Ideal Steel Season #2 Tips, Tricks, and Improvements.

I remember it- I just changed mine out w/in the last two weeks Apparently, with a bit drier wood and a stronger pull from the chimney, I ended up with that 'clapper' clanging loudly enough to wake up my wife for more than 1/2 hour at a time! It used to chatter pretty softly while the stove went through a certain temperature range but this year, at least in the mild weather we have had so far, it really rang out and did it for a long time. She asked me why I never put the new flapper valve in the stove and I replied that it really was not that big of a problem then but besides, I did not even know if I could find the new one; she walked away and returned with it in her hand about eight seconds later..... and I put it in the [quite hot] stove. I do not miss the clanging one bit either and I think Andrea is in the same boat.

Brian

 

I do feel like mine has been more annoying since adding more chimney but who knows. Running 24 hour reloads it was unavoidable and I dreaded it everytime I heard it begin to clatter. I also changed it hot. Not much fun with the stove 6" from the wall.

 

I thought after all the noise you had installed the new flapper??

 

I remember after I got past shoulder season I never let the stove go cold so I didn't hear it anymore.

 

"Many tasks have to be put off several times before they are forgotten about altogether." Never underestimate the power of procrastination....

Brian

 

Would there be any issue leaving hot ashes set in the IS's ash pan for a few days? I was thinking about ordering another ash pan so I wouldn't have to dump hot ashes each time I take em out. Was thinking it would be easy to cover the ash pan, remove it and set out for a couple or few days, and have the second ash pan ready to go back in the stove as soon as the first one is out. Since they are in there while the stove is running and exposed, I wouldn't figure this would be a problem.

Did a series of small break in fires, up through a normal-ish burn yesterday with nice secondaries finally. Wow very impressed with the secondary action! It varied from strange looking blue tentacles - like coral polyps or something, that would kind of pulse up and down like a retracting tentacle or move slightly with the current... until they became stronger and turned into micro tornadoes of hell fire boring holes through the top layer of wood. Very cool.

 

Will not be a problem. I ordered two with my initial order!!!! I take one out and put the other in. I will then transfer the covered pan outside where I dump it into a metal trash can with lid. Then the empty ash pan come back inside and resides behind the stove against the brick wall.

 

Yep, what he said: leave the hot ashes in a covered ash pan until you need to empty the stove again, then dump the old (cold) ashes, swap ash pans and you are good to go. Doing this also eliminates the nasty problem of having ashes fall through the grate while the ash pan is removed, and after a while, the ash drawer has enough ashes in it to either make a mess when you put the ash pan in or actually interfere with the installation of the ash pan.

Brian

 

So I was starting over re-reading the thread today hoping to get some pointers now I got the stove ready to go. Wish I would have gone back and read this sooner... 2 days ago I lifted the lid to show someone the internals and wham. Oh yeah I forgot that comes off. And whats this bit of copper paint on the black stovetop and black paint on the copper trivet. Dang.

 

Yeah, that happens but next time, be prepared and say something like 'Whoa! A sudden gust of gravity!"



For what it is worth, the center trivet of my stove has been under the stove, resting on the floor, almost since day one of using the stove. The stove produces more heat with the trivet removed; I can tell pretty easily as I can see an immediate decrease in flue gas temp. when it is removed (while the stove is hot and stable of course).

Brian

 

Kinda like that first ding in a car, right? I know the feeling! Hey, you can pick up the stove Brite spray paint from Woodstock or elsewhere. You'll never be able to tell you used your center burner as a frisbee!

 

I got a decent 12 hr burn today on a 3/4 load. I came home to a nice bed of coals and reloaded for the night with another 3/4 load. The weather has been so good around here, mid 40's during the day and low 30's at night. I hope I don't eat my words but at this rate I will be ahead on my wood usage this year if this keeps up.

 

Maybe you should take your door off & see if that will produce more heat. The load of wood in your stove is only going to produce x amount of heat with your trivet on or off. But I could be all wrong. If the trivet is not hot you should be able to remove it with your bare hands. But that would be for you to decide !

 

I'll probably have the trivet off mainly to use the burner for cooking or something... I just had it on for the paint curing fires, and likely would have it on if company was over.

Yeah I'll get some black and copper paint at some point, but my scuff is barely noticeable. But I would like to maybe add some color elsewhere in the stove myself.

 

Yeah, that is a good idea- why not try wrapping your stove with insulation and see if that makes any difference- after all, the stove will still produce x amount of heat no matter what is on the outside, right?

And yep, I could lift the trivet with my bare hands..... but instead I foolishly use the trivet tool that Woodstock provided with the stove.

Brian

 

Yes, this is a very mild fall, at least so far. My biggest problem has been overheating the house. Just looked at the 10 day forecast and there is not a single dip below freezing in the whole chart but plenty of 50F + degree days coming. I just cannot maintain a fire at these temps. and am now trying to do exactly what you said- starting a medium load of splits and just letting it wind down. And I am in the same boat of being way down on wood use, especially compared to last year, which was quite a bit colder than normal.

Brian

 

Funny you mention this, I'm sitting in the stove room sweating in shorts. Lol. I'm not complaining, I know it'll get cold soon enough!

 

If you can dial it in, and depending on your firewood and chimney, the I.S. will burn amazing slowly. Right at the moment my firebox temp. is in the 500F range and the combustor is just over 1,000F; the stove is running clean but putting out pretty minimal heat. It is 30F outside, 75F inside and I consider it a successful burn if the temp. in the house does not rise above 76F or so. The stove is about 2/3 full of oak and the draft is set at two notches open.

I am also in shorts but not sweating..... at least not yet

Brian

 

If you can control the combuster it will burn slow. The auto cat air seems to let a lot of air in when the primary is fully closed. My temps climb up to 1400. I think the lower you go the hotter the combustor.

Another question I have. When using the outside air kit, does that also supply the air to the cat? I'm thinking it doesn't. Can anybody clarify that?

 

Good question on the OAK. Seems like a great air control design with those specially shaped intake plates. But if the air comes in through those on the bottom, what does the OAK even do? Since I added an OAK to my pellet stove I thought about doing the same with the wood stove but I don't think the wood stove uses nearly as much air. Plus it would be really inconvenient seeing how its in the middle of a large brick hearth in the middle of the house, would be unsightly at a minimum.