M Ploni

To be fair . . .

Penny at Woodstock Soapstone told me today that the company guarantees its original catalytic combustion units will last six years, while replacement units will last 4-7 years.

Thank you, everyone, for your input.

But I have to say that I'm a bit surprised that the most recommended wood stoves utilize catalytic combustion (and replacing that technology is going to cost me $150 every two years or so while robbing me of my self-sufficiency).

Aren't we all supposed to be permies here?!

Therefore, can anyone recommend the most-efficient, NON-CATALYTIC COMBUSTION wood stoves on the market?

Thanks again.

Well, after studying them for the past five years, my wife says "Absolutely no!" to me building a rocket mass heater in our new Upstate New York house . . . so I need to quickly figure out what to look for in a conventional wood-burning stove.

Price is not so much an issue but the stove has to be efficient, clean-burning and appropriate to the decor of our country home.

Can anybody give me a heads-up about the best designs, manufacturers, and features?

Thanks much.

Thanks, gentlemen.

I'm in the Northeast.

Mostly, I'm concerned about mold and rotting but I've read that it's possible to add lime to the papercrete mix to prevent these.

For many years I was a keen advocate of earthships but with the advent of the rocket stove mass heater (and the outrageous cost of Biotecture's products and services), I've become more interested in other, more affordable techniques such as straw bales and now papercrete.

Is papercrete viable in the Northeast?

Why yes and why no?

Hello, all.

I've just learned a little about a building method called papercrete whereby newspaper is shredded and mixed with minimal cement, water, and ash to produce strong, ultra-light, and high R-value building blocks in a most interesting, affordable, and simple way.

If you want to understand the basics of this method, do a keyword search "papercrete" on youtube.com and watch some of the videos available there.

I have many questions about using this technique, especially about using it in a colder, wetter, and more humid climate than the American Southwest.

Would any of you also want to discuss this method of construction in a forum named Papercrete?

mark andrews wrote:God is welcome at my place, in fact He is the one who got me interested in permaculture.

Of course, he did start things off with a forest garden.

Then he made rules for his people that ensured a life tied to the land.
Torah required the land always go back to the original family every 50 years and all loans forgiven after 7.
This would have kept us from a heavily industrialized debt driven existence.

Families would have lived on their own land with moms, dad, uncles, aunts and cousins etc.

When he wants to bless His people he always mentions wine, milk and honey.

Lastly, I began to notice that all prophesies about the future suggest he will take us back to the original land based lifestyle.

It should be fun!

Ah! Good to hear, Mark! God got me interested in permaculture, too!

May He always bless you with health and abundance. All your efforts should be successful.

And Paul's too. And all of the Permies who walk humbly on God's earth.

(I hope Paul doesn't think I'm a feeble-minded nitwit.)

I ask because God is unwelcomed in many, many places in the United States today.

Can someone direct me to an explanation and graphic describing the differences between the L-tube and J-tube?

Thanks.

steve pailet wrote: . . . you will not need to be concerned about water related problems of mold.

Steve, can you explain why mold/mildew wouldn't be a problem? Thanks.

(And thanks, everyone, for all your really good information.)

Oh, right!

I'm in upstate New York (near Monticello) where it's about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) two feet (60 centimeters) down in the earth all year.