New Ideal Steel coming in a few weeks - what accessories should I get?

Hi All,

I am so excited that I will be getting my brand new Ideal Steel delivered and installed in a few weeks. I will be rear venting the stove with about 20 inches or so of double walled pipe to a T connecting to a (already installed) 30 foot insulated chimney liner in my masonry chimney. I am deciding what accessories to get and would love to know some thoughts. One of the guys at Woodstock is actually delivering and installing the stove, so anything I get at the time of purchase will save me a little in terms of shipping charges. I've decided to get a double walled pipe damper as Woodstock recommended that due to my tall chimney. The stove comes with one thermometer, and I already have two. With Woodstock's sale, I got a tool set and ash can in the bargain! I'm thinking about the following accessories for the stove, and I'd love any thoughts on these and if there are other things I should get:

1) The IS catalytic probe thermometer
2) A double walled pipe thermometer
3) An extra ash pan (though thinking maybe I should wait and see how it goes with one)
4) The IS glove warmer rack (again, maybe I should wait and see how I like the stove without this).

Thoughts? Other things?

 

My AS came with glove warmers, not a rack like the IS has, and we loved them this winter.

As for the cat probe, it may come with the stove now. I was given one when I went there to buy one, as the AS now comes with it.

Not sure I'd bother with the additional ash pan.

 

1 and 2.

 

I found the high heat Woodstock spray touch up paint that matches your stove to be helpful... I have two colors on my stove and touch up a few areas each year and it matches the stove and pipe perfectly and keeps it looking new.

I have two temp probes and that's all I need to know what's going on....

I also have the shorter poker, but it didn't come from Woodstock....

 

Do you have a log carrier ?
I just got mine and can't believe it took this long to find out about them
(I wish this style came with a FHC logo, hint, hint)
for all the years my parents burned wood, and I was the slave filling the wood box, and for the 6 seasons we've been here, I just thought it was normal to get dust, bark and dirt on my clothes, now the carrier contains it all and my wife is happier since she does most of the stove tending while I'm at work

 

Oh yeah! I got my first wood stove this past January (a little Jotul F100 I got cheap on Craigslist that I'm now replacing with the Woodstock Ideal Steel), and the two first accessories I got were a pair of welding gloves and a log carrier bag! I love them both!

 

I was gonna mention the welders gloves, they work great.

I got Jill a pair of the long firewood gloves for women, they cover nearly her entire arm to the shoulder.

I wish I'd known about the soapstone bootwarmers/dryers when I'd ordered mine, I'd have definitely thrown them in on the order. I also agree that some touch up paint will come in handy.

Looking forward to seeing your new IS in the house.

 

I have a bellows which is invaluable at certain times, and I have an extra cat in the closet.

 

What's a bellows, Rearscreen?

 

I melted mine in a month. Feel like I wasted $25.

I crack the ash pan door to get fires going quick. That rush of air up through the grate gets the coals really hot, really fast. Mrs. TD put 3 splits on the fire at 4:30 this morning. I threw some kindling and splits in at 11:00pm and cracked the ash pan door and had flames in just a few seconds. Yes, 18+ hours later there was enough coals to rekindle a fire without a fire starter.

I get the HF welding gloves. 3 pair for $10. Can't beat that!

I have a coal rake that was made by the chimney liner installer. I use it every time I get near the stove.
What y'all using for a coal rake ??

 

So interesting! Never knew that was the name for that! I'm a musician and the only thing I could think of were the bellows in an accordion, which is basically the same thing - the part that sucks in and pushes out air through the reeds to make sound as you extend and close the bellows! And darn it, I just saw one of these at the local good will and didn't grab it - gonna go back and check if it's still there (probably not as that was a few days ago).

 

Welder gloves are extremely important!! Or you have a couple scars.. I got the gloves and still get scarred.

 

When it's time to rake the coals in the IS, it's good to have a smooth bottom rake like mine. You can use the rake (like a scraper) to push and pull the ashes/coals back and forth over the grate and bring the ashes to the center of the stove floor where the grate is. Makes for a quick clean out of ashes and bringing the coals to the center to kindle the next load on. Works good for us. Quick, easy clean-out and then we can get a fire roaring again.

With the Fireview, I would let the fire burn down longer to separate the ashes for cleaning out because it was hard to do when it was hot... Had my knuckles cooked through the gloves plenty of times.

 

You could probly go to a counter top place and ask if they have any soapstone cut offs. Just a thought.

 

I bought an ash rake from Woodstock. If has a deer or reindeer design in the handle area. It's quite uncomfortable to work with.

 

Just spoke to the folks at Woodstock - custom artwork is coming along and I'm psyched! They say that the stovetop thermometer (that comes with the stove) and the double walled thermometer (additional purchase) are the important ones, and that the cat thermometer isn't really needed. Opinions here? Pros/cons?