This The hing was certainly one of my concerns before we got the stove, but I must say I haven't noticed or thought of it all day, which says something (either about me, or about how small an issue it has been so far). We also thought we were getting one without an ash pan. We were both quite surprised when the guys started talking about it having one, because we hadn't even noticed it.
On our Beta the opening for loading is 12.5" tall and 17" wide. The glass is about same size as the opening. You can get some pretty big splits in there.
Yeah, I see the confusion. How about door opening, rather than door frame? With the door closed, any place you look at the glass head-on, you are seeing straight into the firebox.
I see what Dave is seeing also? You can see the gasket line in the pics. Looks like a lot of steel after the gasket line, till you get to the opening? What is the dimensions of the door (overall), the glass, and actual firebox hole/opening? Has had me scratching my head as well. Seems as if the hole is much smaller than the door. Regardless, they are stunning to look at and also to read about there performance.
Also note there is a smoke shield that lowers when you open the door, and lifts out of view when you close the door. It can be locked in the up (out of the way) position for when the door is open, and that is how I've been running it most of today, but some of the earlier pictures showed it down when the door was open. Today has been an exceptional draft day, so the jury is still out on the need for this with my conditions.
I have about 3.5 ft of double wall stove pipe from my top vent to a 90 elbow then 2 ft horizontal to the class A through the wall to the T then 18' straight up of class A. I've found I'm better off keeping the smoke screen down or I do get some smoke spillage on occasion. Sometimes I pop it up for a load if the coal bed is burned down a bit. I'd love to play with this stove with 32' of flue like you have. I think you'll have enough draft to get really good long low burns and really hot high burns.
Yes, not necessarily a consistent theme throughout, but things we both like. I think we would have tried almost anything (short of large moose antlers in the kitchen!).
Of course one of the best features so far is the ability to change the air setting from the comfort of my bentwood rocker in front of the stove. Not advisable to attempt this maneuver with a Fireview.
Long before this stove got into the hands of beta testers I hit Tom about the hinges but he said for right now there is no way they will consider having the option of switching sides with the hinges. It is part of keeping the costs down. Well, it turned out the same with the hinges themselves too. I wanted the hinges hidden rather than exposed as they are. Shows how little influence I have there!
Reversible hinges wouldn't be hard or expensive to do.. This would also make the stove attractive to more potential customers.. I agree it would make sense.. Sometimes people can be penny wise and dollar foolish.. Hidden hinges are also simple especially when done with CAD.. Ray
Not a problem with the Fireview. Well, maybe for some it is. I think my wife could do it with no shoes or socks on though....
It can be an extra expense in production because it is not only the hinge that has to be changed. It affects the controls too. As for the hidden hinges, it was sort of a poll and you can see which side won.