Ideal Steel first curing fire!

Good for you Cana B. I was every bit that pumped the first year starting the Buck 91, first cat stove. Will be starting my 3rd season this year and getting the itch for some crisp weather but I still have a few more things to do outside that I would like some good weather for. ENJOY that puppy this winter brother.

 

OK 4 am, the soapstone and pipe are finally cool to touch, time for a re-light, coffee is brewing... Yeah I guess I am like a kid a christmas.

 

You're being nice to that thing. When I broke mine in I took it to 400 then 600. The windows were open and the fire alarm was screaming.

 

Uncle told me to cure the soapstone slow and it would outlast me.. I guess more important in fire view but break in her in slow... She will get a workout I a few months 24 hours a day for 4 months

 

I think the biggest concern is drying any moisture out of the soapstone.

I am playing with mine today too.

 

Yeah, but are ya' done yet?

 

That sure looks familiar. I still need to find a straight pipe 36" to redo the stove. But, it has been 70-80 here in the afternoon and 40s at night. No fire for me for a little while....

 

Anyone cure their stoves outside ?

My IS should be here in approximately 3 weeks.

 

lighting another one now... 3 Rd fire takes this thing forever to cool off 65 high today so lighting little fire night and morning...

 

some people do

 

I got help to install it so it got cured inside.. my buddy is 6 foot 295 and solid.. yup it heavy!

 

You gotta take the help when you can get it

 

time to throw the cat for first time ever! Never had a cat stove see what all this secondary talk is about..

 

I want to see some pics

 

It takes a moderate-sized load to get really good secondaries action. I found the cat and secondaries quite amazing, coming from the pre-EPA-stove world - you have hours of cheap entertainment ahead! We were down to 32-33 again this morning, but you lake people will have a while yet.

 

Well still curing, medium sized load of apple and maple, air full open burned down to 30% full the cat waited hour shut air to half.. 10 hours stove is at 200 and bed of coals.... letting it cool will be 70 today!

Yeah then December the lake which is still 68 now starts to freeze. and that cold Canadian air blows across the ice box and

 

The biggest downside I see with this stove.........is the looooong break-in. What's it been now, 3 weeks?

 

Well trying to let it cool between fires it takes 4 splits and stack is 200 degrees.. 14 hours later... How am I ever going to burn all of my 14 cord....if this keeps I won't burn everything I have split and will actually be 2 to 3 years ahead Oh No! Better ​

 

If your lucky you can keep it to loading only twice a day.

Through December I was able to heat all night on 3-4 splits of wood. When it got really cold I packed it full. Sometimes I wondered though if I really had to. I guess I wasn't willing to wake up to a cold house so I never tried it. You will notice that this stove makes a lot of heat out of a little wood.

I got some new windows this year so I might try cutting back on the overnight load. During the day I'm gone 11+ hours so I will always pack it full then.

 

Oh No! Gooder.
There, I fixed it for ya'.