2019-20 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

[showrguy]

You guys are right again. Other than the 2 oaks, one white and one red, I didn’t find anything else even close to 20% mc. Almost everything was 30 to 35%. Damn! 8” diameter standing,dead,no bark is the ticket but also a needle in a hay stack. Back to ash it is. Definitely a cheap kiln this summer. I have yrs worth of oak to burn if I can just get it dry
View attachment 254798

Have you read through the post/threads in the “woodshed” section here about solar firewood kilns ??
If not, I suggest you do.... lots of good info over there !!

 

[Indiana wood]

Have you read through the post/threads in the “woodshed” section here about solar firewood kilns ??
If not, I suggest you do.... lots of good info over there !!

Funny, I was just reading some of your comments in that very thread when this came in. Yes im gonna try it

 

[charger4406]

I'm not bad mouthing blaze king or the stove, just wondered what was the cause.
I will go to my dealer but I've had trouble with them before trying to order parts
that I was paying for, plus after 6 years I don't expect I have any kind of warranty
left that would cover such damage.
webby, you're shop is outstanding to give that kind of service on a stove that old,
as is blaze king, hope my dealer is as well.

 

[jetsam]

Funny, I was just reading some of your comments in that very thread when this came in. Yes im gonna try it

Read Poindexter's threads here, here, and here. Doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Ashful]

5100 sq.ft. Cute place.

Shed no.2 of 6 completed yesterday. Moved it to high ground today, as it’s unseasonably warm this weekend, waiting for frozen ground later this week to move to wood lot.

 

[jetsam]

5100 sq.ft. Cute place. When you’re burning two BKs plus 1000 gal oil plus two heat pumps, we will talk!

Shed no.2 of 6 completed yesterday. Moved it to high ground today, as it’s unseasonably warm this weekend, waiting for frozen ground later this week to move to wood lot.

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Ya KNOW.... bolt a couple of those together, stud 'em out with 2x6, sheathing, insulation, put one of the Ashfords in, tell the family that they can use the bathrooms in the old big house.... you are going to save a TON of wood!

 

[showrguy]

5100 sq.ft. Cute place.

Shed no.2 of 6 completed yesterday. Moved it to high ground today, as it’s unseasonably warm this weekend, waiting for frozen ground later this week to move to wood lot.

View attachment 254799

I dunno if it’s gonna get cold enough to refreeze the ground this week ??

 

[weatherguy]

I dunno if it’s gonna get cold enough to refreeze the ground this week ??

It should middle of the week.

 

[Woody Stover]

My only other experience is the woodchuck 2900. I do love this bk. The air control is awesomely simple....Im sure there are other good stoves out there

Yep, cats are amazing if you're new to them. I would expect to be less amazed, since I've already run four different cat stoves..

Almost everything was 30 to 35%. Damn! 8” diameter standing,dead,no bark is the ticket but also a needle in a hay stack. Back to ash it is.
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Yeah, Oak is frustrating sometimes. Nothing wrong with White Ash if you have enough to get you through...almost as good as Red Oak in the BTU charts.
I like what you did with that Oak in the meantime...those seasoning holes you drilled will certainly speed drying.

they can use the bathrooms

Those are built like bathrooms..brick chithouses.

 

[Poindexter]

Read Poindexter's threads here, here, and here. Doesn't get much better than that.

Read woodsplitter67's threads. Mine are all academic and ethereal and theoretical. Somehow W67 read my stuff, understood it, built his own kiln and was able to explain what he did in a way other folks can relate to.

 

[MissMac]

5100 sq.ft. Cute place.

Shed no.2 of 6 completed yesterday. Moved it to high ground today, as it’s unseasonably warm this weekend, waiting for frozen ground later this week to move to wood lot.

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Those look really slick. What do you figure you’ll get in each of them? You gonna put 1 cord/stall, or a bit more? Probably get 1.5 in if you wanted?

 

[BKVP]

5100 sq.ft. Cute place.

Shed no.2 of 6 completed yesterday. Moved it to high ground today, as it’s unseasonably warm this weekend, waiting for frozen ground later this week to move to wood lot.

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What? No rain gutters!!

 

[Ashful]

Those look really slick. What do you figure you’ll get in each of them? You gonna put 1 cord/stall, or a bit more? Probably get 1.5 in if you wanted?

4 cords per rack. Basically two 1-cord” stalls” on each side. I line a half dozen of these in a row, and I can just drive down the row and load my wood wagon from them. I’m going thru a cord every 3 weeks, so I had to make this as easy as practical.



Of course, I just upgraded my tractor to something that can lift 2200 lb on the loader or 2500 on the 3-point, which has me thinking of other even quicker plans

 

[SpaceBus]

Read woodsplitter67's threads. Mine are all academic and ethereal and theoretical. Somehow W67 read my stuff, understood it, built his own kiln and was able to explain what he did in a way other folks can relate to.

I prefer the ethereal and academic stuff myself. Learning about how the wood gives up the water is more relevant to me.

 

[charger4406]

I like you're racks and wagon system,
I'm going through the same amount of wood and
my shed/racks are a fair distance from the house.
Where did you get the axles for the sheds? my land
is not quite as level as you're land seems to be,I
would need more ground clearance so would not
be as stable.

 

[SpaceBus]

4 cords per rack. Basically two 1-cord” stalls” on each side. I line a half dozen of these in a row, and I can just drive down the row and load my wood wagon from them. I’m going thru a cord every 3 weeks, so I had to make this as easy as practical.

View attachment 254819 View attachment 254820

Of course, I just upgraded my tractor to something that can lift 2200 lb on the loader or 2500 on the 3-point, which has me thinking of other even quicker plans

I've been thinking about something like a ballast box, but much larger to haul splits that also has a small hitch for my splitter.

 

[Rob711]

What am I doing wrong, I can’t get more than 9 hrs out of a load. Originally I told myself it’s because my wood is so small it’s burning fast, well I’m into bigger splits now. I’m going by the manual, load it up, char, close bypass, run on high for about 15-30 mins, slowly turn down. Any lower than 3:00 the cat becomes inactive, I’ve noticed there’s no hole in the flapper, so I can’t “ride the hole”. At the 3:15 position I’ll get black box with a on the edge of active, but again no longer than 9 hrs. Any ashford insert owners getting 20 hrs?

 

[charger4406]

BKVP, what are you're thoughts on the corrosion in my ashford,
Woody mentioned creosote condensation which sounds plausible.
about 3 1/4 to 4 cords goes through this stove at a medium setting,
wondering if I burn on a higher setting if it would slow or stop anymore
corrosion from forming.

 

[spudman99]

@Rob711, you have been around here a while and I am sure suspect the typical responses. First obviously is wood moisture content. Can you post for us the wood species, water content and split size. Photo of the meter is very helpful, and of course the wood will be warm when you check it.

I can easily get 12 hours out of my princess insert newly installed this past Nov although we do not have cold temperatures and wind. But I am only 2 hours or less from you and have pretty similar weather conditions. My sugar maple is right around 20% and gives off heat at the top of the unit over the combustor at 240deg on low (fan on med) for 12+ hours this past week.

 

[Ashful]

I like you're racks and wagon system,
I'm going through the same amount of wood and
my shed/racks are a fair distance from the house.
Where did you get the axles for the sheds? my land
is not quite as level as you're land seems to be,I
would need more ground clearance so would not
be as stable.

That axle came off one of my old boat trailers. Wasn’t much good for 60mph anymore, but it’s just fine for 3 mph across the back yard, despite being overloaded. My yard is hilly, so there are some spots where I bottom out and drag, but I don’t let that stop me. It’s a one-time move from shop to final resting place, I hope.
When I get it down to the wood lot I pick it up with my 3-point forks and set it into concrete plinths before loading it

I've been thinking about something like a ballast box, but much larger to haul splits that also has a small hitch for my splitter.

I have a friend who uses a TSC 3-point carry-all for this purpose. It’s basically a 3-point frame / base that you build whatever box you want onto it.

 

[Diabel]

That axle came off one of my old boat trailers. Wasn’t much good for 60mph anymore, but it’s just fine for 3 mph across the back yard, despite being overloaded. My yard is hilly, so there are some spots where I bottom out and drag, but I don’t let that stop me. It’s a one-time move from shop to final resting place, I hope.
When I get it down to the wood lot I pick it up with my 3-point forks and set it into concrete plinths before loading it

View attachment 254822


I have a friend who uses a TSC 3-point carry-all for this purpose. It’s basically a 3-point frame / base that you build whatever box you want onto it.

You could easily wrap them in clear plastic.

 

[webby3650]

4 cords per rack. Basically two 1-cord” stalls” on each side. I line a half dozen of these in a row, and I can just drive down the row and load my wood wagon from them. I’m going thru a cord every 3 weeks, so I had to make this as easy as practical.

View attachment 254819 View attachment 254820

Of course, I just upgraded my tractor to something that can lift 2200 lb on the loader or 2500 on the 3-point, which has me thinking of other even quicker plans

I’ve been trying things to streamline the process. These baskets have made a huge difference for me!

 

[webby3650]

I've been thinking about something like a ballast box, but much larger to haul splits that also has a small hitch for my splitter.

If I’ve just got a small tree to cut up, this is my setup.

 

[webby3650]

BKVP, what are you're thoughts on the corrosion in my ashford,
Woody mentioned creosote condensation which sounds plausible.
about 3 1/4 to 4 cords goes through this stove at a medium setting,
wondering if I burn on a higher setting if it would slow or stop anymore
corrosion from forming.

It’s definitely from creosote on the steel. Creosote is very corrosive. Do you run on high for 30 minutes or even an hour on high every so often? This will burn off the creosote in the box.

 

[showrguy]

If I’ve just got a small tree to cut up, this is my setup.

How many cords through that splitter webby ??
I bought a supersplit 7-8 years ago, one of the best things I EVER bought...