Fb 114.08.02

Finally after a year and a half I have a warm coal fire in my living room. Blashak is ripping got a sweet fire happy kids, just the bride is gonna take getting used to it sitting out a bit further from the front of the fireplace than anticipated. But thanks to so man here for the advice and info and many questions you've answered. Looking forward to staying toasty this cold week.

Hope it all works well and the family stays toasty. With the said, I not following half of what you said.

Remember there are three slots to use the slicing poker in, and be sure to close them when done to prevent over fire. Shake and slice every 8 hours with high heat, 12 hours with low. The slicing poker will bring out some ash with it on withdrawing, so put a metal baking sheet under the stove to catch it. Hopper should be in highest position, and fill after every tending. Pea coal is preferred.

Thanks for responding with a happy post.

The fire is a nice orange color, it's warmer tonight, gonna be 54 tomorrow hopefully won't lose my fire.
But that said I have the thermostat at the lowest setting and it's running temp on my thermometer on the door is reading an even 400degrees stack pipe is at a consistent 200 degrees. House is at 77 lol. My wife is happy

This stove is pretty awesome, for so many I've read on here saying they've had trouble we fired her up Saturday night and been running since. Super easy to maintain only had to shake in the A.m and before bed . Thanks Francob for offering so much help answering so many questions, your information throughout the forum was invaluable to my getting this right.

Looking good.
A handy item to make up is a piece of thin sheet metal to cover the open door while starting a fire to avoid smoking the glass, and to let the door cool to clean the glass occasionally . Metal one inch wider and higher than door opening. Bend a lip on top to hang on door opening, or just some bent over half inch tabs. fashion a loop in the center for use with the tending tool to place and remove. Clean glass is important to let radiant heat to pass through and avoid overheating the glass.

Beautiful stove! Prettier than most European stoves Ive seen pics of on this site. Im curious where the slots for slicing are as thats such a narrow gap between the large doors?

Thanks again, I was reading vinegar and water is best for cleaning the glass? Also with it being in the teens for us at night the rest of this week wjats the best setting for overnight? A 2 to 4? And for slicing I use a narrow poker especially for the corners where I seem to get a cool spot overnight. But a good shaking and slicing brings the fire right back.

I just dampen a paper towel with Windex, but vinegar and water should work too. Mainly the glass should not be too hot. You can give a quick clean with 4, 0 steel wool dry on hot glass.

Thermostat setting will vary with how it was originally set up, but 2 to 4 is a common range. Move in small increments. With high heat the front of the bed will be burnt out as the fire works toward the deeper part of the bed at the back. Run the poker from above, along the front and both corners to help clear of ash.
About 40 pounds of coal is the maximum to burn in a day and the ash pan will nicely hold that much ash for once a day emptying. You will need to tend every 8 hours. A relatively small fire pot run hotter is part of why these stoves are so efficient, over 90 percent according to German government lab. But the price you pay is more frequent tending and lower high end than a stove with larger capacity fire pot.

warminmn wrote: ↑

Mon. Dec. 14, 2020 10:53 pm

Beautiful stove! Prettier than most European stoves Ive seen pics of on this site. Im curious where the slots for slicing are as thats such a narrow gap between the large doors?

To answer your question, that lower door swings down to reveal two shaker arms which also uncover the slicing slots. Also the ash pan door.

franco b wrote: ↑

Tue. Dec. 15, 2020 9:49 am

To answer your question, that lower door swings down to reveal two shaker arms which also uncover the slicing slots. Also the ash pan door.

Thanks franco! Neat design.

So far so good, it's getting colder now and I kept track of my tending times yesterday was about 11 hrs between. Today with the colder temps creeping in it was exactly 8hr intervals. If I had to hazard a guess I think I'm right around 25 to 30lbs a day. I'm sure it's going to creep up lol looking at 9 degrees tomorrow night 7 on Thursday only the low 20's during the day . Im loving coal again, had an old chappe stove years ago and it was so much more difficult than this franco beldge.

franco b wrote: ↑

Mon. Dec. 14, 2020 10:07 pm

Looking good.
A handy item to make up is a piece of thin sheet metal to cover the open door while starting a fire to avoid smoking the glass, and to let the door cool to clean the glass occasionally . Metal one inch wider and higher than door opening. Bend a lip on top to hang on door opening, or just some bent over half inch tabs. fashion a loop in the center for use with the tending tool to place and remove. Clean glass is important to let radiant heat to pass through and avoid overheating the glass.

That is some great tips right there. Care to post a picture of the metal you put over the door when tending. Sounds like I could use something like that for my Hitzer double door.

Hoytman wrote: ↑

Tue. Dec. 15, 2020 11:47 pm

That is some great tips right there. Care to post a picture of the metal you put over the door when tending. Sounds like I could use something like that for my Hitzer double door.

First check and see if your Hitzer has a protruding flange around the door, sufficient to hang the metal from. I use just 24 gauge galvanized sheet metal which will warp a bit, but for 15 minutes of use that does not matter. Its just a rectangle of metal with a half inch lip bent on top to hang on door opening. You will have to fashion some means of hooking with a tool when it is hot to lift it off. Could be just a right angle tab to lift off with a pliers. Years ago the importer of these stoves had a plate made up of 1/16 aluminum which worked very well.