2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 2 (Everything BK)

[Woody Stover]

I've got no idea what the rest of the latching mechanism looks like, but I'm assuming that broken plastic bushing was on the pin originally.

That wouldn't be plastic, would it? Regardless, I don't think I would be fabbing something as anything more than a temporary fix.

 

[AlbergSteve]

I bet you could cut an aluminum bushing in half longways and JB weld the halves back together around that pin.

I've got no idea what the rest of the latching mechanism looks like, but I'm assuming that broken plastic bushing was on the pin originally.

It's actually a metal bushing, don't think plastic or JB would stand up that close to the body of the stove. I might try and remove the pin and replace the bushing with brass or bronze.

 

[jetsam]

It's actually a metal bushing, don't think plastic or JB would stand up that close to the body of the stove. I might try and remove the pin and replace the bushing with brass or bronze.

If you are drilling it out anyway, tap the rear hole and put the bushing on a threaded bolt. Then next time won't be a hassle.

 

[AlbergSteve]

If you are drilling it out anyway, tap the rear hole and put the bushing on a threaded bolt. Then next time won't be a hassle.

No space on the side that goes against the stove , but I could add a piece of 1/4'' plate on the outside and drill and tap for a bolt. The 1/4'' plate would provide enough meat to thread and prevent deflection of the light gauge shell when latched. I can put a 3/8'' bolt on the lathe to make a smooth 1/4'' end for the bushing to ride on, leaving about 5/16'' of thread on the bolt. Thanks Jetsam, you've given me some ideas the more I think about this.

 

[AlbergSteve]

I saw an interesting phenomenon last night before I headed off to bed. Loaded the stove, charred for 20 minutes, turned down to about 4 o'clock. about and hour later as I walked by on my way to bed in the dark I saw a bright orange reflection on the floor in front of the stove. The rest of the stove load was its typical black picture with a few dull red coals. When I looked at the cat there were full on flames dancing across the face of the cat and it was bright orange like I'd never seen before. This went on for a few minutes until I turned the stat back to 3 o'clock and they disappeared. I thought flame impingement was bad for the cat, or does that just apply to ceramic cats?

 

[bholler]

I saw an interesting phenomenon last night before I headed off to bed. Loaded the stove, charred for 20 minutes, turned down to about 4 o'clock. about and hour later as I walked by on my way to bed in the dark I saw a bright orange reflection on the floor in front of the stove. The rest of the stove load was its typical black picture with a few dull red coals. When I looked at the cat there were full on flames dancing across the face of the cat and it was bright orange like I'd never seen before. This went on for a few minutes until I turned the stat back to 3 o'clock and they disappeared. I thought flame impingement was bad for the cat, or does that just apply to ceramic cats?

That is not flame impingement it is a cat fire. And both are bad for any cat.

 

[AlbergSteve]

And what might one do to prevent such a fire from occuring?

 

[lsucet]

And what might one do to prevent such a fire from occuring?

There is nothing to do and it doesn't cause any damage. I am burning on one since the end of 15/16 season, with over two season burning 24/7. My cat still doing that at different stages of the burn cycle. Don't worry, just dial it to the heat you need and let it be. It has the shield to protect it from direct contact with the flames.

 

[bholler]

There is nothing to do and it doesn't cause any damage. I am burning on one since the end of 15/16 season, with over two season burning 24/7. My cat still doing that at different stages of the burn cycle. Don't worry, just dial it to the heat you need and let it be. It has the shield to protect it from direct contact with the flames.

How does the shield protect it from direct flames when the flames are on the cat?

 

[lsucet]

How does the shield protect it from direct flames when the flames are on the cat?

What he saw is not the same as when the flames from a high fire is hitting the cat. That is normal.

 

[bholler]

What he saw is not the same as when the flames from a high fire is hitting the cat. That is normal.

No clearly it is not the same. But it also is not normal.

 

[lsucet]

No clearly it is not the same. But it also is not normal.

Well I will respect your opinion but for me it is and never have been a cause of failure for my cats, both do the same sometimes. No cracks, crumble and they are still in a good working condition.
It has to see and is related to how the wood outgasses and some other variables I am sure, no harm.

 

[Ashful]

One member here who has been having an issue with smoke smell from his Ashford had contacted me back-channel with a question about something I said on the forum. It just so happened that I had loaded my stove right before getting his message, and as I was answering him, I started to smell smoke from the stove in my office. This never happens, so I went to investigate.

I went to bypass, opened the loading door, and found a little whisp of wood (a toothpick sized splinter) sitting on the little ledge in the casting under the door frame. This is outside the stove, about an inch below the lower door gasket, but hidden behind the decorative casting on the door. I brushed off the sill, closed the door, and the smell cleared. It reminded me that this has happened a few times, from bits of wood debris on that lip or even on the ash pan drawer lip, so I mentioned it to him.

He made the same inspection, and found that he had a few small bits of smouldering wood debris also sitting on this little lip under the door, which he cleaned off. His smoke smell went away, at least for the night. Of course, it was colder than usual, so it's too early to call success. But, it might be one more thing to ask, the next time someone is having a smoke smell, it was definitely the cause in the case of my own stove. If I hadn't been running several years without experiencing this issue, I might have been in a bit of a panic.

 

[Dieselhead]

One member here who has been having an issue with smoke smell from his Ashford had contacted me back-channel with a question about something I said on the forum. It just so happened that I had loaded my stove right before getting his message, and as I was answering him, I started to smell smoke from the stove in my office. This never happens, so I went to investigate.

I went to bypass, opened the loading door, and found a little whisp of wood (a toothpick sized splinter) sitting on the little ledge in the casting under the door frame. This is outside the stove, about an inch below the lower door gasket, but hidden behind the decorative casting on the door. I brushed off the sill, closed the door, and the smell cleared. It reminded me that this has happened a few times, from bits of wood debris on that lip or even on the ash pan drawer lip, so I mentioned it to him.

He made the same inspection, and found that he had a few small bits of smouldering wood debris also sitting on this little lip under the door, which he cleaned off. His smoke smell went away, at least for the night. Of course, it was colder than usual, so it's too early to call success. But, it might be one more thing to ask, the next time someone is having a smoke smell, it was definitely the cause in the case of my own stove. If I hadn't been running several years without experiencing this issue, I might have been in a bit of a panic.

Been there, on the little shelf under the door of my king.

 

[Highbeam]

I saw an interesting phenomenon last night before I headed off to bed. Loaded the stove, charred for 20 minutes, turned down to about 4 o'clock. about and hour later as I walked by on my way to bed in the dark I saw a bright orange reflection on the floor in front of the stove. The rest of the stove load was its typical black picture with a few dull red coals. When I looked at the cat there were full on flames dancing across the face of the cat and it was bright orange like I'd never seen before. This went on for a few minutes until I turned the stat back to 3 o'clock and they disappeared. I thought flame impingement was bad for the cat, or does that just apply to ceramic cats?

Totally normal and okay. I get that frequently too, usually when I’ve selected a higher output setting. Maybe it’s a softwood thing?

 

[jetsam]

If you dropped a toothpick on top of the stove and walked away, would you be able to smell it an hour later? Maybe the whole difference here is people with really sensitive noses.

Then again, that ledge is cooler than the stovetop, so maybe accumulated crud smolders for a long time. Never noticed it on my stove. I just measured mine_ stove is tootling along at 425 stovetop and that little ledge is at 200.

 

[maple1]

Don't have a BK, but I know with my boiler that if the wrong type of smoldering bits of stuff drop out the door when I open it & I don't see it, it can stink things up pretty bad.

 

[moresnow]

Small wisk brush and matching dust pan sit next to my stove all the time. I sweep off the ash lip after every loading. Never heard of anything smoldering there until today. Guess my natural clean freak habit has payed off.

 

[MissMac]

One member here who has been having an issue with smoke smell from his Ashford had contacted me back-channel with a question about something I said on the forum. It just so happened that I had loaded my stove right before getting his message, and as I was answering him, I started to smell smoke from the stove in my office. This never happens, so I went to investigate.

I went to bypass, opened the loading door, and found a little whisp of wood (a toothpick sized splinter) sitting on the little ledge in the casting under the door frame. This is outside the stove, about an inch below the lower door gasket, but hidden behind the decorative casting on the door. I brushed off the sill, closed the door, and the smell cleared. It reminded me that this has happened a few times, from bits of wood debris on that lip or even on the ash pan drawer lip, so I mentioned it to him.

He made the same inspection, and found that he had a few small bits of smouldering wood debris also sitting on this little lip under the door, which he cleaned off. His smoke smell went away, at least for the night. Of course, it was colder than usual, so it's too early to call success. But, it might be one more thing to ask, the next time someone is having a smoke smell, it was definitely the cause in the case of my own stove. If I hadn't been running several years without experiencing this issue, I might have been in a bit of a panic.

i've wondered/thought about this too. could be the issue/resolution for some folks.

 

[MissMac]

I saw an interesting phenomenon last night before I headed off to bed. Loaded the stove, charred for 20 minutes, turned down to about 4 o'clock. about and hour later as I walked by on my way to bed in the dark I saw a bright orange reflection on the floor in front of the stove. The rest of the stove load was its typical black picture with a few dull red coals. When I looked at the cat there were full on flames dancing across the face of the cat and it was bright orange like I'd never seen before. This went on for a few minutes until I turned the stat back to 3 o'clock and they disappeared. I thought flame impingement was bad for the cat, or does that just apply to ceramic cats?

by fluke, i've happened to look up at the cat and have seen the same thing. usually near the beginning of a load. i think it's a phase of the burn cycle where you've dialed down the stove to a point that there isn't enough off-gas in combo with oxygen within the firebox to sustain continuous flaming immediately adjacent to the wood, however the wood is still off gassing enough to create a pocket of these gases, which accumulate up by the cat and are ignited because that's where the heat is. my best guess anyway.

 

[Woody Stover]

That is not flame impingement it is a cat fire. And both are bad for any cat.

In the past, someone reported that Woodstock told them it was nothing to worry about. I see it once in a while on the Keystone, but it seems like the screen is igniting the smoke as it enters the combustor scoop, it's barely touching the front of the cat and not glowing it much brighter there. If I do see it though, I'll cut the air a little if it seem like a lot of flame.

 

[jetsam]

I don't think I've ever seen that, but it is purty.

It could happen all the time and I wouldn't know, though.

Maybe I should set up a catcam!

 

[Woody Stover]

It's not like that cat flame is continuous, it just intermittently wafts over the cat face unless you have a lot of air. Just another case where you need positive control over the air.

 

[Woody Stover]

Got a cat flame going on right now. As you can see, the front of the cat where the flame is, really isn't glowing more than the rest of the cat. Steelie is in the stove right now.

 

[Woody Stover]

The face did brighten up a bit when some flame wafted back over it, but mostly it was burning at the screen. It's out now..didn't last long.