Old Buck (1982 Model 26000)

[tfdchief]

OK, I have been reading posts here for some time. Very interesting and informative. I am old, as is my Little Buck. I have had it since purchasing new in 1982 - saved for a long time to buy it - $900 in 1982. I really would like to have one of the new EPA certified inserts with all the new technology, but I have burned the "old buck" for a long time and guess I didn't no what I was missing. I actually didn't realize it until I decided just recently to direct connect my insert to a SS liner. It is in a Majestic metal ZC fireplace and has never been direct connected. Are the new ones really that good? Cause I sure have heated my house pretty well for over 25 years now. Is anyone else still burning an old buck? Just curious.

 

[gzecc]

TFD, I have a 28000 big buck. Efficiency is what we are missing. We use more wood than the newer units. I use about 3 cords of high quality wood per year. If I had a new insert I would probably use 1.5-2 per year.
How different is it, hooked up to a liner? Mine has always been attached to a liner, so I don't know the difference.

 

[pgmr]

I don't have an old Buck, but I just installed a new one. Replaced an old insert of the approximate vintage of yours. The comparison is night and day. New stove has been burning all day on the same three splits. Granted, it is warm out and stove is running on low air setting, but this is a great testament to the efficiency and versatility of the new cat stove. Old stove would either be over heating the house, stinking up the neighborhood with smoke or both.

It's hard to give up the old stove, I know, but it won't take you long to forget it once the new one is installed. Carpenter friend from church just hauled our old one off to heat his barn with today...no tears shed on my part! ;-)

 

[tfdchief]

I guess I don't mind the amount of wood because I like everything about burning wood - cutting, splitting, well not stacking!, the security of my own self reliance, and my wife and dog love to be warm! I am just starting to find out the differences in being directly connected. It has been mild here, so I have not really been able to keep it going for any length of time. It does seem to draft harder. I even glued a piece of 3/4" gasket material at the top and bottom door lap holes (the small hole left at the top and bottom of the door where it laps) Before, I could shut the drafts and damper and burn about the right temperature for long burns. After the SS liner direct connect, it still burned to hot with everything shut down and those holes still letting in air. The main reason I direct connected it was because right above the stove, in the fireplace firebox area, the smoke slowed, cooled and left a lot of creosote. The stove had to be pulled each year to clean it. On up the flue, the creosote was never much of a problem. Now that I am gettin older, I am hoping the direct connect will creosote less and I can clean without removing the stove (that is as long as the rear mount fan motor doesn't shoot craps!) I saw on one of the posts where someone with an older stove retrofitted it with a secondary burn. I am interested in whoever posted that. How did you do it, what brand of stove, did it work OK?

 

[tfdchief]

TFD, I have a 28000 big buck. Efficiency is what we are missing. We use more wood than the newer units. I use about 3 cords of high quality wood per year. If I had a new insert I would probably use 1.5-2 per year.
How different is it, hooked up to a liner? Mine has always been attached to a liner, so I don't know the difference.

gzecc, What size liner did you use. My son has a 27000 that we connected to the biggest SS liner we could get down the flue (6") and it trys to smoke when he opens the doors. I know, it should have been bigger but the clay tile was to small. We cut the opening down (behind the doors) and it is acceptable. It drafts fine with the doors shut.

 

[gzecc]

Kent, I didn't use any wood today. -------------Too warm out. How much wood do you use in a year? How big is your house? Is it heated solely by the insert?

 

[brokeburner]

i retroed my old beast with baffle and burn tubes. You gotta cut some holes in the beast and be or know a good welder but i bet i added 25 percent effency to the stove nothing scientific just alot more heat coming out for a lot longer.

 

[tfdchief]

i retroed my old beast with baffle and burn tubes. You gotta cut some holes in the beast and be or know a good welder but i bet i added 25 percent effency to the stove nothing scientific just alot more heat coming out for a lot longer.

I would be real interestd in any details, pics etc. Welding is not a problem. I just need some engineering ideas.

 

[pgmr]

Kent, I didn't use any wood today. -------------Too warm out. How much wood do you use in a year? How big is your house? Is it heated solely by the insert?

Old one used 2-3 cords heating 50-60% of the time. House is 2200 ft² and has heat pump w/gas furnace "emergency" heat. I'm hoping the new stove uses at least 25% less wood.