Finished hearth for Progress Hybrid

[Backwoods Savage]

Sounds like we have a similar setup. We have 18 ft of pipe up our cathedral ceiling but our masters up in the loft area. I'd be mindful burning newspaper in that nice stove. I've sworn by paper as a great and free starter my whole life until a few years back I found it was clogging my cap. Who knows if it could get caught in the cat. It's fat wood n super cedars for now on over here. Thanks for all your info, def helpful.

And with a cat stove it is best to stay away from fatwood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Nope. The stove comes with the catalyst bypass lever in the front and a damper lever in the back. We didn't need an additional damper in the flue.

Maybe I'm calling it the wrong name? My parents always called it the damper.

Yes, that lever in the back is the draft lever. The one in front is the cat bypass.

Also your stove has a left hand firebox door but the right side is the norm.

 

[rideau]

And with a cat stove it is best to stay away from fatwood.

Just out of curiosity, Dennis, why?

By the time the bypass in closed any fatwood has long burned away????

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Before the bypass is closed, some smoke does still go up top, which means it does have to go through the catalyst.

 

[smokedragon]

During the day I burn around 400. There have only been a couple days (when it was like -40F outside!) that I burned at 500+. I honestly have no clue what the ambient temperature of the stove room or bedrooms are at any given time. During the day, it's cozy enough that I walk around in workout pants and a tank top. In the morning, we put on sweaters. I'd say it's probably 60 in the mornings, and the stove top temp is usually around 200 after burning down all night. I stir the coals, add new logs (haven't needed kindling), and leave the door cracked to get good air flow. It takes off within a couple minutes. I close the door when I feel like it won't snuff right out. Then it takes about 20-30 minutes to get up to 300, where I engage the catalyst. I don't damper it until it hits 400, then I put it at 1/2 closed.

It is very easy to get this stove hotter, but our home is on the small size for the range of this stove so we don't need to run it full tilt. My mom likes a HOT house, so when she stayed once she had it roaring all day long. I kid you not - she had it so hot in here that it melted all the snow off of our metal roof and the roof was steaming. It was like a sauna in here for a good 24 hours after I got home and killed the fire.

Oh, and at 400F surface temp, it takes about 12 minutes to bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. In case you were curious.Someone else PM'd me about that.

This kind of information/feedback is very helpful.

We have pretty much decided that we will either go with this stove or the ideal steel this summer (and install and start running this fall). If only Woodstock didn't make so many good stoves.

 

[logger]

Nope. The stove comes with the catalyst bypass lever in the front and a damper lever in the back. We didn't need an additional damper in the flue.



Maybe I'm calling it the wrong name? My parents always called it the damper.

Gotcha, yah thats the air intake. Some people call it a damper, but technically a damper goes into the pipe. Thanks.

 

[logger]

And with a cat stove it is best to stay away from fatwood.

Never heard of that before. Im sure the smoke fatwood puts out is nothing in comaprison to the fires themselves. I know plenty of people who use them in their cat stoves.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I know of some too but it won't get burned in our stove. I also think Woodstock advises against fatwood. But what the heck, Super Cedars work much, much better anyway.

 

[rideau]

Dennis, Pine is OK?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes.....after it has been dried.

 

[smokedragon]

Before the bypass is closed, some smoke does still go up top, which means it does have to go through the catalyst.

But that still doesn't explain why? How will fatwood smoke hurt the catalyst more than all the other wood smoke from starting a fire?

I currently use fatwood, and will be getting a catalytic stove before next burning season, so I would love to know.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Chris, I'll try to come up with a better explanation for you, hopefully by tomorrow.

 

[NectarNook]

Looks like there's a lot of back and forth between all the different fire starting brands.

From http://www.plowhearth.com/blogs/tips-for-starting-fires.aspx : "What is Fatwood? It’s a natural byproduct of logging that comes from the stump of a pine tree that is harvested several years after the tree has been cut. During this time the root system keeps pushing pitch up into the stump, which fills the cells in the stump wood. Cut into pieces approximately 8"L x 1/2" diameter and boxed in 10, 12, 25 or 35 pound packages, a piece lights with a match and burns with a hot fire for about twenty minutes. A couple of pieces of Fatwood can turn small seasoned logs (or pile of charcoal for grilling) into a blaze quickly. Being a natural product, Fatwood can be used to start fires in woodstoves, even the new models with catalytic converters that can be harmed using other types of starters."

Then there's this chart, that shows Fatwood actually burns the slowest of all -

Me? I just throw some logs on and blow really hard. Poof. Fire.

 

[smokedragon]

The reason I am so curious of opinions on fatwood is that I have a large box of it that I caught really cheap. I have been using it for the last 4 years, to start some rather not ideal wood at times. I probably have another 5 - 6 years worth left (since we don't light a ton of fires).

I would hate to purchase a catalytic stove and not be able to use it.

My feeling was that I could use it, since it is a natural product.

I hear great things about supercedars, but I am not gonna go buy a new product when I have plenty of fatwood left.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[NectarNook]

In the first source I cited, it says fatwood can be used in stoves with a cat, so you should be good.

It sounds like it would be easy to harvest on your own, too. My neighbor is in the process of taking all the white pines out of his acreage. I might have to ask him if I can have the stumps in a couple years. Just a couple stumps would make a good heap of fatwood. Even if I didn't need it, I could sell it to local campgrounds. Hmm... good idea!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Talking directly to Woodstock people they agree with me on not using the fatwood. Of course someone could use a little and get away with it and do no harm but if used regularly it would not be good. As stated before, some smoke does go through the cat at the start; it will mostly go up the flue with the bypass open but there is still that air space up top which will be filled with smoke.

The problem with fatwood comes with the pitch. Many times when you buy some it will really be dripping with pitch and at other times it may be drier. Still, when burning it, some residue will be left on the cast parts and even in the flue. Do you really want that? Over time this can cause problems.

So if you want to use the fatwood, go ahead. I would still not recommend it and neither does Woodstock.


Nectar, rather than getting the stumps, why not simply make kindling out of that white pine? Give it a year to dry and that kindling will be difficult to beat! Actually, it will be super dry in 6 months. So why go for the root when you already have great wood to work with?

 

[logger]

I've never used or seen dripping fatwood and it's always been dry. I usually light it just outside the stove door and hold it for a few seconds and just a tiny amount of smoke comes off. The only reason I do this is because it gives the room a nice aroma. There's absolutely no smoke by the time they enter the stove so I'm not gonna worry too much about using them with a cat.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Indeed more smoke comes from other things but that is not the issue. As stated though, if you want to burn it, go ahead and have some fun too!

 

[smokedragon]

Talking directly to Woodstock people they agree with me on not using the fatwood. Of course someone could use a little and get away with it and do no harm but if used regularly it would not be good. As stated before, some smoke does go through the cat at the start; it will mostly go up the flue with the bypass open but there is still that air space up top which will be filled with smoke.

The problem with fatwood comes with the pitch. Many times when you buy some it will really be dripping with pitch and at other times it may be drier. Still, when burning it, some residue will be left on the cast parts and even in the flue. Do you really want that? Over time this can cause problems.

So if you want to use the fatwood, go ahead. I would still not recommend it and neither does Woodstock.


Nectar, rather than getting the stumps, why not simply make kindling out of that white pine? Give it a year to dry and that kindling will be difficult to beat! Actually, it will be super dry in 6 months. So why go for the root when you already have great wood to work with?

So you talked to someone at Woodstock and they advise against it........well just rain on my day why don't you.

I like it, but I really also like to follow the manufacturer's directions (you know, buy something and then RTFM).

Do you know how they feel about newspaper? That is my other old standby.

Thanks

Chris

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Chris, newspaper is fine and that is even stated in the manuals. We used that for many, many moons but a few years ago graduated to Super Cedars. We asked for some samples and they sent us two. We made 8 fire starters out of the 2 super cedars then ordered a case. We love them. In fact, starting a fire from scratch was my wife's worst nightmare in the past. Since we began using the super cedars, she does just fine with them. A couple nice things about them is that they are relatively inexpensive (especially if breaking them into quarters and some even break them to get 8 starters out of one SC) and the owner, Thomas, is a supporter of this web site.

 

[logger]

Talking directly to Woodstock people they agree with me on not using the fatwood.

I was definately not buying into the "no fatwood" in a cat stove idea so I called Woodstock myself. The rep I spoke with said fatwood is perfectly fine to use in all of their models. The only thing I was warned against was chemical gels, glossy paper, and petroleum based products. Im not saying which rep is correct, but Im going with what I was told by the person I spoke to and what my gut says. I see no harm whatsoever in fatwood. I also use the super cedars, but sometimes dont stay on top of things enough to have them on hand all of the time.

 

[TheBean]

Fatwood is fine to use as a fire starter, but not as a substitute for firewood. The key is to use it as intended as a starter. I think there may have been some confusion over how the fatwood was being used. I personally have never used it and prefer regular black & white newsprint and dry kindling cuz I'm frugal (ok- cheap!)

 

[7acres]

Great looking hearth! If you don't mind, did you use a tool to build that nifty blueprint? If so, what tool was it?

 

[logger]

Fatwood is fine to use as a fire starter, but not as a substitute for firewood. The key is to use it as intended as a starter. I think there may have been some confusion over how the fatwood was being used. I personally have never used it and prefer regular black & white newsprint and dry kindling cuz I'm frugal (ok- cheap!)

If Im using fatwood, it only takes two 6 in. pieces and some kindling to do the job. i did the newspaper for years until I found out that it was the culprit of clogging my cap. Its fatwood or super cedar these days.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I was definately not buying into the "no fatwood" in a cat stove idea so I called Woodstock myself. The rep I spoke with said fatwood is perfectly fine to use in all of their models. The only thing I was warned against was chemical gels, glossy paper, and petroleum based products. Im not saying which rep is correct, but Im going with what I was told by the person I spoke to and what my gut says. I see no harm whatsoever in fatwood. I also use the super cedars, but sometimes dont stay on top of things enough to have them on hand all of the time.

It is good that you checked for your own peace of mind. We now find there is differences of opinions even at the company level but I think this will be cleared up soon.

My thoughts is that there will always be folks who like to go against the grain no matter what and that will not change. Personally, if there is a slight chance it can do some damage, and there is, then why tempt fate. We can find many similar situations where some will recommend one thing but others claim no harm. Well, if there is doubt, why not simply do away with the doubt.

I've stated before and will again. If you are okay with it and want to use it in your stove, then by all means do it. We will not use it in our stove.