Woodstock Soapstone Up and Running

[Vic99]

So AP and I went to pick up my Fireview this past Saturday. Not as bad to move as we originally thought. I installed by dinner time and did a couple of break in fires. Did my first real burn the next day.

Although this has been shoulder season burning, the stove is meeting expectations (which were fairly high). Probably done 7-8 burns and the stovetop always gets above 400 F. Highest I've had is 525 so far. I have not pushed the stove much. I've been burning a mixture of 50 year old dry pine timbers (no nails) and these sort-of-dry splits that I have left from this past season . . . you know how it goes. I wait for 260-270 F and engage the CAT. Very nice. I also bought a stove pipe damper, but have not installed it because I haven't needed it during this shoulder season.

My verdict so far . . . . not expecting optimum anything right now.

Pros: Very attractive stove. Great Woodstock customer service so far. Looks like longer burn times even from these 2/3 loads with just passable wood. I like the side loading door. No smoke infiltration into the room when opening door. Double layer of soapstone holds heat longer than my old stove. CAT easy to use so far . . . I know I'm not optimum right now, but so what, it's shoulder season.

Cons: Smaller viewing area for the fire. Fire less dynamic . . . my Hearthstone really put a on GREAT show when the burn tubes engaged. This stove's fire is still interesting to look at. Hearthstone fire grade: A. Woodstock: B. It is taking forever to burn the paint off of the new stove pipe. Can still smell it somewhat after this many burns.

My wife prefers the Fireview's appearance. I like both my old stove and this one's appearance equally. . . . they are just different.

Overall I am very happy so far. But, I'll have to see what happens when the temps really start going down in December. Thanks for all the advice. It has been a long process.

 

[markleyh]

Nice installation, Vic!

Nice lookin' bear ya got in front of the fire, too!!


herb

 

[Highbeam]

Looks great. How does the addition of andirons change your loading style? Do you use them to keep the wood off of the glass? Is that double pane glass staying clean for you? Does the stove warm up from cold faster than the HS? You may have noticed I am jealous of your upgrade!

 

[Vic99]

Thanks Herb.

Highbeam,
So far the andirons has changed how I load. Don't have to worry about glass as much. Also, since I am not opening from the front, the log roll out just can not happen. Glass is good so far. I can't say about the cold start warm up yet. You would expect it to be different because this stove has more soapstone than my HS, but I'm not sure . . . it hasn't been significant so far. I've been using VERY DRY 80 year old lathe pine for the start ups though. Its all gone by the time I jump to CAT power.

 

[Highbeam]

Even though it has thicker walls the stove has the same weight as the equivalent hearthstone product, my heritage. I wonder how they keep it so light?

How do the door handles compare to the little ones on the HS?

 

[3fordasho]

Even though it has thicker walls the stove has the same weight as the equivalent hearthstone product, my heritage. I wonder how they keep it so light?

Thicker but not solid, it would appear from my exploded view of the fireview that each soapstone section is two pieces of soapstone with an air space between?

 

[karri0n]

Even though it has thicker walls the stove has the same weight as the equivalent hearthstone product, my heritage. I wonder how they keep it so light?

Thicker but not solid, it would appear from my exploded view of the fireview that each soapstone section is two pieces of soapstone with an air space between?

That's correct, and a lot of folks have said that they are certain this helps prevent cracked stones vs. the thick soapstone on the HS models.

 

[Vic99]

The door knob on the Fireview is flat metal turnkey . . . picture a old style brass key head that is attached to the latch mechanism. The weight may come from the size. The physical dimensions of the Fireview are 28 x26x 20 compared to the Heritages 29 x 29 x 22 ish. It's possible that the soapstone densities are different too . . . . I have this soapstone frog that I would expect to be much heavier.

 

[Vic99]

Yes, the HS soapstone walls are 1.25 inches.

I believe that WS is 2 pieces that in total stone thickness are just below 2 inches in thickness. I think that there is a 1 inch space between the 2.

 

[Todd]

Looks great Vic. That stove is going to rock next year. Just wait til you fill it up and get her up over 600, she will really throw some heat. Your right about the fireworks this stove puts out, not quite the show Hearthstone's put out, but still very nice to look at, especially when you get those on and off bursts of blue flame that hang around above the logs. Maybe once the upgrade comes out the fire will be similar to non cats?

 

[Todd]

Yes, the HS soapstone walls are 1.25 inches.

I believe that WS is 2 pieces that in total stone thickness are just below 2 inches in thickness. I think that there is a 1 inch space between the 2.

I think the gap between is about 1/8".

 

[Vic99]

Oh yeah, you might be right.

 

[Bobbin]

Looks great! glad you're happy.

She does look like a bear!

 

[Highbeam]

I went through the woodstock photo gallery which is actually quite good. They show the 1-1/8" inner layer, a "slight" gap, and then the outer 3/4 inch layer. That's gotta be heavy. Both the heritage and fireview are about 2.3 CF on the inside. Maybe it is the lack of ash pan castings. I really liked the moss green one from their gallery.

I'll have to post a photo of the soapstone mug that my wife bought me. That bugger is heavy.

 

[titan]

Now that looks cozy!Enjoy your new stove.

 

[Vic99]

Yes, that's right on for sizes. Gap is 1/8".

How does that mug work? Does the stone take some of the heat and make the coffee stay kind of hot? Or perhaps the mug is too hot to pick up for a while . . . unless the handle is further out or made from some other material. . . . or maybe it's not meant for coffee. A heavy mug like that might just be a combat mug.

 

[Vic99]

Always loved the "rat on fire" picture . . . and thanks.

 

[titan]

We call him "Bernie". :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Vic, good to hear you are go on the stove. Wait until next year when you can get a good fire going. You'll love that rolling flame at the top of the glass. Really neat to see and when it is doing that, you are cooking! Todd is right, when you get to 600 or more, that is throwing some big time heat.

On the pipe still smelling. We too had that very same problem. It just kept on and on. I finally talked to the good folks at our local hardware and they told me they occasionally get some pipe like that and said they would gladly exchange it. Wouldn't you know, within a few days, it stopped! But that was really a strange one to me as I'd never heard or seen anything like that before.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Its pretty safe to say I'm jealous..... :cheese:

Almost pulled the trigger an hour before the sale was over but could not swing the ca$h.

Looks nice, Congrats!

 

[b121]

Yes, the HS soapstone walls are 1.25 inches.

I believe that WS is 2 pieces that in total stone thickness are just below 2 inches in thickness. I think that there is a 1 inch space between the 2.

Congrats on your new Fireview.
Don't you just love that new hot stove smell ?
We just hooked up our new Fireview a couple of weeks ago and have had 4 or 5 fires in it.
I think, I hope that new hot stove smell is finally gone.

During a factory tour at Woodstock (March 2009) I saw a partially assembled Fireview.
The ends of the inner and outter soap stone were exposed and it seemed that it might
be difficult to slid even a credit card between the two soapstones.
So I would say maybe 1/16" spacing. It was much less than what I had anticipated it would be.

 

[rob bennett]

P.

edit- I accidentally posted last night. Nice install. The dog really looks like a small bear.

 

[ROYJ24]

p

?