Steel Side Plates on a Jotul 602

Well, it's not actually a Jotul, it's an American made knockoff. The sides are warped and cracked. I work in a lazer metal cutting shop so I can easily make them...but would it work, could it work? This is just for my old stove that's currently turning into a 120 pound paperweight. I'd like to fix it up for the friend that gave it to me to use in his basement. I can find the sides on ebay but they are insanely high priced.

He has about ten feet of clearance on all sides in his basement fireplace, I'd say he's good, but yeah I bet the insurance company probably still wouldn't like it. NC has pretty lax wood stove laws from what I've heard. I guess I need to look it up. At the least we would put it in the cabin we are building out back on his property at his gun range. It wouldn't matter then.

I would just seal it up like it was before, but can the steel handle it?

BrotherBart said:

Do it in plate steel and they will warp in no time flat.

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I figured warpage would be a problem. Would half inch stainless milled to fit up to the cast fix that problem?

Ah, I heard the same about stainless from a customer at the laser cutting shop where I work. Nice to know since mild steel is way cheaper. I was planning on using scrap pieces left over from a job, it's not expensive when you pay scrap prices for it, especially mild steel so no investment for me but time and I do like making stuff so actually it's hobby work to enjoy, not a burden. As for the burn plates the stove is too warped to install them and I'm sure as hell not paying Jotul's exorbitant prices. Isn't there something I could line a steel side with? Like a ceramic or something?