Off Topic -Pellet Stoves

[5030]

Quadrafires stoves are top quality. A little pricy but you get what you pay for. That Quadrafire Mt Vernon is a beast of a stove. I have a USSC model 6220 Pellet furnace that Im currently using. It only blows in my basement. The heat just naturaly rises and keeps the upstairs 65 degrees. Its nice walking on warm floors.

You need good heat in Lakeview. We have 165 acres in Mecosta County and it snows a bunch there....

 

[knightrider955]

You need good heat in Lakeview. We have 165 acres in Mecosta County and it snows a bunch there....

Ya it does snow a bunch here, Ive been lucky so far.

 

[5030]

...and I'll be up there between the 19th and the 1st of January for anterless doe extended season on private land. I have 2 unfilled tags..

Think I'll take my Savage .338 Lapua....

 

[knightrider955]

...and I'll be up there between the 19th and the 1st of January for anterless doe extended season on private land. I have 2 unfilled tags..

Think I'll take my Savage .338 Lapua....

Thats quit a drive from Monroe county.

 

[5030]

Southeast Monroe County to be exact. 4 hours give or take, usually with a stop for lunch. I know every good beanery between here and there....

The Nugents (as in Ted's brother) are my neighbors and they put on the best deer camp around. I got to shoot the .338 Lapua that belongs to one of the Nugents at deer camp this year and I had to have one so 'santa' dropped one early at my house. I'll be taking it along..... Hope my shoulder survives....

We usually take one evening and go into BR and have a sit down dinner at a local eatery. Otherwise, it's elk chili or venison roast.

 

[knightrider955]

Southeast Monroe County to be exact. 4 hours give or take, usually with a stop for lunch. I know every good beanery between here and there....

The Nugents (as in Ted's brother) are my neighbors and they put on the best deer camp around. I got to shoot the .338 Lapua that belongs to one of the Nugents at deer camp this year and I had to have one so 'santa' dropped one early at my house. I'll be taking it along..... Hope my shoulder survives....

We usually take one evening and go into BR and have a sit down dinner at a local eatery. Otherwise, it's elk chili or venison roast.

Wow, You're pretty lucky!! You picked a good area to hunt too. Theres alot of deer around Montcalm and Mecosta county. Im stuck with my old Remington .270. Gets the job done. Before that I used a Savage Model 99.

 

[5030]

Don't know about luck, I married into the property, it's my wife's family's summer place and I'm the only hunter of the bunch.

It's unlimited hunting with any caliber up to and including (I presume, a howitzer) if you could shoulder it.......:laughing:

Nice being above M46. The DNR population map for DMU 486 shows 40+ per square mile in Mecosta County and I believe that. I never see a lone animal. Always in groups of 3 or more, sometimes over 10.

Will be doing extended anterless over the holidays. Mr. Lapua and I will be communing.

Good 'shrooms' too. I picked 2 shopping bags full last year, mostly blacks. I have lots of 'friends' down here in May.....

My good hunting friends went last weekend....yesterday they came back. Got nothing, actually could have but chance prevailed again. How about leaning your muzzleloader against a tree and putting your hands in your pockets because it's 9 degrees out, dozing for a minute, turning and looking into the snout of an 8 point a couple feet away.... That's bad lluck at it's best...or worst....

 

[knightrider955]

Don't know about luck, I married into the property, it's my wife's family's summer place and I'm the only hunter of the bunch.

It's unlimited hunting with any caliber up to and including (I presume, a howitzer) if you could shoulder it.......:laughing:

Nice being above M46. The DNR population map for DMU 486 shows 40+ per square mile in Mecosta County and I believe that. I never see a lone animal. Always in groups of 3 or more, sometimes over 10.

Will be doing extended anterless over the holidays. Mr. Lapua and I will be communing.

Good 'shrooms' too. I picked 2 shopping bags full last year, mostly blacks. I have lots of 'friends' down here in May.....

My good hunting friends went last weekend....yesterday they came back. Got nothing, actually could have but chance prevailed again. How about leaning your muzzleloader against a tree and putting your hands in your pockets because it's 9 degrees out, dozing for a minute, turning and looking into the snout of an 8 point a couple feet away.... That's bad lluck at it's best...or worst....

Im a coon hunter. Last night was a good night. Shot a few big keepers. This area has the best coon hunting in Michigan. Like you, I married into 160 acres of woods up in Harrison MI. Its the family hangout in the summer. But the deer hunting is so good around here that I dont even bother going up there during season. Shooms are always plentifull in Harrison though.

 

[5030]

I can hunt coons right of my deck down here. Actually, they come up on the deck in search of cat food. I eliminate at least a dozen every year in the haybarn. I used to live trap them and turn them loose in the state game area about 8 miles from here but anymore, I just pop em with a .223.

Got a seroius opossum problem here too. Thay are hard to eliminate but I found a trick if you will. I take a .22 pistol loaded with Agulia Hyper Velocity 22 lr's and walk right up to them. They will turn around and show their rumps. I kneel down and drill them in the rump. One shot. No blood, nothing, They just die and I toss 'em in the cornfield.

A headshot on a 'possum is nothing but messy and gawd are they ugly.....

 

[soulasphil]

You prople in France do it right.....:thumbsup:

Not quite right ! These pellet systems are still rather new here and the installers are not yet familiar with all the details. They are coming back next month to plug the hot water pump in the right circuit this time so that we get hot water immediately at the tap and don't have to wait and waste water.

 

[5030]

Not quite right ! These pellet systems are still rather new here and the installers are not yet familiar with all the details. They are coming back next month to plug the hot water pump in the right circuit this time so that we get hot water immediately at the tap and don't have to wait and waste water.

In many ways the European community is light years ahead of the United States in energy consumption because no matter what form of energy you consume over there, it costs more so there is more impetus to develop alternative energy sources and utilize them.

When I started heating my 2 story century farmhome 16 years ago with a pellet stove, people thought I was bonkers and when I upgraded to a multi-fuel (corn/pellet/grain) unit, 6 years ago, they caught on with my neighbors who were paying out the butt for propane. Now all the neighbors have multi-fuel units as well.

With a little regular maintenance and annual cleaning upon shutdown, units will last over 10 years with a payback (in this area) of around 4 years.

No more freezing at 65 and dreading the propane bill. We keep the house at a comfortable 70, no matter what the outside temperature is.

The only problem encountered is RH and we just run a portable whole house humidifier to keep the RH up and the heating 'feel' at a comfortable level.

I believe this summer I'm going to purchase a pellet milll and make my own pellets from the excess hay that's always here. At that point, my only expense will be the diesel to run the tractor pto to run the mill. My customers defray the hay cost because thats the business I'm in.

 

[BMod]

In many ways the European community is light years ahead of the United States in energy consumption because no matter what form of energy you consume over there, it costs more so there is more impetus to develop alternative energy sources and utilize them.

When I started heating my 2 story century farmhome 16 years ago with a pellet stove, people thought I was bonkers and when I upgraded to a multi-fuel (corn/pellet/grain) unit, 6 years ago, they caught on with my neighbors who were paying out the butt for propane. Now all the neighbors have multi-fuel units as well.

With a little regular maintenance and annual cleaning upon shutdown, units will last over 10 years with a payback (in this area) of around 4 years.

No more freezing at 65 and dreading the propane bill. We keep the house at a comfortable 70, no matter what the outside temperature is.

The only problem encountered is RH and we just run a portable whole house humidifier to keep the RH up and the heating 'feel' at a comfortable level.

I believe this summer I'm going to purchase a pellet milll and make my own pellets from the excess hay that's always here. At that point, my only expense will be the diesel to run the tractor pto to run the mill. My customers defray the hay cost because thats the business I'm in.

I like your idea of a pellet mill, but do some research on the net before buying one, most of the info you will find is not good, except from the people selling the mills, lol. I looked at it a few years ago, and couldn't justify the cost, and the time involved, I was better off growing my own corn, as it is "close to ready to use" right from the field. I am going to go the path of solar water heat, with building my own collectors, and storage tanks, and using my corn boiler as a supplement heat source. Keep us posted if you do the pellet mill. There is a guy on the hearth.com forum about to get a pellet mill, and he is documenting his story. Another bad thing with hay pellets is the excess of ash after burning, you have to make sure your system can handle the ash. Good luck, I don't want to change your mind at all, I just wanted to inform you of what I found.......

 

[5030]

I like your idea of a pellet mill, but do some research on the net before buying one, most of the info you will find is not good, except from the people selling the mills, lol. I looked at it a few years ago, and couldn't justify the cost, and the time involved, I was better off growing my own corn, as it is "close to ready to use" right from the field. I am going to go the path of solar water heat, with building my own collectors, and storage tanks, and using my corn boiler as a supplement heat source. Keep us posted if you do the pellet mill. There is a guy on the hearth.com forum about to get a pellet mill, and he is documenting his story. Another bad thing with hay pellets is the excess of ash after burning, you have to make sure your system can handle the ash. Good luck, I don't want to change your mind at all, I just wanted to inform you of what I found.......

I'm well informed. Actually I host a corn burners site and I'm involved with design of new technologies in the solid fuel arena.

Corn is not a viable heat source when adjusting cost per BTU versus NG or propane at this time. Corn at 12-15% RM must be below the $5.00 per bushel mark to break even against the commonly accepted fuels available. You would be money ahead selling your corn at the elevator and purchasing NG or Propane with the proceeds. Thats how it works in the present, ethanol fueled economy.

I have residual grass type hay that can be easilty converted into pellets. I've reasearched various machines so I'm very informed as to the attributes and drawbacks of each.

 

[BMod]

I'm well informed. Actually I host a corn burners site and I'm involved with design of new technologies in the solid fuel arena.

Corn is not a viable heat source when adjusting cost per BTU versus NG or propane at this time. Corn at 12-15% RM must be below the $5.00 per bushel mark to break even against the commonly accepted fuels available. You would be money ahead selling your corn at the elevator and purchasing NG or Propane with the proceeds. Thats how it works in the present, ethanol fueled economy.

I have residual grass type hay that can be easilty converted into pellets. I've reasearched various machines so I'm very informed as to the attributes and drawbacks of each.

Hey Flip,
I am only going to grow what i need to burn, more of a hobby, that is what you will find out also with a pellet mill, a labor of love, lol......

 

[soulasphil]

I believe this summer I'm going to purchase a pellet milll and make my own pellets from the excess hay that's always here. At that point, my only expense will be the diesel to run the tractor pto to run the mill. My customers defray the hay cost because thats the business I'm in.

I would love to make my own pellets from the wood of the trees uprooted by storms or getting old and dangerous that I have to burn anyway, but it doesn't seem to be easy to find the necessary implements. From what I understand you have first to reduce the wood to sawdust, then to compress the dust into pellets, requiring at least two machines.

 

[5030]

Absolutely (on just pelletizing for my own use). I have no desire to commercialize the operation. The up front cost would be too much.

I typically burn 5-6 ton per year x 3 households, my neighbors so just within a 1/2 mile, I have all I can handle. 6 ton is 4 large rounds. I typically mulch that much.

Pelletrs have stabilized (here) around 200 per ton and have stayed that way for the last 2 years.

Corn, on the other hand has risen to around 6 bucks a bushel.

 

[soulasphil]

I am a bit worried about that, but no moisture so far. The walls are thick (granite on the outside and cinderblocks on the inside), the floor is isolated from the ground and the pellets rest on wooden slopes. I keep my fingers crossed. The only incidents I've heard about concerned metal silos.

We just had a problem with the pellet feed. Quite a lot of saw dust was loosened when the pellets rubbed against the inside of the pipes , against each other or on the silo walls. When the collecting part of the screw was finally filled with loose dust, the screw stopped feeding anything to the burner and the system came to a halt. Had to empty the remaining 2 tons of pellets by hand to clean the screw and put them back in the silo. A very tiring job that took 2 persons a whole day. The good news is there was no moisture. Hope this does not happen again soon !