Breaking glass

I've read of folks here that have broken stove glass by forcibly closing the door against an over-length split.

You know how we all try once in a while to force a long split in diagonally?

Well when you try that move don't torque it against the door hinges cause you won't feel the pressure that tells you ...bad move.

A friend of my brother's (who is also a woodburner) wanted me to check out his stonework in his den where his woodstove is located (I do a lot of stonework), and I went over to look at his handiwork. We got to talking about stoves and all and he told me how he threw a milk carton (yes, a plastic milk jug) in his stove with the lid tightly on it. Don't ask me why, I honestly cannot understand either.....

Anyway, the jug, after getting good and hot (and converting some of the remnants inside to STEAM) exploded in the stove. Now, he wasn't sure if it was the explosion of the jug, or if it was the leftover milk hitting the glass, but his glass was destroyed.........

I'm saying you (a.) don't want to EVER burn any garbage in your stove, ESPECIALLY a tightly-capped plastic container and (b.) don't get ANY liquid of ANY kind on your stove glass when it's hot.......that will contract the section of glass it comes into contact with and will most certainly crack said glass......

I broke 2 glases this year for the first time since I've owned the stove (15 or 20 years?). First one broke on it's own, I had a fair decent fire going and heard a tink and saw a cracked glass. I had not changed the window gaskets since I got the stove new so decided it was time to change them and the other glass broke while trying to remove and change the gasket. Guess that gasket had been glued to the glass for all these years of use. But I did a total service on the old VC 2550 and should go another 20 years, I made up my mind I ain't going through it again, this was an ordel, if I sell the house I'll be looking for something with a little less maintenance and the VC will stay will the house.

My Oslo has been in use for 6 years and I've heard the thunk of a split on glass numerous times....never broke, YET!

Kevin Dolan said:

Just wondered what it takes to break the fibreglass on my stove- jotul castine? I have logs bang against it when I pack it tight and I leave them on the glass mostly to burn down. Just wondering if anyone has much experience with their stove glass breaking and what it can withstand, I don't want to test it but wondered what others have found.

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it can happen randomly from falling logs and the even gas pockets blowing but it is rare. If it happens then worry otherwise I would not sweat over it too much. Scotty is right though never burn garbage in the box.

Pete

One would think that most all stove glass was close to the same but I'm guessing not. You hear of people breaking it in all different kind of ways that makes me think mine should have been broke by me for sure when I was burning the Summit. I've bumped it or they slid and hit it with all the stove tools (iron handles) wiped the glass of hot with a wet rag (before I learned different thanks to the Hearth Room) hot coals lay against it at the bottom and it still looked almost new cleaned up properly other than a slight hint of normal haze. Or was I just lucky ?

Todd 2

ansehnlich1 said:

My Oslo has been in use for 6 years and I've heard the thunk of a split on glass numerous times....never broke, YET!

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Same here on my Oslo.

Isn't that a sinking feeling hearing that sound? My blood pressure goes up a notch or two when I hear that sound......

Broke my first glass this year. Was manipulating a split and it hit the glass. Thing was, there was a blizzard in progress! Luckily we did not lose power.

My brother in law just replaced his glass with steel after breaking his glass for the fourth time.

I believe the "glass" is actually a ceramic material.....just saying.

I hate that sound of logs falling against the glass. Sometimes I gently lay a split up against it just to avoid an impact. I'm tempted to have a spare and gasket material on hand, just in case. Plus, I'm kinda ham-fisted.

Load north to south here, so no chance of rolling splits. Always very aware of length of splits being added. No broken glass here yet. Did change it once due to scratching the hell out of the glass with a dirty rag that had something abrasive on it, and not being able to see through it. I myself will not use, ash or clean while hot. Proper cleaner always sued, and clean soft rags.