CARE AND OPERATION
HOW TO START AND MAINTAIN A FIRE
1.Open the primary air control by pulling the handle out ward to the full open position. This allows the firebox and fresh fuel to quickly come up to ideal operating temperature.
2.Build your fire directly on the firebrick covering the bottom of the stove.
a.Place five or six loosely crumpled sheets of newspaper in the stove.
b.Add a small amount of dry kindling randomly on the top of the newspaper.
c.Place a few more loosely crumpled newspa- pers on top of the kindling and light the bottom paper first, then light the top paper. Once the fire is well underway, close the fuel door. The upper fire should preheat the chimney and cre- ate an effective draft while the lower fire ignites the kindling.
3.After the kindling is burning well, add increasingly larger pieces of wood until the fire is actively burning.
4.Once a bed of coals has been established, adjust the primary air control to a lower setting by pushing the air control rod all the way in (closed) and then pulling the rod out incrementally to the desired setting. Tips - Adjust the primary air control to a medium to low set- ting for a slow and more efficient burn. On higher set- tings, it is more efficient to burn with a bright but not roaring fire.
REFUELING
To refuel the stove, first move the primary air control to high (pulled out). Let the fire "liven up" for about one min- ute. Open the fuel door about 1/2" and hold in this posi- tion about 30 seconds or until stove is drafting well. Open the door and add wood. If the fire or coal bed is almost depleted and a full load of cord wood is added, it may be necessary to adjust the primary air control wide open to
NOTE: After refueling and the wood is burning at a brisk rate, reset the primary air control to the desired position by pushing the primary air control rod all the way in and then pull it back out to the desired setting.
FUEL
BURN RECOMMENDED FUEL
This appliance is approved for use with untreated natural dry wood only (see Important Warnings, page 2, No. 8). Do not burn particleboard scraps or pressed logs using bonding agents because they can produce conditions which will deteriorate metal. Green or uncured wood does not work well as fuel, and can cause increased creosote buildups. The value of green wood as a source of heat is limited. Do not overload or use kindling wood or mill ends as primary fuel as this may cause overfiring. Overfiring is a condition where excessive temperatures are reached, beyond the design capabilities of the stove. The damage that occurs from overfiring is not covered un- der the stove warranty.
WHY SEASONED WOOD?
The key to the success of a good fire that produces heat from a woodstove is the wood. It needs to be well- seasoned natural wood.
What does
When a tree is cut down, the wood is green, full of sap and moisture. This moisture content can exceed 80%, which must be reduced to less than 20%. Wood properly sea- soned is then capable of generating the heat the stove was designed to provide.
Green wood does not burn easily. Attempting to burn green wood often results in a lot of smoke and very little fire. Time is the most important factor in seasoning wood. Ideally the moisture content should be reduced to
SEASONING GUIDE
Softwoods – 6 months to 18 months
Hardwoods – 12 months to 24 months
Logs that are 5” diameter across or larger should be split in half, three pieces if over 8 inches, and four pieces when over a foot across. If the tree fell 2 to 4 years ago, it still needs to be cut, split, and seasoned for 6 to 24 months depending on the wood.
WOOD STORAGE
Wood to be seasoned should be stacked in an area open enough to ensure good air circulation on both sides – leav- ing adequate space between woodpiles to walk comfort- able. Do not stack wood against a wall or building. It helps to elevate the woodpiles off the ground (two 2 x 4’s running lengthwise beneath the woodpile works well). This allows air to flow under the bottom logs.
Wood that is kept outdoors, either covered with a tarp, or not covered at all, will not burn well until it has been in an enclose space for one to two months.
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