After
Before
It seems like we wait all winter for the rain to stop, and then when it does we pack it full of fun things, as well as the work that goes along. Since moving here, we've been looking for a woodstove to supplement our heat in our house. We've scoured craigslist and want ads frequently, but very few used stoves have been in our price range (most are almost new price) and they have to be certified for a manufactured home. So, after 3 years we finally found one out in Warrenton on a Friday afternoon. After calling the owner, we made plans to run out there (1 1/2 hour drive) and take a look. We get there, and it was in a bit worse condition than explained, but still doable. The owner had taken it out of his house last fall, and then nicely left it in the rain all winter. Steel + rain = plenty of rust. So, Greg and his friend G (who we brought along to help lift the thing if we bought it) talked the guy down a bit, gave him his cash and then lugged the stove into the back of our van. What a load, as G's girlfriend was along too, making it 7 people and a 300 lb stove with pipe. We then stopped in Astoria to see the boat G was going to be going tuna fishing on, and proceeded home. After all our visiting and whatnot, we arrived rather late, but we had our stove! Greg grinded most of the rust off, polished the brass, painted it, and now all we needed was a stovepipe and such to finish. Sounds simple, but it turned out more complex than planned as not all pipe is created or priced equal. We finally ended up getting it from Jeremy at Ace Hardware in Longview, where he gave Greg lots of information, confidence and also a great deal. He's actually the guy who we talked to a couple years ago, who gave us loads of info on what to look for in a stove, and we should have just gone there in the first place. But, always searching for a better deal, we shopped around...only to come back to him. Today Greg is cutting the whole in the roof, and hopefully will have it all hooked up by evening. I can't wait for winter when we can light a fire and watch it through the glass, flickering away with that warm glow. It should be paid for in less than a year of heat savings, so that is what we're especially excited about. Well...I CAN wait for winter, but am looking forward to using the stove. Now for the chainsaw. That's the next investment.
