Mid season ss liner cleaning

So I cleaned the ss liner today because I wanted to see how the new insert was doing with the hell I have put it through the first two months of everyday burning. Being new to this insert and having a much larger firebox than the old stove I have tried many burning techniques and I know I wasnt always generating a clean fire. I last cleaned the liner two months ago. I estimate I got about two cups of powder from the 16-18 ft liner. The wood I have been burning this year was mostly ash between 16-22% moisture. This is an uninsulated exterior chimney. I did expect some creosote because of the burning habits I have been using, now that i have my routine somewhat down and next year the wood will be that much better I should be in better shape.

how do you feel about the quality of wood vs the 2 cups that came out of the SS liner? and how much you figure you'e burned? Im a new burner and only fire occasionally but am waiting for my sooteater to arrive before i fire any more. have run about 7 wheelbarrows thru my defiant.

I feel for the quality of wood I'm burning then two cups was expected ( two cups spread throughout the walls of a 16-18ft liner is nothing in my opinion) , most of the ash burned measured in at 22-20% I had some smaller splits that measured in around 15/18%. I plan to shift my wood piles soon so they get more wind and this should help out next years wood supply a great deal. As you can see in the first pic I was along way from being clogged, I could have made it to summer before I cleaned it. I would say I have burned three face cords this year so far maybe a little less. Have you looked down your chimney liner to see how it looks? When I first checked mine today the thought crossed my mind to let it go but I had the brush with me so I just did it.

Just finished my mid season cleaning and got a couple cups of powdery soot from my 34 foot flue. From the looks of the photos you are doing just fine, considering the uninsulated exterior chimney

Looks like your doing good.

Mine is exterior/uninsulated and for the first 2 years I was burning quality wood....just wet as hell! That is what mine looked like. This year much better seasoned and the liner looks pretty much the same. I get my flue blazing hot at least once a day. I also took a bunch of roxul that I had, broke into small pieces and filled the chimney.

@ etiger i have not yet... my chimney is kind of wonky - theres nowhere to stand to be able to look down it. its a new install, im thinking of going up there this afternoon and disconnecting the top 6' of pipe so i can access the liner. anyone ever done that in lieu of creating some kind of scaffold to be able to look all the way down?