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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> RV Accessories -> Fireplace for boondocking
Post Info TOPIC: Fireplace for boondocking
nightsky


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Fireplace for boondocking
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Since I was gone for a few days and didn't check email I had a bunch of it built up that I've been going through. One email was from Woodstock Soapstone Company, the great folks that I bought my woodstove from. They're having their spring sale, and I noticed the Mini Franklin gas soapstone stove. That got my feeble brain turning and wondering if I could install this in the Caboose for heating and ambiance.

 

http://www.woodstove.com/mini-franklin

 

It's rated to heat 120-450 square feet, and if it's anything at all like my Fireview woodstove the soapstone will radiate heat into the room long after the gas is shut off.  No electricity needed at all with unless you get the optional remote. Very minimal clearance needed to the back and sides.

It's heavy at 65 pounds. I've also looked at marine propane heaters, not sure of the weight on them but I'm sure they're lighter without the soapstone and cast iron.

http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/propane.php

I'm not a huge fan of forced air heat having heated solely with wood for the last 35 years. I do realize I will still need a forced air furnace for heating the belly of the Caboose during colder weather, but would like to find something that I can use while boondocking (which hopefully will be most of the time) that will take the chill off, and having the visible flame would be an added bonus.

 

Thoughts?

 

Edit by moderator: Activated links.  Terry



-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Friday 8th of March 2013 08:33:23 PM

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GENECOP


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Lucky Mike wrote:

soapstone does not do well traveling ...I originally came up to New Hampshire Every year to go to the Francistown pits. and collect chunk and slab.........in fact this is the same pit that woodstock stove originated from.

soapstone has small fractures in it ,the top panels of the stove will flex and it will break sooner or later

 Mike, the only thing she might have going for her regarding cracking is the sizes of the pieces, that is one small stove?

The biggest piece looks to be about 8"x 5"



-- Edited by GENECOP on Friday 8th of March 2013 07:55:34 PM

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nightsky


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I'm well aware of the softness of soapstone, hence my concern that it may not hold up to traveling. I've scratched the top surface of my wood stove many times while cooking on it, luckily you can just sand out the scratches. I wonder about the counter tops they started selling a few years ago, since it does stain easily as well. They are really beautiful though!

So any thoughts on the marine fireplace/stoves? They're also spendy little buggers, and to my eye they're more industrial looking but lighter weight, although they need a power source for the fan.

 

I know there is at least one company making solid fuel stoves that have been installed in tiny houses and RV's but I've pretty much ruled them out due to the hassle of hauling/buying firewood these days along with the accompanying dust/dirt/ash/bugs issue involved with burning wood.

 

Maybe I should forget the stove concept altogether and go with radiant floor heating with the solar panels!  LOL



-- Edited by nightsky on Friday 8th of March 2013 08:37:41 PM

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Lucky Mike


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woodstock stove is right up the road from where I am at!!!!!.......in fact I pick up pieces of scrap stone from them for carving, nice stoves from there Caryn

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GENECOP


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Looks good, I checked it out, it's a beautiful piece and will work nicely. Not sure about the exterior vent on the outside. These types of units are direct vent meaning directly behind the stove you can exit to the outside. The CAP must be secure and not stick out to far, maybe something removable for travel maybe. Also exiting through the sidewall must be done according the the stoves specs, pipe size, clearance etc....

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nightsky


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Lucky Mike wrote:

woodstock stove is right up the road from where I am at!!!!!.......in fact I pick up pieces of scrap stone from them for carving, nice stoves from there Caryn

 I've been extremely happy with my Fireview wood stove. I first became aware of Woodstock back in the late 70's (Mother Earth News advertisement probably) and drooled over them for a LOOOOOONG time. They've never been cheap to buy! Finally broke down and bought it about 10 years ago. It's performance is so far above the usual cast iron stoves I've used over the years that I can't believe it, but at 450+ pounds and 55,000 BTU it definitely is NOT going in the Caboose!  LOL
GENECOP wrote:

Looks good, I checked it out, it's a beautiful piece and will work nicely. Not sure about the exterior vent on the outside. These types of units are direct vent meaning directly behind the stove you can exit to the outside. The CAP must be secure and not stick out to far, maybe something removable for travel maybe. Also exiting through the sidewall must be done according the the stoves specs, pipe size, clearance etc....

 When I get closer to the point of purchasing something I'll definitely call and talk to the folks there regarding the cap and venting, they were extremely helpful after I bought the wood stove and was having installation problems.  Another consideration is the ability of the cast iron and soapstone to survive bouncing down the highway. They may say it's just not feasible. And I may come to my senses and decide that having a redundant heat source is rather foolish in a 20' camper. LOL I just sorta liked the idea, since the old railroad cabooses would have had a pot-bellied wood/coal burner for heat.



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Lucky Mike


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soapstone does not do well traveling ...I originally came up to New Hampshire Every year to go to the Francistown pits. and collect chunk and slab.........in fact this is the same pit that woodstock stove originated from.

soapstone has small fractures in it ,the top panels of the stove will flex and it will break sooner or later

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 1998 ...Harney Renegade DP  class A

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My Service dog and life partner " Nikki"......Klee Kia Miniature Husky....(she Runs the ship!!)

We are not lost in the Woods.....Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!!
Lucky Mike


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heating during the day there are alot of simple options , but once it gets dark the choices narrow....I like catalytic heaters for boondocking or a tent woodstove is another option .......I have seen people with mini outside boilers that use baseboard heat there are alot of ways to save money but most create more labor to do it.




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 1998 ...Harney Renegade DP  class A

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My Service dog and life partner " Nikki"......Klee Kia Miniature Husky....(she Runs the ship!!)

We are not lost in the Woods.....Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!!
Jack Mayer


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I would seriously consider a very small cast iron/steel stove.Yes it will be heavy, but in the grand scheme of things it is not all THAT heavy. I think something like that would be perfectly suited for boondocking...and in fact every day use. Even a pellet stove would be great. But I'd look for something that could use multiple fuels. Just a thought....

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nightsky


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And a very good thought that is, Jack! I hadn't considered a pellet stove, I wonder if they make one that's "salesman sample" size. It would be easy enough to haul along a bag of pellets or corn, as opposed to firewood or coal. And there's not nearly as much ash with pellets or corn. Hmmmm.... more to Google. lol

On a positive note I actually did something with the Caboose today, I got it shuffled around in the driveway so it's out of the way and sitting pretty level. Maybe tomorrow I'll start removing things from the inside. Like the residential fridge, and the mouse nests! LOL

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PIEERE


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Caryn: I think you would want a "coal stove"; after all it is fashioned after a railroad car. LOL!!!!

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Soody


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A couple of tiny stoves to look at are the Kimberly stove and the Sardine.

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