Woodstove for heat ?

[bogwalker]

Anybody using wood heat in their ice fishing/spear house this winter? Why?

[Jameson]

Oh yeah!!! I made the switch a couple of years ago due to being a cheap $%@#%@. Now I'm loving it. I've picked up a bunch of apple wood for free, so that smells great, and than I have a supply of free oak. Tending a fire helps pass the time when I'm not seeing anything in the spearshack. Starting the fire can be a little bit of a pain sometimes, but with practice it ain't bad. I wouldn't trust leaving my propane tank at the house, but wood is no worry for me. So, it's nice not to have to haul the tank back and forth. Just bring a 5 gallon pail of wood chunks every other trip.

[BLACKJACK]

I have a wood stove in my older 6x8 house and like it. I'm kind of a pyromaniac so I don't mind tending the fire. I also burn wood in my shed, so its not to hard to scavange a few buckets of small chunks and kindling. I also have a flat plate on top which serves as a burner for cooking supper. I use fire starters to start the fire so I can get some heat going while I drill holes.

I just like the ambiance of getting into my house, starting and tending the fire, fishing, and cooking my supper while I fish.

Downside to wood is that its hard to keep a nice even temp, sometimes it gets too hot, so I have to open windows or the door. Also, if you're sleeping in the shack, you'll need to get up during the night to restock the stove.

Another downside to the wood stove is that it takes up more room because you need to get it away from the wall and also it gets hotter so you have to stay away from it.

That being said, my new Ice castle has a forced air furnace and I will NOT be taking it out to put the wood stove in it!! But when I convert the old house to a spear house, I will be keeping the wood stove in it.

[bigtimeelectric]

yes I have a 8x20 with a 20,00btu vent free heater. Last winter I decided to add a wood stove also in the rear just for something to mess around with when the fish aren't agreeing. I run it every time I am out and it really dries up everything in the house nicely. instead of having condensation on the windows and door knob it also has cut down on the lp use quite a bit. Most my buddys thought I was crazy, but now they are the first ones shoving wood in it.... I bought mine at waubon steel.. waubon,mn $60.00

[dougger222]

I ran wood in the wheeled house first year and then dropped a G in LP equipment (Empire furnace, oven, two lights).

I'll never go back too much work...