2017-18 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

Highbeam said:

Are fellow BK guys splitting big 6" splits or still splitting small?

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I go back and forth between small (sometimes as small as 3" square) and large (sometimes even a little over 6" square). The split size varies with my level of energy, boredom, or frustration, as much as the difficulty of the wood itself. I figure it pays off in the end, as having these random-sized splits is the best way to fill a stove to the gills. Nothing's more frustrating than having all 6" splits, when you have 5" of room left in the stove.

Ashful said:

I go back and forth between small (sometimes as small as 3" square) and large (sometimes even a little over 6" square). The split size varies with my level of energy, boredom, or frustration, as much as the difficulty of the wood itself. I figure it pays off in the end, as having these random-sized splits is the best way to fill a stove to the gills. Nothing's more frustrating than having all 6" splits, when you have 5" of room left in the stove.

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I think that's why the little guard bar is there at the bypass and why it's bent so often.

Ashful said:

I go back and forth between small (sometimes as small as 3" square) and large (sometimes even a little over 6" square). The split size varies with my level of energy, boredom, or frustration, as much as the difficulty of the wood itself. I figure it pays off in the end, as having these random-sized splits is the best way to fill a stove to the gills. Nothing's more frustrating than having all 6" splits, when you have 5" of room left in the stove.

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I have 2 wood boxes in the house...one for the bigger splits in the 4-6 in range and one for the 2-4 for stuffing her full.Works out very well..

Tar12 said:

I have 2 wood boxes in the house...one for the bigger splits in the 4-6 in range and one for the 2-4 for stuffing her full.Works out very well..

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Yes, last year I also had a two stack situation. A small stack (hoop) of 2-4 splits, another hoop of fine kindling inside the home, and then the bulk stack. It gets to be quite the operation as you evolve towards perfection for your situation.

I've always kept 2 stacks on the porch in winter, even when I was a kid burning in open fireplaces. I just thought everyone did that?

Big pallet rack = full-sized splits. Metal hoop = kindling and small stuff. Never knew any other way of doing it.

Ashful said:

I've always kept 2 stacks on the porch in winter, even when I was a kid burning in open fireplaces. I just thought everyone did that?

Big pallet rack = full-sized splits. Metal hoop = kindling and small stuff. Never knew any other way of doing it.

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Here in the Northwest I've always desired a mix of split sizes and species but I intersperse them in the same piles. When it's time to restock the house I have a pretty good idea what the weather will be like the next three days and so I can grab the most suitable wood (and I generally want a nice mix of small/large, dense/light pieces regardless of the weather). During colder weather I do want more bigger/denser pieces but I still want a mix. Interspersing works well if my woodpiles are situated such that I can pick from any portion of them (rather than just one end). I even intersperse the small hand-snapped branches in with the big wood. I always seem to have what I need close at hand.

Different strokes for different folks!

I usually split them bigger. If I am stuffing the stove for a maximally long burn, I either stuff the cracks with branchwood, or if I am feeling lazy I split a couple splits down to small-to-tiny. I don't have the teeny stuff pre-split in a separate pile or anything.

(Though I do have a woodpile that is just branchwood, roughly sorted from tiny kindling twigs on the far right to 6" rounds on the far left, but I don't always use it.... the fire only goes out a few times a year, and it usually seems easier to whack up a couple splits than to go to a different woodpile for small stuff.)

I'm lazy, I like big splits.

I dont sweat the knots when splitting, leave those big. When i get into a straight grained round ill take those down pretty small and have a nice mix in the stacks.

I use to have just (2) smaller fire place log holders that I would load up in the basement, then I graduated to building a 6x5ft rack in the garage to stage 8-10 days worth of wood, I then bought a big metal animal feed / water trough and keep that in the basement by the stove and throw my "on deck" splits in there, its nice because all the wood crumbs stay in a closed off area and not the floor, cleaning is simple, I take a small hand broom and dust pan, pick up the crumbs and throw them in the stove every once in a while.
Split size is like my 401-k, there all in the 18" length range but vary between 3" -7" thickness, so there's a lots of up and down.

I don't dwell on split size. I always end up with a mixed bag even when I'm not splitting it myself. Eastern hardwoods just have a way of coming out like that.

When my dad and I were processing wood for his old Fisher I remember him constantly reminding me to split a few "all nighters" with the #8 maul we used then. This meant an extra large tight grained, knotty and gnarled split to feed the old Fisher on a cold winter night.

Blazing said:

I don't want to even look at my stove or wood stacks it's so hot...

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Even your dog looks hot!

Almost lit the stove last night. Overcast and rainy all day, 50s above, just blech.

I was feeling the air real careful for the first whisps of arctic cold but didnt find any. You know how in autumn the thermometer can say "50 above" and some times there's timy knife blades of subfreezing air in the mix? I dont have that yet, so at least one more day of summer coming.

Poindexter said:

I dont have that yet, so at least one more day of summer coming.

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Don't sneeze or you might miss it.

Summer is over rated anyway. In the Pacific Northwest this year, it looks like summer fell in the month of July. Some years it's in August.

WoodyIsGoody said:

Don't sneeze or you might miss it.

Summer is over rated anyway. In the Pacific Northwest this year, it looks like summer fell in the month of July. Some years it's in August.

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Summer is great! You and Poindexter just need to visit a participating state.

tarzan said:

Summer is great! You and Poindexter just need to visit a participating state.

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I can tolerate 7-9 days of Hawaii before I'm longing for cooler weather. I can only handle so many 75 degree days! Right now it's a thermometer busting 77 degrees in my yard and I'm looking forward to the cool evening breezes in a couple hours.

WoodyIsGoody said:

I can tolerate 7-9 days of Hawaii before I'm longing for cooler weather. I can only handle so many 75 degree days! Right now it's a thermometer busting 77 degrees in my yard and I'm looking forward to the cool evening breezes in a couple hours.

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It was 91F and humid enough to curl wallpaper, here, last Saturday.

WoodyIsGoody said:

I can tolerate 7-9 days of Hawaii before I'm longing for cooler weather. I can only handle so many 75 degree days! Right now it's a thermometer busting 77 degrees in my yard and I'm looking forward to the cool evening breezes in a couple hours.

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For sure. Here temps have been well into the 80's with humidity levels above 60% for two weeks now. Yeah, it kinda sux, lol.

72* and low humidity is the perfect weather for me. Unfortunately that's only ten or so days a year.

It was 103 degrees on the South Loop here in Stephenville last Sunday and at 102 today. Y'all Yankees whining about 80 degree heat waves need to move south to where we have century plus summers and only upper 20's winters.

Texas123 said:

It was 103 degrees on the South Loop here in Stephenville last Sunday and at 102 today. Y'all Yankees whining about 80 degree heat waves need to move south to where we have century plus summers and only upper 20's winters.

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I would need to subject myself to a voluntary mental health evaluation if I ever started thinking I should move to the south.

Well guys, hello to everybody. I have been waiting all summer and checking the prices and specials around here to buy another Princess but all the dealers around here have the same prices on the ultra.

I decided to pull the plug and just get it tomorrow. At least closed the deal and pick it up this weekend. I am just planning a small remodeling in the area where it will be install. It should be ready to roll this winter. I am not active here lately but I drop in here once in a while and get updated.lol. I have been busy plus I am building a horse barn to bring my Andalusian horses that I have in California before the winter shows up. I will be more around this winter for sure. Regards to everyone.

lsucet said:

Well guys, hello to everybody. I have been waiting all summer and checking the prices and specials around here to buy another Princess but all the dealers around here have the same prices on the ultra.

I decided to pull the plug and just get it tomorrow. At least closed the deal and pick it up this weekend. I am just planning a small remodeling in the area where it will be install. It should be ready to roll this winter. I am not active here lately but I drop in here once in a while and get updated.lol. I have been busy plus I am building a horse barn to bring my Andalusian horses that I have in California before the winter shows up. I will be more around this winter for sure. Regards to everyone.

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Good news. Most of us hibernate a bit in the summer and are less active here but I can already see a pickup in activity as fall approaches.

That's great news Isucet!
I am just waiting on the paint and floors (along with the tile hearth) in a addition to go in before the Ashford 30 can bet set. The Class A chimney looks lonely with the stove to go with it.

lsucet said:

Well guys, hello to everybody. I have been waiting all summer and checking the prices and specials around here to buy another Princess but all the dealers around here have the same prices on the ultra.

I decided to pull the plug and just get it tomorrow. At least closed the deal and pick it up this weekend. I am just planning a small remodeling in the area where it will be install. It should be ready to roll this winter. I am not active here lately but I drop in here once in a while and get updated.lol. I have been busy plus I am building a horse barn to bring my Andalusian horses that I have in California before the winter shows up. I will be more around this winter for sure. Regards to everyone.

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Whenever I read your username I say to myself "I suck it". I'm sure that's not the proper pronunciation is it?

Highbeam said:

Whenever I read your username I say to myself "I suck it". I'm sure that's not the proper pronunciation is it?

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Actually it sounds like SUSET. But it is Sucet. SOME KIND OF FRENCH FROM MY FATHER'S SIDE. The L in front is my name initial.