Buck 74: burn cycle & temps

[new_wood]

Ok I have been searching and reading different threads on burn cycle and temps. I have some questions. So when in the burn cycle do you start to close the damper? I have been starting my fires with a couple pieces of twisted up paper and some small kindlin. Once it catches I add a couple pieces a little bigger and once it burns down I will fill the stove with bigger splits. Those bigger splits catch and will really take off. I have been able to get the stove up to 400F at most and then I start to close the damper down a little at a time because it seems like the big splits are just burning up too quick if I don't damper it down. I am burning maple, poplar and ash that are a year and six months seasoned. I have been able to get the tubes running across the top of stove to fire......is this the secondary burn I have read so much about? Anyway, am I closing down the damper too soon? How can I find what temp I should be getting my Buck 74 to burn at? Last night I loaded it full at midnight and at 6am this morning I only had a few red embers glowing in the stove. Thanks for the input.

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

I have a 74 as an insert so different worlds there. I start similar to you but close it about half way when reaching 400 or so. Then I let it go to about 550+ and close it till 1/4" inch before it is complete closed. Sometimes I forget to close it more at 400 and the sucker will climgb to 600+ and I completely close it and the secondaries will go crazy for awhile!

I will burn mine up to 650 but not all the time. I like to stay about 600 and maximum of 650. That thing will roast us right out of out game room! I could imagine it as a freestanding stove, HOT!

 

[new_wood]

Thanks for the response PWF. So you have it wide open the whole time as it is climbing to 400F? This whole time will you have a roaring fire? How long does it usually take you to reach 400? How long can you hold it in the preferred "burn zone"?

 

[BrowningBAR]

Ok I have been searching and reading different threads on burn cycle and temps. I have some questions. So when in the burn cycle do you start to close the damper? I have been starting my fires with a couple pieces of twisted up paper and some small kindlin. Once it catches I add a couple pieces a little bigger and once it burns down I will fill the stove with bigger splits. Those bigger splits catch and will really take off. I have been able to get the stove up to 400F at most and then I start to close the damper down a little at a time because it seems like the big splits are just burning up too quick if I don't damper it down. I am burning maple, poplar and ash that are a year and six months seasoned. I have been able to get the tubes running across the top of stove to fire......is this the secondary burn I have read so much about? Anyway, am I closing down the damper too soon? How can I find what temp I should be getting my Buck 74 to burn at? Last night I loaded it full at midnight and at 6am this morning I only had a few red embers glowing in the stove. Thanks for the input.

That seems short for a 2.6 cu ft stove. What are your air controls set at? Or is that the damper you are referring to?

 

[new_wood]

BB: It was closed all the way or darn near closed all the way.

 

[BrowningBAR]

BB: It was closed all the way or darn near closed all the way.

Was the stove packed full or was this not a full load?

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

Wide open till 400 takes about, and I am good at this, 20-30 mins. I have to start a new fire each day during the week as the wife has not figued it out yet, or just doesn't want to. And yes the fire is roaring! I am not sure how long to hold the burn zone as I load when it is coals. Which can be about 2 hours to coals and 350-400 degrees give or take. Mine is a masonry external set up.

That is also with the blower full blast! The best you can do is turn it down in stages. And not to turn it down just because of a box full of flames but when the wood starts to turn to coals. And not too soon to let too much heat go up the stack.

CAlibrate the thermometer with boiling water. Bring water to rolling boil and dip, not rest or touch bottom, but dip in to see the temp. My rutland was 90 degrees off. What are your stove top temps, just courious as to what the stove front and top temps are at the same time.

 

[new_wood]

5 large pieces........filled a lot of the stove......but there are gaps because I just had 5 large splits already brought in for the night....didnt' have any small pieces to fill the gaps.

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

I can load mine about 75% full as I did last night at 10:30 Pm and come home at 5:30 today have coals....

 

[new_wood]

Wide open till 400 takes about, and I am good at this, 20-30 mins. I have to start a new fire each day during the week as the wife has not figued it out yet, or just doesn't want to. And yes the fire is roaring! I am not sure how long to hold the burn zone as I load when it is coals. Which can be about 2 hours to coals and 350-400 degrees give or take. Mine is a masonry external set up.

That is also with the blower full blast! The best you can do is turn it down in stages. And not to turn it down just because of a box full of flames but when the wood starts to turn to coals. And not too soon to let too much heat go up the stack.

CAlibrate the thermometer with boiling water. Bring water to rolling boil and dip, not rest or touch bottom, but dip in to see the temp. My rutland was 90 degrees off. What are your stove top temps, just courious as to what the stove front and top temps are at the same time.

But doesn't closing it off stop from letting too much heat go up the stack?

 

[new_wood]

PWF: Do you load N/S?

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

Hmmmmm, I think I confused myself there! And meant too late.

NS for quick hot fires and EW for extended burning.

 

[new_wood]

ok.....makes sense now. Maybe I am doing myself harm by closing down too soon. How long will you leave your blower running? Any harm in leaving it run for extended periods of time?

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

I let it run until it shuts off. Also if you run it full blast when starting it takes a bit longer to get up to temps. So I keep it at half throttle till up to temp. It took a little to figure it out but once you do, granted your home is insulated decent and not extremely huge, you should be able to make some serious heat waves!

You should tell a little about your install and stuff and we looooooove pix!

 

[new_wood]

I will be posting some pics this weekend. Got the stove upto 550F tonight. Got it closed all the way down now hoping for a good long burn!