Sierra 1000, the new baffle is done...sorta PICS!

[Shwammy]

So a month or so ago I picked up an old Sierra 1000. It was in good shape (to me anyways). I'm seriously laughing that I just said that. There was some rust, a little pitting, the door was sagging, the firebricks looked like it had been loaded with hammers before a cross country trip, no glass (typical), the door latch was not so good at holding it closed (not a good thing at all! LOL), all but one brick holder was unusable and the stove had an odd base that was positioned more toward the front than the back so the stove wanted to fall over backwards (just weird, perhaps the blower shroud was made to fit there, all I can figure on it). Plus the draft knobs were wobbly and worn.
Anyways, as soon as I got it home I rectified the door sag with a shim under the top part of the hinge. I just so happened to have to exact automotive alignment shim to fit it and look normal as well. Now the door closes well and seals like it should.
Over the last few weeks I've breathed more paint dust and rust than I care to talk about, (a dust mask would have been an easy fix to that but I just moved last winter and have no clue where my full pack of dust masks are. (Sure ass hell ain't buying more when I have them already!...somewhere) Just today I had a chance to get some things made at work. I had the angle steel for the baffle already cut (4 bricks wide and 2 more sitting on the ends that I can adjust if necessary. I had thought about mounting it loosely but I realized it was just as easy for me to grind it out as it was to drill holes and such so it could be removed with a wrench. I just welded it in and also had some pieces cut on one of the lasers at work to fill the gap at the base so it's is fully supported on it's own base. I tumbled the glass frame and draft knobs in a ceramic rock tumbler and put a few coats of gloss black stove paint on the frame. The draft knobs are gonna get drilled out to 5/8 x 11 and rethreaded (factory is 1/2 x 13) Monday, just ran out of time today. I also put a notch on the little triangle inside the door so the latch now closes with a detent of sorts and holds well. If I can see how it is supposed to be I may change that though. Pic time!


New baffle installed plus new brick holders


closer pic of baffle with "adjustable" brick shown in front (right side). I can slide it back and open up that area if I don't like the flow of the smoke. Same is true for the back (left side) of the stove.

back wall (left side) "adjustable" brick


The new glass is coming next Wednesday. I used a piece of lexan and tested it with a couple paper towels to get a feel of how it drafts around the baffle. Seemed to work just as intended. So good so far anyway.

 

[bsruther]

Nice work. How did you hold those brick holders in place while you welded them?

 

[BrotherBart]

Love seeing a old Sierra coming back to life. I had four baffles made for my old Sierra T-4500 Royale insert made over the years by the local iron works. Always had to put a floor jack into the stove to press the sag out of the old one to get it out of the brackets.

 

[Shwammy]

To weld in the brick holders I laid a fire brick in its normal spot and spaced the holder out off the brick with another one, then laid a brick on top of that to hold it in place. Once it ws welded i just quickly moved the stuff off the top and used the brick to bend the hot weld back enough to slide the brick out. Did that once on each side and left the others to where the brick will slip behind them from the side.

Speaking of floor jacks BB I was thinking of using one to flex the sidewalls of my Jotul 602 knockoff back out to where burn plates can be put in it. I was thinking of burning it hot outside with a screw jack in it and also building a fire around it, then pushing out the sides when it glows. I have no clue if that would work though, just an idea.