A damp paper towel with a little ash on it works wonders for me, too........... Just like it says in my owner's manual.
How do you clean the glass on stove insert?
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tynman
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Here's what I do to keep a clean glass.
1. After reload, I keep the door slightly cracked to prevent the glass from getting smoked up. Depending on the amount of smoke will determine how wide the door is open (I don't go over 1" though).
2. I keep the air at full or 1/2 until the wood is nice and charred.
3. Try my best NOT to burn unseasoned wood.
For me, I usually get a white haze on the glass after 2 or 3 weeks of use. What I do is, when the stove/door have cooled down, I wipe it down with Windex wipes. Works great. Just pull a couple of wipes out of the bottle, wipe down the glass, and that's it.
In the instances where the glass has gotten dirty it's either because (a) too much smoke hit the glass and left a white film or (b) I cut the air down too soon and that's when the glass gets black. If it does get black, I just burn a really hot fire to clean it off, then, when it's cool, I wipe it down what's left (usually just the white film).
1. After reload, I keep the door slightly cracked to prevent the glass from getting smoked up. Depending on the amount of smoke will determine how wide the door is open (I don't go over 1" though).
2. I keep the air at full or 1/2 until the wood is nice and charred.
3. Try my best NOT to burn unseasoned wood.
For me, I usually get a white haze on the glass after 2 or 3 weeks of use. What I do is, when the stove/door have cooled down, I wipe it down with Windex wipes. Works great. Just pull a couple of wipes out of the bottle, wipe down the glass, and that's it.
In the instances where the glass has gotten dirty it's either because (a) too much smoke hit the glass and left a white film or (b) I cut the air down too soon and that's when the glass gets black. If it does get black, I just burn a really hot fire to clean it off, then, when it's cool, I wipe it down what's left (usually just the white film).
Battenkiller said:
roflmbo, you might just be on to something there, mine is a 1960 model as well, April 16! Who would have known!!
Only had my Clydsdale this winter, but have tried damp newspaper dipped is ashes and Rutland Glass Cleaner for stoves that I got at Tractor Supply. Both work well, but I've found that wet newspaper works better than paper towels, don't know why but it does. My owner's manual says not to use anything containing ammonia on the glass. ;-)
I was reluctant to use a razor blade for fear of scratching the glass
on my Clydesdale, but found the perfect tool for the job - a
Kyocera CeraPlaner. You can find them online for about $18.
It is sharp, perfectly flat, and doesn't scratch my glass (YMMV).
I put down a newspaper, scrape off any black soot, then finish with
a balled newspaper and Rutland glass cleaner. A few mins at most.
Sure beats trying to scrub it all off.
on my Clydesdale, but found the perfect tool for the job - a
Kyocera CeraPlaner. You can find them online for about $18.
It is sharp, perfectly flat, and doesn't scratch my glass (YMMV).
I put down a newspaper, scrape off any black soot, then finish with
a balled newspaper and Rutland glass cleaner. A few mins at most.
Sure beats trying to scrub it all off.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_63687-85334...&pl=1¤tURL;=/pl__0__s?Ntt=glass+cleaner
I use the wet newspaper it works good but this works also.
I use the wet newspaper it works good but this works also.
I had a lot of black glass with my buck, but I had poor wood and tried to get the longest burn possible (poor combination).. My parents get very little hazing on the buck these days, but they are home all day and can burn it a bit better than I.. My princess does not get black often, when it does I ignore it and burn on as it will be self healing soon.. With the old buck I found a wonderful thing for cleaning the glass-- Greased Lightening (yep dollar general) I would spray the glass down and then work a razor blade scraper (4" wide from lowes) until clean.. BTW, I found that after I used ANY cleaner on the glass I would get a light brown haze shortly thereafter; this took a good hot fire to remove and I was back to clean glass. I contributed that to the chemicals in the cleaners but maybe its just cold glass? I don't get cold glass these days..
Jason
Jason
Hi Babs!
I've been running my Buck 91 for a few days now and get the same buildup in the bottom corners of the glass. I think those front corners just don't get much airflow...my side windows look the same as yours, too. I used a wet paper towel with ash on it to buff it off once the stove was cold.
I don't think I've gotten any buildup around the opening though...but I'll have to double check.
I've been running my Buck 91 for a few days now and get the same buildup in the bottom corners of the glass. I think those front corners just don't get much airflow...my side windows look the same as yours, too. I used a wet paper towel with ash on it to buff it off once the stove was cold.
I don't think I've gotten any buildup around the opening though...but I'll have to double check.
jeremy29 said:
Good to hear from another Buck 91 owner/user. ALL my windows got yucked in the beginning because I was keeping open the primary air control instead of the air wash control. (Salesman told me wrong.) After I got the glass cleaned off and off to a new start the middle of the glass does stay clean .... except for those lower corners. The side windows I couldn't really reach very well when I did a clean on the front window .... so I just left them. I don't know if the correct air wash would have kept them clean or not ..... probably not.
One thing I don't like is the height of the firebox .... 10" .... makes it hard or almost impossible (depending on the wood) to stack. I also find that in order to get the best burn I must always load N/S for the airflow from the shotgun. If I load E/W it blocks that airflow. How about you?
The manual is really confusing too, calling that left lever the shotgun in one sentence and the primary in another. I still am not 100% on what does what...I just wiggle them both in and out 'till I get the airflow I'm looking for. 
I haven't bothered trying to clean the side windows either...I don't think they get any air wash and will end up looking the same.
I was kind of surprised about how shallow the firebox is. Looking at it in the garage before I installed it, I kept thinking it was huge...then I went to stick wood in it for the first time and realized that 10" isn't very large. I have a lot of trouble stacking wood in there, too. You are correct, E/W is impossible due to airflow. Tonight I am going to try loading it up like a book shelf (with really deep "books") and see how that goes.
I really have a problem getting any heat to the back right corner of the box...the coals there are always cold and wood never burns. I imagine it's just the size/shape of my wood and how I'm laying out.
I haven't bothered trying to clean the side windows either...I don't think they get any air wash and will end up looking the same.
I was kind of surprised about how shallow the firebox is. Looking at it in the garage before I installed it, I kept thinking it was huge...then I went to stick wood in it for the first time and realized that 10" isn't very large. I have a lot of trouble stacking wood in there, too. You are correct, E/W is impossible due to airflow. Tonight I am going to try loading it up like a book shelf (with really deep "books") and see how that goes.
I really have a problem getting any heat to the back right corner of the box...the coals there are always cold and wood never burns. I imagine it's just the size/shape of my wood and how I'm laying out.
jeremy29 said:The manual is really confusing too, calling that left lever the shotgun in one sentence and the primary in another. I still am not 100% on what does what...I just wiggle them both in and out 'till I get the airflow I'm looking for.
Tonight I am going to try loading it up like a book shelf (with really deep "books") and see how that goes.
The lever on the RIGHT HAND side (facing the stove) is the air wash. I leave it open all the time. The lever on the LEFT HAND side is the primary air control or "shot gun" ..... as it pushes air out that little box up front in the middle. (That's why it's difficult to get a fire going E/W as that air shoots down the middle of the firebox.)
I stopped by Firemasters (where I got my insert) and was telling one of the guys about the stains along lower left, bottom, and lower right side. He said he wasn't sure. I'm going to send him a picture and I asked him if he could have one of the service guys come out and look at it after that.
WoodpileOCD
Minister of Fire
Boozie said:jeremy29 said:The manual is really confusing too, calling that left lever the shotgun in one sentence and the primary in another. I still am not 100% on what does what...I just wiggle them both in and out 'till I get the airflow I'm looking for.
Tonight I am going to try loading it up like a book shelf (with really deep "books") and see how that goes.
The lever on the RIGHT HAND side (facing the stove) is the air wash. I leave it open all the time. The lever on the LEFT HAND side is the primary air control or "shot gun" ..... as it pushes air out that little box up front in the middle. (That's why it's difficult to get a fire going E/W as that air shoots down the middle of the firebox.)
I stopped by Firemasters (where I got my insert) and was telling one of the guys about the stains along lower left, bottom, and lower right side. He said he wasn't sure. I'm going to send him a picture and I asked him if he could have one of the service guys come out and look at it after that.
My Buck 91 is about 6 years old and I've had it only a couple weeks now but am starting to get it figured out I think. I have the same issues with glass gunking up in the lower left corner in particular and with creosote forming on the lip of the stove in that same area. It happens pretty quickly (within a day of cleaning) and I think it is my gasket not sealing properly. A dollar bill pulls out pretty easily but with some resistance so I'm not sure how much resistance there should be. I watched a video referenced on a link here by a stove dealer and when he tried to pull out a small sheet of paper, it tore so I'm assuming it should be a lot tighter than mine. I've just bought a new gasket and some cement and will replace it as soon as I can. I suspect that cool air is leaking in at that point and keeping the glass cooler in that area. An IR thermometer would confirm, I suppose.
My understanding of the air controls on the 91 are thus. The left control is indeed the 'shotgun' control and if you open and close it while watching an ember in it's path, you will see it glow brighter as you open the control confirming that. I use that on startup or reload (and when burning down coals) to get it going good but have discovered that it gets clogged with ashes easily. I took a little mirror on the end of a rod (mechanics / dental) and could see the holes blocked and it doesn't take much to clear them up with a small brush. The control on the right is not only your air wash but is the 'primary' control as this is the way air is fed to the fire. It happens that the path it takes is over the window, hence the name 'air wash' control. Not sure of the exact path yet but the air is chambered around the firebox somehow so that it is preheated before it hits the glass. Keep in mind though that it is not just for 'glass wash' but your main air supply so this is how you control your fire. Leaving it wide open all the time is probably using more fuel than necessary.
I'll report back when I get the gasket replaced but yours is a new stove and shouldn't have gasket issues.
WoodpileOCD said:
As to the right side control .... the airwash .... I was told that the path of the airwash was across the top and down the sides. I was also told to keep that control open to keep the glass clean. I have noticed that I have to reload (using more fuel) more often than I hear others on this forum do. So ... I think I will try pushing that control in a bit to see if my wood lasts longer yet not enough that my glass starts to gunk up again.
As to ashes building up in front of the "shotgun's" path, each time I reload I take the poker and push them aside. A little brush would be handy however.
I don't care how many "salespersons" you talk to ...... it's the "user" who is in the trenches figuring it out. :-/
I use ultrafine steel wool to get the white haze off every few days, which works great and doesn't scratch the glass. If we've let the fire go out we'll use Windex after the glass is cool.
The damp newspaper and ash did not work well for me. When the glass was hot, it baked a huge mess on the glass.
The damp newspaper and ash did not work well for me. When the glass was hot, it baked a huge mess on the glass.
WoodpileOCD
Minister of Fire
I'm in the process of burning my driest of dry wood for a day and see what happens. I cleaned the glass this morning before I reloaded and I have a bunch of 3yr old cedar that tests in the 15% range and I've been mixing it with my other wood. I hate using it up too fast but this will give me a control parameter in trying to figure out the glass problem.
Backwoods Savage, I can hear you now... "It's the wood dummy" :coolsmirk:
Before a few weeks ago when I got this stove and got 'edumacated' to the ways of efficient wood burning, I just fed the dragon and let him roar. Used a lot of wood but boy did it throw the heat. Had no idea that my year old oak wasn't really seasoned properly.
I think it may be a combination of the wood and the seal but probably more the wood.
Keep you posted.
PS: Two weeks in and I'm starting to get the hand of the burn cycle with a cat stove and loving it.
Backwoods Savage, I can hear you now... "It's the wood dummy" :coolsmirk:
Before a few weeks ago when I got this stove and got 'edumacated' to the ways of efficient wood burning, I just fed the dragon and let him roar. Used a lot of wood but boy did it throw the heat. Had no idea that my year old oak wasn't really seasoned properly.
I think it may be a combination of the wood and the seal but probably more the wood.
Keep you posted.
PS: Two weeks in and I'm starting to get the hand of the burn cycle with a cat stove and loving it.
WoodpileOCD
Minister of Fire
Boozie said:
That is a thermometer that inserts right next to the bypass handle and the probe sits just above the cat combustor. It's a standard Condar catalytic thermometer one that you can pick up lots of places for about $25-30
Im a data freak and I feel like the more I have the better able to understand what my stove is doing.
As you can see in the picture it is reading about 400* and the one on the right is measuring the air temp coming out of the vents. I wait until the cat thermometer gets to the 400-500* range to close the bypass. When the cat temp gets to the 1000* area the air will be at around 180-220 mark.
I've just recently added a Rutland stovetop thermometer but have had to mount it on the side as I realized that the vent air is coming across the top of the firebox and below the stove top so it isn't a true reading of the stove temps. I read of people operating in the 500* range and even on the side I'm not getting anywhere near that but I think it has to do with the placement.
Hope that helps. You should have a little 1/4" hole to the right of your BP handle to insert a cat therm and I would highly recommend one.
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WoodpileOCD said:
My stove came with the Condar catalytic thermometer. The thermometer I'm referring to is the one on your Avatar ..... it is a brown one and goes to 7000 degrees. What is that one?
Now ..... the white one? That is measuring the air coming from the air vents?? Is that right?
My manual says to close the bypass at 600 degrees.
WoodpileOCD
Minister of Fire
Boozie said:
It's the same thermometer. Avatar pic is just a bit blurry. It actually goes to 2000 not 7000.
Yes the white one is measuring air temp that is blowing into the room.
I find that when I close the BP at 500 the cat temp starts to climb right away. Slowly at first but the cat seems to light off at 500* regularly. Keep in mind that I have only a couple of weeks experience with cat stoves.
vixster
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