KT302 Blaze King New guy

[Gooserider]

my wife is trying to steer me away from the free standing wood stove since we had a kid earlier this year, shes afraid of the kid getting burned on it.. and thinks the insert would be safer with the baby.. i know the blaze king would heat us outa here but not sure about the claimed 1500 sq ft of the quadrafire insert.. im not sure what way to go now.. the insert would be nice for the fact i wont have to cut hole inthe roof as it would be inserted into prefab fireplace and the pipe would go straight up the exterior chase.


Ray

I have mixed feelings about the whole kids vs. stoves thing... I don't want to see a little kid getting hurt anymore than anyone else does, but I think a lot of the nervousness is overblown... Kids aren't totally stupid, and can get the concept of "big hot thing - don't touch" really early, especially if they grow up with it... If it is really felt to be needed, they do make a variety of baby fences and such that can be put around stoves, just like other hazardous areas - I mean if pets are smart enough to figure out that they shouldn't mess with a hot stove, isn't it kind of insulting a kid to assume he has less brains than a dog or cat?

As to the claims of stove makers for areas heated, it seems many tend to be optimistic, and also they assume a more normal outdoor climate than I hear that you get in most of AK - read the fine print on the brochure to see what they say for outside weather assumptions, and other things that go into those area heated claims...

Gooserider

 

[jdscj8]

We just retired that same BK King for a new one, loved it so much i couldn't get rid of it , it works to good , so now its in my shop. That thing puts off some major heat even choked down, and good burn times for an older stove 14-16 hrs. The only reason we got a new one was to be able to control the heat better, -10 to -15 outside and we always had to keep AT LEAST one window open, even upstairs. We just had a baby this month, and with our other 2 kids we've learned that, they learn to stay away real fast, but we still put up a gate to be on the safe side, the best money we've put into our stove is the gate. JD

 

[greythorn3]

ok well i built a dolly to put my stove on to wheel it around the room tell i get hearth built.. im thinking im going to put a 1/8 inch steel panel on the back side of out cooking stove and put the blaze king 20 inches from it inline with it where this dolly i built is sitting.. then installing the pipe straight up after removing a light track up there. this is almost half way between the kitchen living room area.. closer to the kitchen by a few feet.. im going to also make the pedistal that will sit on top of the 3/8" thick tvertine stone floor.. so it should have good fire prevention i think. heres a picture


Ray

 

[greythorn3]

man the snows getting close on the moutains, im so nervous about this install, as it will be my first. they stove place doesnt have the ceiling support box so i will be getting the adjustable roof support. .and that looks like it might not be as good.

 

[greythorn3]

has anyone put their stoves by a metal hydronic heating registar before for a boiler? is there any clearance issues with these? i have metal covers over mine that are painted.

Ray

 

[greythorn3]

im looking at replacing all the cracked and missing fire bricks from my blaze king, are the blaze kings bricks special or will the standard ones from ace hardware work good? im also thinking about puting the cracked ones on top of the new ones so i can double up the fire brick layer so maybe it will hold heat longer with a smaller fire. who knows.

Ray

 

[greythorn3]

a few more pics of the current state of fire bricks

 

[thavg]

Looks like the support that you are going to use for the pipe is for the cathedral ceilings. I sure wouldn't want to use is for my flat ceiling but I'm sure it would probably work fine. I tell ya what this chimney thing is ridiculous trying to make sure you get things right.

 

[jdscj8]

On my old BK, same as yours but has a blower on it and is boxed in were your shields are, but i also have a shield in front of the boxed in part that like yours, i think there just a shield were the flames are, i replaced my firebrick from a place just like ACE like 7 years ago worked fine. Your best bet on any questions is to call Blaze King in Washington, they were a big help to me on thing i didn't know. Most of the guys there have been there sence that stove was built and there very nice and helpfull explaining every detail, and they will not try to push a new stove on you, when you call you will talk to someone right then. Thats one of the biggest reasons i bought a new Blaze King was for there tech suport and along with everything else. JD

 

[Gooserider]

man the snows getting close on the moutains, im so nervous about this install, as it will be my first. they stove place doesnt have the ceiling support box so i will be getting the adjustable roof support. .and that looks like it might not be as good.

Might want to check a catalog or some tech support folks, make sure that is the right fitting for the job... As I understand the manuals I've looked at, there are two different functions - the ceiling support box is a weight bearing device intended to hold the entire weight of the chimney pipe structure, including both the class A stacked on top of it, and any additional Class A and / or connector pipe hanging off it on the bottom. It also has the spacing and draft stopping things built into it that ensure proper clearance from combustibles.

I don't think the roof support is not intended to carry any vertical weight, it is a brace intended to keep the pipe vertical and centered in the hole in the roof, so that it can't fall over sideways. I'm not at all sure the two items are interchangeable - you should make sure you are getting the right parts.

As I understand it there are three different support box styles - one for flat ceilings, one for cathedral / angled ceilings where there is an attic or second floor over the ceiling, and one for ceilings that are the underside of the roof. You need to be using the right one for your construction, they aren't interchangeable.

Gooserider

 

[greythorn3]

ive been pawing this over all weekend, and i think im just going to put it on a interior wall oppisite of the fireplace, then i can run the chimeny straight up to almost teh peak of the ceiling center as suggested.. . and leave the fireplace alone this year, and replace it with a insert in a year or 2.. seems to make more sense right now and will prodive for a quicker installation.. then later in the years i could go thru the floor beneth and put it in the basement with additional double wall pipe.. and chase it in indoors on the wall.. what do you guys think of this crazy new idea? i believe all the seams of the stove are pleanty safe.. i will check them over better once i do a better painting and reline the firebricks..

Also im not going to have any code people look at nothing...


Ray

That makes more sense to me (hardly surprising since I suggested it...) as an inside stove / fireplace is automatically going to be a better performer just because all the heat it puts out goes into the living space instead of outdoors.

Putting it in the basement is also not a bad idea, IF you have the basement well insulated and are using it as living space that you want to heat anyway... It generally does not work real well when people try to put stoves in the basement with hopes of heating the house by pushing the heat around.

To check out the stove seams, see some of the earlier threads and wiki articles on checking out used stoves - one of the best ways is to clean out the inside, and put a trouble light in the stove, and look for light leaks...

Another option is to try using an air compressor or shop vac to LIGHTLY pressurize the stove (i.e. 1-2 psi max) and make sure air only comes out where it is supposed to...

Lastly, while I tend to share your distaste for code people and mandatory inspections etc., I don't have the same objections to the Code itself... I had a friend that used to describe the Code as "The Book of the Dead" as it was written in memory of all the people that died because they didn't do it like the code said... I would STRONGLY urge you to make all your setup details code compliant whether you get inspections or not, just because I figure it's worth keeping you and your family around... The other reality (which is why I keep telling people to consult with code people) is that in most locations, whether we like it or not, the law requires you to get inspected and blessed by the code guys, who can make you tear everything out if you don't, and also most insurance companies, mortgage holding banks, etc. will also insist on some sort of inspection, and get nasty if it isn't done... If you are going to be forced to get inspected, IMHO it's better to consult with the inspectors ahead of time, before putting out a lot of time and money into something they won't sign off on...

Gooserider

the place that installs them and sells them blaze kings told me thats what i needed, they said they dont even stock the ceiling box.. they just use this and a trim ring. who knows. man i wanna get this thing installed. but also wanna be safe

 

[greythorn3]

is the Selkirk Metalbestos as good as the duravent? i have a local that might be able to sell me it cheaper then the local duravent guy..

ray

 

[bfunk13]

Wow!
Alot of information here.
My only advice is Safety first.
Sounds like you are trying to save a buck, which is great, i did the same by installing my own.
Double check stove, clearances, chimney, liner, install, etc.
This is not something to cut corners on.
I too have a wife and kids, and are the reason i spent the extra $$$ to make sure
all was done correct.

My 2 cents.

Brad

 

[greythorn3]

found a local supplier of duravent that can beat the heck out of the online pricing even! plus they are having 15% off saturday so im going to buy the heck out of it on saturday! wee weee wee im so excited.

 

[greythorn3]

well i was messing around looking at the firebricks to replace them in my stove and i noticed 2 hooks on the inside of the front face of the stove! what the heck are they for do you think? i was thinking liek a fireplace mesh curtain but i dont know, that why im asking the ? here to you experts.

heres some pics

 

[stockcarver]

Well that looks a lot better with the inside cleaned up. I think I recall some kings had a sheet steel plate that hung from those hooks, it hung down into the doorway a few inches and swung back if you were adding a large piece of wood. I guess it was a shield to protect the top of the door from extreme heat. Judging by the earlier pictures you showed of the interior, this plate was removed and the previous owner liked to hammer in pieces of wood too large to fit. That would explain the bent baffles and broken firebrick.
You might find part of the door frame on the stove body is cracked, often happened when the stove is overfired, as yours shows evidence of. Be sure to replace the door gasket with the proper 7/8 inch glass rope and check that it still seals properly, if you expect to control the fire. If it won't seal with a new gasket, you have a major problem on your hands.
The older models (pre-combustor) ,were fairly inefficient, mainly offering the luxury of an automatic damper, but since the heat goes straight up the chimney without much chance to be transfered to the stove body, it is tempting to turn the thermostat all the way up to get some useful heat.
If you want to know the date of manufacture, it is usually shown on the very bottom of the metallic sticker on the back of the stove.
If you decide to keep it, and want to dress it up, you might check ebay for the ceramic insets, which were available in various colors (kings and princess used different sizes) Some older B-K dealers may have some still sitting on the shelves.

 

[greythorn3]

yes i have 2 cracks im going to dril stop and weld up they arent every long, maybe an inch on both lower corners of door.. also we are going ot make our own ceramic inserts with an alaskan theme.. the door gasket looks pretty good on it now, and seems to seal pretty well.. i havent tried the dollar trick yet. but i will.. i coulnt find a date on the rear sticker.



heres some more pics.. i love pics.

 

[greythorn3]

heres another picture.. i may just dril the cracks and put furnace cement on them since im kinda lazy to haul my welder in the house.

 

[stockcarver]

The door seal is important, do not underestimate that. When you repair those cracks, you may find the door frame or the door itself is slightly warped. If you can't get a perfect seal, you might as well have a barrel stove. Make sure you have very good quality pipe on top of the stove, there is going to be a concentration of intense heat right above the stove. I have seen a few of these straight shot stoves with the pipe burned white, you will have no problem making it glow cherry red if not careful.
It doesn't take much leakage on the door frame to render a stove uncontrollable when a good load of dry wood gets going. The interior pictures you showed earlier definately witness that stove has had some extreme fires in it, I would be cautious and burn a couple loads of wood outside before installing it. If you can't control it to the point of killing the fire when it gets going, you really don't want it in your house. Not much fun standing outside in a blizzard dressed in your shorts while watching your house burn down. Looks like hell on a resume...

 

[greythorn3]

The door seal is important, do not underestimate that. When you repair those cracks, you may find the door frame or the door itself is slightly warped. If you can't get a perfect seal, you might as well have a barrel stove. Make sure you have very good quality pipe on top of the stove, there is going to be a concentration of intense heat right above the stove. I have seen a few of these straight shot stoves with the pipe burned white, you will have no problem making it glow cherry red if not careful.
It doesn't take much leakage on the door frame to render a stove uncontrollable when a good load of dry wood gets going. The interior pictures you showed earlier definately witness that stove has had some extreme fires in it, I would be cautious and burn a couple loads of wood outside before installing it. If you can't control it to the point of killing the fire when it gets going, you really don't want it in your house. Not much fun standing outside in a blizzard dressed in your shorts while watching your house burn down. Looks like hell on a resume...

ya i already burnt it outside allot, and its very controllable. i can put it out if i close the door and intake.

 

[greythorn3]

ok im starting to remove the fire bricks to replace them with new ones, do these things get cemented in or what? some were a little stuck but i think that was just from ash and rust..



Ray

 

[greythorn3]

also where you guys picking up firebricks any cheap place?

 

[greythorn3]

help please. i appreciate it.

 

[Todd]

also where you guys picking up firebricks any cheap place?

You probably don't have a Menards up there, that's where I bought some cheap. What about a local mason yard?

 

[greythorn3]

also where you guys picking up firebricks any cheap place?

You probably don't have a Menards up there, that's where I bought some cheap. What about a local mason yard?

well heck home depot didnt have it so im gonna try lowes and ace hardware if i get a chance tonight, its hard running around with an infant, i did pick up almost all my chimeny and parts today though and cut a hole in the roof sheetrock....

another ? came up though. do ou guys take them wire mesh screens out of your chimeny caps or keep them in? since im noncat blaze king i was thinking about taking it out.. but i dont know if i should or not.. just other threads make me wonder..

i wish we had a menards.

Ray