Isle Royale Ordered

[northwinds]

Today was supposed to be the big day--again. We're off to a rough start. The
dealer's truck broke down half-way here, and the installation is up in the air again.
Waiting to hear if they can get another truck or if we need to reschedule again. This
is the third day that I've taken off for work for this stove, so I'm hoping it's the former.

We got slammed with snow yesterday--over a foot in the Madison area, so I was half-
expecting a weather-related cancellation, but not a broken down truck. It's always been
something with this project.

 

[Jags]

Chin up, my friend. The isle royal is worth the fight. It'll happen, and then you will be a happy wood burner realizing that this was just a bump in the road.

 

[northwinds]

The fat lady hasn't sung yet.

The truck is getting towed. Another truck is coming to transfer the stove over.
With any kind of luck (good luck, that is), I may still get my stove installed today.

 

[northwinds]

I've got a ceiling box installed and a hearthpad on the floor. We're making progress.

 

[gpcollen1]

I hope you are taking some pics -

 

[northwinds]

I'm not great with a camera, but I'm taking a few. I'll post them in the Pictures area after they're done.
The stove is in the room on the hearthpad. She's a beast. They've been calling her Bertha.

 

[Jags]

I'm not great with a camera, but I'm taking a few. I'll post them in the Pictures area after they're done.
The stove is in the room on the hearthpad. She's a beast. They've been calling her Bertha.

Just tell them boys it builds character. That is a hunk of cast they are playing with. If you think its a beast now, wait till you hit a stove top of about 725 deg. You will think satin is in for a visit.

 

[northwinds]

I'm not great with a camera, but I'm taking a few. I'll post them in the Pictures area after they're done.
The stove is in the room on the hearthpad. She's a beast. They've been calling her Bertha.

Just tell them boys it builds character. That is a hunk of cast they are playing with. If you think its a beast now, wait till you hit a stove top of about 725 deg. You will think satin is in for a visit.

Looking forward to that after a few break-in burns. We've got fire--a small one to start.

 

[Jags]

Thats the monster all right. Exact twin of my own (albeit many less cords of wood). She should serve you well.

 

[derbygreg]

Twin to mine too. Only difference is I unbolted the log holders in the front of the stove to make it easier to load.

 

[jtp10181]

I delivered the replacement truck, along with the previewer who you met, to the dealer for them. No way was I letting this get cancelled again! Luckily we have two extra trucks right now due to a transition from old ones. I had to dig it out of the snow, it had a drift on the hood up the top of the box on it. I was jumping on the bumper while another guy was flooring it in reverse. We finally got it loose after a lot of shoveling and smoking rubber.

Let me tell you... NEVER buy a Ford E450 diesel truck. We have had nothing but problems with these things. The one that broke down today had to have a new transmission put in last year at 55,000 miles!

 

[northwinds]

Thanks for your help, jtp.

The stove is beautiful. I'm waiting for it to cool down so I can light it up later this evening for
the second break-in fire.

 

[jtp10181]

So I take it all is done? Or do they have to come do some final touches? I did not get to talk to them about it yet. I know we have some cranky builders cause they wanted their fireplaces today, oh well, retail customers come first IMO.

 

[northwinds]

All done. There were a number of calls from other people on the list for today, but they
held firm and got 'er done. I think they were as relieved as me that it got done today.

 

[jtp10181]

Yeah me too.

We will get caught up with everyone else tomorrow and probably a little on Saturday. Damned snow.

 

[begreen]

northwinds, the stove looks really sharp. Ya know, I like it better in black than the enameled versions of the IR that I've seen so far, and I'm an enameled stove lover. Man I'm a sucker for a pretty stove and the Isle Royale is a beauty. It's hard to tell from the photo. Did they put it in with a stack damper?

Just a few break in fires and you will have some serious heat.

 

[northwinds]

northwinds, the stove looks really sharp. Ya know, I like it better in black than the enameled versions of the IR that I've seen so far, and I'm an enameled stove lover. Man I'm a sucker for a pretty stove and the Isle Royale is a beauty. It's hard to tell from the photo. Did they put it in with a stack damper?

Just a few break in fires and you will have some serious heat.

It's hard to see the damper from the photo, but if you look just to the right of the bottom of the pipe, you can make out the chrome
from the handle of the in-line damper. I'm not sure if it will be necessary to use or not yet. The first two break-in fires barely hit
200 (I'm being cautious and in no hurry). No overpowering draft at that temperature. The chimney did end up being a straight-up
shot through the 9 foot ceiling in the lower level through the walk-in closet on the main floor and through the attic to the roof (about
3 feet off the peak of the gable). I'll build a bigger fire later today after work.

 

[carpniels]

Hi Northwinds,

Nice stove. I have the same one. Main difference is mine is covered in ash and dust, to make it look authentic And I have a cast iron black evaporator on top to keep the humidity up in the house.

Derbygreg has a point; I folded my log holders down so that it is easier to load. Removing them is probably better. I will have to wait until April to do that (when it is cold).

Good luck.

Carpniels.

PS. I have learned that starting the fire from cold takes a long time. However, once the stove hits 200, it sort of takes care of itself and the temp easily shoots up to over 600. Once the 200 degree 'barrier' is broken it takes care of itself.

 

[begreen]

jags, neil, can you describe the burn time in terms of temperature for the IR? It would be good to know total burn time (say 200 degree startup stove temp to return to 200 degree temp or remaining coals stage) and the total heating time (say 400 degrees to 400 degrees).

 

[northwinds]

And as long as you guys are answering questions.... I've got my thermometer on the back right corner of the top
of the stove. Is that a good place for it or is there a better place? Thanks for all of your input and comments. I just
want to make sure I'm comparing apples to apples when I get to higher stove temps.

 

[Jags]

Northwinds, I run my stove top therm in the lower left (towards glass) corner of the griddle top.

Hey Carp, just last night I had one of my few "cold starts" of the burning season. I had 500 stove top, and 600 stack temp in 25 min. It was also one of the few times that I actually paid attention to time. I don't consider that too bad.

BG, I don't know if I can really answer your question, but I will try with what I know. On my stove:

Startup fire 0:00:00
past 200 deg 0:15:00
past 400 deg 0:25:00
past 500 deg 0:35:00
stir/reload with hardwood
damp down at 600 0:45:00
cruising at 650-450 7:45:00
drop below 400 8:15:00
drop below 200 9:45:00
Plenty of coals for a reload.

This is a "typical" burn, I am not one that packs the stove tight and then sprinkle saw dust to fill the cracks. I shove in whatever fits without a fight. I am sure if you wanted to pack and stack like some do, these times would get stretched out. This is MY real world burn times. Typical wood is white oak, hard/soft maple, elm, red oak, osage on those real cold nights and ash.

Note: typically I will allow temps to spike over 650 and I will reload before the 200 degree point. If I am home, I will probably reload (light load) before the stove gets below 400 deg because I am interested in an even heat (old farmhouse ya know).

 

[begreen]

Excellent, thanks jags. Typical times are the best. 8 hrs real heat and 9.5-10 heat to coals is very respectable.

 

[Jags]

Excellent, thanks jags. Typical times are the best. 8 hrs real heat and 9.5-10 heat to coals is very respectable.

No problem BG. And as I said, if I were the type to pack that bugger tight, I am sure I could stretch the times out. But I ain't.

As a side note: When I am lighting a cold start up fire in this beast, it goes like this:

4 pieces of 1.5 x 2" scrap wood, that I get from work (usually pine, sometimes oak, very well seasoned)
First two pieces lay down north/south, second two are east west.
3 pieces (approx 3 to 4 inch) on top of that going east west
2 pieces (approx 3 to 4 inch) on top of that going north/south again.

Small piece of starter (such as Super Cedars or the northwoods stuff) and by small I mean 1 x 2" placed UNDER the bottom north/south pieces and preferably to one side or the other.

Light 'er up. Full primary air, starting air wide open (push/pull lever on bottom, right hand side {pushed in})

Watch it go. "Big fire" happens long before the first beer is gone.

SAFETY NOTE: pay attention to your manual - DO NOT leave that starting air open too long. REALLY BIG FIRE WILL HAPPEN, and it will sound like a blast furnace. Whoo Hooo, all this stove talk makes me frisky. Must start fire!

 

[northwinds]

Thanks for that info; that's helpful.

I'm burning some good fumes off now. I'm at about 450 in the middle of a fire with the firebox
about half full.

 

[northwinds]

-10 F. expected tonight, and I've finished my break-in fires. Cruising along this afternoon at 500. Having
a few families over tonight for a woodstove party. Good wine, good food, good friends, warm fire...it doesn't
get any better than that.

Okay, I'm a happy camper now. Everyone was right. I've forgotten the bumps in the road and am now
just enjoying the toasty warmth.