How to use Buck

[Rebs1027]

We just got a new Buck 81 stove insert put in. When I start the fire I have the air control on high. My question is once the fire burning hot, what do I need to do with the air control and fan? Do I need to close the air control a little? And where do I keep the fan set?

 

[Simonkenton]

You probably need to put the control down to medium, once a good fire is going.
You need to get a stove top thermometer so you can accurately see the temps that you area getting.

 

[bholler]

We just got a new Buck 81 stove insert put in. When I start the fire I have the air control on high. My question is once the fire burning hot, what do I need to do with the air control and fan? Do I need to close the air control a little? And where do I keep the fan set?

Did you read the manual?

 

[Rebs1027]

Did you read the manual?

Of course I read the manual. It doesn’t say anything about what to do once the fire is burning, it just tells you how to build a fire.

 

[bholler]

Of course I read the manual. It doesn’t say anything about what to do once the fire is burning, it just tells you how to build a fire.

Really that is pretty poor. Normally you run with the air shut down tallest half way usually more.

 

[Rebs1027]

You probably need to put the control down to medium, once a good fire is going.
You need to get a stove top thermometer so you can accurately see the temps that you area getting.

Ok just bought a thermometer! Thanks for the suggestion! The one I got measures creosote, best zone and too hot. Should I run the fan/airflow based on these readings?

 

[Rebs1027]

Really that is pretty poor. Normally you run with the air shut down tallest half way usually more.

Ok thank you, I’ve been putting it on medium once it gets up and running. I’ll close it more next time and see if that makes any difference.

 

[UAmember]

Really that is pretty poor. Normally you run with the air shut down tallest half way usually more.

bholler, forgive me if I am wrong, but I had to read your reply several times to try to make sense of it, and I'm guessing auto correct had it's way with your words. I am going to assume you meant, "Really that is pretty poor. Normally you run with the air shut down to at least half way, usually more."

Don't take this as a dig, I am only trying to make sense of this.

 

[bholler]

bholler, forgive me if I am wrong, but I had to read your reply several times to try to make sense of it, and I'm guessing auto correct had it's way with your words. I am going to assume you meant, "Really that is pretty poor. Normally you run with the air shut down to at least half way, usually more."

Don't take this as a dig, I am only trying to make sense of this.

No problem it isn't very clear. I was saying the manual was pretty poor.

And normally on a modern stove after you get it up to temp you have to shut it back at least 1/2 way in steps. But normally you will shut it back further. In some cases you can run it closed off completely.

 

[edyit]

Ok just bought a thermometer! Thanks for the suggestion! The one I got measures creosote, best zone and too hot. Should I run the fan/airflow based on these readings?

ignore the "zones" on the thermometer go by the temperatures on it, keep in mind that these thermometers aren't 100% accurate so use it as a rough guide.

 

[NoobTube]

If you want better accuracy, get an IR handheld thermometer to measure the stove top in multiple spots. I found last night my stovetop Condor was measuring around 50-60*F higher than my IR handheld was measuring in and around where the thermometer was.

 

[Mark N MO]

On page 31 of the online PDF for the 81, there's a chart that gives recommended air and fan settings for burn rates. This chart is the operating guide. For all but high burn rates, the fan is set to low. Determining what burn rate you need to achieve falls under the heading of "on the job training", you're going to have to figure out your particular needs. The air control is set pretty close for all burn rates except high. Hope this helps. Mark

 

[kennyp2339]

Reading through this I could some help,congrats on your stove.
So you already got the fire starting thing situated, on an established fire *all pieces are burning, flames in the fire box are vigorous in nature you want to cut your air supply in increments. If you take your adjustment rod and 1/4 it up, that will work best, the idea is that you want semi lazy flames in the fire box, and you want to see secondary flames coming out of the air tubes, everyone has a slightly different setup with different draft parameters so my fully closed air rod may give you the same effect at a 1/4 open.
The thermometer that you have, you need to confirm that its a stove top one and not a single wall chimney pipe one, chances are you have a chimney pipe thermometer (most prevalent) and if your running it on the stove your probably running the stove on the cooler side of the safe burn level. Once you have the proper thermometer your shooting to have the stove cruise between 550 and 650 deg, until then use the chimney as your guide, if your burning seasoned *dry wood <20% moisture content then you shouldn't be seeing any smoke coming out the chimney, only heat vapors. Your front glass should remain fairly clean, although a thin haze may develop, you should not have any thick black deposits on the glass, especially in the middle region, sometimes the corner get a little dirty, but that's not a big worry.
The idea with reburn stoves is that once the stove is rolling along, the air should be turned way down, again lazy flames with a gas like furnace flame coming out the top tubes, this is where you get the stove efficiency, the smoke is reburnt, the firewood isn't burning crazy fast and you have optimal heat transfer, keeping the air more open sends more heat up the chimney, but you have to find your happy medium, *fiddler alert! after making each adjustment, let the stove settle down, this can take 15min after each adjustment, especially when learning how to dial it in.
Tools that you should be interested in, a good pair of welding gloves with longer sleeves for hot reloads, stove top thermometer, or hand held infrared thermometer, a good ash bucket with lid, moisture meter for testing firewood splits, and a metal garden rake to rake coals forward to burn them down. Oh and grab a 12 pack when dialing in / learning your stove.

 

[Rebs1027]

ignore the "zones" on the thermometer go by the temperatures on it, keep in mind that these thermometers aren't 100% accurate so use it as a rough guide.

Ok so if the thermometer is reading to hot, do I change the

Reading through this I could some help,congrats on your stove.
So you already got the fire starting thing situated, on an established fire *all pieces are burning, flames in the fire box are vigorous in nature you want to cut your air supply in increments. If you take your adjustment rod and 1/4 it up, that will work best, the idea is that you want semi lazy flames in the fire box, and you want to see secondary flames coming out of the air tubes, everyone has a slightly different setup with different draft parameters so my fully closed air rod may give you the same effect at a 1/4 open.
The thermometer that you have, you need to confirm that its a stove top one and not a single wall chimney pipe one, chances are you have a chimney pipe thermometer (most prevalent) and if your running it on the stove your probably running the stove on the cooler side of the safe burn level. Once you have the proper thermometer your shooting to have the stove cruise between 550 and 650 deg, until then use the chimney as your guide, if your burning seasoned *dry wood <20% moisture content then you shouldn't be seeing any smoke coming out the chimney, only heat vapors. Your front glass should remain fairly clean, although a thin haze may develop, you should not have any thick black deposits on the glass, especially in the middle region, sometimes the corner get a little dirty, but that's not a big worry.
The idea with reburn stoves is that once the stove is rolling along, the air should be turned way down, again lazy flames with a gas like furnace flame coming out the top tubes, this is where you get the stove efficiency, the smoke is reburnt, the firewood isn't burning crazy fast and you have optimal heat transfer, keeping the air more open sends more heat up the chimney, but you have to find your happy medium, *fiddler alert! after making each adjustment, let the stove settle down, this can take 15min after each adjustment, especially when learning how to dial it in.
Tools that you should be interested in, a good pair of welding gloves with longer sleeves for hot reloads, stove top thermometer, or hand held infrared thermometer, a good ash bucket with lid, moisture meter for testing firewood splits, and a metal garden rake to rake coals forward to burn them down. Oh and grab a 12 pack when dialing in / learning your stove.

Thank you for your reply! I’ve only used the stove maybe 4 times and I already have a black build up on the glass , so obviously I’m doing something wrong. I did get a stove top thermometer and will probably get an infrared hand held as well. Question, do I need to open the air flow all the way every time I reload the fire to get the flames going again?

Sorry I obviously know nothing about wood burning stoves! I’m slowly starting to figure it out as I go.

 

[edyit]

i open the air all the way before i open the door to reload. leave it open till the fire gets burning good, this is where the thermometer comes in, when it gets to ~300 i'll start to close the air down in stages, from full open to 1/2 open, give it a few minutes then close it a little more, a few minutes then a little more, until you hit your low setting. for some low is all the way closed for others its 3/4's closed, play around with it and get the feel for your stove

 

[kennyp2339]

Always open the air all the way before opening the door, give it 30 sec then crack open the door and open slowly. This will insure that any smoke will go up the chimney.
I'm a little concerned that the glass is dirty with only a few burns, again its normal to have some black / brown or dark deposits in the corners, but no black / brown deposits in the middle of the glass.
Since your "new" to this I highly recommend that you pick up a moisture meter and test your wood supply, these meters can be picked up at home centers like home depot, lowes, mernards for under $35.00. You def want to make sure your using wood that's 20% moisture content or less, testing on a freshly split face.
While its been recently "chilly" it hasn't gotten cold yet so be advised that once the cold comes draft will become stronger and setting on the stove or fire behavior will become a little more aggressive so air setting may change to compensate, right now we are in what many of us call "the shoulder season"

 

[Rebs1027]

i open the air all the way before i open the door to reload. leave it open till the fire gets burning good, this is where the thermometer comes in, when it gets to ~300 i'll start to close the air down in stages, from full open to 1/2 open, give it a few minutes then close it a little more, a few minutes then a little more, until you hit your low setting. for some low is all the way closed for others its 3/4's closed, play around with it and get the feel for your stove

Thank you! I did this last night and the fire burned great, and longer with not as much wood. Thank you for your help!

 

[Rebs1027]

Always open the air all the way before opening the door, give it 30 sec then crack open the door and open slowly. This will insure that any smoke will go up the chimney.
I'm a little concerned that the glass is dirty with only a few burns, again its normal to have some black / brown or dark deposits in the corners, but no black / brown deposits in the middle of the glass.
Since your "new" to this I highly recommend that you pick up a moisture meter and test your wood supply, these meters can be picked up at home centers like home depot, lowes, mernards for under $35.00. You def want to make sure your using wood that's 20% moisture content or less, testing on a freshly split face.
While its been recently "chilly" it hasn't gotten cold yet so be advised that once the cold comes draft will become stronger and setting on the stove or fire behavior will become a little more aggressive so air setting may change to compensate, right now we are in what many of us call "the shoulder season"

Ok I’ll pick a moisture meter today. The wood ive been using has been cut for a couple years, but it is sitting outside so maybe to wet from the rain.