Attention studs that own a Summit.....

[Jfk4th]

OK you big guns out there, Gunner, Elk, Hog, Tom, and many more that I can't think out right now. Can you tell me how you start your fire, how many pieces you put in for your long burns, how long do you wait to shut her down to 1/2, 1/4, etc, do you go more by the temps on the stack to shut her down or the time frame. Pictures would be great too. I am pushing for Gunner, Hog, or Elk to do a video from start to reload. I know one of you three posted some great pics before in a slide show I just can't seem to find them. I have been hearing from guys like Rich L and others that need your help. Plus I still am trying to get that "Gunner-Burn" I call it.
I know many of you have put pics on before but it would be great for me (and I am sure others with the Summit) to have them in one current post

I get about an 8 hour burn but many times I need a little more. My temps are around 300 when I finally reload again, nowheres close to Gunners temps unfortunately. I have 17 feet of chimney pipe, 2 braces on the roof because I have a little over 12 ft. outside. I bought my stove in March 2007. A while ago I tightened my closure catch on the left side and it nicely passes the dollar bill test.

Oh one more thing I still get some of that curring smell at higher temps 550-650F even after all the burns I have done, is this normal too? Stronger when the fan is on which makes sense I guess. My wife is not too happy about that sometimes. Maybe I should be burning it hotter a lot more at first to take care of that curring at higher temps.

 

[Henz]

FIST OF ALL, WHY ON EARTH DID YOU GET RID OF YOUR aVALON!

 

[Jfk4th]

Ah,
I didn't have yours, the Nice Olympic , my little Pendleton was too frustrating with wood, lucky to fit 17 inchers in. I did like the stove though. My father in law has yours. I could not fit that stove in the same spot for clearances to combustibles and I did not want to add an elbow to extend the distances. I do like the Olympic though, it is a sharp looking, hot burning stove.
Cheers

 

[Henz]

Oh, I couldnt tell that it was the real small one.. I started out with the Rainier, the one in between..Wasent overly happy with the burn time so I switched it out with the BIG DOG and have been one happy dude

 

[Todd]

Not a Summit owner, but for a long burn with my previous non cats I always raked the coals forward, place the largest splits in the back, fill her up full, burn with lots of air watching the stack and stove temps for about 10-15 minutes, then turned it down slowly to desired burn rate. I think the key is watching your stove temps and adjusting accordingly.

 

[Henz]

anytime you load large splits in the wya back you need to get those temps up there for sure prior to turning down. Too many times I have had splits only 1/2 burnt in the back when I turned it down too early

 

[Jimbob]

Here's some info on how I start my fires, as well as how fast the Summit heats up.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/9812/

 

[Jfk4th]

thanks JimBob , this is great stuff for starting the stove, it is pretty similar to what I do. Do you have any pics on what you do after the 3 hour burn. I am getting longer burns now because of tweaking the gasket a little bit. I woke up this morning to a little bit of hot coals, 13.5 hours later, the temps were down to 125 though. I still think I can do better.

 

[Jimbob]

thanks JimBob , this is great stuff for starting the stove, it is pretty similar to what I do. Do you have any pics on what you do after the 3 hour burn. I am getting longer burns now because of tweaking the gasket a little bit. I woke up this morning to a little bit of hot coals, 13.5 hours later, the temps were down to 125 though. I still think I can do better.

No pics, but I can just tell you what I do for re-loading.
First I rake the embers all to one side, then fill it right up with large rounds and splits. Then I add smaller ones to fill the spaces, usually right up to within an inch of the baffle. Next I close the door, and turn the air up.
Once it gets going I gradually reduce the air in stages until it is turned right down. How long this takes will depend on my wood, and draft.
Doing it this way, the wood catches first on the one side where the embers are, then the fire moves to the top of the wood, and then slowly burns down. The top of my stove will still be hotter than 400 F after 8 hours, using softwood.

Hope this helps.

 

[whphel]

thanks JimBob , this is great stuff for starting the stove, it is pretty similar to what I do. Do you have any pics on what you do after the 3 hour burn. I am getting longer burns now because of tweaking the gasket a little bit. I woke up this morning to a little bit of hot coals, 13.5 hours later, the temps were down to 125 though. I still think I can do better.

No pics, but I can just tell you what I do for re-loading.
First I rake the embers all to one side, then fill it right up with large rounds and splits. Then I add smaller ones to fill the spaces, usually right up to within an inch of the baffle. Next I close the door, and turn the air up.
Once it gets going I gradually reduce the air in stages until it is turned right down. How long this takes will depend on my wood, and draft.
Doing it this way, the wood catches first on the one side where the embers are, then the fire moves to the top of the wood, and then slowly burns down. The top of my stove will still be hotter than 400 F after 8 hours, using softwood.

Hope this helps.

You are loading your wood north/south right? If so have found that that works best for me as well as the east to west and coals in the front do not burn as hot and leaves un burned wood in the morning no matter haow long I let the wood char as I turn doen the air flow (may be odd to some but north south woorks better and burns hotter, longer and cleaner for me).

 

[Jimbob]

Yeah, I should add that I almost always load it up North-South. I can fit a LOT more wood in it that way. You are right, these stoves don't burn as good loaded East-West.

 

[Jfk4th]

Yep, both of you guys are correct, east/west does not work well at all. I think because it blocks the air holes in front partially from reaching the back. JimBob I will try your method next burn, raking the coals to the side this time. Bravo, thanks

 

[crazy_dan]

I can not seam to get mine to burn right when I load E/W unless you want some real homemade hardwood charcoal LOL. So I always load N/S.