Cleaned Out the Drolet Baltic ...

Cleaned up the Baltic, for the second time, tonight, since first firing up the stove. Cleaned the glass, also. So the schedule seems to be about once every two weeks, for clean outs, although in a pinch I could certainly go a month, before I would reach the level of the front lip, on this stove. If heard horror stories about using ash pans, but with this stove, using a mix of pine and Eco Bricks, I don't seem to have any trouble with floating or spilled ash or dust. And the ultra low tech cast iron plug doesn't seem to leak any air, either. Glass took a few spritzes of glass cleaner only, since after approximately a month of burning, the only deposits were a dusty, light colored haze. Any dark reposts that did appear, even burning damp wood, never survived the hot part of the burn cycle.

One month in, and not a single black mark on the Baltic's record. It even started right up, with a damp, foggy 47*F outside temp. As long as I've used the bypass, I've never experienced even minor smoke spillage, with an open door.

I've decided to burn for a full season, before writing my review in the reviews section. But, unless I find some pretty major issues, between now and then, it looks to be a pretty positive showing. Put succinctly, this is a simply but very well designed unit. It's easy to run, can go 6-8 hours on dry pine, 10+ hours on bricked fuel, and heats my 1500 sq. ft. poorly insulated house to whatever temperature I want, even in below zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures. If it were any simpler a design, or easier to learn, IMHO, it would have to be a smoke dragon. As you may have surmised, I'm pretty enamored.

Here's a pic of the first fire, after cleaning. Keep in mind that this wood has been out in the rain, until about 30 minutes before it went into the stove. I really like how easy the pine takes off, even under those conditions.

Figure I'd share one, too. Stovetop at 600*, primary about a half inch open, marginal pine due to wet weather and stupidity (not covered). Hard to see the secondaries, tonight, as they are nearly clear. Just an occasional blue edge, with the naked eye.


All the best,
Mike

Those monster secondaries are an impressive sight, but I'm finding that those firestorm fires don't last me near as long as the kind I'm burning right now. It's burning, but nothing to post for shock value. Drier wood, today, so the primary is shut way down. Maybe an eighth inch from closed. Lazy in front, and nothing but clear blue secondaries, from there, back. I'll get 4-6 hours from a 2/3rds full box. Have to leave for a night shift at 2:30, so that's just right.

As an aside, I'm finding that pine is an extremely pleasant wood to burn, in these stoves. Light, pleasant smelling (both raw and burning), predictable, and leaving just enough quick burning coals to start the next load. Even wet, it dries out with about 15 minutes of burning with the door cracked. Checking my chimney after this first month, there's black stuff, but not shiny. More like lamp black looking. I'm guessing that a <1/8 inch layer of this is O.K., at least, if not great, after month.

marty319 said:

Compared to what? Sold them for 2 years lots better out there, just my 2 cents

Click to expand...

Compared to last year, when I had no stove, my furnace died, I had to run electric, froze my giblets off (do a search for the post 'Stove-less Wonder'), and used about $5-600 per month, in juice, January through March. This stove cost me a grand, has given me zero issues, and is super-simple to get good results with, or, as a certain member here once told me, "A big steel box with fire in it!"

It doesn't need to be NASA approved, or built like a Bentley. I'm a simple guy, with simple needs. It needs to heat my home, not break down, and not start my house on fire. So far, it's thumbs up, in all three categories. If that condition changes, I'll be the first to gripe (using motel wi-fi, in the case of the third requirement). ;-)

If I stay with pine, I may, eventually, look at something like a Sirocco, by Blaze King. If that happens, however, I have a feeling that I'll remember this Drolet fondly. Just my opinion, but one backed up by a 72* house and a warm and happy wife. ;-)

Take care, everybody.
Mike (The Noob)