2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)
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BKVP
Minister of Fire
Mr. Jones
Feeling the Heat
Hey guys, not trying to butt in here, but I wasn't sure where to post a price check, and figured everything bk was the place to do it. Anyways, got to check out a few models for the first time in person at a place called ranch n home. They were asking 2,800 for what looked like a bare bones princess insert. "Didn't see any gold trim". I live about an hour away from where they make these things in walla walla, so I was thinking maybe the price would be a tiny bit less without the shipping of a 500 pound monster across country. I could be wrong though. Too bad I can't just buy directly from the dealer.
The only way I could get it cheaper would be to find a dealer in oregon which is close here so I could skip on the taxes. I'll search around here for current prices everywhere.
The only way I could get it cheaper would be to find a dealer in oregon which is close here so I could skip on the taxes. I'll search around here for current prices everywhere.
Parallax
Minister of Fire
Sounds expensive to me. I think I paid less than that for my Ashford 30 in enamel finish with fan kit (if I'm remembering right). Can't find the breakdown. I paid a total of $4,945 plus sales tax of 430.22 for a total of $5,375.22. That included the stove, blower, double wall pipe from the stove to my 9 foot ceiling, and enough chimney to get the required height (22 foot total, inside and out), plus a very expert installation. It also included the OAK as part of the installation. The stove pipe is metalbestos.
Looks like they're now going to try to add another section to increase my draft. I don't know if they'll want to charge me extra. The proposal wasn't specific other than promising a good result so I could squalk if they try. But they're good guys; I'm sure we'll work out something that's seems fair to all concerned.
Looks like they're now going to try to add another section to increase my draft. I don't know if they'll want to charge me extra. The proposal wasn't specific other than promising a good result so I could squalk if they try. But they're good guys; I'm sure we'll work out something that's seems fair to all concerned.
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I don't think so.
$2,800 sounds right on if that included the panels and blower.
Parallax
Minister of Fire
Forget what I said above. I defer to Webby. He knows a million times what I know about the stoves and their cost.
Thought IDE seen you post about burning Tamarack. Ah well maybe it was someone else.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
For the last 3 years only North Idaho Energy Logs.
I travel 100 a year with Delta so my wife likes the NIELS.
HAPPY WIFE...HAPPY LIFE!
I travel 100 a year with Delta so my wife likes the NIELS.
HAPPY WIFE...HAPPY LIFE!
Mr. Jones
Feeling the Heat
quote="webby3650, post: 1801008, member: 6398"]I don't think so.
$2,800 sounds right on if that included the panels and blower.[/quote]
U
Pretty sure it was surround and blower included. They also had 2 non insert princesses, and one sirrocco. I think the sirrocco was actually more at 3,100, or that could have been one of the free standing princess models. Can't remember. It was nice being able to see them in person, instead of just online, and getting to check out how the cat engages "pulled the lever with my head in the stove", and to see the box sizes of blaze king, and 3 other makers. I was kind of suprised at how small the boxes are now days, coming from the 82 blaze king king monster wood eater.
$2,800 sounds right on if that included the panels and blower.[/quote]
U
Pretty sure it was surround and blower included. They also had 2 non insert princesses, and one sirrocco. I think the sirrocco was actually more at 3,100, or that could have been one of the free standing princess models. Can't remember. It was nice being able to see them in person, instead of just online, and getting to check out how the cat engages "pulled the lever with my head in the stove", and to see the box sizes of blaze king, and 3 other makers. I was kind of suprised at how small the boxes are now days, coming from the 82 blaze king king monster wood eater.
Parallax
Minister of Fire
I've run out of my 15% wood. The stuff in my woodshed, with a fresh split, shows a moisture content of 24.5%. Is that too green to burn in the Ashford? If not, should I run it hotter to prevent creosote buildup? Or do I need to go out and buy duralogs or something of that nature?
Yeah you gonna need to be selective. Are you sure you have no sub 20% wood to get the fire hot?
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
All you've got is 25% water wood? The burn season has just begun. With a cat stove, I'd be considering those Neil's mentioned above. Non cats have lots of drawbacks but one benefit is the ability to burn less desirable firewood.
Parallax
Minister of Fire
Would have to split and measure every piece to find its moisture content. How low does it need to be?
Under 20% is good.
I do that, when I get wood from the pile I will split the larger pieces and check em out. 14-18% on the last three bags worth.
Poindexter
Minister of Fire
FWIW I paid about 4200 for my Ashford 30 with the fan kit and another 150 for the delivery guys to bring it upstairs. Shipping to Alaska is crazy expensive, butter (also shipped up from the lower 48) was up to $6/ pound a couple years ago.
I haven't tried wood with MC over 16% in my Ashford 30 yet. 16% is OK but the 13% MC as called for in the manual is "better". I don't have hard data like x number of BTUs for y amount of hours and so on, but imagine a 1969 whatever muscle car that needs the carb cleaned out and new points and plugs and wires. Getting from 16 to 13% MC is the same as before and after. Might only be worth a couple tenths in the quarter mile, but it just runs noticeably better.
I will try some 20% MC in my Ashford when I find some.
ASA 200 was/is a setting my digital SLR. Its actually ISO200, but this in one place where the metric people just went with the existing imperial standard. I learned to shoot on slide film and I really really miss shooting Fuji Provia at ASA 100, but I am not going back to analogue. I would need a much more expensive DSLR to get a ISO100 setting.
I haven't tried wood with MC over 16% in my Ashford 30 yet. 16% is OK but the 13% MC as called for in the manual is "better". I don't have hard data like x number of BTUs for y amount of hours and so on, but imagine a 1969 whatever muscle car that needs the carb cleaned out and new points and plugs and wires. Getting from 16 to 13% MC is the same as before and after. Might only be worth a couple tenths in the quarter mile, but it just runs noticeably better.
I will try some 20% MC in my Ashford when I find some.
ASA 200 was/is a setting my digital SLR. Its actually ISO200, but this in one place where the metric people just went with the existing imperial standard. I learned to shoot on slide film and I really really miss shooting Fuji Provia at ASA 100, but I am not going back to analogue. I would need a much more expensive DSLR to get a ISO100 setting.
Mines just lit off like a supernova.
Anything under 20% will burn great. I haven't seen any moisture bubbles from any of the 20% stuff. It might slow the first hour down but she gets a handle on it and its 'Good night Irene
I do know that 20% wood will run away and burn the house down. First season I burnt some 'Not so dry' Really really dead for a decade Fir and it wouldn't even light off. '
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
I don't know what kind of draft you guys have but once a load starts catching, if my stoves spend any appreciable amount of time at WOT, the box will be filled with flame and the stove top will be glowing orange in short order. An hour and a half?? 
There would be a puddle of molten steel in my basement by then. Maybe your wood's not all that dry... 
There would be a puddle of molten steel in my basement by then. Maybe your wood's not all that dry...
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I don't know what kind of draft you guys have but once a load starts catching, if my stoves spend any appreciable amount of time at WOT, the tee will be glowing orange in short order and the stove top won't be too far behind. An hour and a half?? You're kidding, right?!!
I spent 1 hour on 3 with a little less than a half load and all was well. I think my draft is good to. Stove has spent most of the shoulder season with the line on the thermo knob pointing at the widest portion of the arrow head just below 1.
Just my experience with a tube stove but I spent a season with a good mix of 18% to 24% wet wood and loved it.
But with the design of the BK and a wife with a sensative nose I couldn't imagine you could ever pull off burning any of that wood this season.
In reply to Parallax post above.
But with the design of the BK and a wife with a sensative nose I couldn't imagine you could ever pull off burning any of that wood this season.
In reply to Parallax post above.
My Ashford and my King both handled sub-par wood better than the non-cats I've had. I just leave the bypass open a little longer than normal. I've burned some 24% stuff here and there and it did fine. Just adjust your burning practices a little, and supplement with the drier wood.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
I later remembered that the BK WOT was done with the bypass closed. Still, on the Dw the baffle would be glowing orange, on the Keystone the cat scoop would, even on half a load. Both stove tops would over-fire soon after. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a wood-saving, clean-burning cat stove if you are gonna waste a load smoke-bombing the 'hood once a week with a big, stinky creo fire.
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I later remembered that the BK WOT was done with the bypass closed. Still, on the Dw the baffle would be glowing orange, on the Keystone the cat scoop would, even on half a load. Both stove tops would over-fire soon after. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a wood-saving, clean-burning cat stove if you are gonna waste a load smoke-bombing the 'hood once a week with a big, stinky creo fire.
Ahh, your just jelous cause you can't and we can
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Oh, I could bomb the 'hood with creo stench if I chose to; Plenty of it in my cat stoves, too.Ahh, your just jelous cause you can't and we can
A little burns off when I'm ramping the stove up to temp with the bypass open. That's good enough for me. I don't want to run a ton of creo smoke through my combustor; It doesn't seem to consume it and I wonder if that will necessitate giving the cat a vinegar/water simmer sooner than I'd have to otherwise.
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
I later remembered that the BK WOT was done with the bypass closed. Still, on the Dw the baffle would be glowing orange, on the Keystone the cat scoop would, even on half a load. Both stove tops would over-fire soon after. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a wood-saving, clean-burning cat stove if you are gonna waste a load smoke-bombing the 'hood once a week with a big, stinky creo fire.
You must be forgetting one of the items that sets the BK apart from your off-brand products. The thermostat. We set it on high but before anything can melt, the stat is trimming back air. I suspect that part of the safety testing for any stove is full throttle testing to see what happens.
I will admit that during my last full throttle self-clean run there was a lot of blue smoke making it to the chimney cap. The smoke was ripping through the cat so fast that the cat must not have had time to eat it all.
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