Thank you, you too!!Congratulations & Merry Christmas 🎄
How big is the ash drop opening? I used the ash drop on the Buck 91; Nice big 3x5" opening. It was off to one side, so I'd sweep everything over on top of the hinged lid, then with the edge of the shovel sweep the large coals back to the right to save them, open the lid and sweep the ash down..worked great! Once you have dry wood, the glass will stay cleaner. I clean it with a distilled vinegar/distilled water mix. Then I use a scouring pad approved for ceramic range tops, if necessary. I like the top-down starts as well..gets the top of the box hotter faster, for a quicker re-burn light-off. With dry wood, you should be able to cut the air lower and overnight burns shouldn't be a problem with that 2.4 cf firebox..The explorer II also has an ash pan with the trap door in the center of the unit. I've read reviews of people who do not like this feature, but we actually really like it and find it very useful. It makes a shovel completely unnecessary. We are able to sweep everything down into the ash pan, then simply empty it outside.
We've so far not been able to keep the glass clean during a burn. It stays relatively clear, but inevitably it does get the brown smudge on the door, especially on the left side. It take a little elbow grease to get it off after the stove has cooled, but the wet sponge dipped in ash trick works pretty well. I'd still like to figure out how to keep it less sooty but not sure if that's possible...
This week my husband tried the "top down" method to get things started, and then I started using it, and wow, what an easy trick! It's really made starting the fires much easier in this unit. Whereas before it would take me a couple of tries to get it going, the top down method is mostly a one and done deal.
We've been able to keep a hot coal bed for a few hours but we're still playing with packing the stove to keep it warmer longer for overnight burns. For now either my husband or I have been waking up during the night and feeding the fire -- not on a schedule, more so if we just happen to wake up we'll check on it. We've typically been able to keep it at 70 or above, with only one night waking up to it being 68 in the house. This has been with outside temps getting into the 30's.
Be sure to re-split a few big ones, then then test on the fresh face for a true reading in the center of the splits.I may have found a reputable wood guy, but we'll see! Hard to really say until the wood has a moisture reader jabbed into it! If that falls through there is a local business that sells seasoned wood, but as it's a "legit" business, the price is a bit up there....I'll be happy next year when we have all of our own from our own woods stacked and ready to go!
The screen should be the one made for the stove and snug fitting. Check online and maybe some Quad dealers to see if they have one hanging around in their attic. Part # SCR-7061.OH, as an aside--could someone advise as to a firescreen for this model? Should I try to locate one that fits on the door (I do believe they used to make it for this model) or would any ol' freestanding fire screen do the job?
Thanks!
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