can usually find this in the automotive section of most department stores - Kmart, ShopKo, WalMart etc or in any automotive supply. 2 oz. Sta-Bil mixed with every 5 gallons gas.

Monique: The well is still a big issue for us. Our current pump is at 200 feet but the staic level is at 65. Because the well uses a 'pitless unit' there is no way to add a hand pump without pulling the electric one. Not willing to sacrifice the electric pump unless outage is several months in length. We've been having trouble getting any of the local well drillers here to treat us seriously.

Uncle Deedah: Thanks for the recommendations on the Rubbermaid. You are quite correct. As I indicated above, the problem was with the Chiltons, not the Rubbermaid. Also, the suggestion about the plastic tubing extension is much appreciated - we will be doing this no matter what.

Vic, Uncle Deedah, LM: I'm afraid you are quite correct about the Coleman/Tecuseh genset. I only hope that I'm not to late to correct this mistake. More on this later.

Greybear: An *excellent* suggestion - faking a disabling injury - though more than a little scary. I haven't discussed this with Mrs. Rimmer yet but I think it definitely worth incorporating into our next test.

Thanks for all your feedback and suggestions. And now (after a short break), installment #2

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 09, 1999.

(instalment #2)

Why Dirt Is Ubiquitous

The truth is, I'm not sure why, I just know that it is.

It is quite impossible to live 'in a more primitive' fashion and still maintain the same level of overall cleanliness that you normally do. We found ourselves sweeping the floor after every time we stoked the stove. Carry wood in from outside - sweep the floor. Sweep sweep sweep. Because you are doing much more physically, you are tracking dirt and grime everywhere.

The silly thought occured to me on Saturday that, if we had a really prolonged electrical outage - the wall to wall carpeting would have to go. (upstairs only, the basement has cement floors). Under those conditions, I just could see using what precious fuel we do have in order to run the vacuum cleaner.

We have no real 'dirt' in our yard, it's primarily sand everywhere and it tracks everywhere and gets into everything.

Next there's the personal hygiene. I thought maybe, just maybe I could skip bathing for the weekend - this was easy enough when I was a kid. But by late Saturday afternoon, I couldn't stand myself so I pulled out the 23 gallon plastic 'keg' tub and put a 20 quart stock put of water on to boil (we continue to use our LP-based kitchen stove upstairs - it requires no electricity and we've got (3) 1000 gallon propane tanks filled and ready).

Btw, our water reserves were divided into two categories - potable water for drinking and "non-potable water" - saved in plastic garbage cans for cleaning, flushing, bathing, etc. To most of this non-potable water we had added 1/3rd cup household bleach to each 33 gallons so that bacteria did not have a nice home. We also filled the 4 plastic 5 gallon buckets - didn't bother cleaning them or adding bleach since we would use them up first for flushing or bathing. It was one of these 5 gallon buckets that I poured into the stock pot for my bath.

After putting the water on to boil I went back down to the basement and rested for just a bit.

Bath Soup

I was tired and not much of a hurry to do much so I was finishing up Ishmael by David Quinn. After a while, Mrs. Rimmer appear on the scene carrying a couple of wonderful smelling bowls of vegetable soup. I was starved and thought the soup was excellent. Half way through the soup, I noticed that our potable water container had not yet been moved and opened.

Me: "Mrs. Rimmer"

Her: "Yes?"

Me: "Excellent soup you've made here"

Her: "Thank you"

Me: "Uh, say.."

Her: "Yes?"

Me: "Uh, where, uh, ummm, where did you get the water to make the soup?"

Her: "There was a whole pot of it heating on the stove. I took some out of there."

Me: "We're eating my bath?"

Her: "What?"

Me: "Uh, that was my bath water from one of the uncleaned buckets..."

Her: "So do you like the soup or not?"

Me: "Yep, great soup."

By 9pm we were both still alive and so I guess we squeaked by. Made sure we both knew where the potable water was stored. The soup was good. If anyone's interested in the recipe...

All that aside, I eventually got my 'bath' - not nearly as good as a hot shower but not too bad and with a full stomach I was then ready for bed.

Water Usage

FWIW, we used around 50 gallons of water over the period of the test. About half went to flushing. About 16 to bathing (8 gallons each bath - a little less for mine since we ended up eating part of it) 5 gallons went to the water 'humidifier' on the wood stove. The rest for dishes.

We also ended up wasting several gallons in the tub. Seems the plug we bought for the tub was just a tad bit too small and by Saturday morning, the tub was empty. Easily fixed but could have been serious in a real emergency.

We do not consider this exactly stellar performance but we did use less than we normally would have and we lived fairly comfortably. We could probably get by with less for our baths and less for flushing. I also plan to implement some of the suggestions in the "Humanure Handbook" by next summer. This should help reduce water usage as well.

Fire Escape Practice

We have a modual house which was placed on top of a basement foundation. As a result we have no stairway from the inside to the basement. We must go outside to get to the basement door.

One of the things we did on Saturday was to practice a fire escape from the basement. We have several battery operated smoke detectors throughout the house including 4 in the basement. The only exit other than the door is a basement window. I've kept a clear path to the window and placed a step ladder directly in front of the window in case we need to escape from a fire that blocks the doorway. We practiced several times from the bed and could consistently get out in about 25 seconds. We added a 'wake up and notice the smoke detector going off/confusion' factor of 30 seconds. This gets us both out in just under a minute.

As a result of our drill we decide that we should have a small 'bug out bag' located near the escape route in case we have to escape a fire while still in our undergarments - tennis shoes, socks, jackets, etc.

We are also planning to cut in a trap door and ladder to the upstair this summer. We have selected a closet to sacrifice for this purpose.

Living With Darkness

One minor complaint is that oil lamps and flashlights are just not the same as 60 watt incandecsents. In short we had to get used to getting by with far less light than we think is 'normal'. Not a big deal - just takes a little getting used to. It has its blessings though - it hides all the dirt.

That's about all I have time for tonight. I've got one more istallment which I'll try to get posted tomorrow night. Until then, please keep the comments and suggestions coming. They are greatly appreciated. Tomorrow I'll get to my thoughts on Ishmael and explain why wood is so heavy.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 09, 1999.

This might be a good place to explain the bathing facilities that our friends used to use. These folks (mom, pop, and 2 kids 8-10 yrs) lived out north of Fairbanks. They had no running water and no electricity.

I stayed with them a few times and found thier bathing facilities to be great!

Out in the yard they had built a building about 6 x 12 feet. This building was set up on "stilts". More on that later. Inside this building was a wood stove, a counter area, and a seat.

When they got ready to bathe, someone would fire up the wood stove with a large pot of water to heat on top. On the counter was another pot of cool water. (Often had to be thawed first). Another bucket and a dipper with about a half gallon capacity was available.

They would mix the hot and cold water until it ws *just* right. Then soap up and rinse off by pouring water with the dipper. The floor in half the building was an open grid of boards to act as a drain.

This system works great! You can bathe in about 3-4 gallons of water and get really clean, much better than any "sponge" bath I've ever had. Usually one sets around a while in the building which is heated up about like a sauna.

Course this is not the best solution in hot country, but it would work well when you just HAVE to get clean.

-- Greybear

- oh, BTW, the stilts.... they were to keep the building up off the ground about 18 inches. You see in the winter when it's 40-50 degrees below zero, NONE of the water will run off and you have to have room for it to build up over the winter. And, YES, it is invigorating to run back into the house wraped only in your towel.

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 09, 1999.

Hilarious on the bath soup! (But we were told it was okay if you boil suspect water!) Possible new items for stash: for sunny days, a couple of solar showers. (Real Goods, other places.) For problem days (when you're injured?), store-brand baby-wipes (on sale, 2/$3.00).

Carpet cleaning: before we had a vacuum cleaner we had area carpets and, just like in the old movies, threw them over the clothes line and whacked them with a carpet beater. In the meantime we used a manual carpet sweeper; sometimes a stiff broom, keeping the dust down with used tea leaves. (They were brown-patterned carpets. I guess sprinkled water would have done as well, never questioned it at the time, it was just what we did.) In my divorced-no child support days, I used old quilts and blankets on the floor and over the windows in winter, washed them when a sunny day came around. If you're going to take up the wtw carpet, invest in house shoes!

Wish we had a basement--IF we ever sell this house, we'll be looking for a place with basement storage. More people are looking now that the early daffodils are blooming--fingers crossed!

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 09, 1999.

(3rd and final installment)

I know this has been a dreadfully long thread but I've found it quite useful. I want to again thank those of you who have offered thoughts and suggestions. I'll wrap it up here tonight..but please continue to offer your comments.

Mrs. Rimmer Learns To Use A Splitting Maul

Mrs. Rimmer got her first lesson splitting wood with a splitting maul. Not that I'm some great teacher here - that's not the case at all. I've split a cord or two in my life but I'm no pro. Still, I was the only teacher available so sometimes you just gotta make do with what you've got.

(3rd and final installment)

I know this has been a dreadfully long thread but I want to again thank those of you who have offered thoughts and suggestions. I'll wrap it up here tonight..but please continue to offer your comments.

Mrs. Rimmer Learns To Use A Splitting Maul

Mrs. Rimmer got her first lesson splitting wood with a splitting maul. Not that I'm some great teacher here - that's not the case at all. I've split a cord or two in my life but I'm no pro. Still, I was the only teacher available so sometimes you just gotta make do with what you've got.

Frankly, until I tried to teach her, I didn't realize that there was so much to it. I seemed to have forgotten long ago that I once had to learn it too. There's holding the maul properly between strokes (so as to require the least amount of effort - that's right, one hand at the bottom of the handle, the other all the way to the top of the handle. A short mini-lesson in the prinicple of level arm physics), adjusting your stance and lining up, sliding your (right/left) hand to the bottom of the maul as you reach the top of the stroke, having the maul aimed properly at the top of the stroke, bringing it down with enough force to actually split the wood, work with the maul - not against it, knowing where the wood will split, safety so if you miss you don't injure yourself, etc. etc. - if you've ever split wood you know what I'm talking about.

Still, Mrs. Rimmer did very good for her first time out. It's going to take her a bit but I think she do fine. One thing Mrs. Rimmer has is determination and persistence. Next test though, we'll have to 'fake' an injury to my arm. I figure that way, she'll get some very worthwhile practice ;)

Wood Usage

This was perhaps the most disturbing revelation of our test. We've had the wood stove for over a month and have burned in it several times. It is a fairly large, high-quality stove (Lopi Liberty) and I thought I had a pretty good idea of how much wood we would use during the weekend. It actually took double what I thought it should have and the weather was not exactly bad (as indicated above).

We talked to the business that sold us the stove and we are confident that we are operating the stove correctly. The wood we used was a mixture of good hardwoods and a bit of junk. Still, using the stove to heat our living space for 48 hours told us that we had underestimated our needs here.

We see 3 was to simultaneously attack this problem. First, we got busy yesterday and ordered more wood. By tonight we had an additional 10 loads delivered. We continue to stockpile while the cost is 'reasonable'. We will also look into non-traditional sources as a cheaper alternative. (Like immediately after storm damage this spring).

We also have to attack this from a conservation standpoint. I plan to devise and implement a cheap, easy way to section off half of the basement so that we only heat the area we need for living. So long as the rest of the basement stays above freezing, our canned goods and other stuff will be fine. This will allow us to build smaller fires and stretch our wood out if need be.

Finally we think we can put on more layers of clothing in while we are inside to enable us to be comfortable at a somewhat lower temperature.

If any of you have suggestions or personal experience here, we'd love to hear it.

Oh yes. One more thing. Why is wood so heavy? I think maybe it's God's way of making you sleep sounder at night.

No Substitute For Water

We been discussing the cost of having a second hand-pumped well added to the property. Since I don't have time to try to do me own well and have no experience - and cannot afford to get it wrong, we are probably going to go ahead and have this done professionally. I cannot stress how important the water is. I do not want to have to depend on the generator, questionable fuel supplies and an electric well pump for a long-term supply of fresh drinking water.

We are not 100% certain that we will need it but if we do, it will be worth every dime we pay for it. If we never need it it will have been 'wasted money'. It's a gamble - I see TEOTWAWKI as only one of a huge range of possibilities. In the end, all disasters are local. Even if my area was the ONLY area to be impacted by disruptions, it would still be serious for us. With food, heat, shelter, and long term water, we can survive. Also, in the event of moderate to severe disruptions, such a well might go a long ways towards gaining the cooperation of our neighbors. (No, of course I wouldn't sell the water but I'd certainly ask for help in protecting and preserving the resource.)

Right or wrong, needed or not needed, we must be prepared to accept responsibility for the consequences of that decision. We do not have so much money that we can afford to waste it. We cannot say 'do it' as if the money were inconsequential - it is not for us. It is also one of the few things that we cannot take with us should we be required by circumstances to move. Last July I thought maybe just a few jugs of stored water would be sufficient, by fall I had moved up to thinking a couple of 55 gallon drums would be needed. Our 48 hour test has convinced me that 'water without electricity' is what is needed.

Ishmael

During the test, I had the opportunity to finish reading Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

It is an incredibly thought-provoking novel. I had a very strong 'deja vu' feeling the entire time I was reading it. Very relevant to the world today.

If you haven't been following the recent threads here on the book, it a fictional account of a gorilla with a lot to teach. It will challenge your everyday assumptions about why the world is the way it is. For me to say much more would spoil the book for those who have not read it. Five stars and two thumbs up.

How can we pursue science and technology without destroying ourselves and the planet? How can we control our population without waiting for nature to take its course? How can we move towards sustainable energy usage? How can we live without owning the planet? How can a civilization exist for a million years our more? How can we take what we need and leave the rest? I don't have the answers but the questions are certainly worth pursuing. I want to thank everyone here who has recommended to book. Without this forum, I might never have had the pleasure of reading it

Conclusions

Overall, our test went very well. We are middle-aged wimps without much practical experience in roughing it. It was definitely a new experience. We haven't even been camping in 8 years. But we feel that we are prepared to withstand short-duration disruptions with little real impact at this point in time. Obviously, we see the need to make some adjustments and rerun the test again. Hopefully, we will get some really bad weather to do this in to make the test a bit more realistic.

On the other hand, we don't think we can draw too many conclusions about our readiness for anything longer than 2 weeks. Yes we have stored water enough and food enough and wood enough but it's always the unknown unknowns that shred the best laid plans.

Two things emerged from this test though. First, we definitely need to give more thought to the conservation the resources that we do have. And second, we were not quite as prepared as we had led ourselves to believe. More testing is definitely in order.

Are You Are Prepared?

You may well be. Perhaps better than we were. There's one way to find out though - turn your electricity off for 48 hours. Then you'll know for sure. (All people with past experience at this are exempted of course). Go ahead. Be brave. You can always turn the lights back on if you get in a jam. Better you find out now what you are lacking than finding out the hard way - when it really counts.

"WITH GORILLA GONE,
WILL THERE BE HOPE FOR MAN?"

(Ishmael)

Frankly, until I tried to teach her, I didn't realize that there was so much to it. I seemed to have forgotten long ago that I once had to learn it too. There's holding the maul properly between strokes (so as to require the least amount of effort - that's right, one hand at the bottom of the handle, the other all the way to the to of the handle. A short mini-lesson in the prinicple of level arm physics), adjusting your stance and lining up, sliding your (right/left) hand to the bottom of the maul as you reach the top of the stroke, having the maul aimed properly at the top of the stroke, bringing it down with enough force to actually split the wood, work with the maul - not against it, knowing where the wood will split, safety so if you miss you don't injure yourself, etc. etc. - if you've ever split wood you know what I'm talking about.

Still, Mrs. Rimmer did very good for her first time out. It's going to take her a bit but I think she do fine. One thing Mrs. Rimmer has is determination and persistence. Next test though, we'll have to 'fake' an injury to my arm. I figure that way, she'll get some very worthwhile practice ;)

Wood Usage

This was perhaps the most disturbing revelation of our test. We've had the wood stove for over a month and have burned in it several times. It is a fairly large, high-quality stove (Lopi Liberty) and I thought I had a pretty good idea of how much wood we would use during the weekend. It actually took double what I thought it should have and the weather was not exactly bad (as indicated above).

We talked to the business that sold us the stove and we are confident that we are operating the stove correctly. The wood we used was a mixture of good hardwoods and a bit of junk. Still, using the stove to heat our living space for 48 hours told us that we had underestimated our needs here.

We see 3 was to simultaneously attack this problem. First, we got busy yesterday and ordered more wood. By tonight we had an additional 10 loads delivered. We continue to stockpile while the cost is 'reasonable'. We will also look into non-traditional sources as a cheaper alternative. (Like immediately after storm damage this spring).

We also have to attack this from a conservation standpoint. I plan to devise and implement a cheap, easy way to section off half of the basement so that we only heat the area we need for living. So long as the rest of the basement stays above freezing, our canned goods and other stuff will be fine. This will allow us to build smaller fires and stretch our wood out if need be.

Finally we think we can put on more layers of clothing in while we are inside to enable us to be comfortable at a somewhat lower temperature.

If any of you have suggestions or personal experience here, we'd love to hear it.

Oh yes. One more thing. Why is wood so heavy? I think maybe it's God's way of making you sleep sounder at night.

No Substitute For Water

We been discussing the cost of having a second hand-pumped well added to the property. Since I don't have time to try to do me own well and have no experience - and cannot afford to get it wrong, we are probably going to go ahead and have this done professionally. I cannot stress how important the water is. I do not want to have to depend on the generator, questionable fuel supplies and an electric well pump for a long-term supply of fresh drinking water.

We are not 100% certain that we will need it but if we do, it will be worth every dime we pay for it. If we never need it it will have been 'wasted money'. It's a gamble - I see TEOTWAWKI as only one of a huge range of possibilities. In the end, all disasters are local. Even if my area was the ONLY area to be impacted by disruptions, it would still be serious for us. With food, heat, shelter, and long term water, we can survive. Also, in the event of moderate to severe disruptions, such a well might go a long ways towards gaining the cooperation of our neighbors. (No, of course I wouldn't sell the water but I'd certainly ask for help in protecting and preserving the resource.)

Right or wrong, needed or not needed, we must be prepared to accept responsibility for the consequences of that decision. We do not have so much money that we can afford to waste it. We cannot say 'do it' as if the money were inconsequential - it is not for us. It is also one of the few things that we cannot take with us should we be required by circumstances to move. Last July I thought maybe just a few jugs of stored water would be sufficient, by fall I had moved up to thinking a couple of 55 gallon drums would be needed. Our 48 hour test has convinced me that 'water without electricity' is what is needed.

Ishmael

During the test, I had the opportunity to finish reading Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

It is an incredibly thought-provoking novel. I had a very strong 'deja vu' feeling the entire time I was reading it. Very relevant to the world today.

If you haven't been following the recent threads here on the book, it a fictional account of a gorilla with a lot to teach. It will challenge your everyday assumptions about why the world is the way it is. For me to say much more would spoil the book for those who have not read it. Five stars and two thumbs up.

How can we pursue science and technology without destroying ourselves and the planet? How can we control our population without waiting for nature to take its course? How can we move towards sustainable energy usage? How can we live without owning the planet? How can a civilization exist for a million years our more? How can we take what we need and leave the rest? I don't have the answers but the questions are certainly worth pursuing. I want to thank everyone here who has recommended to book. Without this forum, I might never have had the pleasure of reading it

Conclusions

Overall, our test went very well. We are middle-aged wimps without much practical experience in roughing it. It was definitely a new experience. We haven't even been camping in 8 years. But we feel that we are prepared to withstand short-duration disruptions with little real impact at this point in time. Obviously, we see the need to make some adjustments and rerun the test again. Hopefully, we will get some really bad weather to do this in to make the test a bit more realistic.

On the other hand, we don't think we can draw too many conclusions about our readiness for anything longer than 2 weeks. Yes we have stored water enough and food enough and wood enough but it's always the unknown unknowns that shred the best laid plans.

Two things emerged from this test though. First, we definitely need to give more thought to the conservation the resources that we do have. And second, we were not quite as prepared as we had led ourselves to believe. More testing is definitely in order.

Are You Are Prepared?

You may well be. Perhaps better than we were. There's one way to find out though - turn your electricity off for 48 hours. Then you'll know for sure. (All people with past experience at this are exempted of course). Go ahead. Be brave. You can always turn the lights back on if you get in a jam. Better you find out now what you are lacking than finding out the hard way - when it really counts.

"WITH GORILLA GONE,
WILL THERE BE HOPE FOR MAN?"

(Ishmael)

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 10, 1999.

Sorry folks, got bitten by cut and paste again and mad eto previous post twice as long as it needed to be. Mea culpa yet again.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 10, 1999.

Arnie

I just finished it up two days ago, a keeper. Thanks for the heads-up Hardliner.

So sorry to say, I don't think there is very much hope for either of us, the call of the Beemers, disposable diapers, and instant pudding is just too strong. Sad but true.

:'''(

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 10, 1999.

Since I'm on the subject of books, I'm now into Tom Clancy's "Rainbow Six". The plot concerns a group of terrorists who are plotting to save the environment by killing off most of the world's population via a geneticly altered Ebola virus.

Am I sick to be rooting for the bad guys?

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 10, 1999.

Mr. & Mrs. Rimmer,

Thanks so much for sharing your exeriences. It is food for thought.

As for what you said about science and power and all, a good book to read may be: Visions by Micho Kaku (I hope I spelled that right ). He's a physisists (sp???) you know, quantum theroy and all that...!

-- Sub-Mit (lurking@ofcourse.com), February 10, 1999.

Arnie: Thanks for the second and third installements. Regarding bringing wood into the house, you may want to consider getting a heavy duty cloth bag for this since it keeps the dirt and other stuff from falling on the floors while you are carrying it in. I saw a couple in the Lehman's catalog but they were kind of expensive if I remember correctly. Just a thought for the continual fight against the ubiquitous dirt. I printed the thread and will show it to Mrs. Michaels later. We may do another test soon, and a longer one .

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), February 10, 1999.

Thank you so much for writing up your test weekend. We too are planning a test weekend, but it's been in the 70's, so we'll wait until it's colder. I have to admit that this very warm winter has me as nervous as y2k; it has been way above normal all year.

About burning wood, we have burned wood for our main source of heat for about 11 years. We have an Earth stove, and yes it is messy. We installed quarry tile all around our stove area, which makes it easier to keep clean. We plan on moving into a smaller house soon that doesn't have a scrap of carpet.

I too worry about having enough drinking water. Our well is like yours and over 300' deep. We are considering having a 1000 gallon cement tank installed underground in which to catch rain water from the gutters. I grew up with just a cement lined cistern, so this should work. We, of course, will build a charcoal and sand filter for the water to run through.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), February 10, 1999.

Arnie

Point of information. Not all hardwoods are created equal. The very best in terms of BTU content is Osage Orange, then Hickory, Oak. Much further down Hardrock Maple (not obvious is it?) then way down to the softwoods like Pine. So wood usage depends on what your burning as well as the weather.

LM

-- (latemarch@usa.net), February 10, 1999.

Sub-Mit: I have read both Hyperspace and Visions by Kaku in the past couple of years. Enjoyed them both. The scientific exploration of the universe (both the very large and the very small) is one of the many things that stand to suffer even if Y2K only hurts us in the pocketbook.

Uncle Deedah: You said "Am I sick to be rooting for the bad guys?" I think it's true that the winners in any conflict write the history books and they decide who the bad guys are. For something that has already happened, history is an incredible sea of constant change.

Gilda: Your experience with wood burning is a real plus. We have a lot to learn here, I'm afraid. Since the test, we've be wondering where primitive humans got the fuel for their chain saws.:) On a more serious note, let us know how you decide to go on your remaining water issues.

LM: We have a source for pure oak but it is quite expensive ($160 cord). On the other hand, maybe we are better to go with the more expensive stuff. We don't have any friends with large woods so we sorta have to take what we can get. We decided to move as early as possible in case wood prices go up. We have purchased from a variety of sellers looking for those who offer the best deal for the money.

Is Osage Orange a true orange tree or is it just the name of a tree which might be indigenous to Iowa?

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 11, 1999.

This pump may solve your water problems - it is a deeper well pump than the regulard handpumps and will work to 170 ft. If all you needed a generator for was to pump water, this may eliminated that need.

It sits in the well alonside your submersible and is reasonably priced considering you may do without a genset and it is ready to go when needed.

http://www.coolandunusual.com/y2k/y2kstore/y5twok/waterpump.html

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), February 11, 1999.

Arnie

Osage Orange is a true tree but not an orange tree. Don't bother looking for the wood the trees are not common. I have one on my 24 acres. They may be in Iowa, not sure, I live in southern Missouri.

LM

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), February 11, 1999.

Another name for Osage Orange is "hedge" or "hedge apple". They grow these grapefruit-sized green fruit that look like brains on the outside. Around here, there are thorns on the trees, but I could swear the ones of my youth (different part of the country) didn't have any. The wood is a yellow color, and seldom grows straight. It is VERY VERY hard, and the sawdust is poisonous/irritating.

It is the wood of choice around here for fence posts, as it will not rot and seems to grow harder over time. Apparently it was frequently grown to form natural fencelines in much of the midwest. Squirrels eat the fruit, (and spread seeds) but I've never known any person willing to try one.

You must be careful burning hedge in a wood-burning stove. It burns TOO hot. A full load of hedge would melt or damage the stove. I use one good-sized chunk of hedge at night with a mix of other hardwoods.

By the way, many people waste anything less than about two inches in diameter. I keep hedge all the way down to pencil size because it makes great kindling. Once you get the hedge kindling started, everything else is a piece of cake.

For more info:

http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/forestry/g05450.htm

(It's r-e-a-l slow, so it may take a couple tries.

-- Jim Smith (JDSmtih1@hotmail.com), February 11, 1999.

Thanks again, Arnie, for your valuable input!

I have a question: What do you do to compensate for burning soft woods?

Here in the great white north, the most common wood is evergreen, with a few birch for good luck. So, we get to burn soft woods. As I understand it, the problem is creosote. Are there special cleaning agents that we'll need, and how often should we clean the chimney, and should we also clean the stove, itself (how often)?

Any hints gratefully recieved.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 11, 1999.

Laurane: Thanks for the pointer to the Stalwart pump. It looks interesting. I'll check into it.

LM & Jim: Osage Orange = Hedge apple - now I know what you're talking about - yes we've got those around here but they are not common. Don't know where I would find a source but I'll keep my eyes open. We get quite a variety of stuff around here.

Tricia: You know, way down here in balmy Iowa, we tend to think our winters are bad but then you meet someone who really knows what long cold winters are about... I suppose in the long run, if it burns and keeps you warm and you've got enough to get you through, the rest is just details. We understand that both cow pies and straw were used extensively here in the plains states at one time.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 12, 1999.

Tricia: Sorry, almost forgot. You asked "What do you do to compensate for burning soft woods?"

The dealer that sold and installed our stove recommended that we burn it very hot on a regular basis. He said that the idea behind this was to burn off thin layers off creosote befor ethey had a chance to build up to dangerous levels. Also he recommended cleaning with a chimney brush 2-3 times a season. We are not burning a large amount of softwood so you may have more of an issue than we believe we do. However, we also purchased a few of the 'chimney fire extinguishers - they look much like a common road flare - just strike to light and toss in.

We are definitely not seasoned pros when it comes to wood burning so take the information above with a grain of salt - for example, I have no idea how well these 'chimney fire extinguishers' work. Nor do I know for a fact that the advice I was given by the retailer was accurate - they seemed quite knowledgeable and helpful but I wouldn't know if I was being mislead here.

I do know that the heavy-duty fireplace gloves we bought with the unit are both expensive and essential.

Also, our stove uses double-walled chimney pipe from the unit up to the wall and triple-walled pipe all the way up the outside. The spark-arrester cap is 4 feet above the peak of the roof.

We have one of those magnetic chimney thermometers and notice that even when the stove is going full-blast, the double-walled pip near the top of the wall never gets above 300F - normally only 200F.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 12, 1999.

Thanks for the info, Arnie. Your time and efforts to inform are greatly appreciated!

We are behind time on getting wood stove; I keep hoping my husband will re-reconsider and get us out of the city. However, I know we'll have at least one stove, I want to get one that burns both coal and wood and that we can cook on. In fact, that's one of my to do list for this coming week while I'm off work.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 12, 1999.

Uncle Deedah: We bit the bullet and ordered the Honda 6500 genset today. Delivery late March to mid April. Thanks for the gentle nudge.

Followup on woodstove: I stopped back in to the business we purchased our woodstove from and they reported that they have just taken receipt of 3 semis (lorrys for you UK readers) full of stovepipe. The owner of the business said that he went through the energy shortage in the 70s and that he believes by late spring, stovepipe will not be available at any cost. They have also just taken delivery on 150 woodstoves roughly 10 times their 'normal' inventory. Rented warehouse space. Installations are now backed up for 6-7 weeks and sales increase daily. The price of the stove we purchased has gone up and so have installation costs.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 13, 1999.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Anybody wanna buy a 'nearly new' Coleman 5000 genset witha 10HP Tecumseh engine?

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 13, 1999.

Arnie,

Just echoing what so many others have already said: Thanks for posting your experiences. You have done us a great service.

Having lost our heat on the coldest night of the year (naturally) due to a broken shaft in the oil pump, I spent twelve hours feeding wood into the fireplace. It was not an experience I would want to repeat for one more night! The woodstove is on its way. Could you say more specifically how much wood you used / expected to use during your test period, and how long the test period was?

Thanks and God Bless

-- Elbow Grease (Elbow_Grease@AutoShop.com), February 14, 1999.

Arnie

That is a move you will not regret, very costly, BUT, your new toy will likely out live you! I have just calculated the hours on my oldest Honda. The conservative estimate is 7 to 8 THOUSAND HOURS of hard running. I have done nothing but regular oil and spark plug changes, and keep the air filter clean.

PS, Get the old unit running good and wait a bit. Methinks you will have your choice of buyers shortly. You will make a profit on it.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 14, 1999.

A followup on wood burning. While at the Milwaukee Y2K expo, I purchased a book on woodburning from the Countryside magazine booth. The book is also available from Amazon and is called:

The New Woodburner's Handbook by Stephen Bushway (ISBN 0-88266-788-2)

The book is low cost ($12.95) and seems to be a very good overview for folks like me (i.e. new to wood burning). You folks who have been doing this for a long time probably know most of it already but for novices, it seems to be a good starting point. Topics covered include Choosing A Heater, Chimneys and Wood Stoves, Combustion Theory: What Happens In The Firebox, Fire Safety, Stove Location and the House Heating System, Wood Fuel, etc.

The book was written in 1992 and is not Y2K-specific. It also assumes in many places that you have electricity but these references do not detract from the overall value of the book. Still, before you lay out big bucks for a wood stove, I would highly recommend reading it. It gives excellent advice on locating your stove and what to expect while operating it. I've already found a couple of things that I was doing wrong. It also gave us a couple of suggestions for improving our efficiancy - for example, we can install a metal heat shield on the masonry wall behind the stove - not so much for safety but so as to cause more of the stove's radiant heat to be reflected back into the room rather than being put to work heating the wall and the dirt behind it.

Elbow Grease: You asked about our wood usage during the 48 hour test... We burned a stack of mixed hardwood that was approximately 44 inches wide by 44 inches tall by 20 inches deep. In feet that would be:

3.67W x 3.67H x 1.67D = ~22.5 cubic feet

A standard 'cord' is a stack 4x4x8 (128 cubic feet). Our daily usage of 11.25 cubic feet per day means that 1 cord of wood will last us 11-12 days at that consumption rate. Not all of the wood was high-density hardwood (~40-50% was). Also, approx 10-15% was crap - i.e. at least partially rotted (but dry) wood. We were heating the entire basement (1040 sq feet). The residual heat kept the upstairs at a comfortable 55-60 degrees (F).

Finally, a question for anyone familiar with wood. I didn't have an opportunity to ask the person who sold it to us but in our last delivered batch there were several pieces of very heavy/dense wood - as heavy if not heavier than good oak. This stuff was very blond and it has a very peculiar grain. The grain has very small, very regular undulations. They look very similar to the undulations you see in a woman's hair if she tightly braids it while it is wet and then brushes it out once it is dry. Even so, this stuff splits very nice and straight - it is not stringy like locust is. This stuff is very dense and heavy. Anyone know what it might be?

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 15, 1999.

Arnie,

Thank you once again for your response. That does sound like a lot fo wood for two days, but my experience with wood stoves is quite limited, which is the reason for asking in the first place. I have done plenty of sawing and splitting, however. :-)

The closest thing to the wood type you described sounds like Norway Maple. It is not quite as dense as Oak, is light in color, splits straight and easily, and some examples show a wavy pattern. (The wavy pattern is the exception, in my experience, rather than the rule.)

-- Elbow Grease (Elbow_Grease@AutoShop.com), February 15, 1999.