2021/22 VC Owner thread

[arnermd]

Yeah, it can be tempting to close the damper early if the load really takes off. I usually set myself a timer for 8 minutes and if the flue temp starts to redline before the timer is up I will close the damper but then re open it once the flue temp drops. I find the extra time with the bypass open helps the load catch and avoid overfiring the cat.

Sounds like a good approach.... will try that next time.

Also.. you mentioned opening the griddle with the bypass closed..? I wouldn't do that

When I reloaded, the damper was open (secondary bypassed). My point was that with that much air coming in some goes out through the secondary. Most goes out the bypass damper of course. I have lifted the griddle with the cat engaged before..... definitely has an effect!

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Hot reloads can be tricky. I usually don’t have much of an issue with closing the damper right away. I think I leave the primary alone though. Or I will open it some if the GT temps are below 400.
And as stated above. Don’t open any doors or griddle with the damper closed. Open damper and give everything a minute to start flowing through the damper again.

 

[arnermd]

Update on my secondary blocking plate.....

• Neodymium magnets will not last..... too hot, they demag. Good to about 100C (212F)
• Bought some ceramic magnets, good for 300C (572C)
  • Amazon, $1.93 ea : MAG-MATE 500X1X2C8 Grade 8 Ceramic Rectangular Bar Magnet, 1 x 2 x 1/2" / 7 lb
• Bent up a sheet metal plate out of 6061 Al
  • 2" x 8"
• Lined one side with ceramic sheet insulation 1/16" thick. May not be required, I figured it would keep things cooler and help seal.
• 2 days in and so far so good, magnets have not lost any strength.

 

[Diabel]

Sticky aluminum foil works fine

 

[Rusty18]

So you can get you cat going with a minimum amount of wood by using this technique. get your fire going as normal.. get the stove to about 450/ 500 move what you have going all the way back to the access cover, add some wood, close the damper. A small amount of wood up against the access cover where the down draft starts will kick off the cat with out having to load up the stove.. once the cat lights off and going you can add wood and turn the air down.. I do this sometimes in shoulder season when i need heat but don't need a lot of heat. The other thing is change the wood your burning. Look at like this. A cord of oak will have 25 million BTUs while the same size cord of poplar will have like 12 million BTUs.. thats a 13 million BTU difference for the same volume of wood. less btu less heat but you can still kick you cat off while burning it. Many people here switch the wood or style of burning to what the conditions are outside. Normally late fall im burning small and medium size wood, the past few weeks Im burning stuff thats 4x5 or 5x5 inches with the box full in the morning all day long. You need to switch up what you doing sometimes.. If your stove is set up correctly.. it will produce a lot less then 33k btus

Finally got some time to bust up some of my bigger stuff. So far so good using your technique.
I also peeled the foil back a little on the secondary, should help it light sooner run a tad hotter with a small load in the box.
On a side note three year old pine splits don’t stand a chance against an x27!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Finally got some time to bust up some of my bigger stuff. So far so good using your technique.
I also peeled the foil back a little on the secondary, should help it light sooner run a tad hotter with a small load in the box.
On a side note three year old pine splits don’t stand a chance against an x27!

Were here to help each other. Having the stove for a number of years you learn a thing or two. There are times that I want to run the stove because its cool out but dont want a lot of heat.. I do things a little different, try something different, Glad its working out for you

 

[Rusty18]

Settling in at 350-400 stove top with the cat peaking about 1000 and slowly dropping off. Opening the secondary back up has helped cat with running the stove this low I think, 700F and there isn’t anything visible coming out the stack.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Settling in at 350-400 stove top with the cat peaking about 1000 and slowly dropping off. Opening the secondary back up has helped cat with running the stove this low I think, 700F and there isn’t anything visible coming out the stack.

yes.. this would be a good set up..

 

[arnermd]

Sticky aluminum foil works fine

I thought about using some AL tape but I thought eventually the sticky would burn off. You have had success with it?

I measured metal temps in the area and was reading 400-550F, I would think any adhesive would burn off. But I have been wrong before.

 

[Diabel]

I thought about using some AL tape but I thought eventually the sticky would burn off. You have had success with it?

I measured metal temps in the area and was reading 400-550F, I would think any adhesive would burn off. But I have been wrong before.

Seems fine. Applied mine 4 years ago and it is still there, attached. I am sure there are different grades of tape.

 

[Rusty18]

Finally got around to setting up an old four wheeler tire on a stump. Works amazing for reducing the size of the splits. It’s just like whack a mole but with splits and an axe!

Also I put the aluminum tape on mine 2 years ago and it was still stuck when I peeled it off yesterday. But I only burn about 1 cord a year as supplemental heat.

 

[Rusty18]

Also...my wife made the joke yesterday that I live in a house with three women. Her, our daughter, and the encore...what do you all think she meant by that?

 

[gthomas785]

I thought about using some AL tape but I thought eventually the sticky would burn off. You have had success with it?

I measured metal temps in the area and was reading 400-550F, I would think any adhesive would burn off. But I have been wrong before.

I tried foil tape on mine and it peeled off.

 

[arnermd]

Also...my wife made the joke yesterday that I live in a house with three women. Her, our daughter, and the encore...what do you all think she meant by that?

I think I know what she meant..... I won't type it as it is not suitable for a public forum. I think the word fickle might sum it up....

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Settling in at 350-400 stove top with the cat peaking about 1000 and slowly dropping off. Opening the secondary back up has helped cat with running the stove this low I think, 700F and there isn’t anything visible coming out the stack.

How far into the burn are you?

 

[Rusty18]

How far into the burn are you?

Depended on how low I let it go before reloading. With a 2” pile of coals I shoved them all to the back threw an 1” split on top and and a few more 1-2” splits in front next to the coals. With that set up I’d burn it about 10 mins then close the damper and leave air full open until cat temp topped out then close it down all the way. Averaged 1-2 hrs before needing a reload, 1 hr I’d still have plenty of coals, 2 hrs I’d need to do a short burn to get stove back up to temp then do a reload.
Disclaimer-burning 3 year old pine that was busted down to small splits and set in a metal bucket by the stove. Lights almost instantly.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Depended on how low I let it go before reloading. With a 2” pile of coals I shoved them all to the back threw an 1” split on top and and a few more 1-2” splits in front next to the coals. With that set up I’d burn it about 10 mins then close the damper and leave air full open until cat temp topped out then close it down all the way. Averaged 1-2 hrs before needing a reload, 1 hr I’d still have plenty of coals, 2 hrs I’d need to do a short burn to get stove back up to temp then do a reload.
Disclaimer-burning 3 year old pine that was busted down to small splits and set in a metal bucket by the stove. Lights almost instantly.

sounds like its working out for you.. good for you..

 

[bert670]

Finally had my Dauntless delivered. Had it ordered in August, but it looks like it was worth the wait. Initial impressions is that it’s a beautiful stove, and appears in to be very well made (we’ll see about the refractory). Flue system is approx 15’ straight vertical. I did a small break in fire that brought the stove temp to about 225. Fire started with a great draft (40 degree outside temp). burned maybe 8 pieces of kindling and after about 10-15 min of having the door open, I was able to close it and the fire proceeded to burn for about another 40 min without any issues. We’ll see how this stove works out. I’ll update with the good and the bad in the upcoming weeks.



Edit- the picture with my son was when I first closed the door, and it’s the closest he’ll ever get to the stove, already have a saftey gate installed. But I had to let him enjoy it, he’ll be running it for me in a few years while I’m at work, gotta learn them early.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Kids are pretty good with stoves. I feel they understand the danger of it. We had a gate around the stove when my kids were real little. They are now 3 and 5. I’m pretty sure we did not use the gate last year or this year at all.

 

[gthomas785]

I think I burned myself on the stove one time when I was like 3 or 4. Had great respect for it after that.
Didn't stop me from helping / being interested etc. My parents never had any gates or anything around it.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Im 54 and still burn myself of the stove once a year.. so far this year I've had good luck and haven't done it.. I think im starting to mature..

 

[clancey]

That stove is very pretty with a wide front--nice...I hate to say this but I am one of those people that if I had small kids I would put a gate around the stove for a little while just to see how the situation folds out..I am a worry wort anyway...old clancey

 

[Diabel]

Finally had my Dauntless delivered. Had it ordered in August, but it looks like it was worth the wait. Initial impressions is that it’s a beautiful stove, and appears in to be very well made (we’ll see about the refractory). Flue system is approx 15’ straight vertical. I did a small break in fire that brought the stove temp to about 225. Fire started with a great draft (40 degree outside temp). burned maybe 8 pieces of kindling and after about 10-15 min of having the door open, I was able to close it and the fire proceeded to burn for about another 40 min without any issues. We’ll see how this stove works out. I’ll update with the good and the bad in the upcoming weeks.

View attachment 291827 View attachment 291828 View attachment 291829 View attachment 291830

Edit- the picture with my son was when I first closed the door, and it’s the closest he’ll ever get to the stove, already have a saftey gate installed. But I had to let him enjoy it, he’ll be running it for me in a few years while I’m at work, gotta learn them early.

Where is the damper lever on that stove? Is it just the photo?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Im 54 and still burn myself of the stove once a year.. so far this year I've had good luck and haven't done it.. I think im starting to mature..

I’m reminded how dumb I am every time I think I can reload the stove with no gloves. I either burn my hand against an internal stove part or my arm on the lip of the griddle opening.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I think I burned myself on the stove one time when I was like 3 or 4. Had great respect for it after that.
Didn't stop me from helping / being interested etc. My parents never had any gates or anything around it.

My three year old is always trying to help on cold starts or if I find a golf ball coal in the stove to revive back into a fire. If I can avoid striking a match I will.