Blaze King Ashford 30 owners

[rdust]

You forgot masking tape. You will need masking tape to hold on the interam gasket that comes with the combustor.

My new combustor came with the gasket already taped.

 

[Highbeam]

You forgot masking tape. You will need masking tape to hold on the interam gasket that comes with the combustor.

They come pre taped. Just pop it in the hole.

I did forget to mention that you’ll want to let the old one cool off.

 

[begreen]

If removing the combustor for annual cleaning then the gasket will need to be replaced. Order some extra replacement gasket in advance and use the masking tape to secure the new gasket.

 

[Ashful]

If removing the combustor for annual cleaning then the gasket will need to be replaced. Order some extra replacement gasket in advance and use the masking tape to secure the new gasket.

I agree, some extra cat gasket would be good to have, but let’s not forget some cat manufacturers are saying you don’t need them at all. This is wrong, per BKVP, but it does indicate to me that one could get away with this in a pinch for a few days. Of course, the EPA prevents him from endorsing this.

On the annual combustor cleaning, this has been an issue for me, but it seems I’m in a pretty small minority on this issue. I can only recall one other user experiencing something similar. It might not be a bad practice in general, and it’s a great way to clean the chamber if you clean the flue up thru the bypass, but I’d still challenge the necessity of stocking the gasket for emergencies.

When it comes to emergencies, for my stove, I think the only thing one needs is a fresh, unopened tube of high temp RTV and some gasket cement. That will help you stick back down either of the two gaskets on this stove, which will get you by just fine until you can order another and do a replacement at your convenience. A combustor can be pulled, and either set back in place without a gasket, or jammed in with a piece of rope gasket, in a pinch. Not ideal, but you’ll be warm, until the issue is addressed more fastidiously.

 

[SCOTT S.]

What kind of gasket? Door? Combustor?

Combustor gasket you can buy by the foot online. I bought like 20 feet for like 15$. Good to have on hand. With a new stove, there should be no need for a door gasket- of there is a problem it's under warranty.

What site did you order it from?

 

[Mugwamp]

How do you guys like your stoves? Any dislikes or problems? How many sq. ft are you heating? How cold does it get where you live? How many gaskets do you have to replace? I am heating 2000 sq. ft. in central Wisconsin. I am considering this stove for next year. Thanks

I have a Ashford 30... (in my house) and a Regency F3500 in my workshop. They're both excellent stoves and I have to admit that I'm hooked on catalytics. I had a Boston 1700 insert for a short while until I removed the fireplace altogether, got my money back from the dealer (partially) and got the Regency as a replacement.

Likes and Dislikes :

1. BK Ashford : no dislikes whatsoever! I dial it down in my house (open concept 1300 sqft main floor) at night just enough to let propane furnace kick in a couple times during the night to cycle it and heat the lower floor. I'm in northern Ontario and temps go down -20C (4F) to -40C(-40F) in January. Set a 1.5 and full of well seasoned birch or tamarack, it keeps on heating comfortably for 12 to 16 hours before i have to refill on a full bed of coals. At -40, i set it a bit higher and refill every 10-14 hrs. Chimney cleans are once a year and mostly just a check as the chimney is shiny clean. Hope it lasts. CAT stays on forever Love that stove.

2. F3500 : I got this stove a little earlier than the BK and thought it was the best. Runs great and heats a bit more at the lowest setting. The stove doesn't retain heat as much and radiates more (no cast iron). It heats my shop which is 24x32 with 11ft high ceilings... decent insulation - big garage door and 6 windows. I refill it 3 times; once in the morning, around 3pm and 10 pm. I could do with twice a day and would have no problems. Chimney sweeps are in the spring about 4 to 6 handfuls of flue dust to fine creosote. The chimney cap needs a little cleaning. I don't like that job because of the tin roof but I do it with safety ropes. IMHO, the stove design could be improved in a couple of areas :
- it has a secondary burn tube just beneath the catalyst and I think it would be more effective a little ways back
- more insulation (i.e. cast iron, soapstone, etc.) to keep internal temperatures higher and keep CAT engaged longer
- better airwash design ... the removable baffle on inside top window loosens easily and I have to be careful when reloading not to unhook it from the hand-tightened bolts (as per instructed not to ratchet)

I still like the F3500 but would not hesitate to swap it for an Ashford. Not sure if other BK products are as good as that model. P.S. I burn a mixture of jackpine, birch, poplar and tamarack (no maple or oak around here). The cats burn these species very long and i feel I can squeeze out a lot of heat out of "cheap" wood. They are manufactured out in the western provinces where coniferous trees are just about the only thing available ... convenient.

Last comment : Before the F3500 in my workshop, I had a Sedore 2000 stove for about 4 years and did not have success at all with that stove. It was a beast with lots of rave reviews and at first everything seemed ok but turned out very disappointing. Must have been user error as I never did get good burns and went through a lot of wood in a season.


Thanks.