BK Owners how do you load your stove?

[kwikrp]

I have a BKK and have seen many photos of loaded stoves from north to south. Was wondering if anyone has loaded east to west ? Any difference in performance ? Any advantages or disadvantages to either way?

thanks

 

[rdust]

I have a Princess, I've only loaded e/w a couple times. Not sure if there is much burn difference but I hate reaching into a hot stove so I only load n/s.

 

[nellraq]

I have a Princess, I've only loaded e/w a couple times. Not sure if there is much burn difference but I hate reaching into a hot stove so I only load n/s.

I have the Chinook 30. I have loaded both ways, and sometimes I load 1st. row EW, 2nd row NS etc.

You will get more wood in if you load everything NS, as no wood will roll up against the glass.

I do get a little more black on the glass when I load NS...as the creosote seems to come out of the end of the logs.

I get very little blackening if I do a whole load EW. I'm loading a smaller load twice a day right now,so tend to load EW..with the top split further back in the stove.

 

[weatherguy]

Ive tried it both ways and I prefer N/S, I usually rake the coals forward and put a flat piece of oak E/W in the back, then I load N/S on top.

 

[Todd]

It's easier to load N/S but sometimes I run into some longer splits and will load the first row E/W. I've tried loading the stove every way possible and it will still burn over 24 hours whichever way.

 

[Highbeam]

When I get a long split that won't fit down between the bricks N/S then I pull it back out and use it on top where the stove is deeper. I really have no interest at all in burning E/W in a front loading stove since you have to either reach in there way to the back while trying to hold the weight of a huge split or you need to chuck it in there. Neither is as elegant as simply sliding the splits in place. Kinda like back when people smoked and they bought packs of cigarettes, you didn't see the individual cigs loaded sideways did you?

 

[ohlongarm]

I have a BKK and have seen many photos of loaded stoves from north to south. Was wondering if anyone has loaded east to west ? Any difference in performance ? Any advantages or disadvantages to either way?

thanks

I've loaded both ways and notice no difference in length of burn or stoves performance,sometimes I load E/W and top off with N/S a lot depends on my split lengths also some are over 18in and must go E/W etc,some burners overcomplicate and overthink something as simple as loading a stove.JMHO,if I have to reload E/W on a hot stove I have gloves that go up to my elbows plus an inch or so.