I want my 4.5 cuft Cat Cast Iron Stove and I want it NOW.

[Jags]

Why is this unheard of. Why is there no single example of this stove - anywhere. Is there a physical limitation to how much fuel can go into a stove and still maintain EPA specs?

Imagine if you will the performance of a BK King wrapped in the beauty of a Mansfield or Isle Royal. BUT BIGGER. Awww man...I want one.

I WANT MY 4.5 CuFt CATALYTIC CAST IRON STOVE AND I WANT IT NOW.

(you listening Blaze King???)

 

[Todd]

Because if you need a stove that big you might as well have a wood furnace. Way overkill IMO.

 

[Jags]

Because if you need a stove that big you might as well have a wood furnace. Way overkill IMO.

Wood furnace goes in basement, PIA. No caveman TV to watch. Different animal. It isn't always all about the heat.

 

[Highbeam]

The market is too small for such a stove. The 8" flue would be weird, the cat would be weird, the physical size would be overpowering, and the amount of wood to fill the box would be significant.

I also wish for more large cat stoves whether cast or steel. I don't understand the desire of the manufacturers to keep putting out tiny cat stoves that have the same low burn heat output as large stoves but much lower burn times. The only good reason is that the physical size of the small stoves makes them more appealing to more people.

We are wood burning enthusiasts. A pretty small share of the market.

 

[Jags]

One of the most dirt common stoves on the planet is the Englander NC30. It is 3.5 cuft. We are talking about increasing the physical size by 2" in all dimensions (I did not do the actual math, just a quick guess). Dunno, I don't think that breaks the "size" barrier into craziness. What is the cuft of the King??

Looked it up: 4.32 cuft, so somehow adding .18 cuft (notice the decimal) is going too far?

 

[begreen]

3 words - very limited market. Get a Tulikivi if you want big.

 

[Jags]

3 words - very limited market. Get a Tulikivi if you want big.

Ya really think so?? (honest question). With the proliferation of the King I could see a market for this. Okay, maybe knock it down to 4.0 cuft. Would that have more market appeal? Canada - Alaska??

 

[BrotherBart]

A thousand pound stove is gonna end up in the basement one way or the other.

 

[Jags]

Man - you guys make it sound like I am going from a Fiat 500 to a Ford F350. At 30% larger than my 600 pound Isle Royal it would be about an additional 180. So going from 600 to 780 pounds. Where my stove sits, once had a baby grand piano sitting there years ago. I don't think the weight increase is gonna be a biggie.

WHOOPS - 500 pound Isle royal....carry the 3 add the 1... 500 pounds to 650. Even less of a biggie.

 

[Ashful]

We are wood burning enthusiasts. A pretty small share of the market.

Nah... everyone is talking about their woodstove on August 3. I saw Ashton and Snookie both tweeting on this, not ten minutes ago.

 

[Delta-T]

I'd guess there must be some "potential for hazard" threshold that gets passed when you get to that size....imagine if you will what the inexperinced person, who finds themselves at the mercy of a 4 cu ft-er that has gone "run away" and climbs into the 800-900 degree surface temp range does. For those who are proven "Gods of Fire" this situation is rare, and probably manageable, but for the noobs and wannabee woodburner urbanites this smells of danger. You also gonna need big....I mean BIG hearthpad....may need to build addition. Problem #2....small fires. You only be able to fire the thing in the dead of winter...."No,no....we dont fire THAT one until December....this lil guy over here is the "shoulder season" stove".

 

[MasterMech]

Because if you need a stove that big you might as well have a wood furnace. Way overkill IMO.

This is a good point, stoves are space heaters and a 4.5 cu ft monster will need a lot of space to heat. You planning a ballroom addition Jags?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

A stove that big would be too much for a normal size room. Unless you have a very open floor plan or the stove is in the great room. If your house is that big you probably need 2 stoves,not one big one.

 

[Jags]

The King at 4.32 cuft of stove is revered for its low and slow burn. If it wasn't so damn ugly, I would probably own one, but...it is ugly (in my opinion). My stove sits basically dead center of my home and is in wide view of all. So yes, I would prefer it to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

So basically I am looking for something comparable in size to the King in cast iron. (does that make all you "size" weary folks feel better?). Or is the King a "freak" and its market share unexplainable?

 

[begreen]

Maybe consider an Equinox and skip the cast requirement?

 

[Highbeam]

Ah but the king does not dominate the market. There is no proliferation. It is a relatively rare stove outside of our forum. I have stood beside a king and it is a very large stove, reminded me of a washing machine which is fine if you want something that big.

Because this is a cat stove the fact that it is 4.5 CF has no bearing on it being too large for any space. You must realize that a cat stove can be run at low temp. The large firebox buys you a long burntime at the low setting or if you really want some major mojo you can crank it up. Large cat stoves are the cat's meow.

Stoves are indeed space heaters. The space being heated is Jag's entire home. I completely disagree that a stove only heats the room that it is set in, otherwise, the rest of our houses would freeze all winter.

So what you really want is a king that looks nice. Very understandable and reasonable. Just not enough like minded folks out there to justify the design work yet. The most likely path to your desired stove is if BK would do it. They are dabbling into the cast iron market and with adding decorative shells to their basic stove, just as PE does, so your desired stove may not be that much of a leap.

 

[Highbeam]

I've also stood beside the NC30 and it did not feel that big, very normal. Way more than 2" smaller in every direction. I didn't measure but it sure felt that way.

 

[Jags]

Thanks Highbeam - at least I know of ONE other person that thinks I am not out of my mind.

Yes - basically, with a cat stove I view it that the size of the stove is nothing more than how much fuel can be loaded into it. It is very common for my house to sit empty for 12+ hours per day. Even my Isle Royal can't maintain 70 degrees in my home for 12 hours in the dead of winter. It gets close, but the fact is, it just won't hold enough fuel.

And yes, I guess you are correct - I am just looking for a King with new clothes.

 

[begreen]

Or consider a 6 cu ft dualy fuely?

 

[MasterMech]

...
Stoves are indeed space heaters. The space being heated is Jag's entire home. I completely disagree that a stove only heats the room that it is set in, otherwise, the rest of our houses would freeze all winter.
...

I agree that the stove can (and does!) heat the entire home. However, I'm not sure I'd want to be in a "normal" sized room with a 4.5 cu ft stove (even a cat model) for very long.

 

[Jags]

Ha ha - your photoshop skillz are impressive.

Just look at that stove...sexy as hell (the regular Isle Royal). That is what I want, but cat and 30% larger.

 

[Jags]

I agree that the stove can (and does!) heat the entire home. However, I'm not sure I'd want to be in a "normal" sized room with a 4.5 cu ft stove (even a cat model) for very long.

The King at low burn actually puts out LESS heat than my Isle Royal does at low burn (but high enough to maintain clean combustion)

 

[Jags]

Heck - look at all the old fisher papa bears and such, those stoves were cavernous, just low tech. My old box burner of an earth stove has to be close to 4 cuft.

 

[certified106]

Looks like it's time for you to just man up and buy one......

 

[Todd]

What's the actuall fire box dimentions for your Isle Royal? Maybe it's not as big as you think and you could get away with something less than a true 4 cu ft? I know the Equinox is off by almost a full cu ft and the NC30 isn't even 3 cu ft. I know Blaze King is very close to what they claim and it would also be a little more efficient so maybe check out the new cast iron BK and compare?

I hope BK's new stove isn't just an iron clad add on of their steel models. It would be too boxy looking, require a large hearth and look out of place in most homes.