Blaze King sirocco 30?

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PapaDave

Minister of Fire
Feb 23, 2008
5,739
Northern MI - in the mitten
Just wondering if anyone has gotten a PM or has insider info on this. BKVP hinted that it might be available in Dec. or January.
Well, here we are and there's no info on their website.
I'm just getting antsy, I guess.
 
I've seen the chinook 30 firebox and, well, it's not as good as the princess firebox. It didn't have the depth for ashes and coals below the door lip. It looked better than the princess though. I support bigger cat stoves so I hope BK gives us the 30 or bigger in many more options.
 
I've seen the chinook 30 firebox and, well, it's not as good as the princess firebox. It didn't have the depth for ashes and coals below the door lip. It looked better than the princess though. I support bigger cat stoves so I hope BK gives us the 30 or bigger in many more options.
I have the chinook 30. The firebox is virtually the same size as the princess. Yes,there is more room for ashes in the princess, but I only take a scoop or two out of mine every 2 or 3 weeks. Suits me fine!
Also, a friend of mine, who has the princess, likes the chinook fb better...as it doesn't,t have the vertical steel piece on either side of the door...which apparently makes it harder to load the stove with full width pieces.
(The door opening on the chinook is very close to the width of the fb.)
 
I have the chinook 30. The firebox is virtually the same size as the princess. Yes,there is more room for ashes in the princess, but I only take a scoop or two out of mine every 2 or 3 weeks. Suits me fine!
Also, a friend of mine, who has the princess, likes the chinook fb better...as it doesn't,t have the vertical steel piece on either side of the door...which apparently makes it harder to load the stove with full width pieces.
(The door opening on the chinook is very close to the width of the fb.)

They're both quite good and nearly the same. I could see the benefit of the wider door opening for sure. I dig a bucket full every few weeks so ash and coal storage in the belly works well for me.

Here's 43 lbs of red alder in 9 splits. Decent load but not the full 60 lbs I could have gotten if I had the hardwood you eastern folks get.
 

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Here's 43 lbs of red alder in 9 splits. Decent load but not the full 60 lbs I could have gotten if I had the hardwood you eastern folks get.​
I'm all hardwood and my average medium split weighs 5lbs. So that would come out right about where your at. That was locust, maple, ash and osage I weighed.
 
I have the chinook 30. The firebox is virtually the same size as the princess. Yes,there is more room for ashes in the princess, but I only take a scoop or two out of mine every 2 or 3 weeks. Suits me fine!
Also, a friend of mine, who has the princess, likes the chinook fb better...as it doesn't,t have the vertical steel piece on either side of the door...which apparently makes it harder to load the stove with full width pieces.
(The door opening on the chinook is very close to the width of the fb.)

Those pieces are a pain in the arse, I have to work around them to get a good full load, I dont think the box is as deep in the princess insert, I have to take a couple scoops out once a week. I have two cords of nice straight red and white oak I processed myself that should fit perfectly in the box, Im starting with a load tonight, saved it for later in the winter and if we get warm days Im going to use my odds and ends and save the good oak.
 
forgot the pic

IMG_7770.JPG
 
Managed to fit in a little maple round too, I have a ton of them, good way to get rid of them is to fill in the gaps.

IMG_7771.JPG
 
You're right weatherguy, the isnert firebox is different. Just from that last picture you can see that the insert has less brick retainers and also some sort of wings in the top corners that the freestander does not have. Are those wings the "steel pieces" that make it harder to load your stove? Good job fitting those splits in there, it can be like solving a puzzle sometimes.
 
It looks like NS is the common way to load to Princess. What length can you do NS and EW? I assume NS is the way to go with a front loading stove.
 
Do you load your PH by sliding logs in the long way or do you chuck them in sideways? Same deal. It is always better to load a stove straight in which in the case of the BK is a N/S load.

I recall reading 22" E/W.
 
Do you load your PH by sliding logs in the long way or do you chuck them in sideways? Same deal. It is always better to load a stove straight in which in the case of the BK is a N/S load.

I recall reading 22" E/W.​
Well OK. I was really just asking what is the max length split for the Princess and whether that was NS or EW length because I was assuming NS was the way to go but wasn't sure if the box was square. So, you're saying it's 22" EW? What about NS?​
 
Well OK. I was really just asking what is the max length split for the Princess and whether that was NS or EW length because I was assuming NS was the way to go but wasn't sure if the box was square. So, you're saying it's 22" EW? What about NS?​

I'll hit it with a tape tonight if you want exact dimensions(have them somewhere but who knows where!) I can load a 17" split n/s with no issue. Once you have one layer down you can probably get close to a 20" split due to getting above the bricks. The stove isn't square, it's wider than deep.
 
I'll hit it with a tape tonight if you want exact dimensions(have them somewhere but who knows where!) I can load a 17" split n/s with no issue. Once you have one layer down you can probably get close to a 20" split due to getting above the bricks. The stove isn't square, it's wider than deep.

Cool, thanks. I'm planning a couple additions in a couple years and may add a stove in the basement. I'm just considering options. Since getting the PH, I've been cutting my wood to 19" +/-. It would really suck to have to cut and store two different lengths, but I could just go back to 16 to 17" since that's what I've been using in the PH so far. But then again, if I don't go with a BK I'd rather cut longer. Hmmm. This whole letting the wood dry thing sure makes you plan ahead!
 
The larger BK King model takes a slightly longer split n/s and with a low output level that not much higher than the princess it would be a great basement stove if you have the 8" flue.

At this link

http://www.blazeking.com/PDF/brochures/en/current/wood/82045_BK_King_Prin_Brch.pdf

BK identifies Princess firebox depth as 18" brick to brick with the king being 19" brick to brick. You'll also notice that as you rise up from the firebox floor you have more room with 20.5" for the princess and 21.5 for the king.

There is a lot to be said for cutting your wood to 16" nomatter what. I like being able to give, lend, or sell firewood to folks with standard 16" firewood requirements. Even though my previous stove, a hearthstone heritage, could take 21" long splits I still cut 16-18" splits. It also makes it easier to load a firebox if you have a little room to breathe.
 
I don't have a flue at all down there right now so it's a blank slate. That said, I'm thinking the princess would be plently. My plan would be to run 24 hour loads all winter with that stove (but probably not every day). The basement doesn't get that cold and obviously I would have the firepower upstairs so I think 24 hours would work fine. I hear you on having extra space in the firebox. Also, I like large diameter splits and those suckers get pretty heavy at 20+ inches. If I could stick with 19" or even 18", I'd be happy. I'd be losing some heat potential with the PH but probably wouldn't need it if I was running another stove in the basement most of the time. It's hard to know though since I'll be adding 500 square-feet on the main level and 230 in the basement. I haven't shown the wife the Princess yet either which could be interesting.
 
You're right weatherguy, the isnert firebox is different. Just from that last picture you can see that the insert has less brick retainers and also some sort of wings in the top corners that the freestander does not have. Are those wings the "steel pieces" that make it harder to load your stove? Good job fitting those splits in there, it can be like solving a puzzle sometimes.
Those wings get in the way and the clips on the bricks right in the front, that load last night was still going strong 12 hours later when I had to leave for an appt, I loaded with 5 medium splits this afternoon to take me to tonights load.

The box in the insert is 18" X 18" square, same N/S as E/W but I always load N/S with a split or two E/W behind the coals.
 
Thought I'd start a new one instead of getting caught in that one.
Guess I've been assimilated.;lol

A lot of BK threads tend to spiral, it was the reason I made the catch all thread. We highjacked your thread for not posting your questions in it. ;) ;lol
 
Meant to ask, does anyone know what size box the 30's supposed to have?
 
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