Hearthstone owners

[Foggy Mtn]

I Would like to hear what stove you are running and how you like to load your stove and what type of burn you get with it.
I have a new shelburne. Before bed I like to pack it nearly to the baffle north, south with splits on top of a really hot bed of coals. This keeps sticks from rolling forward and I don’t have to reach into the back of the box. I run it open like that an average of 30-45 min until I get the needle in the upper 1/4 active range and then cut the air way down and watch the flames roll. I usually get 5-7 hours of good heat like this. The time depends on how well i pack it and the quality of wood seems like.

 

[bundy150]

Castleton 8031. I load it all different ways depending on how long and how much heat I want. I never crammed it with a full load, usually half to 3/4. I easily get overnight 10hr burns with leftover coals. Nice flame show burning oak and cedar. I close the cat bypass as soon as it gets in the active range. STT is about 350-400.

 

[stoveliker]

I would not wait until the cat is so far up in temp. Once the load is charred, you can dial back the air as long as the cat is active. It won't matter much how far the cat is in the active zone (as long as it is not borderline). It's a self sustaining process; if the cat is hot enough, dial back the air and you will be making more fuel for the cat (smoke) and the cat gets hotter.

Different stove here though. (Same physics tho.)