Ideal Steel

Yes there's a port, but no probe.

 

Others on here are running thermocouples and watching live data.

 

I do recall seeing data logs much like a really long dyno sheet. Somewhere on here lol

 

Running this stove is simple enough that all of those devices are not necessary. I take my stove top gauge up to 300 degrees and engage the cat. Then I watch my front surface gauge start moving and begin shutting it down.

 

The front gauge gives the most feedback when the cat is engaged. It begins moving rapidly as it is right in front of the cat.

 

I know your right, it will be my very first cat stove. Just trying to be a little more thorough than I was when I bought this Dutchwest ever burn stove. I didn't like the surprises lol

 

Worry about your wood supply and the Ideal Steel will do the rest. Don't be afraid to stock up on softwoods. This stove burns them great too.

 

Im cutting up everything and anything dead standing I can get my hands on. Pine cypress cherry gum. Anything

 

Nice looking stove.

 

Yes. It is a 1/4-20 threaded hole and it has a screw in it from the factory.

Brian

 

Thanks!

A simple question though that might shed some light on whether it will work for me... Is there another stove of this size 3+ cuft that can burn as long and horizontal vent in under a ~32" max height to 6" flue? There are some bigger stoves out there but given my max horizontal venting requirement I think the IS is the largest and longest burning... but I'm certainly no expert on whats all available out there...

 

I ain't thrilled that as pre-order #1, free shipping wasn't offered to me. I paid for shipping to a freight dock, went there with my trailer and a jackwagon forklift driver beat the stove up while trying (emphasis added) to load it onto the trailer. The stove shat creosote out the back and Woodstock did nothing and went radio-silent about the issue. Today, after firing it up after a cold period of about a week, smoke poured from under the cat housing door into the house. I really want to like this stove, but please don't take my money and then give me the cold shoulder.

 

Not that I'm aware of. There's a handful of 3cuft stoves that rear vent but they don't have the burntimes.

Unfortunately they don't have a rear vent stove.

 

That's sad to hear. Hope they step up and fix your problem.

 

Not to say there isn't more IS problems out there, but you're the first person I've ran across that has had such a negative experience with them and the stove. (This is the one I'm considering) Hope things work out! Let us know...

 

It sounds like your chimney is clogged.

 

Yeah, it is always a disappointment when something we have already purchased and own goes on sale (in one form or another), still, the new price really does not reflect on the purchase we (you, me, and the rest of the first- year purchasers) made last year.

The forklift incident is of course unfortunate but not related to Woodstock or the Ideal Steel; the same thing would have happened no matter what stove was in the way of that fork truck and truck operator.

As far as the creosote leaking, I saw the photos and it certainly does not look right or acceptable to me. There is no reason that an Ideal Steel, or any modern woodstove, should leak creosote onto the floor, especially NOT from the intake tract. I believe there is something amiss with the stove, and I also believe Woodstock will make it right as long as you pursue the issue, which you certainly should do in my opinion. I cannot and will not comment on the exchange between you and Woodstock as I was not privy to that (those?) exchange but they are clearly overloaded and I suspect they are not really ignoring you but rather you may have gotten lost in the hectic year they have had. I suggest you call them and speak to someone about this issue and get it resolved before next year.

In a perfect world defective items would not leave a factory but in reality, it happens. The more important thing in my opinion is how the manufacturer (or retailer) deals with such problems. But to be fair, the customer must do his / her part to make the mfg. aware of the problem and the fact that it has not been resolved or faded away. By all means, criticize a manufacturer for what they have made and sold, or failed to 'make right' but also give them the opportunity to make it right even if that takes a bit of effort on your part by reminding them that you still have a problem.

Best of luck with the stove and please do let us all know how it goes after contacting them again.

Brian

 

Yeah, and even with the vertical vent they require 2-3' vertical before an elbow so the only one I really looked into was the Princess insert which could work but I'd rather have the larger IS (and its cheaper and better looking IMO) there is some debate on the firebox size of the princess (listed as either 2.54 or 2.85). I don't really need 30 hour burns, but good heat for as long as possible with reload at 14-16 with hot coals would be great.

Only other stove I've really considered is the PH, but mainly just for looks. I'm not sure if looks alone are worth the premium, especially with the slightly larger firebox and better air control of the IS. But I'm still reading through some of the long posts about it. On page 38 out of the 90-some page thread!

 

What stove did you used to have?