Woodstock Absolute Steel impressions...

Ok, this grew waaaaaay too long and managed to gush way too much. Forewarning… that is because I came from a very unfortunate prior experience that left me exhausted and wanting to go backwards to an old smoke dragon, very reluctant to move forward, but did and landed with Woodstock and, well, here goes. You have been given a heads up.

Love this stove. Having run several wood stoves off and on for many years, this stove is exceptional. Two level 1800 sq ft. Easy peazy. The stove is easily controlled. Start a fire, bring up to temp, and one has a choice to drive either the secondary burn technology (beautiful to watch the dancing flames), and can stay in that mode or engage the cat and off you go.

The stove creates a wonderful distribution of radiant heat. And not just long burns, but it retains heat like no other stove I have run. Makes it an absolute delight to load up, run for say 10-12 hours, down to coals, and have easily kept the house warm for 4-6 hours beyond that with outside air temps in the upper 30s to 50s. How relaxing is that? I will say, very.

As said, very controllable. As a counterpoint.. I acquired a high end other brand cat stove (stay nameless), and it never was happy in my setup. I experienced smoke smell emission and for a short period of time I thought I had it licked. But the smoke smell returned and no matter what I did, including revamping from outside air kit to extending my chimney stack (at one point 29’ of pristine straight shot single wall to the ceiling and double wall to the cap), and everything inbetween, it turned into high maintenance struggle. Burning through wood far too fast.

I mention this experience as having run several stoves, cut and split (hand) wood for years, am all about the whole experience. The prior stove was so excellent and disheartening at the same time, was admittedly at a low point interest-wise. Ready to go back to an old smoke dragon. I must state that this prior stove is excellent, the customer service excellent, but it was something in my environment that just did not agree with it. I just became so exhausted trying to throw time, energy, resources, coupled with discouraging emotions, had to move forward. Or backward.

So gunshy to purchase a replacement, I rooted around and landed on Woodstock. And the Absolute Steel. I did not need a large firebox. So downsized 1/3rd. And from the first fire I knew… this was gold. I fell in love again. As said, easily controllable. Far longer burn times than prior. Managing every aspect of it from loading to adjusting, yes yes. And it was not lost on me, the at-time extreme struggles with smoke smell emission on the prior stove, there was not a whit of problem with the Absolute Steel. And this is on the same chimney stack. Except not exactly true. I introduced a 30 degree angle in the single wall just for positioning. No problem. Not just a relief, but I roll around in my in my mind why the prior stove struggled. It had to be my setup… but jeepers, the Absolute Steel has nary a problem. More that sufficient draft. Happy stove.

My missus thinks it looks very pretty. That matters of course. The front view especially when the secondaries are humming is pleasing. Our cat as in kitty sits in front of the stove for the heat, but no kidding… she stares at the light show, mesmerized. The oddest and coolest thing. And the smaller size for larger performance, my missus approves. And at least double the performance, burn times, heat distro… I am burning ½ the wood now, and it is colder. Took out the ugly-arsed wood box and am just using the wood tote. Don't need to pile up mounds of wood. Cleaner... my missus likes that too. I never was fond of ash pans but this design, also yes, me like that too. Wasn’t sure about side loading.. I am now. Finding it easier to control just loading the firebox than all my previous front loaders. Glass stays clean. Cool.

Could wax on. This is a very smart, well designed, pleasing to view, excellent performer. Our house is 100+ years old and not easy to heat evenly without circulating at times. There is something very interesting, engaging, about how this stove is managing to distro the heat unlike any other stove I have had in here. Our house is being warmed with this smaller stove but more evenly. Hard to explain to myself, but it is real.

So yes, me happy. Missus happy. Cat happy. House happy. Guests happy, and intrigued by the design appearance. We’ll be single digits shortly. Common for around here. No problem. I burn pine, lodgepole pine, some oak, and pinon. Everything hums along. I know I will have a warm, very warm house and will go outside to bring in firewood half as much as I have had to do prior.

PS, customer service. Had a couple of conversations with Woodstock HQ. Learned I may have spoken with one of the owners during one. No matter. Everyone… top shelf. Knowledgeable. Enthusiastic. Fun. It was obvious the folks love what they do. It expressed. Inspiration was coming back just having someone to talk to about everything involved with the experience. I seriously want to get the Navajo stove and put it in my garage because… just because it is a beautiful stove, and everything about my experience with this Absolute Steel has been… well… just because. My inspiration is back. Well done Woodstock.

 

Thanks for the great review OldColo and congratulations on an excellent stove choice. Welcome to FHC! You’re going to like it here I think.
Btw, pictures are very welcome around here.

 

Nice review. Keep it up to speed if you have time. Nice to see another AS user for everyone to reference.

 

Tx. Tho it is tx to Woodstock. After many years of every aspect of wood stoves and wood gathering, was at a low point. Need to be clear.. it had to be something in my environment. Just never could solve it and that after throwing a lot of resources at it.

So fer sur having rebound reaction, but this Absolute Steel stands on its own. We just had a a weather dump. A snow blast. Temps plummeted. Back up to a balmy 23 which to me is almost a reason to stop wearing shorts and scandals. Cold doesn't bother me. Say -10 and ok, put on another layer I guess.

But this Absolute Steel... dang. Loaded it up. Once. 12 hours later, um, guess I throw in a couple of splits even tho I could have kept the house above 70 with no effort for several hours longer. And this is an old drafty house. We were shedding covers during the nite. Kept quite warm. I read elsewhere someone suggested the wings on the AS may contrib to distributing heat. Makes sense. Because I noted from the start this stove radiates heat and even the far end nooks and crannies are warmer. Without trying. I just go hmmm.

I know I know.. too much fanboy gushing. Certainly rebound relationship. Swinging the Fiskers like a 22 year old. Kitty cat continues to be mesmerized while luxuriating close to it. I continue to not spread wood chips all over. My sweetie is smiling. Because I am. She is ok with this new relationship in the house, as I learn how to put my hands on her, its look, the way it looks at me, its curves, I touch her and she moves like a… ok, snap out of it. The AS that is.

Could have skipped the above and just said.. man, this is so much fun. For the first time in awhile I am relaxed. And super warm. With infinitely less effort. Swinging the 'ol axe.

 

Yes, a visit to HQ. Now on my radar of things to do, for certain.

 

Dennis, I will be there tomorrow. I conveniently have a customer I need to visit that is 3 doors down from them. Its been a few years, I want to check out the new survival stove, it might be perfect for my basement.

 

Live near the base of Pikes Peak. Similar temps yes, seeing you are in Laramie, WY. Plethora of pinon yes. Not so easy to harvest but excellent to burn and sweet scented as you know. Neighbors like us.

 

A- on the post but I'll bump it up to an A+ if you put some pics in the thread!

 

Welcome? I think they're mandatory.

 

OldColo so one small tip. When you are closing the loading door, don't use lot's of muscle. It's unnecessary to use a lot of muscle and I know the handle is just so easy to use, but all it will do is flatten out that nice fat gasket which in turn may cause the door to leak a bit of air after a while. If this does happen, the simple fix is to use your fingers on the gasket (when it's cold) and just squeeze it back to shape. But other than that, and using good wood, it's a kick-abs heater! We really need to know about trim, colors, rear exit/top exit etc etc etc .... in other words, PICS !

 

Pics. Yessir. Pics and vid from my missus (found I cannot upload a video so will solve that later. Vid of the first burn as the secondaries come alive). I will take some pics myself ltr... am a pro photographer so I just set some higher expectations aye. Anywayz.. my sweetie presents her super pics.

 

And will try to remember to post before and after pics. Before being pics of the temporary single wall stack, soon to be replaced with proper, brand spanking new single wall.

The tempprary pipe was assembled from parts when the two gents assisting me in the install rah rah'd me into tweaking the stove a few inches to the south, after I said I would do this later. "Do it now, do it now. Do you have anything that you could use to do this now?" Um, yeah, sure.

Could have run straight single wall with the stove sitting not where it would ultimately reside. Just to get the show on the road. So the before pics would reveal some arse ugly years in storage stove pipe that works like a champ, natch, and then after pics which would have some pristine black stove pipe from stove to ceiling. My missus actually said hey, just keep this current 'character' pipe. I love my wife. Mebbe will. It works a treat as is. Zero smoke emissions, unlike the prior stove I had fits with, thought was solved, then the emissions returned, and I spent all my time fighting it. I mention this again, ad naseum, because it was a large part of my anxiety until the AS fired up for the first time. I knew within minutes in spite of the curing phase that my same chimney stack would work danderific. It continues. Nary a problem.

So I may stay with the historic look. I did say I love my missus.

 

Sir, acknowledged on the loading door. I am with you on this. I am less is more when it comes to tolerances. I far prefer gravity over muscle for the reasons you tipster. Roger that.

I cut and split wood to put myself through a not inexpensive college. Harvested wood out of the Black Forest which was directly easy of the Air Force Academy. On land owned by some of the original staff at the AFA. Mentioning this in the Dept of Boring Unnecessary Info Dept as my relationship with wood, firewood, wood stoves, goes back a bit. Is in my DNA to understand from wood to as you point out, the closing of the loading door.

Acknowledged sir. I appreciate any advice as I grow into this stove. This is becoming fun again.

 

Very, VERY nice stove! Really glad you are enjoying it so much. That is the exact stove I have except mine loads from the right side (as you are looking at it).

 

Welcome to the forum! FHC is a place once you land here we adopt you and then you become family.

PS I love the antique look, and your hearth brick is awesome.

 

Beautiful stove OldColo! Thanks for sharing

 

Great minds, or great tastes think ali... etc etc etc. My wife was the final on it so.. And same configuration except opposite as yours. Wall and all. I don't have a 90, rather about a 30. All werking a peach.

6 into the wee hours. No big deal. Hummed along much longer than the the prior.

 

Heh, hearth brick was a meticulously thought out dive into.. brick. But ya, it has worked out pretty well. Have only cracked one in 20+ years, and this while moving 5 stoves in and out (one twice). Not bad.