Finally installing a liner on my Buck insert. More progress. Fire again WOOHOO!! New pics

[_CY_]

Why don't you want to "destroy the chimney?" At my BIL's, I notched the damper frame to get the 6" liner through. Like bg says, it is done all the time. If the damper frame is indeed 1/4" steel, you could fab another piece of 1/4", re-construct the frame and weld it on to the remaining original frame later, if you want to restore the original damper setup.
On the other hand, if you want to cut, haul, stack, and bring to the stove three times as much wood, and have to try to clean a masonry chimney instead of just running an 8" brush down a liner, go with the Juca.

good point ... except after adding secondary burn to JUCA, efficiency while no where close to Buck 91, should jump up. which should reduce wood consumption substantially.
anyways .. been twisting back and fort between keeping JUCA vs Buck 91 ...

NO way I'm busting up my chimney ... just got off line with a sheet metal fabricator. seems everything is CAD/CAM .. they input sizes and computer spits out bends.... ball park estimate for a stainless custom duct to fit through existing damper is $150 for 22 gauge (.0025in), $220 for 18 gauge (.0040in). most flex duct in galvanize is 22 gauge.... which thickness stainless do I need? 22 gauge or 18 gauge?

say $150 for custom duct & $50 for stainless flex = $200 for all stainless liner, not too bad ...

have been burning JUCA for 7 seasons and have never needed to clean chimney. it burns so hot no creosote gets deposited. have inspected chimney every season just to be sure. How often will 8in duct need to be cleaned running Buck 91?

 

[mellow]

Stick with the JUCA, you seem to be looking for every reason NOT to install the buck.

 

[Woody Stover]

good point ... except after adding secondary burn to JUCA, efficiency while no where close to Buck 91, should jump up. which should reduce wood consumption substantially.
anyways

That sounds expensive, and no guarantee it will even produce the desired results...unless you're a stove engineer, and failed to mention it.

been twisting back and fort between keeping JUCA vs Buck 91

Assuming the 91 is adequately sized (can't remember if you detailed your sq.ft. to be heated, weather the floor plan is open, allowing easy movement of heat, house insulation and weather-sealing)...if the 91 can handle your space, put 'er in and get guaranteed huge reduction in wood use. I don't want to process or move any more wood than I have to (which is quite a bit since I'm supplying six stoves with wood, to some degree.)

which thickness stainless do I need? 22 gauge or 18 gauge?

I think the heavier version of black stove pipe is 18 ga. I have HomeSaver RoundFlex-- "This extra tough pipe consists of four interlocked layers, each is .018" thick."

say $150 for custom duct & $50 for stainless flex = $200 for all stainless liner, not too bad ...

I think you said you had about 20' of chimney height. Even the much lighter-duty stuff (.006") than I have is going to be $300 at least, I think. If you are paying only $50 for flex, I have to assume that you are only going up as far as the clay liner of your masonry chimney. Apparently you were having draft problems the last time you tried the Buck, so I don't think that will work. Spend money now on a full-length liner to save time and money spent gathering wood for the JUCA.

How often will 8in duct need to be cleaned running Buck 91?

That will depend on how dry your wood is. This is the first season I've run the Buck at my MIL's, but based on what I'm seeing using the same wood here, and a quick look at the top of the stack there, I don't expect to get but maybe a small coffee can's worth of brown powder, if that much. I just run a brush down at the end of the season.

 

[_CY_]

That sounds expensive, and no guarantee it will even produce the desired results...unless you're a stove engineer, and failed to mention it.
Assuming the 91 is adequately sized (can't remember if you detailed your sq.ft. to be heated, weather the floor plan is open, allowing easy movement of heat, house insulation and weather-sealing)...if the 91 can handle your space, put 'er in and get guaranteed huge reduction in wood use. I don't want to process or move any more wood than I have to (which is quite a bit since I'm supplying six stoves with wood, to some degree.)

I think the heavier version of black stove pipe is 18 ga. I have HomeSaver RoundFlex-- "This extra tough pipe consists of four interlocked layers, each is .018" thick."

I think you said you had about 20' of chimney height. Even the much lighter-duty stuff (.006") than I have is going to be $300 at least, I think. If you are paying only $50 for flex, I have to assume that you are only going up as far as the clay liner of your masonry chimney. Apparently you were having draft problems the last time you tried the Buck, so I don't think that will work. Spend money now on a full-length liner to save time and money spent gathering wood for the JUCA.

That will depend on how dry your wood is. This is the first season I've run the Buck at my MIL's, but based on what I'm seeing using the same wood here, and a quick look at the top of the stack there, I don't expect to get but maybe a small coffee can's worth of brown powder, if that much. I just run a brush down at the end of the season.

adding secondary burn to JUCA has been in the plans for some time. not much costs involved, just time and materials. there's no reason why efficiency should not go up to 75% range. vs Buck 91 at 85%

my house is 2500sf single level very well insulated with stove open to about 2/3 of footage. a small blower moves warm air to rear of house. natural gas fills in low spots. JUCA or Buck 91 puts out plenty of heat for this house, so amount of heat is not the issue.

believe me ... totally agree with your attitude of heating by moving the least amount of wood possible. Naturally I'm basis towards JUCA since it's been the primary heat source for 7 years. but sure getting tired of putting back 4-5 cords of wood per season. when I could be doing it with under 2 cords for same amount of heat.

going in next week to check out different duct options at local Buck store. what I'm hoping is an oval 8in duct can be made to go through without collapsing. if that will not work, then will have custom stainless duct reducer made. a stainless 8in liner all the way to top will be installed.

what I'm leaning towards doing is .. keeping both stoves on hand ... adding secondary burn to JUCA and seeing how that does. then compare to Buck 91 ... keeping which ever stove does a better job overall....

 

[Byrond]

Looks like the same amount of fun that the guy that the insurance company sent out to install my buck 81 had. He was a step ahead of you though because the chimney/flue fire we had melted the damper out of the flue. I was running an old craft stove insert. I forget the brand of liner he used but I do remember him wrapping the insulation that as pre fitted to the liner with what looked like small chicken wire. He said that it would help protect the integrity of the insulation should it ever need to be removed. I am typing while sitting in front of the stove watching the tubes dance. I have noticed that with really dry wood, the secondaries don't burn as long. Less off gas I guess

 

[_CY_]

Looks like the same amount of fun that the guy that the insurance company sent out to install my buck 81 had. He was a step ahead of you though because the chimney/flue fire we had melted the damper out of the flue. I was running an old craft stove insert. I forget the brand of liner he used but I do remember him wrapping the insulation that as pre fitted to the liner with what looked like small chicken wire. He said that it would help protect the integrity of the insulation should it ever need to be removed. I am typing while sitting in front of the stove watching the tubes dance. I have noticed that with really dry wood, the secondaries don't burn as long. Less off gas I guess

chimney fires is the one thing not to be treated lightly. that's why even though creosote has never been found in 7 years... will still check chimney regularly. JUCA burns so hot that all creosote is burnt before it has a chance to go up. only time you can see smoke coming out of chimney is during startup when temps are ramping up. rest of the time no smoke is visible.

 

[Byrond]

I know the one we ha was scary. Bout 22k worth of damage but i got a ss liner out of it as well a new stove. The house ha central hvac but it was built in 1873 so its not an airtight home. Timber construction. Wood is main source of heat, as in the furnace never get turned on unless we are gone and it gets below 52 degrees

 

[_CY_]

installed a 8in stainless steel liner .. busted out a chunk out to make room for liner. Buck 91 is a completely different stove. roaring flame with a super strong updraft .. putting out LOTS of heat with super long burntimes .. with very little wood.

 

[Woody Stover]

installed a 8in stainless steel liner .. busted out a chunk out to make room for liner. Buck 91 is a completely different stove. roaring flame with a super strong updraft .. putting out LOTS of heat with super long burntimes .. with very little wood.

Nice. Now the 91 can stretch its legs. I've got mine on 20' of stack with a full liner, and it drafts well even in warmer weather. Yep, when the stove surface meter gets to 400+, that baby is tossing the heat. We're in for a test....single-digit lows here for a few days next week. I need to get some fans to get the heat out of that little stove room and into the rest of the house.

I've grown mighty fond of the Buck, now that I seem to understand it better, and have made a couple tweaks here and there to improve its performance in my situation.

Now, speaking of Woodpile OCD.....