First Overnighter with Classic and a BIG Thanks!

[WNY PAT]

Hey,

Had my first true overnight fire last night. Stoked the WS Classic up at about 10:00 with 4 good size splits on a nice size coal bed and charred it... then dampered it almost all the way down... firebox was about full. It was about 30 degrees outside last night with a little drizzle. I was up about every three hours to check it (pretty anal and wanted to see how the temps played out over all that time) - it never got above 475 and was at roughly 300 this morning with a ridiculous coal bed that glowed cherry red as soon as I opened the side load door. Two more splits and a nice round and off to work. The thermostat in the house (2000 sq ft, wood beam ceilings, pretty open plan, big open staircase to upstairs 3 bedrooms) topped out at 78 about 2:00 AM and was holding a nice 74 at 7:00. The rooms all draw in the heat too - didn't even turn the ceiling fans on upstairs yet... but colder weather will necessitate that I'm sure. Anyway, I'm tickled to say the least.

To everyone here - thanks. With all the information and advice, took me roughly a week to get this stove up and running right - it would have taken me a season otherwise. From the cedar firestarters to advice on just how much it needs to be dampered down... you all sure made this easy.

 

[Jags]

Out freakin' standing. I love a story with a happy ending <sniff, sniff>

 

[Todd]

Great news! We don't have many Woodstock Classic owners here. Must be kind a hard to run that stove with no glass to view the fire? Do you monitor the stove top temp along with the pipe temp?

 

[WNY PAT]

Great news! We don't have many Woodstock Classic owners here. Must be kind a hard to run that stove with no glass to view the fire? Do you monitor the stove top temp along with the pipe temp?

I was really worried about that too and even tried to sell the Classic to get a new Fireview. I don't know what the future holds as temps outside fluctuate, but so far the stove has been far easier to use than my old cast iron horse (a big old pot belly Kalamazoo). Once I get a good bed of coals going and engage the cat in the Classic... the stove warms right up to 350 and chugs along with little or no input from me other than the occasional split or two through the side door. It generally sticks at 400 +/- 50. I don't have a pipe probe - just using the stove top thermometer from Woodstock. The top of the chimney looks good and clean and there's nothing in the clean out yet and looking up the chimney, all looks good so I'm assuming all is well in terms of my flu temps. As for the glass, I'm envious of you Fireview folks... that is one nice stove and I'd certainly prefer to see the fire.... but the Classic is gonna be there for now.

On a side note, I can't get over how long the soapstone radiates heat compared to the old Kalamazoo.... really amazing.

 

[Todd]

Have you filled the stove up yet? You should easily be able to reach temps up over 500 on a full load. I recommend a pipe thermometer along with the stove thermometer, they work great for watching those reload temps since it takes a little longer for the soapstone to come up to temp. It might give you a little more control since you have no glass. Maybe another good idea is to install a cat probe?

 

[WNY PAT]

Todd,

I've had it up to almost 600 once - but really need to damper it down for room temps. Once it gets colder here, I'll let it run a bit more but now it has been keeping the whole house comfy at 400 or so. I'll probably get a probe thermometer at some point... I'm still a bit shy about running it at those temps and going to sleep... at least at 450 there's a margin of error....

 

[Todd]

Ok, sounds like you should have plenty stove left for the colder winter temps. Keep us informed on how it goes this winter.

 

[Todd]

Check out this video. It's a classic with a glass side loading door. I don't know if this is an option for the classic or a homemade job?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np71Xpojs_Q

 

[WNY PAT]

Todd,

Funny - I actually ordered one of those doors from Woodstock. They make 'em for $70. I never ended up using it for two reasons: first, the thing never sealed properly and always fely sloppy compared to the one that is on there OEM. Second, I talked to the Classic "expert" at Woodstock (one of the guys who works there, fixes stoves and has had a Classic since the pre-cat days) and he told me a lot of folks don't end up being too satisfied with the glass door. He told me the way the air circulates around the inside of the stove leaves a deposit right on the glass and every time I burned it it would probably darken up to the point where I couldn't see the fire anymore anyway. He said the same thing about me trying to convert it to a Fireview by replacing the front soapstone - said the reason for the new FW was to use the airwash system to keep the glass clean... otherwise I'd run in to the same issue and he didn't think it was worth it. I'll keep you posted on the stove as the weather gets colder...

 

[Todd]

Interesting, I wouldn't mind having a glass side door on my Fireview. That way I could see the fire while sitting at my computer. But I can see where it would just soot up, no air wash over there and the inside of my door is always loaded with black soot.