Seasoning Keystone--visible fumes?

[Darl Bundren]

Hey, all. I am four or so hours into my first burn in my new Keystone. So far, so good--the catalytic deal is glowing away, the wood I am adding in is igniting nicely, and my whole family is enjoying the stove.

I realize that the first burn will result in some stinkiness as the cement, paint, and stone season, but on the last load I put in, it looked like there were visible fumes running up parallel to the singlewall. The cat bypass was open, the draft was open all the way. Also, the sunlight was coming in from a low angle, so it might be some sort of an illusion.

I don't smell wood smoke, only the curing smell up here. Are the fumes visible when the paint and cement are curing off? When the cat bypass is closed, I cannot see anything.

 

[kenny chaos]

Yes, somebody just posted a cool picture of the fumes spiraling up the flue pipe.
Sounds good.

 

[Todd]

What your seeing is heat waves. I see the same thing in the morning when the sun is shinning just right on the stove.

Your 1st break in fire should just be a small kindling fire without the cat engaged. Don't over do it, burn a couple small fires before you let her rip.

 

[fossil]

When I did the break-ins on my little Century shop stove, I clearly saw smoke rising from the stove a couple of times. Not heat waves, smoke. Not a lot, but visible. Detector went off a couple of times during those first fires, as well. Nothing since. Rick

 

[rickw]

Big nasty smoke from all painted iron on my first fire. Must have windows open. Still got whiffs from the (stove)pipe for quite awhile.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Darl, do read the manual that came with that stove. It clearly states to do break-in fires. If you had that cat going on the first fire, that was too hot! We did not even engage the cat until our 3rd or 4th fire.

You probably also got some smoke or fumes off the new stove pipe.