Production Woodstock IS

Check that gasket. Mine was bad after 4 cord. Now I have better cat engagement, stronger secondaries, and longer burn times. I suspect hot coals get stuck in the door hinge area and wear it out relatively quick.

 

That's the creosote from the ashpan. With the lower slower burns the stove produces creosote down low. I actually had to chip some out of the ash pan drawer. Well I didn't have to but I gave it a really good cleaning overall and cleaned that area out. You can notice the glazed creosote on the door that flips down that contains the gasket.

 

Interestingly enough my ash pan gasket is bad and they have a new one on its way. I talked to them very specifically about the low end response and they did not think that the ash pan gasket had anything to do with it.

So, I questioned them again about their cat warranty and this time I was told that it is still in the 3 year free replacement time slot. So for $20 I have a new cat and ash pan gasket on the way. I will report the difference (I suspect it will be great) when I get the new stuff.

 

I've noticed my ash pan gasket seems the way you described. I'm in the middle of my second season. Did you have to take the door off to replace the gasket?

 

I'm in the middle of my second season. Still very happy with this stove. I did notice at the end of last year I could see a gap between the door gasket and the body of the stove (noticed the light from the fire showing). Contacted Woodstock last year, and they stated some stoves had a thinner, "beta" gasket at one point, and maybe my stove was shipped with one. They sent me a free replacement door gasket, and that seem to do the trick. Also, my radiator is flaking as well. I haven't called to look into the new improved one. I love that this company does back up their product 100%. Can't say that about many I know of these days.

 

No. It was super easy. I just ripped out the old one, ran a shop towel with degreaser through the channel a few times, put the gasket goop on and placed it in. I waited ten min then closed the door and ran it.

 

Just a heads up, they finally are starting to make the warming shelf that was rumored early on. I have one coming with my replacement radiator. Will take some pics as soon as I get it.

 

A warming shelf?! I'm intriged!!!

 

Do you guys find you get more heat/burn time loading e/w or n/s. I'm finding the secondary plate up top makes it tough to get a 3rd row either e/w or n/s when the first 2 are n/s.

I've tried 1st row e/w, 2nd row n/s, 3rd row ends up with 1 maybe 2 e/w. I have not tried all e/w as my splits for this year are 15-16" and I end up with a n/s stack on one end. Just wondering what others finding with the e/w loading. My outside temps have been fluctuating so much that I don't get an accurate comparison.

 

I generally run 2 loads north south and invariably have some just a little too long that go east west on top... I am just so happy to be using 4 cord or less instead of 12 getting more heat and sleep! I did mention some 20 pages back that Jeff a finisher at Woodstock mentioned at open house to keep an eye on ash pan gasket and fill replace mine end of season.. so happy so many of FHC are on it! thinking about it if that gasket failed .. this stove would go nuclear quick!

 

Longer burn N/S.

I've been splitting a few pieces here and there very thin so I can lay them E/W on top to get about an inch from the plate.

I've split a bunch of already seasoned down pretty thin with my electric splitter in the meantime.

 

I like Hollywoods method. I finally got on board this year. Get rid of the andiron and Tetris-in 20 inch pieces E/W.

 

My expirience is that it didn't go nuclear but messed with the performance of the secondaries. Similer I think to when you open the door and the temp drops. Fresh air goes up the chimney instead of preheated air pulling through the channels.

 

I guess your right I was just thinking how stove reacts when I pull out ashpan... I have not lit a new fire since early december.. it just stays running.. I am on my 2nd year of burning.. so this summer will replace gaskets etc..

 

Getting wood up close to the plate definitely results in quicker and stronger secondaries. Which also translates into a lower cat temp. Trade off?

 

I've not really noticed a difference personally. If I'm loading a big load in there with big splits on very little coals I do sometimes put some really small splits N/S on the first layer so air can get get from front to back under all the splits easier and get the load going better. But most of my wood is a tad to long so I mostly only load E/W. If I do most of the load N/S I still end up with the top pieces E/W due to the angle of the secondary plate, very thin piece further back, medium in middle, and larger one near the front. usually on those big loads I don't let it get hot enough to have much secondaries going on so having them right up against the secondary plate isn't much of a concern, but if I'm really needing some heat and running it hard I'll leave a couple inches gap up top.

 

Sorry, that was in reference to the ash door gasket seal. Yes, getting the wood up to the top helps with secondaries. I try to run it at least 90% full every time.

 

I'm not sure anyone believes me. WS seemed skeptical too, which is why I keep annoying everyone to figure out who has replaced their gasket already. I think I was the first one. Need some more data.

 

I'll dollar bill test my gasket next time the stove is off... which isn't too often. But suppose to hit almost 60 Tuesday so maybe I'll let it go out.

Mine has had some odd behavior the last few days which has me suspicious. I'm getting what seems to be a real hot coal bed, sometimes it's all aglow, much more so than usual, but both the secondaries and cat seem to be struggling.

 

The bottom of mine was bad near the hinge. It might be tricky to do the dollar bill test there but if it is solid and not pliable I would assume it's bad. The door should shut with some cushion.