2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

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I see what you did there buddy, I'm hoping to make it to November before lighting the beast, but it will probably come earlier than expected.
 
I see what you did there buddy, I'm hoping to make it to November before lighting the beast, but it will probably come earlier than expected.

It’s become part of my Halloween ritual, and I’m a bit farther south than you. Light fire, take kids trick-or-treating, come home to a stove-warmed house.

We have trick-or-treated in snow twice in the last 7 years, but that’s not normal for us.
 
moved to main forum
 
Lighting the first load Aug 25- Aug 30 is pretty average for me. I am looking for a long wet winter; above average snow, first or even second week of May for the tripod to fall at the Nenana Ice Classic, and ten nights or less with overnight lows colder than -30dF.
 
Lighting the first load Aug 25- Aug 30 is pretty average for me. I am looking for a long wet winter; above average snow, first or even second week of May for the tripod to fall at the Nenana Ice Classic, and ten nights or less with overnight lows colder than -30dF.
Your asking for a lot there, but this will be a El nino winter, and with the NW ridge in place in the lower 48, I suppose you wont really get into the cold dry harsh stuff, hopefully you stay snowy, over here on the EC, expect another winter that is winter once the pattern sets up come the end of December.
 
this will be a El nino winter, and with the NW ridge in place in the lower 48, I suppose you wont really get into the cold dry harsh stuff

We won't really know until April 2019. I am ready for 2 weeks of -50s dF overnight with accompanying daytime highs in the -40s dF, and all the sliding down and easing back up that goes with that. Plenty of dry wood for that and my envelope is ready.

I am looking for snow on the ground, measurable, in seven days, one week from tonight. All I have left to do outdoors is sweep the driveway with a broom and get the snow shovel family out.

Before I get the snow shovels out, I need to slip my wife some vodka. It is a depressing event for her every year.

And gasoline. My company has been looking at disaster preparedness all summer. They want me stock 40 gallons of gas at my house in case of "disaster". So next summer I'll be pouring gas into my truck and re-filling my disaster tanks. I ordinarily stock 10 gallons of fresh/ stabilized every autumn. It has been concluded 10 gallons will not "be worth a flip" in event of a disaster.

My studded tires are staged near the truck for quick install, fresh batteries in the timers for the head bolt heaters, extension cords for the head bolt heaters ready to rig, garage rack of dry firewood is full, oil tank is good to likely around Thanksgiving, all my flannel shirts are clean.

I think all I have left to do is find my toques, get some vodka and bring in a disassembled outboard from the toolshed so I can get it back together this winter. And check the batteries in the smoke detectors.

I don't have a kid home to stand on the floor jack to get that tested, it worked good last year. Good on wool socks and base layers.

Yup, down time here waiting for the season to finish changing from last winter to this winter.

As usual, I suspect if a polar vortex sets up in the lower 48 it will be a big problem for all y'all, again, and a small relief for me, again.

Best wishes, feels good to be ready.
 
We won't really know until April 2019
Agree, seems like you got a good plan together, we are still months away from any type of winter, probably equivalent to "your June" on our calendar.
 
Agree, seems like you got a good plan together, we are still months away from any type of winter, probably equivalent to "your June" on our calendar.

Today’s high = 92F, with so much humidity it’s affecting visibility.

Tomorrow’s high = 92F, with thunderstorms.

I don’t think Poindexter’s June is that warm and humid.
 
Came home today to a dead chicken. No sign of damage to it, no signs of a breach in their run or coop, and she was a healthy layer up thru yesterday. Given our weather this week, I’m guessing heat stress. It is absolutely brutal out there, heat index over 100F again today and tomorrow
 
Was 98 here today. I spent all day working on a robot and new control system in a plastic mold injection plant. It was warmer in there then outside in the sun. I think I need to move north. Im too fat for this weather.
 
Full first page of posts and only one about burning. None directly about BK. Save the weather reports for the Inglenook.
 
Any tips on break in fires?

I suppose this will get it back on BK topic.

Cheers
 
We won't really know until April 2019. I am ready for 2 weeks of -50s dF overnight with accompanying daytime highs in the -40s dF, and all the sliding down and easing back up that goes with that. Plenty of dry wood for that and my envelope is ready.

I am looking for snow on the ground, measurable, in seven days, one week from tonight. All I have left to do outdoors is sweep the driveway with a broom and get the snow shovel family out.

Before I get the snow shovels out, I need to slip my wife some vodka. It is a depressing event for her every year.

And gasoline. My company has been looking at disaster preparedness all summer. They want me stock 40 gallons of gas at my house in case of "disaster". So next summer I'll be pouring gas into my truck and re-filling my disaster tanks. I ordinarily stock 10 gallons of fresh/ stabilized every autumn. It has been concluded 10 gallons will not "be worth a flip" in event of a disaster.

My studded tires are staged near the truck for quick install, fresh batteries in the timers for the head bolt heaters, extension cords for the head bolt heaters ready to rig, garage rack of dry firewood is full, oil tank is good to likely around Thanksgiving, all my flannel shirts are clean.

I think all I have left to do is find my toques, get some vodka and bring in a disassembled outboard from the toolshed so I can get it back together this winter. And check the batteries in the smoke detectors.

I don't have a kid home to stand on the floor jack to get that tested, it worked good last year. Good on wool socks and base layers.

Yup, down time here waiting for the season to finish changing from last winter to this winter.

As usual, I suspect if a polar vortex sets up in the lower 48 it will be a big problem for all y'all, again, and a small relief for me, again.

Best wishes, feels good to be ready.
Where do you live?
 
No temp increase intervals needed then
 
Any tips on break in fires?

I suppose this will get it back on BK topic.

Cheers

I followed the instructions in the manual for my Ashford 30. Going into my fourth season with the stove, the enamel finish on the cast iron jacket looks fabulous. I have been abusing mine since I finished the break in burns, holding up just fine.
 
I made my first fire small, second one medium, third was stuffed to the gills. I don’t remember any break in procedure outlined in the manual, but there are other reasons for starting small on a new install, to just check out how everything is working.
 
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I made my first fire small, second one medium, third was stuffed to the gills. I don’t remember any break in procedure outlined in the manual, but there are other reasons for starting small on a new install, to just check out how everything is working.

That is what I am planning on doing.

Thanks
 
So even though we have been very wet / humid since the 4th of july, the wood that is in the shed for this year is ultra dry, i think it might be to dry, but i need to crack open a couple random splits and test the moisture, this stuff has been split for 4 years or so, its a mix of oak, ash, cherry and maple.
 
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