New Keystone Install

[Mryank9]

Hey everyone..just picked up my new Woodstock Keystone and am getting it all set up! I previously had a Dutchwest 2461 with a stainless steel liner running up the chimney. The new stove's flue opening is a little lower than the DW and I'm having some trouble getting the liner to line up. I have some pictures to show what I mean. Is there a way I could buy a piece of liner as an "extension" from the stove to the liner opening?

 

[Mryank9]

I'm sorry...meant to say the new stove rear vent is higher than the old one

 

[bholler]

Either lift up the liner or pull the tee and cut the liner to the proper length. Is there a block off plate in there?

 

[Mryank9]

That's a good question..the install was done before I bought the house, so how could I tell? Would I be able to see it?

 

[bholler]

When you look up next to the liner what do you see?

 

[Mryank9]

Here's a couple pictures

 

[bholler]

I honestly would recomend pulling the liner insulating it and then dropping it and installing an insulated block off plate doing those things will make a word of difference in the performance of the unit

 

[Grisu]

This is how a block-off plate would be made and installed: https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/make-a-damper-sealing-block-off-plate/ It is certainly missing in your case.

 

[Mryank9]

Interesting..thanks guys..one good thing is that it's an interior chimney

 

[bholler]

You wont loose quite as much on an interior chimney but you still loose a fair amount. And it should also still be insulated

 

[Mryank9]

Yea exactly..thanks for the advice! Something that'll probably have to wait until spring or so. For now I just want to get this baby up and running!

 

[Mryank9]

What's the best way to cut the stainless steel flex liners?

 

[Michael Golden]

Metal grinder may work......honestly though if you don't do it now you won't do it! Speaking from experience.

 

[pdxdave]

Block off plate is relatively simple.. but pulling the whole liner and insulating it is a whole other thing, I personally wouldn't recommend going through that much trouble especially on an interior chimney. Just cut it back or modify it to get the fit to the Keystone.

 

[bholler]

I personally wouldn't recommend going through that much trouble especially on an interior chimney.

Why not it still improves performance greatly and is more than likely need for code compliance and also is probably required to meet the ul lising standards.

 

[Woody Stover]

Is there a way I could buy a piece of liner as an "extension" from the stove to the liner opening?

If you know what brand the tee is, maybe they sell a longer tee snout. If not, and you know the brand of liner, you could get a tee with a longer snout from that mfgr.

What's the best way to cut the stainless steel flex liners?

A cutting wheel on an angle grinder works pretty well.

 

[Mryank9]

I was able to push the liner up high enough to get it to fit into the 7" to 6" adaptor that came with the stove. Is there any reason to caulk the seams or anything? Or just leave them be

 

[Woody Stover]

How tall is your chimney? If the fit seems pretty tight and the chimney's tall enough to get good draft, I usually don't bother to seal any joints. Keystone is a pretty easy breather to start with; Never had a problem, even in warm outside temps, with smoke roll-out with the side load door and 16' of stack, rear-vented like yours into a tee. Insulated liner, exterior masonry chimney, cut a Roxul batt for a makeshift block-off plate.

 

[bholler]

to cut heavy wall like your liner you cut around through the gap between ribs then cut through the rib at a 30 degree angle. We use an angle grinder wit ha diamond masonry blade to cut all of ours but a regular cutoff wheel works good so does a sawzall if need be

 

[Mryank9]

For my first few break in fires, how hot should I get the stove? Should I activate the catalytic converter?

 

[Woody Stover]

For my first few break in fires, how hot should I get the stove? Should I activate the catalytic converter?

Just light a series of very small fires, with just a few kindling splits. No cat! Let the stove cool completely between fires. You don't want to over-bake the cemented seams, IMO, especially if the cement is very fresh. I know you're chompin' at the bit to fire it up, but don't cut corners on the break-in. You'll be firin' it soon enough!
When all else fails, read the manual. Actually, I'd read it a few times...good info in there.

"Both soapstone and cast iron need to be seasoned. The seasoning can be accomplished
through a series of small to moderate fires. Your Woodstock Soapstone Stove is an easy
stove to season, because even a small fire will provide hours of radiant heat once the
stove is warm. There are two things you will notice during the first fire:
First, there will be a hot, acrid smell as the stove heats up. This smell is a result of the
paint on the cast iron curing. You will want to have your first fire on a day when you can
open the windows in the house to provide adequate ventilation. Fortunately, the odor is
non-toxic and will only be present for the first few fires.
Second, there will be some condensation on the glass. This condensation is a result of
moisture being driven out of the furnace cement in the stove, and condensing on the
inner surface of the glass. It takes a couple of small fires to season the stove and remove
this excess moisture.
After the first few fires, the texture and grain of the stone may become slightly more
pronounced, and the color may deepen a shade."

 

[Mryank9]

So finally have my first cat fire going today! Gotten it up to around 500 after 3 smaller break in fires over the last couple days. One question...currently I'm at 500 degrees stove top, air just under 1, cat is glowing red and the only flames are in the cage in front under the cat. Is that normal?

 

[Woody Stover]

Pretty much normal. I may or may not have a little flame in the box at 1. It would depend how big the splits were, how dry, how much draft you have, etc. What kind, how dry is your wood, how tall is your stack?

 

[Mryank9]

Burning a mix of tulip poplar and red oak measured between 13-18% moisture. Always have a very good draft, if I had to guess id say the liner is 15-20 ft tall

 

[Mryank9]

Here's a pic showing the flame just inside of that cage