I made $150 in minuets recycling garbage!

I am building a small cabin in the mountains. I would like to install a woodstove, but space is limited...I have looked at many options, including a Marine style "Solid-Fuel" Stove, for boats($650!!!). I have less than 200 total square feet I am heating, I do not need a large stove. As quality, astentics, and function matter, I am leaning towards the Marine Style, as it hangs on a wall, and requires less space than a four slice toaster. I used one of these on my sailboat and loved it. It was a zero clearance type, meant to be mounted flush to a wall. The down side is they have a tiny firebox that requires almost constant attention(once per hour or so). It was very warm and cozy in the boat using charcoal briquettes as fuel.

 I always try to keep an eye out for building materials to recycle, and I try to take notice of constuction projects underway. I was doing just this the other day, and as I was driving, I passed a house under remodel. There was one of those huge dumpsters in the driveway, so I had to stop and at least take a quick look.... Not being the sneaky type, I always ask if it is okay to take a peek, and usually get granted permission to do so under the condition I don't leave a mess.

As I walked passed the dumpster, I noticed a somewhat large, yet very nice woodstove. It was much too big to install in my cabin, but I decided to ask about it anyway. The constuction worker studied me with great interest for a moment, as I didn't look the part of a dumpster diver, standing there in my Sunday best, and said "If you want it, get it out of here".

Those are some of my favorite words to hear... Free... Please, take it away..... And I did.

Why on earth would I want this much too big of a woodstove? Was I so intent on having a woodstove in my small cabin in the mountains that I needed this one, my friend questioned, as we loaded the behemoth into the back of a very aged asian pickup, all of us groaning in unison...

Yes, the stove was MUCH too BIG to ever be put into my small cabin, but it did fit rather nicely on craigslist.com... Over night, for bringing this stove home and cleaning it up just a little bit, I was able to sell it for $150!!! And the new owner was VERY happy to get such a high quality, barey used woodstove for less than half of what it was really worth!

How does this tie into building my minicabin in the mountains? Easy, $150 goes a LONG WAY in 200 square feet! Enjoy life, live like you mean it!