Woodstock stove porn

I thought you friendly forum folks might like to see some photos of the first "real" Progress Hybrid coming together. This is the stove that will travel to WA for EPA testing. These were taken yesterday as we were dry fitting the firebox shell to the base (with grate and ash box), along with the primary air channels and the secondary fireback. We don't have the first batch of all the exterior castings yet (they're on the way) so some exterior parts will be steel (like the lovely and slender angle iron legs). There will be stone on both the inside and outside of the steel firebox shell and the C clamps will be painted the same color as the stove so you won't even notice them. More to come later as it grows. (BTW, on an entirely different note, the reconditioned stoves were all gone by the time we closed on Tuesday.)

I think I need some alone time now . . .

Thanks for sharing . . . looking forward to seeing this stove in its final stages . . . I don't know as though I will jump ship . . . but I may well find myself lusting after it.

Thanks for the update, looking good so far. I thought it was already tested? Seems like your cutting it close when it's suppose to be released Oct?

So Progress is the name then? Looks like rear vent only? Medium size? It will be interesting to see what the clearances end up being.

Yes, Progress Hybrid is the name. It's hard to tell without the top on it but it will be top or rear vent. For all intents and purposes, it has been tested since we've been using the same equipment and procedures as Omni Test Labs, but we're not an accredited lab and we can't certify ourselves. I checked with Harold Camping and the 4 cu.ft. version will definitely be out for the 2012-13 heating season and it will be called the Rapture

I am very interested in the clearances for this stove. Especially with a rear heat shield.

Here are a few more photos. One shows the primary air channels in place as well as the secondary fireback. On top of the fireback is the catalytic chamber. The small rectangular hole toward the front of the stove is the bypass; the larger rectangular cavity is where the catalyst will sit. When the bypass is open, the exhaust will flow over the heat exchange fins and then out the top or rear exit. When the bypass is closed the exhaust will flow down under the cat, pass through the cat from back to front and then over the heat exchange fins. The last photo gives you a pretty good idea of the firebox shape and size. (NOTE: I can't seem to get the photos to display in the right order so I hope it's somewhat evident which one is which)

Thanks for posting Ron. Some good pictures there and food for thought for sure.

Great news on the top vent. Andirons? It looks like you won't be able to see the glowing cat. How will you access it?

There you go BB, just order one without the outside soapstone panels, paint her brown and your good to go.

I don't get it, why the steel fire box shell? Woodstocks other stoves have an air gap between the two layers of stone that they say is to even out the heat. Maybe to eliminate cemented seems? Looks like one big jigsaw puzzle putting this thing together.

I have no idea why they did it, but it did get me thinking, even if you get a crack in your soapstone, it wouldn't really be a safety risk at all if you've got the steel shell, right???

I gotta say, I could not pass up the chance to read about some stove porn. Nice legs, straight and slender.

Lots of secondary air holes in that baffle. I don't think there will be much left for the cat to feed on. Probably would burn clean without the cat.

Yeah, looks like a lot of pieces and parts but the top will have a lid similar to the Fireview for easy access to all those guts.

Thanks Ron. Nice to see these pictures and looking forward to seeing it fully dressed.

My name suggestion was better.

FWIW, my official suggestion was the "Woodstock Aurora"

I'm hoping the "hybrid" portion of the name isn't actually part of the name. It's uneccesary unless there are multiple versions, like a Woodstock Progress Pellet or Woodstock Progress Catalytic...

I'd like to answer some of the questions that have been posed since I was last here yesterday afternoon. Yes, there will be andirons behind the glass to protect the air wash system. No, you will not be able to see the cat through the front glass (the secondaries should provide a pretty good light show though) and access to it will be through a lift up top lid similar to the Fireview. (One of the prototypes had a glass lid so you could see the cat but ultimately we decided soapstone in the lid was the better choice.) The steel firebox shell does several things. There will be fewer seams, which will make it decidedly less prone to leakage. It's a better (and easier) support material for the upper combustion chamber. It will allow both exterior and interior soapstone pieces to be easily replaced (if need be) without having to take the stove apart, and, it will allow us to readily create a second "econo-version" of the stove, down the road, if we choose to do so.