2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)#2

[HighTon]

Yes, I shut the air down and once the flames in the box went out that flame went out as well.

 

[BKVP]

First,I apologize of the orientation of the photo. I suck with personal computers, even though I'm an engineer. It looks as if my door is leaking? There is a strong flame coming in from the lower right corner.

I hadn't burned for several weeks and we have a cold snap right now. In preparation for the coming storm, I cleaned my chimney and stove and checked the door via the dollar bill test. It was a little loose, so I tightened it. Did I screw something up? I'm worried about my cat now.

This is a new stove that I have been burning since October.

Find something like a leather glove (welding type) and press against the door frame, as low as you can on the metal frame. If the flame goes away the door has a slight leak that may be adjusted by either tension, or fluffing up the door gasket. If it does not go away, you may have a very slight leak in the door glass gasket.

Either way, this is an extremely small leak and your cat will be fine. Just don't get burned trying this...so be careful.

Chris

 

[Rossco]

Find something like a leather glove (welding type) and press against the door frame, as low as you can on the metal frame. If the flame goes away the door has a slight leak that may be adjusted by either tension, or fluffing up the door gasket. If it does not go away, you may have a very slight leak in the door glass gasket.

Either way, this is an extremely small leak and your cat will be fine. Just don't get burned trying this...so be careful.

Chris

What about my stuff knob ?

Just pile some grease in the gearing?

It's like twisting a witches teat.

 

[HighTon]

Thanks BKVP! I feel much better now. I have read about leaky doors destroying cats. I will watch closely and try that with the next fire. It is in cruise mode now.

 

[Ashful]

Ashford 30 burners: what is your cut length, and are you loading N/S or E/W. Manual recommends 16", and E/W, but I can't figure why.

Going out to cut a few more cords, today!

 

[tarzan]

Ashford 30 burners: what is your cut length, and are you loading N/S or E/W. Manual recommends 16", and E/W, but I can't figure why.

Going out to cut a few more cords, today!

Not an Ashford 30 burner but I'd bet money I would burn N-S if I were.

Be careful today! Should be a nice day to cut wood though.

 

[webby3650]

Ashford 30 burners: what is your cut length, and are you loading N/S or E/W. Manual recommends 16", and E/W, but I can't figure why.

Going out to cut a few more cords, today!

I do 16"-18" pieces loaded N/S. I can't tell any difference in how it burns, it's just easier to load.

 

[BKVP]

North south keeps the glass a bit cleaner allowing more air movement.

 

[Highbeam]

Ashford 30 burners: what is your cut length, and are you loading N/S or E/W. Manual recommends 16", and E/W, but I can't figure why.

Going out to cut a few more cords, today!

Read closely. I believe all of the bk manuals say to stack wood in from left to right. This does not mean e/w to me, it means load n/s starting on the left side. Imo it is ridiculous to run this or any stove e/w unless it is super shallow and you have no choice.

 

[begreen]

Ridiculous? How so? Many stoves, even big ones are designed to burn E/W. This includes the Lopi Liberty, Jotul Oslo, Hearthstone Manchester, Woodstock Progress Hybrid, and others. I've found that I can extend the burn time with hardwood in an E/W config. N/S gives me a hotter, but often quicker burning fire. I like having the option to load the fire either way.

 

[webby3650]

Ridiculous? How so? Many stoves, even big ones are designed to burn E/W. This includes the Lopi Liberty, Jotul Oslo, Hearthstone Manchester, Woodstock Progress Hybrid, and others. I've found that I can extend the burn time with hardwood in an E/W config. N/S gives me a hotter, but often quicker burning fire. I like having the option to load the fire either way.

Me too! I love square fireboxes. The Cape Cod was so frustrating because it was E/W only. Unless you cut your wood 11" long..

 

[blueguy]

I do 16"-18" pieces loaded N/S. I can't tell any difference in how it burns, it's just easier to load.

This is what I do in my Sirocco. Works A OK

 

[Ashful]

Thanks, guys. Wood all bucked at 16" - 18": https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/spring-in-the-woods.143777/

 

[Highbeam]

Ridiculous? How so? Many stoves, even big ones are designed to burn E/W. This includes the Lopi Liberty, Jotul Oslo, Hearthstone Manchester, Woodstock Progress Hybrid, and others. I've found that I can extend the burn time with hardwood in an E/W config. N/S gives me a hotter, but often quicker burning fire. I like having the option to load the fire either way.

Yep, ridiculous. Like eating a hotdog sideways or an ice cream cone from the bottom. If you had proper burn rate control then you too may have the same opinion.

Obvious benefits are that you can load the stove fully without worrying about splits rolling out of the loading door, you can load over hot coals without burning your arms, and of course the superior combustion improvement benefit of feeding air into the center of all those splits.

Stoves with side doors solve some of these issues but no bk stoves allow this.

 

[begreen]

One has what they have. Wood burning is not absolute. There are lots of variables. Wood orientation in a non-smoldering firebox is part of burn rate control. Point being is that both ways have advantages and using them is part of the art and fun of wood burning.

 

[Highbeam]

One has what they have. Wood burning is not absolute. There are lots of variables. Wood orientation in a non-smoldering firebox is part of burn rate control. Point being is that both ways have advantages and using them is part of the art and fun of wood burning.

This is the BK thread. What advantage does EW burning have in a smoldering cat stove firebox? I can tell you the disadvantages again.

 

[varmint x]

"Hey dudes...rolling through Merill, WI today found a Princess Ultra burn model (1 season) at a showwroom for $1462.50. If interested let me know.

Chris"

Thanks BKVP. I have been looking for a good deal on a princess and you provided! So now I have a question about the flu, I know it's in, well, not the best shape. But if I install a liner would it overcome the cracks? No visible light and not much smoke in house, most of which I blame on the Ashley. It is good and straight 7" square clay tile wrapped in cement blocks. The thimble is 6'3" to bottom from floor and does not a clean-out have. The chimney is 20' from 4" below the thimble( reach in and clean depth ) to the top of which only the last 2.5'-3' is exposed to air. Is the attic considered to be inside? It is about 7'-8' and easily accessible so could be wrapped with insulation if needed. I guess the first question should have been will a 6" liner tube fit in 7" square tile and does it/will it fit insulation also if needed. Is insulation needed? I think the last question is what to do about no clean-out and how the bend would work behind the thimble? I am excited to try this princess next year cause I spent two years trying to talk dad into one but he was a tightwad that bought a undersized Ashley P.o.C. 3 years ago and I have been fighting it ever since. Also will be glad to be able to burn pine and hickory instead of watching them rot or burn in big bon fires! I am kinda like Ashful and have to start cutting a whole lot shorter then I am used to!! Next year I will be able to join in this fine argument on loading styles, nah I will just do what ever I feel works the best for me or is the most convenient. Now how do I insert smiley oh that works.
Thanks guys and I hope I did not confuse anyone.

 

[webby3650]

"Hey dudes...rolling through Merill, WI today found a Princess Ultra burn model (1 season) at a showwroom for $1462.50. If interested let me know.

Chris"

Thanks BKVP. I have been looking for a good deal on a princess and you provided! So now I have a question about the flu, I know it's in, well, not the best shape. But if I install a liner would it overcome the cracks? No visible light and not much smoke in house, most of which I blame on the Ashley. It is good and straight 7" square clay tile wrapped in cement blocks. The thimble is 6'3" to bottom from floor and does not a clean-out have. The chimney is 20' from 4" below the thimble( reach in and clean depth ) to the top of which only the last 2.5'-3' is exposed to air. Is the attic considered to be inside? It is about 7'-8' and easily accessible so could be wrapped with insulation if needed. I guess the first question should have been will a 6" liner tube fit in 7" square tile and does it/will it fit insulation also if needed. Is insulation needed? I think the last question is what to do about no clean-out and how the bend would work behind the thimble? I am excited to try this princess next year cause I spent two years trying to talk dad into one but he was a tightwad that bought a undersized Ashley P.o.C. 3 years ago and I have been fighting it ever since. Also will be glad to be able to burn pine and hickory instead of watching them rot or burn in big bon fires! I am kinda like Ashful and have to start cutting a whole lot shorter then I am used to!! Next year I will be able to join in this fine argument on loading styles, nah I will just do what ever I feel works the best for me or is the most convenient. Now how do I insert smiley oh that works.
Thanks guys and I hope I did not confuse anyone.

You will need to remove the clay liners to make room for an insulated SS liner. 7" does not leave enough room to install a liner with insulation.

 

[varmint x]

If I have to do that would I not be better off just taking it out and replacing the whole flu with modern pipe? I can do the work myself but wonder about the cost/benefit of either method.

 

[Ashful]

Webby,

Why not try an uninsulated liner, before spending the effort/expense of tearing out that clay tile liner?

 

[varmint x]

With the piece of crap that I have now there is a lot of creo build up in the pipes because I am afraid to let it rip with out supervision. It seems to have two modes low, as in it takes 1.5 days to simmer 2.5 gallons of water into air in flat galvanized pan, and high, hot metal smell and glowing which I do to try and keep the creo level down with out flue fire. I am afraid that with the slow and low burn of the princess it will be as bad or worse (well then again it should burn more out of the smoke). Also wonder about the draft if it is not insulated. The draft is pretty good most of the time as is but with less heat going up will it still be as good? Has anyone snaked the flex pipe thru the thimble and connect it to the insulated stove pipe? It would seem it should make a smoother transition then the the 90' bend of the inside tee. Sorry for so many questions but this flu stuff is one of the few construction things I have not messed with other then single wall stovepipe.

 

[webby3650]

Webby,

Why not try an uninsulated liner, before spending the effort/expense of tearing out that clay tile liner?

Because the current clay flue liner is cracked, therefore it needs insulated.

 

[Highbeam]

Because the current clay flue liner is cracked, therefore it needs insulated.

I agree. The old chimney has failed and can no longer be considered a functional chimney. It is now, at best, a support for an insulated liner.

 

[Ashful]

Interesting. So, you can have a clay liner in a masonry chase, but not a steel liner inside the same chase, even if held mechanically by a clay tile liner?

 

[webby3650]

Interesting. So, you can have a clay liner in a masonry chase, but not a steel liner inside the same chase, even if held mechanically by a clay tile liner?

By code, if the clay liner is cracked or otherwise breached, it is no longer serviceable. To bring it up to code the SS liner must be insulated.