Progress owners, give me a hand here!

BBAR, are you considering one of the modern wood cook stoves for your kitchen? That plus two big stoves, one on each end, should be sufficient. But given that layout I wouldn't give up any one of the three stove locations you show here.

Again, if I had the cash for a Progress I wouldn't be Beta testing the Ideal Steel. But the IS is growing on me. (I just set a folding camp oven on the center burner to see what kind of temps it will on a medium burn.)

 

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If the PH is controllable on this load it should be controllable on any load. Looks great so far. KSC, you obviously have full confidence or beach balls.

 

My kitchen layout and size does not allow for a wood burning cook stove and a tradition stove, which would be needed during non-wood burning month.

Right now, I picture a Princess/Ashford/King/Progress in the living room and the Steel stove in the kitchen. If the price of the Steel stove is near the $1,500 mark, it may be hard not to go with two of them. But, I like the look of the Progress and Ashford a lot more at this point.

I might be able to swing the cost of a refurbished Progress and new Steel stove at the same time, especially if I sell the two VC stoves. That a lot of stove juggling.

 

I'm a little concerned with how hot the soft wood lumber could burn on him considering the wood and the size of the lumber pieces. That is a lot of small, very dry, pieces of wood and I would feel really awful if this caused him problems. so far, so good, though.

 

Excellent!!

Can you post pics?

 

Everything I've read from ph users claim that its completely controllable. Guess we'll see..... The good thing for blocks is there isn't much airflow.

 

I'm hoping KSC reports back a good burn and something in the range of 12-15 hours considering it is mostly soft wood. That would be in line with what Brian was experiencing with his softer wood burns on the Steel stove.

 

KSC what are your outside temps today?

 

Just checking back in for a sec.

Thought I posted the wood species...guess it was in the original answer that didn't make it onto the forum...hard sugar maple and hophornbeam (Ironwood).

Don't think KSC will have any trouble controlling the fire...PH IS easy to control. If it starts to get hot, he can easily cool it down. If it starts to get over 500 and he is a seasoned PH user, he'll know it is doing something unusual so he'll have plenty of warning. Don't know how long soft woods will burn...have only used some pine, small pieces, shoulder season, end product of a friend's electrical/hydro fire. It burns hot and fast. Woodstock prefers that you burn hardwoods. Once or twice I burned some Eastern cedar branches, but I don't even bother with those now.

 

Why does Woodstock prefer hardwood other than the obvious? Softwood is all some people have.

 

I think just the obvious...and maybe, for the stoves before the PH, because softwood is a little more apt to take off? That is a guess. They also don't recommend the pressed bricks. They just think hardwood is best if you can get it.

 

Brian, the Fireview is MUCH more prone to taking off than the PH. Fireview, you have very little if any grace period for negligence when staring a fire. Leave it with the air open and it will take off. Quickly. In my (thankfully limited re the negligence) experience. And takes longer with the Fireview to get up to operating temp, so you are more apt to get distracted. Mostly, in the winter, PH is already burning before I get the door closed , on a coals relight. Just a matter of moments until the air can be shut almost completely. Clean burns and clear glass, clean chimney.

 

Still burning, the temp. has dropped to 380 or so.. No way I'll get 14-15 hours out of this load. I was hoping for 10 hrs. or so above 200*F. Temps are about 45*, damp and drizleing out. I was never really concerned about the fire getting out of control, well, it did cross my mind when the cedar I cut measured 12% on the MM.... As I said before, I've never been much over 500 since I got the stove, mainly burning some nice big fir blocks that read about 15%. I've also burned quite a bit of building scraps including oak flooring cutoffs, 5/4 x 6 cedar decking and various framing lumber.

 

Thanks Sherwood, that confirms my impressions. And I REALLY liked my Fireview. It's was a wonderful stove.

(Just be careful you don't run afoul of Backwoods Savage talking about the beloved Fireview. ;-)

 

Yes, I love the Fireview too. Not knocking it at all. It's a great stove. I've kept mine. Hoping to use it again someday.

 

Not a good load for long burning, but perfect to debunk the lack of control rumor. I'm impressed.

 

Does anyone know of any ph owners that previously burned a 3cft epa stove?

 

I'm interested in this, also.

 

After about 8 hours the PH is sitting at about 250 stovetop, the side soapstone panels are about 300. I'd say in about 1-2 hours the whole stove will be under 200. Not bad for a "soft" softwood burn. I'll load it up with some hardwood next week and see how it does...

 

I lied. When I opened the door the 4x8 was still fully intact and the 4x6 was only half gone. They burst into flames when I opened the door. These were both on the bottom and submerged in the 2" ash bed when I lit the stove. Probably would have kept the stove above 200 for 2-3 more hours.