new thread
In response to Dusk's great picture of Bavarian snow, Yadgar brought up the issue of warm homes being something of a luxury for much of the northern hemisphere's population. I responded with a link to a website about Russian stoves. Here's a quote from that website, by Mark Twain, regarding this device. As the Great American Bard describes, a more widespread adoption of this ancient technology would certainly lead to less shivering throughout the colder climes. Enjoy...
"To the uninstructed stranger it promises nothing. It has a little bit of a door, which seems foolishly out of proportion to the rest of the edifice. Small-sized fuel it uses, and marvelously little of that. The process of firing is quick and simple. At half past seven on a cold morning the servant brings a small basketfull of slender pine sticks and puts half of these in, lights them with a match, and closes the door. They burn out in ten or twelve minutes. He then puts in the rest and locks the door. The work is done.
"All day long and until past midnight all parts of the room will be delightfully warm and comfortable...its surface is not hot; you can put your hand on it anywhere and not get burnt.
"Consider these things. One firing is enough for the day; the cost is next to nothing; the heat produced is the same all day, instead of too hot and too cold by turns.
"America could adopt this stove, but does America do it? No, she sticks placidly to her own fearful and wonderful inventions in the stove line. The American wood stove, of whatever breed, is a terror. It requires more attention than a baby. It has to be fed every little while, it has to be watched all the time; and for all reward you are roasted half your time and frozen the other half... and when your wood bill comes in you think you have been supporting a volcano.
"It is certainly strange that useful customs and devices do not spread from country to country with more facility and promptness than they do." --Mark Twain
The interesting thing about some of the old technologies is how well they worked and held-up compared to anything available today. Such a bargain for what they did! And.......they lasted forever as built-in "to fail" was not thought of to get the customer to have to keep updating or replacing. THe great US inventor Thomas Edison invented a car battery to last. Since 1933 every year with no failure to date, that same battery starts his car for the annual Edison Parade in Ft. Meyers Florida. But back to the stove. Sure wish I had one right now in my house. Perhaps there is one on Ebay? LOL
I burned wood for 17 years and cut and split most of the wood myself. The heat I got from that Sears cast iron was glorious and I saved a lot of money on heat. But I worked hard for that heat. What I would have given for a stove like that one described be Mark Twain!
Bruce
Too Cool ! (pun intended !) I want one...
Let it to Mark Twain to sum up the situation just right, HUH!?
Oddly enough, I am in the process of restoring an antique pot bellied stove......
Very interesting. Are there drawings or design specs available? Or is there someone in the US working with this design?