It is a very simple recipe that I use...4 year seasoned wood that is very dry...dry as in instantly catches...It was a long road to reach this milestone..my current 4 year supply is all oak,Red,White,Burr and Black..I have approx.25 cord split stacked and covered and another 10 cord waiting to be split and stack as I rotate out....I just loaded for the night on a good bed of coals with some 4 year old well seasoned White Oak....and as usual it took off immediately...start to finish approx. 10 minutes...pipe temp is 600 and the cat is running 1200...one final tweak before I turn in for the night...
2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)
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lsucet
Minister of Fire
Thank you. With the type of wood that I used it is easy to have a good fire going in 10 minutes too, but I always go a little longer than that. I think the key is well seasoned wood regardless of type.
chemie
Feeling the Heat
Heading to work while thinking of our first fire in the afternoon. Today is at low 50s so I think it is time.Finally!
The installer said it might smell in the first fire because of paint curing and may need to open the windows.Is the smell really so bad? How long does it usually last? Saturdays are our family movie night day. So planning to run the stove a few hours before we start the movie. But if it smells so bad and requires opening every windows at home, I may delay it to tomorrow.
Any tips for the very first fire?
The installer said it might smell in the first fire because of paint curing and may need to open the windows.Is the smell really so bad? How long does it usually last? Saturdays are our family movie night day. So planning to run the stove a few hours before we start the movie. But if it smells so bad and requires opening every windows at home, I may delay it to tomorrow.
Any tips for the very first fire?
Its going to smell really bad for a short time. I would keep a couple windows open. It is also not unheard of to set the smoke detectors off.
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
“I’m hiding from the CAT!”
Several nights in the 30’s forecast for this week. We had daytime highs in the 80’s last week, so we’re going to get to see how quickly 1 million pounds of stacked stone cool, before lighting one of our stoves. The plaster is currently sitting at 71F on the exterior walls.
The second stove in the framed addition will probably get lit this week, either way.
The second stove in the framed addition will probably get lit this week, either way.
MissMac
Minister of Fire
My stove really stunk up the house, and I did set off the smoke detector just around the corner from the stove, however I ran my stove on full throttle the first fire, rather than the suggested lower setting (see manual). So I would suggest not setting a rip-roaring fire on your maiden voyage.
MissMac
Minister of Fire
Getting ready to do my first hardwood run in the stove - just tested a sample of my birch on fresh splits and got between 11.6-14.4% MC. I’ve been waiting a couple of years to get into this stuff - cant wait to see how it performs! Results to follow...
jetsam
Minister of Fire
Yes, it smells really bad, and it stinks again every time it hits a new high temperature.
Do progressive break in fires like the manual says. Try to get the last one done before it gets cold so having the window open isn't so unpleasant.
When you do the last one, run it like it is cold in the house- open up the thermostat all the way and let it roar for a while. That way in the middle of winter when the house is cold, you won't hit a new high temp and need to open a window when it's really cold outside.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
I was surprised that when we abruptly went from highs around 75 every day to 43 last night, high of 53 today), my framed house only lost a few degrees inside. That's not solar gain either, because it's been raining.
I'll probably light up tonight, though.
chemie
Feeling the Heat
Is it OK to use duraflame firestart to start the fire? Or different recommendations?
https://express.google.com/u/0/prod...4200434205418217815_4644936248283867594_10046
I will go with low temperature setting as manual says for first fire. I will run it also high sometime next week mostly on Thursday that will hit 50 F.
https://express.google.com/u/0/prod...4200434205418217815_4644936248283867594_10046
I will go with low temperature setting as manual says for first fire. I will run it also high sometime next week mostly on Thursday that will hit 50 F.
I use a propane torch. Seems to work best plus I have one near the stove for my smoker anyways. lol
I need to get some more wood moved up to the house, but right now my yard is too soupy to drive on. This is the wettest weather I’ve ever seen, simply amazing. I might have to wait for the ground to freeze, at this point.
Sailing tomorrow will be chilly. Hopefully we manage to avoid capsize.
Many (maybe even most?) here use Supar Cedars. They used to offer a good discount to hearth.com’ers, they’re a site sponsor.
My Princess came with one of those fire starter pucks. I used 1/4 of it and I am converted!!
What is the deal with super cedar starter? How many pucks and how much? Will they ship to Canada?
What is the deal with super cedar starter? How many pucks and how much? Will they ship to Canada?
jetsam
Minister of Fire
If you are going to burn full time and you have a Princess, don't even worry about it. I think I started 3 fires last year (beginning of season, post-shoulder-season flue sweeping, and one accident where I left the thermostat set way too high and went to work).
Not cheap but they do work. Don’t you have a propane torch around for soldering or burning things? Those are awesome. Great for heating a cold flue too.
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AlbergSteve
Minister of Fire
chemie
Feeling the Heat
As compared to Super Cedar’s website price Northline Express seems to have better deal.
https://www.northlineexpress.com/super-cedar-firestarters-super-cedar-firestarter-5169.html
Alpine1
Feeling the Heat
I use dried spruce or pine cones... the poor’s man fire starter! But, I get them for free lol
chemie
Feeling the Heat
In the BK Ashford 25 manual, it says first load kindling of 8-10 lbs , let it run to produce coal bed then load your main load. From the pictures I have been seeing in the forum, people are stuffing it wood instead of doing two separate load.
Before very first fire, I’d like to make sure I am not missing anything.
Before very first fire, I’d like to make sure I am not missing anything.
Alpine1
Feeling the Heat
IIRC my very first load of the stove was a half load of fairly small pieces of spruce. After engaging the cat, I let it do its thing with t-stat wide open till the day after and left the windows open. Second fire (from a cold stove) was a normal full load, burn on high till active cat, then 20 minutes or so at full throttle, then slowed it down. Little smell on day two, none on day 3. Easier to do than to write down.
chemie
Feeling the Heat
Another question, my thermostat knob moves all the way up passing the marked thin line for Low setting and all the way down passing marked wide line for High setting.
Is this normal? If it is normal, when people say they set it to Low or High do they stay in the marked line or they move it all the way up for Low, and all the way down for High?
Is this normal? If it is normal, when people say they set it to Low or High do they stay in the marked line or they move it all the way up for Low, and all the way down for High?
Tegbert
Feeling the Heat
You will have to find your own low mark. You will most likely stall the cat going all the way low.
On my ashford 25 on a cold stove the thermostat flap is closed all the way between 1-2 o’clock so there is extra travel on the dial. I run mine usually at 3 and sometimes a between 2-3. That’s my low but yours will be different.
The marked swoosh is just there for a guide. Showing you high to low.
Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25
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