Maintenance access/space behind my Mount Vernon: In and Out Regrets

[gorooster]

So the new, freestanding Mount Vernon is in the garage and I'm in the process of building a hearth pad from an alcove out onto a wood floor. Question is how far out I should come onto the floor, weighing ease of rear/side access versus placing a portion of the stove into the alcove and not having such an obtrusive (but attractive!) space invader coming out into the den.

After watching the dvd I've realized that ease of rear/side access will be critical for cleaning and yearly maintenance, but I haven't seen this addressed for alcove placement.

The alcove is my former fireplace box and hearth, which I cut down to the floor and have lined w/ duroc. Will have layers of thinset and flagstone on three sides, as well as this 'tongue' of a hearth pad. Clearance to the sides and rear is within the specs stated in my user's guide, but not by much. Height is 47" (min. is 43"). Distance from stove sides to side walls of the former hearth are currently about 6-8 inches (min. req. is 6") but I'm thinking of removing more of the river rock and mortar hearth (what was once the hearth, now 16" high benches on either side of the alcove). Hoping that scenario is clear (sorry, no pics).

I know I have to reach in there and remove and clean the blower, and that I have to access the clean-out in the back. A guy at the store who installed his own Mount Vernon told me that he lies prone on his stove w/ his head in his alcove (ain't that a peach?) and reaches down to unscrew and clean out his blower (how great is that?).

So... how many of you struggle w/ maintenance/access issues with tight places in order to keep these stoves from commanding an entire room? I'm thinking I should definitely remove more rock from the sides of the hearth/benches, but mortaring up river rock isn't always as precise as you'd like it to be (for a diy'er). Do ya'll have any regrets re. placing a stove too far into an alcove or too far into a room?

Thanks!

 

[smoke show]

Sorry, can't help much.

Mine commands the entire room. Focal point you know?

I would place accessability high on the list.

 

[gorooster]

Thanks, Pyro. I'm also considering running flexible stainless pipe up through my single-walled 6" pipe that runs through my flue. Would I have a little lee-way/flexibility in moving the stove a bit back and forth as needed?

I've also been looking for tips on moving these behemoths in and out for maintenance. I've ruled out most jacks as the ash pan on the bottom probably can't take that load. Are there any casters or slim sliding thingamabobs that I can slip underneath the legs to scootch this sucker out when needed? I've considered piano dollies and scissor/bottle jacks on the sides, etc., or maybe some slotted steel tracks that I can fit under the legs when I need to move it. Do people generally just reach under, over and around?

'preciate it!

 

[dingees]

do not put yourself thru the agony of standing on your head or becoming a condurtionist trying to maintain or fix the stove , the easier u make it the more often the stove will be maintained, if there is a problem u don't want to unhook the stove , move it ,fix it and then move it back in place ,test it then have to move it again to do something else., they made the stove to look good out as a freestanding, if u want to conceal or have it recessed then a better option is their insert which can be enclosed.