Isle Royale firebricks.........Really???

[Adios Pantalones]

I don't sell bricks, just stack them up in interesting shapes. I've made a few too. Gonna make some serious tile coming up soon I think

(broken image removed)

 

[Chrism]

I try to time it, so that the reload is about 45 min before bedtime. This allows the new fuel time to flame up and get a char, bringing the stove back up to full temp and then setting the primary air for the overnight burn. Yes - I typically stuff it full.

I always have coals in the morning - plenty to restart the fire, and a stove top temp around 300 +/-. But my house needs heat, and 300F stove top isn't enough to supply the whole heat load.

so how do you know when you have your stove settings right ? a slow rolling flame that looks like it has some nice hot coals glowing?

 

[Chrism]

Jags in the pic (highlighted in yellow) there is a black plate that i dont have in my stove what is it and do i need it ???

 

[Jags]

I can't really see what it is, but doesn't belong where it is in the pic. I wonder if that is an uninstalled baffle plate or something (shipped with the stove when new). It should already be installed on your stove.

And the right settings for the stove will depend on WAY to many variables to make a blanket statement.

 

[Chrism]

i kind of figured about the settings alot of variables but thats pretty much what i want is a nice roll with nice hot coals? do you have a pic of the inside of your stove? and in action?

 

[Jags]

i kind of figured about the settings alot of variables but thats pretty much what i want is a nice roll with nice hot coals? do you have a pic of the inside of your stove? and in action?

Looks just like your stove - with fire in it. :lol:

Relax - this thing will treat you well. Each stove install is gonna act a bit different, that is why I am cautious about making blanket statements. The fire will go through stages, each stage should have an "appropriate" look. You will get to see them first hand when you get the beast fired up.

 

[Chrism]

im just nervous abouot getting it way too hot. do you have an outside air kit on yours and should i get one ?

 

[Jags]

im just nervous abouot getting it way too hot. do you have an outside air kit on yours and should i get one ?

I don't use an OAK and unless your house is abnormally tight, you won't need one either. The IR is very controllable. Get a thermometer for the top and one for the flue. Those will give you all the feed back you will need. Your first couple of fires should be on the smaller side to help learn the stove and evaluate draft, etc.

 

[Chrism]

whats a comfortable range for the stove, temp wise? my first couple tries and if the thing gets too hot what do i do? close everything and starve it for oxygen ?

 

[Jags]

With a full load of wood mine likes to run about 650F when it is in cruise mode. Keep the stove top south of 750F.

Again, your kinda asking a tricky question. If you are in coaling stage, there really isn't a bottom number to be concerned with. If you at startup, you will want to hit north of 500F on the stove top to get good secondary combustion.

 

[Jags]

Here - maybe this will calm your nerves.

At startup I load the stove (full). Open the primary air full open, and open the startup air. Light fire. As fire builds, I monitor the stove top temp and stack temp. At about 350-400 (stove top) I close the startup air (primary is still wide open). At 550 (stove top and ~800-850 internal stack temp) I close the primary air to about 10% open and then make small adjustments from there to fine tune the temp I want or need.

 

[velvetfoot]

Those pumice bricks are crap. I've had two Quads with them, and they just peel away in a very short time. I recall someone said that Quad says that they can lose half their thickness and still be within 'specs'. Yeah right. I replaced both sets of them with the heavy brickyard fire bricks.

 

[TMonter]

Those pumice bricks are crap. I've had two Quads with them, and they just peel away in a very short time. I recall someone said that Quad says that they can lose half their thickness and still be within 'specs'. Yeah right. I replaced both sets of them with the heavy brickyard fire bricks.

The Pumice bricks are not "crap" they are an insulating firebrick rather than a standard refractory firebrick. The insulating firebrick will allow the internal temperature of the stove to rise faster especially on startup allowing for cleaner burns, less smoking and better secondary combustion. Yes the pumice bricks will not have the wear characteristics of a dense refractory firebrick, but they will perform their function better and allow the stove to operate with lower emissions.

Just FYI my quad has the original set of pumice bricks save one which broke from me dropping it and they are 7 years old. So with some care they hold up just fine.

 

[velvetfoot]

Maybe I got two bad batches, eh?
I didn't mistreat them.
For me, they wore like crap. Expensive crap.

 

[Jimbob]

Kinda strange that some have found the lightweight bricks to be more expensive.
Around here, the light bricks range from $2.69 to $3.29. The heavy bricks are 5.99. The light bricks are easier to find, too.
Crappy Tire sells the heavy bricks. Home Hardware and the woodstove shop where I bought my Summit sell the lightweight bricks.
The heavy bricks will take more of a hit without cracking, but they are more difficult to cut.

 

[Jags]

Just FYI my quad has the original set of pumice bricks save one which broke from me dropping it and they are 7 years old.

Mine are 8 or 9 (can't remember) and doing fine.

 

[northwinds]

Mine are 3 years old, and I managed to crack the back one with the hole in it, but it was my own damn fault.

 

[VCBurner]

when your going to bed do pack the crap out of it ? what your over night burn time on yours?

I remember the threads when you were looking to buy the stove. How's it heating? I'll have to look up your posts to see how it has worked out. Sure is a nice looking stove!

 

[Chrism]

Well haven't hooked it up yet I'm redoin the whole thing wire brushing everything, new fire bricks, new paint. I can't wait to hook that baby up. And I can't wait to put the before and after pics next to each other !!

 

[VCBurner]

Well haven't hooked it up yet I'm redoin the whole thing wire brushing everything, new fire bricks, new paint. I can't wait to hook that baby up. And I can't wait to put the before and after pics next to each other !!

Sounds good. I hope you get to use it this year, otherwise you'll have to repaint it next year after all the drool damage! :lol:

 

[Chrism]

You're not kiddin lookin so forward to it!! My wife loves Pizza and I showed her the thread on here of a guy who cooks pizza in an Isle Royale she can't wait to have the heat and Pizza next year lol.

 

[maxed_out]

Hey Chris, here you go. Get some extra bricks so you can make a brick layer above the coals. You'll need a pizza stone also.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/70279/