Supposed to go down to 40 on Sunday night and windy. We'll have a fire if it does. And on Monday too.
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Cleaned and ready for winter
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This was Steven's Pass early this morning.A relative in Spokane said it snowed there.
Spent the weekend on stove/firewood duty.
Put tin roof on the 1.25 cord shed that I move up by the back door for winter. Filled it, 6 loads on the tractor with firewood basket. Cleaned both stove chimney liners. Virtually nothing on either stove. PE Summit on main floor and Federal Airtight (Dutchewst) downstairs. PE Summit is awesome, the Federal Airtight is a gigantic POS. Really a horrible stove.
Ready for winter and will probably light off next Sat with overnight temps around 40.
Put tin roof on the 1.25 cord shed that I move up by the back door for winter. Filled it, 6 loads on the tractor with firewood basket. Cleaned both stove chimney liners. Virtually nothing on either stove. PE Summit on main floor and Federal Airtight (Dutchewst) downstairs. PE Summit is awesome, the Federal Airtight is a gigantic POS. Really a horrible stove.
Ready for winter and will probably light off next Sat with overnight temps around 40.
Sounds like it's time to replace the old Dutchwest. You are not alone in disliking it. The non-cat version sucked.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
It's still summer here, high or mid 70s every day.
End of September, and even the trees haven't noticed it's fall yet.
I am not complaining!
End of September, and even the trees haven't noticed it's fall yet.
I am not complaining!
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
You'll be seeing some 40s by the end of the week.I know, I know, but it's too hot to go out there now!
ChrisE
Member
i don’t Think fall is ever gonna get here. Looks upper 80’s lower 90’s again this wk. was able to use the soot eater and get the stove back together. First time cleaning as well.
We didn't lose power until the company showed up Friday afternoon to cut down the trees. They de-energized the line for about 30 minutes while doing that. But if we have an extended outage I run my generator. I have a 6-circuit transfer switch in the house to keep the basics going.
We only ended up with 10" of snow and the winds stayed much calmer than predicted. The bulk of the storm was north and west of us.
Coalescent
Member
Kids asked me for a fire today, so we didn’t quite make it to October. Lit off our first fire of the season this morning in our RSF Topaz. Overnight lows last night hovered around 35-36 for many hours, and the high today is only 60 without much sun to heat the house.
Many firsts this year. First time I’ve burned pine. Took it from my first solar kiln, been in there since August 7th. Around 19-20% MC now. The fire burned very hot and clean, no hissing or sizzling.
The smell of the pine was heavenly after burning semi-punky hardwoods for the entirety of last winter. Some of that wood really stank. I would close the Topaz up as quickly as possible.
Many firsts this year. First time I’ve burned pine. Took it from my first solar kiln, been in there since August 7th. Around 19-20% MC now. The fire burned very hot and clean, no hissing or sizzling.
The smell of the pine was heavenly after burning semi-punky hardwoods for the entirety of last winter. Some of that wood really stank. I would close the Topaz up as quickly as possible.
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Mesmerized, like moths to a candle flame.
Do you have a screen for the Topaz? It really should be used with any open fire. One never knows when a pitch pocket will explode and send embers and sparks flying.
Do you have a screen for the Topaz? It really should be used with any open fire. One never knows when a pitch pocket will explode and send embers and sparks flying.
Coalescent
Member
No, it didn’t come with a screen when we bought the home. I will see if I can contact RSF somehow and order one.
I only leave it open when I’m first lighting off the fire, then I close it up until it’s reload time.
Kinda funny, the sheriff I bought the home from only ever ran the Topaz wide open and he never had a screen. Glad it worked out okay for him.
I only leave it open when I’m first lighting off the fire, then I close it up until it’s reload time.
Kinda funny, the sheriff I bought the home from only ever ran the Topaz wide open and he never had a screen. Glad it worked out okay for him.
We have a burn mark on our oak floor from a wild ember that popped out and caught me unaware. It shot out to the side a good 30". Now I only leave the door slightly ajar after starting. 1" is plenty. If RSF doesn't have the part, I think someone else makes a small portable fireplace screen.
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Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
Yep, Chimney cleaned, stove cleaned and a fresh coat of paint. Wife tells me I probably should think about getting the wood rack together and load it up. I'm hoping to make it till end of October before we light'er up.
Grizzerbear
Minister of Fire
HisTreeNut
Minister of Fire
Gotta clean the spider webs and some ash out of mine. Then a sweep. Usually do that in the Spring so all I have to do is clean out webs in the Fall. Been a crazy year so the schedule is a little off. Kind of excited to burn again...
Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk
Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk
It's still hot out here but I'm getting ready anyway I think cold and wet are about to drop like a hammer on southeastern Ohio.
I'm going to replace the door gasket and double check the Chimney some morning this week.
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
I'm going to replace the door gasket and double check the Chimney some morning this week.
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Grizzerbear
Minister of Fire
I cleaned the pipes this weekend and got my wood in order. Just waiting for first glorious burn of the season. Come on 07 ice storm......no not really that sucked.
morganp107
Member
Just cleaned my chimney and had my first fire today. Evening temps in the 30s. One question, this is my second season burning. When I lit my stove tonight, once it got up to temperature I got a burn-off smell. Nothing as bad as when I lot my stove for the first time and the paint cured, but there was a smell of something (maybe dust) burning off for an hour or so. Is that normal on a first of the season burn?
Attachments
Most likely dust. I get the same thing with the first fire. We've been burning all day too, but just a low fire with a few splits at a time.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Grasshopper hopped to it yesterday afternoon; It was 65 in the house and milady was chilly.
I brushed the chimney down through the tee, brushed the face of the cat and blew it out manually (no interam gasket to replace,) vacuumed out the inside top of the stove (a few stink bugs were found and liberated.) Opened the bypass slightly to clean the gasket of any ash, then cleaned the glass.
I also checked the gaskets. Hard to believe that after eight years, the gaskets are still holding a dollar bill well. That's the bypass, ash door, and load door. I did adjust the load door latch slightly. The gasket where the cat seats had a section loose, but it just lies in a groove and if I'm careful not to dislodge it when placing the cat into position, it is fine and does the job. I have a set of gaskets coming but I'm in no rush to install them.
This time I vacuumed the outside of the stove well, and there was hardly any dust smell to speak of.
My wife enjoyed the 72 degrees I soon had in the living room, on a couple splits of Red Elm.
65 is cold, after we were used to 90 outside last week. 
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JordanScott90
New Member
Would you by any chance have a video of this fireplace running on high? Would love to see it!
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