I see Pete, you have help [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]! I Don't have a good supply of wood on my property, a splitter, anyone at home to watch the fire during the day OR a wife that will help. I use my wood stove for atmosphere on cold nights, and heat should the power go off. The last time I bought a ten wheeler load of slab wood, it sat in the driveway half the winter before it was hand wheeled through the garage and stacked in the attached woodshed. After working long days in the winter, it was hard to motivate myself to stack wet wood in the dark when I should have been in the shower and to bed. I picked at it, and when my youngest son came home on leave he fininshed the job. When I retire, wood heat will definately become a viable option for me though.