Hearthstone Mansfield 8013 - Auto temperature control

[Leeks]

What did Woodstock say about it?

Well, Woodstock said nothing. Although I don't consider that to be too unusual considering the lack of activity on their website or Facebook page.

Woodstock's webpage still highlights the 30% tax credit which expired Dec 31st. Their last blog post was 7/16/2024. The last post on their Facebook page was May 5, 2025.

When assembling our Progress Hybrid in the Fall of 2024, I found 2 holes on the stove that were stripped out. Fortunately I was able to re-thread them to a larger size and use bigger bolts. An email to Woodstock about this brought no response.

So all in all, I can't say I was too surprised when there was no response to my review email about the installation & the modification. Woodstock seems to have become strangely quiet these past couple of years. I hope they aren't going out of business.

 

[5U4]

Here's what the Hearthstone II bi-metal thermostat looks like.

Good information, this tells us the optimum location for the bi-metallic spring, at least a far as the Hearthstone designers.

My initial thought was to add the outside air kit which would basically be the port seen on you picture on the older model however I suspected that will interfere with normal operation due to the face the secondary air circuit draws air from the same port and is not meant to be adjusted with the air control lever. Observing how the air control lever effects the burning process my feeling is it only adjusts the primary air.

There is one difference between the older model and newer, that is the old model has separate air circuits for primary and secondary, at least as far as I can tell looking at the parts list drawings. The older model secondary air inlet is separated from the primary air inlet; it looks like a separate port hole on the bottom of the stove adjacent to the primary port inlet. In this configuration the primary can be controlled by the flapper without effecting the secondary air circuit flow rate.

 

[John Lehet]

Woodstock is not going out of business at this point, I don't think. I live near there and have been by a few times. I've talked to Lorin (plant manager) and Tom, the owner. This early winter they had an all hands on deck situation, where everyone, even folks normally in the front office, were out back building the backlog of Progress stoves to ship between EPA approval and the tax refund deadline. They worked really hard to do it. I doubt they would have gone through the trouble if they were about to fold. I sure hope they can keep going.

 

[Leeks]

Woodstock is not going out of business at this point, I don't think. I live near there and have been by a few times. I've talked to Lorin (plant manager) and Tom, the owner. This early winter they had an all hands on deck situation, where everyone, even folks normally in the front office, were out back building the backlog of Progress stoves to ship between EPA approval and the tax refund deadline. They worked really hard to do it. I doubt they would have gone through the trouble if they were about to fold. I sure hope they can keep going.

I'm glad to hear demand is high and they are busy. Woodstock builds some of the best woodstoves currently on the market. It would be a real shame if they were to fold.

 

[Leeks]

There is one difference between the older model and newer, that is the old model has separate air circuits for primary and secondary, at least as far as I can tell looking at the parts list drawings. The older model secondary air inlet is separated from the primary air inlet; it looks like a separate port hole on the bottom of the stove adjacent to the primary port inlet. In this configuration the primary can be controlled by the flapper without effecting the secondary air circuit flow rate.

Even the newer model of the Progress Hybrid still has the separate ports once you get past the sliding plate. One goes to the secondary holes in the top of the firebox, the other port goes to the air wash slot above the glass.

The diagrams aren't really clear where the intake air goes so here's what I did before I fired my stove for the first time. I partially disassembled the sliding plate until I could see the two ports. I placed a piece of wadded-up paper in the one port and lit it and then observed through the glass where the smoke came out inside the closed firebox (the stove has to be closed and connected to a drafting chimney.) Did the same with the other port.

Not really sure on a Progress Hybrid I would call one port primary and one secondary. One is secondary, the other is air wash. Some of the air wash eventually ends up at the bottom of the firebox but I'm not sure I would call it a true primary air supply. The ash pan air intake mod I made to my progress Hybrid is definitely a primary air supply.

 

[Todd]

Even the newer model of the Progress Hybrid still has the separate ports once you get past the sliding plate. One goes to the secondary holes in the top of the firebox, the other port goes to the air wash slot above the glass.

The diagrams aren't really clear where the intake air goes so here's what I did before I fired my stove for the first time. I partially disassembled the sliding plate until I could see the two ports. I placed a piece of wadded-up paper in the one port and lit it and then observed through the glass where the smoke came out inside the closed firebox (the stove has to be closed and connected to a drafting chimney.) Did the same with the other port.

Not really sure on a Progress Hybrid I would call one port primary and one secondary. One is secondary, the other is air wash. Some of the air wash eventually ends up at the bottom of the firebox but I'm not sure I would call it a true primary air supply. The ash pan air intake mod I made to my progress Hybrid is definitely a primary air supply.

If I had the PH I think I would like to try blocking that secondary air port to make it a true cat stove and extend the burn times. But does some of that secondary air also supply the cat? After that adding a thermostat control would give it more of a Blaze King type controlled burn?