Production Woodstock IS

I consider it a learning curve. There were a few days here and there where I thought I may have stalled the cat from closing the bypass too early and heading to work. I came up with a system where I get the fire going earlier in the morning and ensure good cat take off before heading out the door. I had feared that doing so may have caused some build up so I'm not surprised.

 

15 degrees?!
Holy smokes, You can keep that stuff. I'm done with it

 

high in next 24 hours will be 12 degrees with 30 MPh wind across 15 mile ice cube that's a lake in July. startin to think move maybe Kentucky or Tennessee mountains. anywhere spring shows up before June!

 

Question in regards to the Ideal Steel. Is there anything near the bottom of the back of the Ideal Steel that would prevent me from placing it say 1" from the back of an 8" tall raised hearth built into my current fireplace? I am toying with idea of making a simple 1-layer brick hearth pad in front of the existing raised hearth (~11") to accommodate the much larger IS. This will be more or less temporary, as I plan to move in the next few years... and have a nice insert I can re-install when I go to put the house for sale (and take the IS with me). However the IS is going to stick out way into the room, and would like it as far back as possible. I just wasn't sure if there was anything low in the back. Photo for reference:


Basically the new hearth would be were the rug is, I need to determine just how big to make it. I have a duravent liner installed, rigid insulated 0" kit with a flexable insulated bottom section. I think I can just pull off the stove collar adapter on the bottom and just put a regular stovepipe elbow on it right? Then just a couple foot piece of stovepipe out to the rear vent on the IS.

And if anyone here knows also if I could do the same with the Progress? Since its a side loader the pad shouldnt have to stick out nearly as much. Just not sure if the raised ledge would block anything if it was too close.

 

Only thing that sticks out beyond the listed depth for the PH is a small square, on the rear heat shield, for holding the handle one can use to open the door (I've never used mine),
But that is at 17 inches up from the hearth, so shouldn't be an issue. The back of the rear legs of the PH are forward from the back of the stove at least 2 inches, so you could pick up that depth by butting the legs against the hearth. How high is the pad the new hearth would be abutting? In other words, how high is the existing hearth? Anyway, abutting the current hearth would move the stove fairly close to your fireplace. Your 8 inch height can be used as part of your required front clearance. But, I would caution, the window on the PH throws a ton of heat, and if you have children or elderly or handicapped individuals in the home, you may want to have the hearth extend a nice distance in front of the stove, to be safe. Likewise, if you want to cook on the stove, you may want a decent hearth distance in front. Adding 8 inches to the height might make for uncomfortable cooking height.

I'd shoot Woodstock the picture above and ask them about install. I think either stove would be fine.

That's a very handsome setup.

 

That shouldn't be an issue for the Ideal Steel. I would think you might want to make your liner connection a tee with a cleanout? Another idea would be to use two 45 degree elbows to get better draft.

 

Yeah a tee would make cleaning the chimney easier. Forgot about that. That's one nice thing about the insert I just remove the baffle plate halves and slide out the two burn tubes and clean the chimney right into the firebox with the door shut so no mess.

Well as you can see its 4 courses of brick, a hair over 11" tall. The extension would just be a single course of brick in front of it, close to an 8" drop. I have just one 9yr old son here and I've burned wood and pellets now since he was around 3 I think so he is pretty used to it. Bigger problem is clearance to furniture! Even though thats a pretty big great room the couch is very close to the current hearth (not in the picture - long story). Would be a lot easier if I didn't have a huge fishtank on that side of the room but its the only place I can put it (8' long). Debating on getting rid of it but not sure yet. Maybe with a better stove I could put the couches on the other side of the room lol. Right now you only feel any decent heat if your within 3-4' of the stove. The couch along the back wall usually is in low 60's (or colder on a cold day).

 

So I mis-read the original post. I thought you were doing an 8 inch high extension, covering being 1 row of brick. What is your subfloor? The PH needs significant R-value in the hearth. A row of bricks won't do it, unless mounted on other heat resistant materials. I believe the IS also requires a significant R-value hearth. I'd run things by Woodstock.

I think the PH legs are about 8 inches high, so you likely could back the PH snug against the existing hearth and pick up a few inches, as stated above. Same may be true with the IS, but I don't know.

 

My disclaimer: please run all plans by woodstock before building.

IS hearth requirements:



Hearth sizing:

 

I am almost convinced that my silver maple softwood has been about the best wood I've put through this stove. The locust has definitely been the best, but I actually sort of prefer burning softwoods in it.

 

Well of course I looked up the specs before posting... Main interest is in the IS but both only have hearth R-value requirements about .4 (PH with the ash lip and tall legs) which yes a layer of brick over mortor should do (though I was still debating a layer of durock or similar underneath).

If I built up my extension to the same height as the existing hearth would allow me to put a stove back in further but I don't think either the IS or PH have a low enough horizontal flue exit when placed on top of my hearth.

Thanks, I could not find this on their website. I'm still not 100% sure of the dimensions... let me explain:



Red line is what I need. keep in mind I have a ledge this will be up against, 8" high. Is it possible the stove body can extend over this slightly, I mean are the legs the farthest back part of the stove or does the stove body extend further than the legs out the back? 'A' on that diagram reads infront of loading door. Most stove specs call for that distance from the stove body, not the door, that I have seen so not sure if that is what they meant. They give the stove body depth at 23.5" but if its from the door then they left that dimension out. Assuming from the body, that's 16"+23.5" = 39.5" + .5" for wiggle room to my ledge = 40" maybe less if the stove can go over my ledge slightly.

 

So after some looking I couldn't find any actual side views of this stove showing the profile of the back, but I did find this rendering on their website...



What is the distance between the blue lines with the legs at full height? If its at least 8" then might fit over my ledge slightly. And if so what is the distance between the red lines?

 

I'll get a tape measure and see. As long as no one beats me to it.

 

Blue= 8 1/2in
Red= 1 3/8 in

My legs are at max height.

 

Note to self.

Objects may be hot!
Yup!

 

Ok great thanks Hollywood. That's a neat idea you did for your side/top decorations. That will be really close fitting over my ledge without knowing exactly how tall my hearth will be (not built yet). But doesn’t look like it would save me much anyhow, we're only talking a little over an inch. Need to do a similar comparison with the PH...

 

I love Silver Maple/soft Maple, it's a staple in my stacks. I never used to like it before owning a cat stove but now I don't turn it away. Easier for me to scrounge than the good hardwoods and seasons quick.

 

When you build the extension you could use a slightly thicker brick directly under the feet of the stove to gain a little more clearance. Or just add a brick dimension of scrap durarock to gain a little too.

 

I mainly use maple with an occasional ash tree thrown in. Never had the opportunity to try anthing different.