Buck Stove Model 91 Issues

I would bet the dark glass came from either wet wood or not burning hot enough. Is it the cat or non cat model. If it the cat model dark glass is likely because the cat is burning all the smoke. As far as interior paint, the experts will have to help with that one. I was just now checking out the stove online. That's one big firebox on that thing!!

That's not interior paint but creosote from wet wood that builds up on your glass and in your firebox. For a modern EPA-approved stove wood needs to have an internal moisture content of less than 20%. Buy a cheap moisture meter from your nearest hardware store, split a few pieces in half and press the pins of the MM in the freshly exposed surface. If it is below 25% you can probably make it work. Above you need to season it another year and look for alternatives this winter.

What kind of chimney do you have? How tall?

Stoves are painted inside at the factory when made, to protect the steel from rusting due to moisture while sitting prior to sale.
The paint on the inside will burn off, no issue there.
The black glass is as suggested, wet wood, or due to being a cat stove.

I have a 91 and have dirty glass when I burn low and slow. Plus I am new to a this so still learning. I ran it a little hotter with the last cold snap and the glass stayed clear. It's going to be cold this weekend so I will get plenty of time to tinker with it more. Plan on lighting it up when I get home at 7am. Also the side bay windows don't have air wash and they stay dirty.

Welcome, Shawn. Can you elaborate on your setup? How tall is the chimney? Stainless liner installed? What you're seeing on the fire box walls is just creosote. When you are burning low, the fire isn't hot enough to burn the creosote in the box, but if the cat is lit it will burn it before it can be deposited in your chimney. As Jasper said, the bay windows always get black. The door window on the one I run will slowly gunk up in the lower corners because once I've got the cat lit off and the stove is cruising, I have the shotgun air (left slider) closed all the way and the air wash air open only about 1/4", so the fire isn't hot, more of a smolder with occasional flame. What about the wood? What kind are you burning and how long has it been split and stacked? Do you have a moisture meter? BTW, feel free to post a thread or "conversation" me with any questions you have, I may have "been there, done that."

91 users,
I fired mine up for the fist time yesterday. Main glass stayed mostly clean, side bays are all blacked out.

I noticed the fan speed control stopped working during the burn. It turned on full blast and stuck. This morning I got under there and found the rheostat was melted? I just put that thing on and melted it in one day. The cat briefly showed 1500f during paint cure, but I thought that was normal. Any suggestions? Thanks

Bmore said:

I fired mine up for the fist time yesterday.

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So this is a brand new stove?

I just put that thing on and melted it in one day. The cat briefly showed 1500f during paint cure, but I thought that was normal.

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You replaced the rheostat on the stove, or you just turned it on for the first time? You can probably just put the switch in "man" until you can address the rheostat issue. Blower will run at full speed. $17, I see, but if it's a new stove they should send you a new one free, I'd think. Nothing wrong with 1500, although I like to run lower if I don't need that much heat. I just get less of the load burning at the outset. I may further tweak both slider rods so that the plates seal tighter, to give me more control over the air and allow me to better adjust the burn rate on the fly. I would just have to make sure I don't cut the air too much and crash the cat. Of course, air settings are dependent on how cold it is outside, which affects draft. I think the burn times, which are already respectable, would be even longer on a real low burn. I've been burning some White Ash, soft Maple and Cherry for the most part. Now that I've got it dry, I'm gonna haul some Pignut Hickory, White Oak, and BL over there and see what that stuff does... If the cat's at 1500, the stove is usually 450-500 on my meter. Actual stove top would be 100-200 hotter. Have you got a stove meter on it? Did they send the new-style Condar cat probe with the silver and black face, or the black-only face like mine?

Mine is a used 91. The rheostat didn't work so I replaced it. The manual seems to say there is an extra box or "Cage" around the rheostat. One I remove the front skirt panel mine is exposed with the T stat, on off switch and fan all in full view. Do you guys have extra protection for rheostat? Thanks

Yeah, there's an expanded-metal screen. Remove the two screws on the left end, and then pull the screen to the left, out of the seat.