command_z wrote:


What cz said. Jeff, You will have to write a book about this. At least a play by play in detail. After you recouperate of coarse. Now just enjoy the nice fire.
Title "What I Did Last Winter"

command_z wrote:


Honestly, I think the combination of PB Blasting, tapping on it with a hammer, and a whole lot of PMA (positive male attitude) did the trick. Now that it is open, my house was at 72 degrees last night before bed. Unfortunately, I still need to run the feed around 6 to have the room blower be at the 12 o'clock position. Also, I am noticing the flame leaning to the left now and not going straight up. These seem like minor things after defeating that high and almighty screw.

What seems weird here is that the room blower is completely independant from fuel feed rate. The room blower simply blows air across the heat exchanger tubes to throw the heat from the tubes out the front of the stove. The combustion blower is responsible for keeping the fire going. So what happens if you turn the room blower all the way dowm low? The fire goes out? Or is it the other way around. With the fuel turned down the room blower stops? If the latter is true it sounds like excessive ash build up behind the baffle that is creating insulation between the heat and the snap disk. Heat sensitive snap disks are what turn the auger and blower on and off. It sounds like you have to maintain a fairly large fire to keep the disk open that runs the blower. Use a dryer lint brush to clean behind the baffle. You will have to bend it to fit between the baffle and the heat exchanger. Ash will fall to the bottom when you scrape the sides. The small gaps at the bottom of the baffle will allow you to vacuum the ash out. The ash in this area is what acts as insulation thus giving a lower temp reading to the disk. When working correctly you should be able to set the fuel rate at whatever setting you choose and the room blower as low or as high as you wish.

dryer vent brush

The leaning flame is something that I have had. It is a result of ash plugging the holes in the fire pot. The side that the flame is on is the plugged side. If it just the lower holes plugged, the flame will straighten out as the pot fills up higher.

command_z wrote:


You're correct, I have to maintain a fairly large fire to keep the disk open that runs the blower. So, I just need to give it a good cleaning and I'll be all set?

Yes sir cleaning should fix that problem.

cz How is the potato masher holding up?

tfgrower wrote:


Great! I think it will last the rest of the burning season. Plus, it's just too easy to use. I'm glad I ran out of hardware cloth and was forced to try it.

command_z wrote:



That is amazing! I just ordered 4 stainless steel ones for $2.00@ + shipping. Stainless will last longer than carbon steel. Is yours stainless? Having to think outside of the box is a good thing I was just running out of #9 and 1/4 mesh so thought I'd try this first. Do you just whack off the ashes and put it back in each use or use two?

tfgrower wrote:


I must ask what you guys are talking about.