New Buck Owner

[mattpeek]

Hi all,
I am new to the site and new to wood-burning fireplaces. My wife and I just bought a new-to-us house that has a Buck Stove (Regular Buck) insert. We're looking forward to getting some fires going this winter (which still hasn't quite set in here in GA), but I have a couple of questions before I start using it too much:

1. Should I do anything special before trying out the fireplace for the first time? Should I hire a chimney sweep, or could I clean it myself and be good to go? I'm an unafraid DIY guy and don't want to spend unnecessary money, but I also want to keep my family safe. Recommendations would be appreciated.

2. When I turn the insert on, the unit makes a grinding noise. I'm a little scared to keep running the unit like this, not to mention the noise is unbearable. Do you think it's the motor that is causing the noise? If so, how do I go about replacing it?

Thanks for your help. Your answers and any other advice for this newby are greatly appreciated!

 

[MtnBURN]

Howdy.

Congrats on the house purchase. Sounds like you are already in full Homeowner mode!

We inherited an old Buck stove insert as well in a house we bought 2 years ago. We are still using it but are looking forward to the Blaze King Princess going in in a few weeks and then this stove will be retired.

I am a DIY'er like you. My stove is installed in an add-on chase with the triple wall in it/etc. I was able to tear the siding off the house and expose the back of the stove and the piping/etc. this stove has been altered...from 8" to 6"...somewhere in it's life it rusted and they welded a new..but smaller/incorrect size back in place. It's solid....but I know it restricts this stove severely. I'm also at 7K altitude. But I digress.....

My pipe was pretty clean/free of creosote/etc. After a thorough look...I put it all back together. On the first full burn the fan started whining... then grinding.... so I had to tear off the siding again the next day (S*%@ happens!)

The fan is on the back of the stove. there's an allen key/set screw that holds it to the shaft. Mine was loose....the fan was hitting the shroud/back of the stove. I tightened it and squirted a shot of oil on the shaft. Never had a problem since. I suspect you may have the same problem...or the fan is simply shot. (there are replacement parts on the buck Stove site)

We put all new gaskets around the doors....and it does work/will put out some serious heat.....for >awhile<. ...but it is a hungry beast and in my opinion...is very inefficient. If you are only looking to burn a few times a season/on real cold nights...it may suffice. However...for full time heating I would seriously think about a more efficient/EPA/cat stove/etc. with a burn time longer than 4-6 hours. (I know I'm tired of the 4 AM shredding of newspaper/restarts/etc.)

best of luck...... MB

 

[mellow]

I would have a sweep come by and clean everything before using. More than likely it is a slammer which needs to be updated to having a liner before using. Lots of great threads already on here about how to make your setup safe for burning.

 

[Woody Stover]

just bought a new-to-us house that has a Buck Stove (Regular Buck) insert.

Have you got some pics of the unit, inside and out? If you look at the back of the stove you should see the metal UL tag which will tell you what model it is and how old. You'll be able to see how it is connected to the chimney, and flue size as well. It would be wise to have the stove/ chimney system cleaned and checked by a certified sweep. http://www.csia.org/ Sounds like it may need a blower motor...may run too hot without the blower functioning well. Like mellow said, it's best to have a liner all the way to the top of the chimney. It's safer, and easier to clean, but you are looking at investing a few bucks to install one. Not sure how involved you want to get with wood heat but no matter what your plans, you need a safe setup.

 

[mellow]

Here is a link to one of the latest Buck threads that might answer some of your questions: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-me-identify-this-stove.148380/

 

[mattpeek]

Here is a link to one of the latest Buck threads that might answer some of your questions: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-me-identify-this-stove.148380/

Thanks for the tips guys. MtnBURN, I'm hoping my issue is the same as yours. I can hear the fan blade turning, but it seems to be grinding on something. Hopefully a shot of oil and a little tinkering will help.

Mellow, I agree with your thoughts about the chimney sweep and appreciate the link. I think paying someone to check it out and clean it good first thing will not only make sure it's safe but also give me peace of mind.

Woody Stover, see below for a pic of the unit.

Here's another [seemingly] simple question: How in the world am I supposed to go about getting to the back of the unit? As you can see in the pic, it's inserted into a brick fireplace. There is no access to the back of the unit without pulling it out. Any tips on how to get access to the motor and the fan?

Thanks again, guys!

Stove Front

• mattpeek
• Dec 3, 2015

This is a view of the entire unit from the front.

 

[mellow]

You are going to pull the surrounds off and slide the insert out onto the hearth. Some put a piece of sheetmetal down onto the hearth first to make a slippery surface to help sliding the insert out. Some build a box stand to slide the insert out onto with a raised hearth like that. I doubt it has a liner attached to it, but once you take the surrounds off you will be able to see with a flashlight in the fireplace.

These pictures might help: http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/06/fire-not-in-the-hole/

 

[Woody Stover]

There is no access to the back of the unit without pulling it out. Any tips on how to get access to the motor and the fan?

You may not have to pull the stove out to see the tag. Like mellow said, remove the surround, and maybe you can see the tag with a mirror. As far as the fan, on my newer Buck the fan is accessed from the bottom/front of the insert. I'll bet yours is, too.

 

[MtnBURN]

mattpeek....While your stove is in far better condition...I believe we have the same basic stove. My research says a model 27000. They made these for a long period of time 80's-90's. The wood on the knobs on mine is gone...just a (sometimes very warm) iron handle sticking out. No brass finials on the top...and a much smaller ash/ember guard on the bottom...but same stove/blower set up. I ordered glass doors for this one because I knew we'd be burning it for a year+ before replacement...and new knobs for the air intakes ...parts are still easy to get.

The fan rheostat is located on the lower right side on my unit but the fan motor is mounted....with 3 screws...into an opening in the rear of the stove. The fan blade is held on the shaft by an allen screw. If it comes loose the blade rams forward into the back of the stove. Even working properly there isn't a ton of clearance for the blade to spin. From your description....I'm fairly confident that you have the same loose fan blade. It's too bad they didn't put it somewhere that is easier to access. It's a much needed component.

good luck!