Break in fires - the "real reason" behind my last question.....lol

[jwscarab]

Ok, so I wanted peoples thoughts on break in fires before I told you guys how stupid I was.

Early yesterday I actually got my T6 hooked up I lit the first fire - kindling - and while it was burning I read the whole manual again. Absolutly nothing about break in fires.

So it was going to be 18 degrees last night and I was excited to finally be burning say the least.

So after reading the manual and all it said was to ventilate, I added more wood. I kept the temps down and cruised at 350-400 stove top for 5 or 6 hours. Then later on I filled her up and shut the air all the way down - secondaires kicked in and it got to 650 stove top. I went to bed. It burned overnight and this morning a ton of coals - I loaded it back up, chared and shut the air down - its cruising.

So I was embaressed to tell you guys what I did (no break in). But what the heck. Let me have it. Did I do any damage to the stove??? (besides to my brain from the smell)????

 

[Hogwildz]

Ok, so I wanted peoples thoughts on break in fires before I told you guys how stupid I was.

Early yesterday I actually got my T6 hooked up I lit the first fire - kindling - and while it was burning I read the whole manual again. Absolutly nothing about break in fires.

So it was going to be 18 degrees last night and I was excited to finally be burning say the least.

So after reading the manual and all it said was to ventilate, I added more wood. I kept the temps down and cruised at 350-400 stove top for 5 or 6 hours. Then later on I filled her up and shut the air all the way down - secondaires kicked in and it got to 650 stove top. I went to bed. It burned overnight and this morning a ton of coals - I loaded it back up, chared and shut the air down - its cruising.

So I was embaressed to tell you guys what I did (no break in). But what the heck. Let me have it. Did I do any damage to the stove??? (besides to my brain from the smell)????

Actually, you sort of did do a break in in a couple stages, its buring good and working well, no harm, no foul. Enjoy.
You will get the paint cure smell with each temp you get the stove to above what you have had it to already. then it will subside. May not be much, just wanted to forewarn ya in case you got worried if you smell it again.
Enjoy! And photos would be nice.

 

[BrotherBart]

The only reasons in the world I can think of for break-in fires with a steel stove is to cure the paint, like I did burning mine outside first, and to look for defects in the installation prior to getting an unstoppable roaring fire going in your house. Steel stoves don't have furnace cement in the joints that need the moisture cooked out and the cast iron on a T-6 isn't in contact with the fire so curing the iron isn't an issue.

Burn on brother!

 

[Nic36]

Yep, I have been burning for about 3 months and I got the paint smell the other night when my stove temperature nudged a few degrees higher usual. Every time, the smell is always a little less.

I had the same fears and was probably burning too cool in the beginning. You didn't hurt your stove.