Summit's Face Melting Qualities

The Summit sides are set closer to the stove aren't they? The T6 has curves in the sides so they stick out a little further. That extra distance may make a big difference in temp, but I erally wouldn't be concerned with either. It's a wood stove - it's supposed to get hot. Either stove will provide the same amount of BTUs, put out through convection, and sides that are much cooler than a plain unjacketed stove. Side temps depend more on the length of time burning and temp of the stove than on which model it is. If you don't want it too hot you can make smaller fires.

If I fire mine up (pun intended) I'll see if I can touch the sides after it's going for a while.

My Summit melted my face once. I just putt some body putty in the hole, and I borrowed a silver heat suite from the Nuke plant and wear that when I sit in front of the Summit.
Prolly shouldn't have snagged those spent fuel rods and tossed them in. Hell of a long burn time though!

BeGreen said:

OK, the T6 has been running for a couple hours tonight with a load of 5 splits. Here are the temps:

Top - 650F
Side, top rear - 180F
Side, top front - 266F
Side, center - 197F

I can slap my hand against the side center easily. It feels warm, but no pain and all cells are intact. Cat is snuggled up in the overstuffed chair next to the stove, happy for the heat.

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I'm guessing that the convection jacket is pretty thin metal, then?

Heat transfer is what you need to be concerned with, not just surface temperature. You can easily hold a piece of aluminum foil right out of a hot oven, but don't try the same thing with a cast iron skillet or you will get branded. There is much more heat in the skillet at the same temp, so more heat gets transferred into your hand and you get a bad burn. I have a piece of sheet metal about 30" from my stove to protect the wood I have stored behind it. I have gotten readings over 200º from the center, but I can easily lay my hand right on it because it is only like 24 ga. steel and doesn't hold much actual heat.

BeGreen said:

Umm, no. the convection jacket is many pounds of cast iron. Surprised me too. After listening to oldspark, I thought my flesh was going to sizzle. But I tried it repeatedly, each time a little longer up to a second long finally and no problem. It was hot, but not skin damaging hot.

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I find the same thing with our T5. Even when cranking the heat for a couple hours, I can still 'touch' the sides. It's hot but you can do a quick slap and not burn your hands. It's heavy and thick cast jacket does a great job of convecting the heat. We absolutely love this stove. Absolutely high quality design and components, one lever for both air and secondary control, great burn times, and IMO the best look.

BeGreen said:

Umm, no. the convection jacket is many pounds of cast iron. Surprised me too. After listening to oldspark, I thought my flesh was going to sizzle. But I tried it repeatedly, each time a little longer up to a second long finally and no problem. It was hot, but not skin damaging hot.

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That surprises me as short contact with metal at 140 degrees is supposed to cause a burn.