Princess temperature control w/o side panels

[RustyShackleford]

I don't know how common this is, but I've never installed the side panels on my free-standing Princess. I don't have fans and don't feel that I need them - the stove keeps our 600 sq-ft " great room" (living/dining/kitchen) quite cozy without them - and I think the mostly radiant heat emission works better without the side panels. I am open to different opinions on this though.

What this means is that the control knob has no scale to adjust it against. It just hangs out there several inches from the side of the stove.

This is not ideal for setting the level for overnight burns, so as to avoid stalling the cat while also avoiding burning up most of the wood load. I've been winging it for awhile now, but I'd prefer better control. Has anyone addressed this issue ? I suppose one option would be to cut off a few inches of the rod that holds the knob, so that it's very near the rear edge, and then fabricate some sort of gauge and screw that to the back of the stove using the screw hole that holds the little panel on the back where I guess the fans mount. Any other ideas ?

 

[Murray01]

I’d get a replacement shaft just in case you want to bring the stove back to OEM before you start modifying.

If you’re the only operator of the stove, do you really need a scale?

 

[Whitenuckler]

I don't know how common this is, but I've never installed the side panels on my free-standing Princess. I don't have fans and don't feel that I need them - the stove keeps our 600 sq-ft " great room" (living/dining/kitchen) quite cozy without them - and I think the mostly radiant heat emission works better without the side panels. I am open to different opinions on this though.

What this means is that the control knob has no scale to adjust it against. It just hangs out there several inches from the side of the stove.

View attachment 342319

This is not ideal for setting the level for overnight burns, so as to avoid stalling the cat while also avoiding burning up most of the wood load. I've been winging it for awhile now, but I'd prefer better control. Has anyone addressed this issue ? I suppose one option would be to cut off a few inches of the rod that holds the knob, so that it's very near the rear edge, and then fabricate some sort of gauge and screw that to the back of the stove using the screw hole that holds the little panel on the back where I guess the fans mount. Any other ideas ?

Get a bar magnet and then a small piece of sheet metal painted black- high heat. Make a bend to attach it to the magnet. Then cut a slot slightly bigger than the shaft and slide it on. Then attach a metal pointer to the shaft with Black RTV.