Hearthstone Clydesdale or BK Princess?

[tarzan]

you are a perfect candidate for natural gas heat - providing you can afford it. Welcome to 2017.

Considering I would have to run the line about 7 miles I guess I really couldn't afford it.

Truth is, I wouldn't be much better or worse off either way financially but as I stated, I like to heat with wood. I don't "hate" reloading my stove no more than I hate putting gas in my car but I don't get any particular enjoyment out neither.

 

[Highbeam]

OK, so you save those 5 minutes that I spend loading my stove each morning while enjoying a second cup of coffee. Actually, I find it very comforting each morning sitting in front of the stove and soaking up that radiant heat pouring out of the large crystal clear window. Pure heaven I say. Enjoy the beach my friend. Actually I really think the beach is the closest place to heaven on earth.

It takes me longer than 5 minutes to reload. The BK wants you to char the load for awhile before turning the thermostat down in a couple of steps to the low setting. I set aside at least 15 minutes from the point I decide to reload to walking away. More like an hour from a cold start. That might be another BK drawback.

I spend more time skiing then I do at the beach really, so perhaps I'll enjoy the mountain for you tomorrow.

 

[webby3650]

Yeah, this whole 'burn time' definition is a slippery slope. Anyway, lets get this thread back on course.

I have about 4" of ash on the bottom so this was just a partial load. 24 hours upto this point, set on medium over night, medium low all day.

 

[webby3650]

Ah, the real truth of the matter. Yes, 12 hours of constant output would be great for most folks IF that output level sustained house temperatures on the worst case cold day. See, if your stove output level could not maintain house temperatures for 12 hours then on those cold days when you're at work your house temperature would drop. Coming home to a cold house after a shift at work is not necessary, but most folks don't know any better. Very few stoves can actually maintain any reasonably constant output for 12 hours.

The BK can also do 12 hours of constant low output and be partially loaded or topped off twice as often if that's your personal preference.

You just brought back all those old memories of coming home to a cold house and then spending all evening trying to get the whole house back up to temperature. I don't miss that! That's never happened since we've been burning a BK!

 

[velvetfoot]

Is that Princess easy to sweep? Do you remove the cat first?

 

[webby3650]

Is that Princess easy to sweep? Do you remove the cat first?

No, never. It can be swept from above or below. Then just slip the pipe up to sweep the debris inside and around the flue collar.

 

[velvetfoot]

Easy is good.

 

[webby3650]

OK, so you save those 5 minutes that I spend loading my stove each morning while enjoying a second cup of coffee. Actually, I find it very comforting each morning sitting in front of the stove and soaking up that radiant heat pouring out of the large crystal clear window. Pure heaven I say. Enjoy the beach my friend. Actually I really think the beach is the closest place to heaven on earth.

I simply turn my thermostat to high while I make coffee. We enjoy the fire while we have coffee, I return the thermostat to a low setting and walk out the door. Flame show from the same wood that was put in the evening before!

 

[tarzan]

You just brought back all those old memories of coming home to a cold house and then spending all evening trying to get the whole house back up to temperature. I don't miss that! That's never happened since we've been burning a BK!

Tell me about it! I won't say anything bad about the tube stove we ran here for a few years because it did its job and kept us warm but I sure don't miss it!

 

[Highbeam]

I have about 4" of ash on the bottom so this was just a partial load. 24 hours upto this point, set on medium over night, medium low all day.

What's up with the picture of the cat meter? I thought this was a princess free stander but the cat meter looks to be down in a cutout like the other models. My cat meter sits on the open stove top.

 

[Highbeam]

Is that Princess easy to sweep? Do you remove the cat first?

I just swept my chimney earlier this week and posted a bunch of pictures in a new thread. Took me about an hour after work including deep cleaning and lubing some internal parts. The cat is never removed unless you want to replace it.

 

[webby3650]

What's up with the picture of the cat meter? I thought this was a princess free stander but the cat meter looks to be down in a cutout like the other models. My cat meter sits on the open stove top.

Princess, no convection deck. Different meter than you've got, mine has the dish around it like the sirocco/Ashford

 

[webby3650]

That pic is through the glass. Not all BK's have funky glass!

 

[Glen007]

So I went to a showroom today and I was a little disappointed in the look of the Clyde (looks much more old fashion in person). I really like the looks of the flush mounted inserts. They had a Napoleon Oakdale that looked nice but I think too small overall. When I was doing some research today on large, efficient, flush-mount inserts with large viewing area, the Xtrordinair Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre seemed like a decent option. There was only one review posted in the reviews section of this site that was somewhat favorable but was wondering if anyone has had experience with these. There are three dealers that carry Xtrordinair near me so I'm going to go check them out this weekend.

 

[Woody Stover]

I have been warned not to promote the product...

Not really; That's just an invitation to slip 'em some cash!

OK, so you save those 5 minutes

Don't worry, he'll catch up in time spent when he has to deal with the ashes, and dust the house afterward. He repeats often that the slow, low-output burn is "very important." It is to him, but not as much to 98% of burners out there who have backup heat, other family members that can run the stove, or a fairly tight house that takes a while to cool off.

Xtrordinair Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre seemed like a decent option. There was only one review posted in the reviews section of this site that was somewhat favorable but was wondering if anyone has had experience with these.

Go to the top of the page, hover on "forums" and hit "search forums" in the drop-down. I remember several threads on either those, or the other fireplace X Elites, etc. Should be some good info there.

 

[Jimmy The Pepper]

I have about 4"

OK then, I guess that's good.

 

[webby3650]

OK then, I guess that's good.

Did I miss something?

 

[Woody Stover]

Did I miss something?

I'm thinking 'no.'

 

[webby3650]

I'm thinking 'no.'

Are the 5th graders still up? I figured they'd be in bed by now!

 

[begreen]

The kids have left the room.

 

[Glen007]

Ended up ordering a Vermont Castings Merrimack for those that may be curious. Nice big 3+cu.ft. firebox, huge viewing area (350 sq.in), and will be more than adequate for heating the area intended. Can't wait to get it installed and up and running.

 

[webby3650]

Hope it works out for you.

 

[gregbesia]

Good for you. Don't forget the pictures when its installed.

 

[jpl1nh]

I love the Clydsdale. In my old house, I had a Woodstock Keystone which was an awesome little stove. It pretty much heated my whole small little (1500 sq ft) cottage in the woods. Woodstock products are truly great stoves, I loved everything about it and switching to ANY other stove seemed likely to be a step down. My wife and I bought a much larger home and at first I was going to put another Woodstock stove in. But clearances, hearth, placement all got to be a real issue. We had a fireplace with a broken gas unit in it and it became apparent that an insert in that was probably the best solution. Many inserts I looked at wouldn't fit due to the somewhat shallow nature of the fireplace but the Clydesdale fit great. I have never regretted it. It cranks heat, is a wood burning machine, easy, truly beautiful fire displays and holds coals for as long as 30 hours. As others have said in this thread, it depends on what you're looking for but if the Clydesdale meets your needs, you will not be disappointed.

 

[Woody Stover]

I love the Clydsdale

You'll have to update your sig, I guess. Still got the Keystone?
"Live, freeze or die" indeed!