Please welcome new Ideal Steel owner

So I got a little story that goes with this thread. Please welcome my new recruit here to FHC joey arsenault . Joey is also a brand new owner of a Ideal Steel. In fact I think he ordered it yesterday after visiting the good folks at Woodstock Soapstone Co. in Lebanon NH and he is driving up and picking up the stove a couple weeks from now.

So I met Joey through the Internet, looking for a Chimney Sweep service as the guy I used to have do it seems to have gotten out of the business. It's difficult finding someone who knows what they are doing, answers the phone or at least calls you back and is knowledgeable about stoves, chimneys and wood burning. I took a chance on Joey and sent him an e-mail. Within 24 hours I had a reply and a telephone call. We chatted a bit, and scheduled a cleaning. I had missed cleanings the last two years. (they guy I had was good, but didn't tell me he was out of business.) Since I've typically been burning pretty clean I wasn't real worried about it, but wasn't going to let another season go by.

So Joey shows up about 2 weeks ago, and he's got a great rig, every tool he could possibly need and a helper. This was a guy who was no nonsense, had the gear, expertise and showed up on time. So while he's doing the stove cleaning, I'm talking to him about my stoves and prolly bragging a little on the Fireview and the Absolute Steel. I told him how impressed I was with both of them and we got into a conversation about the hybrid technology, reasonable price, the customization options of the Ideal Steel and the Absolute and the great rep Woodstock has for service. During this conversation I also mentioned what a great forum and resource FHC was and encouraged him to check us out.

I had no idea Joey was in the market for a new stove, and I really didn't try to sell him one. All I really did was show him the stove, tell him about my experience with it, point him here.

So I got a Message Alert here from Joey recently telling me he was going up to check out Woodstock in Lebanon. Of course I immediately volunteered to go if he needed company, but I guess his wife made better company that I ever would. In any event, he sends me a note yesterday. He's been there, got the grand tour mentioned my name and they didn't laugh too loudly, and didn't kick him out.

He bought an IS and will be retrieving it and installing it in a couple weeks. You know this thread will be worthless until Joey posts pictures of his install. But in the mean time, please welcome Joey to the group, and maybe some of you IS guys can give him some pointers on installation, break-in, various lessons learned ete.

Welcome Joey! I guess my first tip, would be to make the install easier you can easily take off a lot of heavy parts prior to moving it into the house/hearth, to cut way down on the weight you have to move and lift.

Also, take advantage of the great level of knowledge all the guys in here have, in many of the different threads weather it's cutting wood and chainsaws, or getting the most out of our heaters, or making great chili or about a million other things, there is a lot of great brains to pick around here.

I'm happy to have you board Joey and welcome to the family of FHC!

 

Great story. I tell you wut, I love the folks on this site. Always....always, willing to lend a hand or yak about this stuff.
Welcome aboard joey arsenault !
Can't wait to see some pics of the stove and install (if you decide to post 'em).
Gotta' ask though, how bad was the flue at Oldhippie 's ?

 

Not as good as he thought, but I couldn't get a good feel as they used a high powered vac and sucked up all my stove ashes in both stoves too. (I been lazy)

But yeah.. I wasn't proud of it, but that's how hard it is to get a decent chimney sweep in these parts. I'm glad I found joey arsenault he's the real deal.

 

Welcome joey arsenault got an IS love it, build hearth higher if ya can.. easier see ash pan etc etc

 

Thanks for the introduction Old Hippie, i do believe these are my kind a folks in this here group. looking forward to getting to know everyone a little better and cant wait to get this stove hooked up. will def post some pics.

 

Welcome Joey. Umm. How long you been hangin with Oldhippie ? You sure they didn't "rush" you out the door after ......?

 

Just met the old hippie a couple weeks ago. I own a chimney and masonry co. and he had us out to clean his chimney.. we got to talking and that was that i had to go check out Woodstock soapstone and now im here

 

I do think so > Thanks for the welcome

 

the hearth is about a foot above the floor, its a mock fireplace in the center of my basement.

 

I'm just giving oldhippie a hard time. We are glad your here and can't wait to see your install. Do you have firewood all seasoned for this season? Are you burning in a different stove already.

 

Welcome. I’m looking at this sitting in front of my IS.
You have A LOT of reading to do

 

Welcome joey arsenault. I too had an Ideal Steel (and even got to be a Beta tester for them before they introduced the model), but have since moved and passed it on to my brother TurboDiesel. Superb stove. (Before that I had a Fireview.) I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

Too funny!!! LOL!

 

I mighta' laid it on kittle thick about braggin on my Fireview and Absolute and how helpful and knowledgeable all the FHC folks are. I think Joey recognizes quality when he sees it.

 

Welcome to the club , Joey!
I think your gonna like it here!

 

Welcome and congrats. on the new stove. A few of us have them and there may be a thread with a few posts about that stove around here somewhere. Some good info. good people and well moderated forum. No brand bashing either; we may have preferences and likes / dislikes but no product gets trashed that I have seen and that is refreshing.

On installing that I.S., you can take out the firebrick or soapstone that is inside it and it removes a LOT of weight making it much easier to move. They are not hard to remove or replace but there is a sequence and it is a bit of a puzzle re-installing them as they interlock as you go. If you do remove them, sit down on the floor with a cup of coffee or similar and take your time putting them back in.

Brian

 

Welcome joey arsenault! Hopefully you’ll be able to come show your experiences and expertise off in the fireplace and any other threads here. We like stories, pictures and anything else you like to share. Enjoy that IS!


Not to point out anything bad here but that marble slab is looking like it seen better days , any story on how that happened or is this just part of how the slabs fit together?

 

I found it in someone’s field off the side of the road. It’s 700lbs and cracked under its own weight when I was moving it through the doorway. My stone guy says he can fix its been a low priority. I think it’s starting to add character . It is at least super level because I put it on a bed of concrete.