Are smoke dragons really smoke dragons?

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sapratt

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
May 14, 2008
397
Northwestern, Oh
I have an old Fisher stove one that would be considered a smoke dragon. When I
first light the fire and get the stove going it smokes a little, not as much as other homes
I see around. But after everything is up to temperature I can walk outside and not see smoke.
That got me wondering were the stoves not operated right, that's why they got the bad name?
Or was it 20 or 30 yrs ago people didn't under stand that properly seasoned wood was the key to
a good fire?
 
Pretty much because of not burning really dry wood and the fact that everybody turned the primary air way down to extend the life of the burn and so the wood smoldered. In my 1985 stove I would do the same as I do with the new one, kindling to establish a coal bed and get the stove up to five hundred degrees then get the big load charred before turning it down 75% and it didn't smoke.
 
Burning Issues tried to change it to Smoke Fairy but real men don't burn Smoke Fairies.

Matt
 
no man said:
I have an old Fisher stove one that would be considered a smoke dragon. When I
first light the fire and get the stove going it smokes a little, not as much as other homes
I see around. But after everything is up to temperature I can walk outside and not see smoke.
That got me wondering were the stoves not operated right, that's why they got the bad name?
Or was it 20 or 30 yrs ago people didn't under stand that properly seasoned wood was the key to
a good fire?
Click to expand...
Seasoned wood is a big part of it. With that, they really don't smoke as much. But, my old smoke dragon, much like a Fisher, cannot be run with the "proper" burning habits I read about of today's stoves. It would simply produce too much heat, especially this time of year. You have to close the draft sooner or later, and then it smokes some and produces a little creosote regardless. It has no secondary burn whatever thingie to burn the smoke. It's a big steel box (7 cubic foot firebox), lined with firebrick, with draft holes in the doors. Period. Even so, it doesn't smoke nearly as much as other indoor or outdoor type furnaces etc. They are smoldering a much larger load of wood.

I suppose, if I split all of my firewood to the size of kindling, then fed it a few pieces at a time on an hourly basis, I could keep the house about the right temperature without ever smoldering the wood. But, hovering over the stove 24 hours day isn't going to happen.
 
EatenByLimestone said:
Shirt, I just washed my truck!

Matt
Click to expand...

Reminds me of what Eric Johnson's dad says. "The idea is for all of your creosote to end up on your neighbor's car. Not in your chimney."
 
Brotherbart that reminds me of when my one neighbor was mowing his lawn and blew grass clippings all over
his neighbors car. Not just on one side of it. On the side, front, top, and back. To top it off he didn't bother to
clean his car off when he was done.
 
no man said:
Brotherbart that reminds me of when my one neighbor was mowing his lawn and blew grass clippings all over
his neighbors car. Not just on one side of it. On the side, front, top, and back. To top it off he didn't bother to
clean his car off when he was done.
Click to expand...

I hate neighbors. That is why I live dead in the middle of five and a half acres of woods now. :coolsmirk:

No more "Mister, can I get my soccer ball off of your roof?". Really happened. More than once.
 
cmonSTART said:
Ah, so BB's house was THAT house in the neighborhood where baseballs, frisbees, airplanes etc were lost and never recovered for fear of the old scary guy.
Click to expand...

It was 30 years ago so I was the young scary guy. :lol:
 
Actually, my neighbor has a Fisher if I remember like which smokes like you wouldn't believe. I'm not sure what he feeds it but there's always a steady column of thick smoke coming from his chimney. I think it's a combo of green wood and a low air setting.
 
cmonSTART said:
Actually, my neighbor has a Fisher if I remember like which smokes like you wouldn't believe. I'm not sure what he feeds it but there's always a steady column of thick smoke coming from his chimney. I think it's a combo of green wood and a low air setting.
Click to expand...

I have a neighbor like that. Dave and the rest of us moved into this area in the mid eighties and all burned wood. Me and him are the only ones still doing it and anytime it is sixty degrees or less there is a stream of smoke coming from his chimney. The wood is uncovered out by his house and more often than not it looks like he splits it just before he burns it.
 
I have a Fisher, and besides for the first 5 minutes, it does not smoke! Now i have an inside chimney, and I am ANAL about my wood being atleast 1 year seasoned! So maybe thats the difference or maybe "new" stoves NEVER smoke!
 
BrotherBart said:
no man said:
Brotherbart that reminds me of when my one neighbor was mowing his lawn and blew grass clippings all over
his neighbors car. Not just on one side of it. On the side, front, top, and back. To top it off he didn't bother to
clean his car off when he was done.
Click to expand...

I hate neighbors. That is why I live dead in the middle of five and a half acres of woods now. :coolsmirk:

No more "Mister, can I get my soccer ball off of your roof?". Really happened. More than once.
Click to expand...

Did you make him clean your chimney when he was up there.

Zap
 
I have a big buck and am able to burn with no smoke also. I always thought they were considered smoke dragons because a lot of installs were slammers, which would create poor draft.
With my technology (70s?) increase wood usage seems to be my compromise.
I am also sure the newer units heat/burn more efficiently.
I have quite a bit of air and damper adjustment, although I have never used another insert.
 
gzecc said:
increase wood usage seems to be my compromise.
Click to expand...

You hit a good point. But let me expand a little. Increased wood usage relates to fuel (energy) not being used to heat the home. Its going somewhere and the only other option is up the pipe.

Yes, a "smoke dragon" when run properly can produce minimal amounts of smoke, but there really is other stuff making it up the stack simply because it hasn't been "reburned". Its just the nature of the beast.
 
Jags, that is why I'm anal about the wood I burn. I only seek out Black Locust, Hickory, White ash, Sugar maple, old oak etc. Top shelf fuel to make up for my burning inefficiencies. I also burn some norway maple, black walnut, apple, but that falls on my property.
I cleaned my chimney a few weeks ago (after 1yr) and had about a gallon and 1/2 of powdery creosote.
I do have an interior masonry fireplace.
 
gzecc said:
Jags, that is why I'm anal about the wood I burn. I only seek out Black Locust, Hickory, White ash, Sugar maple, old oak etc. Top shelf fuel to make up for my burning inefficiencies. I also burn some norway maple, black walnut, apple, but that falls on my property.
I cleaned my chimney a few weeks ago (after 1yr) and had about a gallon and 1/2 of powdery creosote.
I do have an interior masonry fireplace.
Click to expand...

Premium fuel has NO downside for sure.
 
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