Absolute Steel Hybrid

Thinking about replacing that Blaze king?

 

Much more like the PH than the IS. Here is the PH graphic...

 

Well, they had fired the stove at Woodstock, but not very high. Curing the paint tonight...


So far running very, very nicely. The air control is every bit as good as the IS. Very fine control to it.

Burning 2+ yr old Red Maple tonight.

My wife is already 99% sure this will be our second stove (with the PH being the primary heat in the kitchen, and an Absolute Steel Hybrid in the living room).

We are trying to be done with the paint smell, and it is fairly cool out, so no low and slow trials right away, but I suspect she will out-do the IS in that regard.

 

This is going to get interesting!

 

How's that hurst shifter working on that thing?

 

Smooth, easy to use. Lorin, at Woodstock, has been beta testing at home, and said they found it to be noisy as you move across the ratchet teeth. I find I hold it out off the the teeth as I move it. It has very fine-grained adjustment (almost like comparing a hydrostatic drive to a gear drive).

Big knob is easy to find in the semi-dark.

 

Are you using audible clicks to set the air? Would love a fine-grained audible air control for my Fireview - I have to use a flashlight even during the day (I have to come up with a tool to help set the air - just have not figured out a good design yet).

Looking forward to reading your experiences and seeing pictures. Really interested to see how it compares to the IS for things like air control, long burn, etc.

 

I'm not using the clicks to adjust it, but I know what you mean about needing some frame of reference. On the PH there are no visual indications - I adjust the air by going fully closed and then back some distance. That mechanism sticks a bit in places, so often I feel like I over-shoot as I open it back up - usually I fiddle with it several times.

I don't know the Fireview mechanism, but my Dad has one, so I'll take a closer look soon. I think you would find the flashlight unnecessary with the Absolute Steel because the way they graduated the air control (similar to but different than the IS). Going from the full-open position, the first inch of travel cuts off much, much more air than what the same amount of movement cuts off further down the scale. If the Absolute were settled into a slow steady burn, and someone came along and moved the control three notches, I'd bet I would not be able to tell by watching the fire which direction they moved the control. It is very fine-grained control. I would pay several hundred dollars for a retrofit to my PH for this degree of control.

 

Reload pics:

1. Right after reload. Bypass open, primary air full-open.


2. Two minutes later, bypass closed, primary air wide open (Very soon in the cycle, but Tom said he has been doing this, with no issue)


3. Four minutes into reload. Bypass cloased, primary air still wide open.


This is about 75% full firebox of 14"-16" 3yr Red Maple on 3" of coals.

 

Fireview has good markings. But the setting varies by the angle you are using to look at the adjustment handle. I would take the "noisly" clicks right now just because I think it would help in getting the same setting every time. I'll come up with something simple soon. I too would pay for a retro-fit of the AS air control to the Fireview.

 

Now we are on to something here. Looking forward to some stove top temps vs stack temps =) If I remember right you are running a pretty tall stack right?
What's the moisture content of that maple you are burning?

 

My chimney is about a 32', 6", insulated liner in an internal flue. It drafts well. I've had the PH on this liner for 20+ cord, and put about 5 cord through the IS beta on this same liner.

I don't have a moisture meter but will come up with one, and will get my hands on an IR thermometer again.

My short-term firewood is 3yr covered but open-air single stack. But it is short length wood that I had promised to give to a friend. Tomorrow I'll go out to the stacks and retrieve some 2yr covered wood. I think I have about a cord of that. Then I'll have to read some of the ideas here again on re-sizing firewood.

The wood is mostly Red Maple, Black Cherry, and White Ash (good but not premium).

 

Premium doesn't matter much in a cat stove. should matter less in a hybrid?

 

I think I know what you mean. I was just thinking of BTU/sq ft that I could fit into the stove. I burned a couple cord of punky wood this Fall, and it feels like eating oatmeal when there is chocolate cake to be had.

 

That cake analogy is priceless.

 

Yum, Yum ... Cake!

 

What's the firebox size of that stove?

 

Early info from Woodstock said they expected to be at 2.5 cu ft. I'll get some measurements one of these reloads. A 19" max split length, I'll probably cut at 16" or 17".