Honestly I know it can be a problem but we rarely see it. I guess I don’t worry about it since I have a few friends that could repair it easy enough. The hardest part would be moving the stove outside and flipping it over.
2020-21 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)
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Honestly I know it can be a problem but we rarely see it. I guess I don’t worry about it since I have a few friends that could repair it easy enough. The hardest part would be moving the stove outside and flipping it over.
Anybody had to repair a door handle on a princess insert? Mine wobbles like crazy. I think a brass bushing inside is worn out. Can it be replaced or do I need a whole handle assembly? Thanks
Since the stove has a thermostat, it should automatically burn less wood to maintain stove temperature when the room is warm. Also, draft is weaker when the weather is warmer so less air is being sucked in at a given thermostat setting. All to say, somehow the stove seems to adjust for weather in a positive way.
I fear the term “melt away” is offensive so maybe there is a better term for get so hot that they permanently sag into a different shape. They don’t turn to actual molten metal!
BKVP
Minister of Fire
First, peel back the door gasket slightly where the nose block attaches to the door. You can use a ball-end allen wrench and tighten the two hex head bolts. If it is still loose, you can have a dealer order that brass nose block/handle.
I will work on this today. I have been waiting a very long time to get a Princess Insert and I am confident this 2006 model still has lots of fuel in the tank. Stay tuned...
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
For those that have coals they want to burn down decently quick, here's what I do; I have a metal 3 prong garden rake, I'll rake my coals all forward towards the loading door, sometimes I can push ash back to the backside of the fire box to, with the coals forward I can throw a couple small split on top of pine or ash (only like 2 or 3) I then close the by-pass but open the t-stat almost all they way, give it a couple hours and the rock size coals are reduced to pea gravel.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Heres some food for thought, I've been known to complain about excessive draft issues with my setup and for this season I've decided to test a plan (which goes against every fiddling part of me) So far in this burning season I've experienced a great mix of shoulder season mild temps, cool temps, rainy days, clear days. transitioned to winter, had an impressive Nor'easter with icy cold winds blasting away, heavy snow and then an arctic chill with temps this morning down to -2 deg f.
My test was simple, keep the upper stove pipe damper closed all the way except for stove loading, let the stove do the work, dont fiddle with the t-stat (unless its warmer out) and burn all loads completely down to golf ball size coals before attempting to reload.
My results have me feeling really good about this stove, especially with heating my entire house from the a non -insulated cement block basement, my upstairs house temps have ranged from 74 during the day when temps are above 32 deg f, to 68 deg f on cold windy days, or like last night when the temps dropped below zero deg f.
The loading schedule hasnt really changed, I'm doing on average 2 loadings a day, more or less 12hrs per load, which can def be stretched during warmer weather (this is nothing new, a simple t-stat adjustment is all that's needed)
My flames are absolutely awesome, just candle like wiffs with occasion secondary gas like flames, it took a while to trust the damper and let the fire do what it has to do, last year I kept fiddling thinking I was making things run easier, chasing the t-stat, opening and closing the damper, felt like I was in the engine room of a WWII battle ship lol.
My test was simple, keep the upper stove pipe damper closed all the way except for stove loading, let the stove do the work, dont fiddle with the t-stat (unless its warmer out) and burn all loads completely down to golf ball size coals before attempting to reload.
My results have me feeling really good about this stove, especially with heating my entire house from the a non -insulated cement block basement, my upstairs house temps have ranged from 74 during the day when temps are above 32 deg f, to 68 deg f on cold windy days, or like last night when the temps dropped below zero deg f.
The loading schedule hasnt really changed, I'm doing on average 2 loadings a day, more or less 12hrs per load, which can def be stretched during warmer weather (this is nothing new, a simple t-stat adjustment is all that's needed)
My flames are absolutely awesome, just candle like wiffs with occasion secondary gas like flames, it took a while to trust the damper and let the fire do what it has to do, last year I kept fiddling thinking I was making things run easier, chasing the t-stat, opening and closing the damper, felt like I was in the engine room of a WWII battle ship lol.
Nealm66
Minister of Fire
It’s definitely helpful to have the knowledge of these blaze kings on this forum for figuring out these crazy stoves. I realized I asked a dumb question yesterday about having the longer burn time on a warmer day. Although these dumb questions are the reason I ended up with one.
Nealm66
Minister of Fire
I’m also thinking that even though I have a crazy variety of wood species to choose from where I’m at, I’ll probably stick with fir just simply because so far it seems predictable. A load of oak or madrona would be like having to learn a different stove. Maybe just for curiosity I might play around on a weekend with something new but it would have to be a looong cold weekend. I might have a huge tree job over on fox island that has a bunch of madrona and maybe I’ll throw a pickup load in. I’ve burned it before and it’s similar to oak.
MissMac
Minister of Fire
yes, i know you've given some me advice about these in the past, but i'm still uncertain what you're talking about. if someone ever has a cold stove and can snap a pick, that'd be lovely
The retainer is a welded in channel designed to hold 5/8 inch rope gasket. I’m in the process of grinding out the welds, removing this and welding in a new one. I will very carefully flip the stove on its top and go at it from there.
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MissMac
Minister of Fire
i had no idea that there was a groove/channel like that under the bypass gasket. now i get it. thanks so much
Cool! Provide details like what you are using to grind out the welds and how easy it is. Were the new retainers expensive? How precise do you need to be when welding in the new ones?
Now I have a fantastic excuse to buy an angle grinder and one of those weird welding clamps. I will not however be able to convince my wife to get a welder. But I know people.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
not enough ummfff with that, you need more amps to penetrate the steel, even grinding down the steel in a v probabaly isnt enough
Do you own one? I do and this weld is certainly within the realm of its capability. These brackets are super thin and the cat chamber isn’t terribly thick either. You would be amazed at what these little flux core welders can do, check out YouTube.
That said, it would be better to turn a higher quality welder down. Gas, better control and smoother.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
maybe I got this wrong here, but Im thinking 1/2" us steel, replacing the upper portion of the stove? Maybe Im in the wrong, havent had dinner yet and hangry
Oh no, the BK is designed pretty well so nothing on this stove is overly thick. He’s tacking something about the thickness of exhaust pipe (less than 1/8”) to something about 1/4” thick.
I seriously straightened out these brackets when mine sagged out of place using a bottle jack on a 4x4 on top of the bricks.
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BKVP
Minister of Fire
The bypass is 1/2" steel. Air tubes are 1/4" dome assembly is comprise of 3/8" and 1/2" steel. There are PLENTY of thick steel components is our stoves. Please do not inadvertently mislead people about the materials.
In comparison to secondary combustion stoves, which destroy particulates thermally, ours and most cat stove do so chemically. In doing so, firebox components are not compromised when used correctly.
I'll bet his insert looks great when it's finished.
In comparison to secondary combustion stoves, which destroy particulates thermally, ours and most cat stove do so chemically. In doing so, firebox components are not compromised when used correctly.
I'll bet his insert looks great when it's finished.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
BKVP
Minister of Fire
For the better part of 25 years I've had the responsibility to correct misinformation. 6 years ago my contemporaries voted me co-chair for the solid fuel section. It's an honor and I'm appreciative. I guess I have that DNA.
Key to our industry is to go head-on to combat misinformation. Whether it's state, federal or regional air quality staff, other manufacturers etc. I've fought the battle by attending every meeting held by regulators since Sept. of 2010. Plenty of air miles!
On this site, the are hundreds, perhaps thousands of visitors that never comment. They read and often view regular contributors as experts. The words of experts should be chosen carefully.
In doing so, we all contribute to the quality of the information we share. We owe that to the readers and each other.
Key to our industry is to go head-on to combat misinformation. Whether it's state, federal or regional air quality staff, other manufacturers etc. I've fought the battle by attending every meeting held by regulators since Sept. of 2010. Plenty of air miles!
On this site, the are hundreds, perhaps thousands of visitors that never comment. They read and often view regular contributors as experts. The words of experts should be chosen carefully.
In doing so, we all contribute to the quality of the information we share. We owe that to the readers and each other.
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