Is this a Blaze King Princess?

[Cabin Fever]

(broken link removed to http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/hsh/3380358710.html)


This is my first post here and I just wanted to say howdy!

I came across this forum when I was looking up information on wood stoves and I have a few questions about this Blaze King I came across on Craigslist if you don't mind. First off, is this the princess model? Secondly, how does it differ from the newer BK units? I saw a video on Youtube where a guy could actually control the heat output from his newer princess with just a knob.

Do these older units work the same way? Finally, is this stove worth the $450 asking price? I'm sorry for so many questions right off the bat folks, but I'm asking because wood stoves don't show up on Craigslist too often this time of year. Any advice would be appreciated.

Brian

 

[HotCoals]

Looks just like my old 1987 king.
Ask if it has a 6 or a 8 inch flue.
The Princess has a 6 inch flue.
Wonder why that key holder box is there.

 

[DAN66]

that looks like a KEJ 1101 BK king too me 8inch pipe. but thats just a guess.

 

[hotprinter]

The older models models don't have the cat. The catalytic converter on the new stoves is what makes them so long burning. I would not get a non cat stove after owning a cat. And I live in Alaska.

 

[bogydave]

I think it's a "king" with a blower .

Wouldn't go back to a non cat for the house now, spoiled

Still looks like it's in ok condition. Be nice to see the fire bricks & inside heat chamber.

 

[daleeper]

Looks like a bypass handle on the side, so might be an older cat model. It should have a plate on the back that lists model and date of mfg. on it. With the model number, you can go to the Blaze King web site, and look at the operator manual if it isn't too old.

If it has a cat that looks to be in good condition, and the bypass assembly works properly, then it would probably be worth the money. If it is a cat model, but the cat is not in good shape, or the bypass assembly needs work, or it is an older unit that has no cat, then I would pass. They have significantly improved the bypass door in the later models, and the new models have a glass door that hinges to the side, which would be a must for me. Otherwise they should provide good heat, and operate and perform similarly to the current models.

When you look at it, check for wear in the bypass mechanism, cracks at the door corners, and wear on the door latch assembly. Look for warping on the top of the firebox and around the cat. Check for how the thermostatic mechanism moves. Firebrick is easy to replace, so don't get too upset at broken bricks, but it is a good indicator of how well it was maintained. If there are a bunch broken or missing, then no maintenance was done on that stove most likely.

If the stove is in functional shape, I would be offering less, but taking the full amount with me if I were a serious buyer. I have no problem walking away from it if the cat is bad or non-existent, as that cat will cost $2-300 itself, or if it has been mistreated. I have purchased all my stoves used, the last a beat up BK King, and am beginning to think I should have passed on it, as it has been abused badly.

Good luck, let us know what you found.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I called the seller and he confirmed that it is the "King" model and that it doesn't have a catalytic converter so I told him thanks but no thanks. I've been looking for a decent wood stove for my mom's home as she just had a brand new Trane oil furnace installed two years ago for $12,000 and now can't afford to buy the oil. Last year she kept her thermostat set to 70 all winter and it cost just over $1000 every five to six weeks for oil.

Right now she's using a small cheap $300 wood stove that my dad had installed about ten years ago, but you have to feed it wood at least every two hours or so. She works full time which is why I was trying to find a more convenient way for her to heat her home. At this point a heat pump would have been cheaper than oil. Anyway, I'll keep my eyes peeled. Thanks again for the help folks.

Brian