Is my setup ok?

"ok" is ambiguous, or can be. The best way is get a boot built to convert to 8" round and to drop an 8" insulated liner down the chimney. Not as good, but maybe better than what you have..a custom boot to an 8" liner shoved 5' up the chimney with a block off plate. (or however high you need to get to get to the tiled area.

Is what you have ok? I guess if it doesn't burn the house down it is. You got a creosote making machine for an insert. It would take very little abuse either in burn technique or type of wood burned to form creosote. A little neglect and then some poor luck will get you a chimney fire .

The fact that your going to check it a lot coupled with a chimney that "seems" to draw well helps..But I don't think anyone here will take the responsibility to bless a slammer installation.

Just be careful. There have been plenty of times I have begged people to burn oil instead of wood if they cant bring themselves to burn wood safely.

We will never say a slammer install is OK, it is dangerous for many reasons, but CO poisoning is one of the main reasons why slammers are no longer made. All new inserts come with a 6" or 8" round adapter for attaching a liner to it. The old rectangle exhaust has been long gone since the 80's.

If it was me I would look at something newer and if that is not possible get a rectangle to round insert boot like frank mentioned and hook up an 8" liner to it, you will be much safer in terms of chimney fires (if burned correctly) and CO poisoning and you will get better draft to boot.

If you are interested in possibly getting a newer insert you can start a new thread with the dimensions of your fireplace and your budget and we can see what what we can find you.

Rectangle to Round insert boot can be found here: http://www.rockfordchimneysupply.com/rockford.php?item=RectangleRoundInsertAdapterBoot

Creosote factory and impossible to sweep/thoroughly clean the system without pulling the insert. Huge increase in flue cross-sectional area at the stove outlet, which means the flue gas stream slows way down, allowing it to cool significantly on its way out to daylight = creosote condensation/deposition all over the interior of the masonry. That thing needs to be properly installed with an adapter, a full-height liner, a proper top seal & cap, and a block-off plate. Rick

Jdesigns2001 said:

I guess what I am worried about is burning this appliance without a liner.

Click to expand...

You're right to be concerned, for all the reasons above. Mellow is right, too, that you really should be looking into a proper new insert, properly installed. It'll eventually pay for itself in fuel costs as well as being safer and they don't have to be too expensive if cost is a concern. Slammers, especially older model inserts, are just a bad idea.

I really don't think you are going to be happy with that stove and setup and as everyone has pointed out... "slammer" installs are never professional installed anymore due to safety and liability purposes. Basically as close to "illegal" as you can get...there just isn't any law about it. If you can run a stainless steel liner down then at least we have an acceptable setup to discuss...

If you leave it installed as is:
1. will it work? probably.
2. is it safe? nope
3. can you do it anyway?...unfortunately yes.