new model tundra is real nice. Cracking issues have been fixed but there are still a few concerns but I feel the fixes are easy. I will update shortly with some pics of the few extra firebricks and rock wool I put in just incase. SBI is a great company, makes great stoves. They replaced my first model Tundra with the newest updated model. The biggest change is the fan comes on really soon and runs pretty much through our every entire burn big or small. starts to cycle off and on only towards the end of the burns. Runs much cooler heats much better. I am over all pretty damn happy with it for the $. its 10 deg out side and my house is 72.
Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...
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jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
What is the warrenty on these units? I should hope its much more than a 1yr considering what I've read in this thread. Like I said previously I am dying to order one in, just a little gun-shy. I dont wanna get stuck with a lemon.
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
I may pull the trigger just saw the tsc flyer for this month, heatmax on for $1993 with tax. How much does the cold air intake addon cost?
As i was loading this morning i figured i would look up at the welds. 
All the tacks welds on the bottom are broken. I wish the welds would have broken before the face plate cracked in the corners. The cracked corners have about doubled since i first reported on it. Right side about 3/8" long, left side about 1/4" long now.Just need it to hold together for a couple more months. I suspect now it will with the welds broken.
All the tacks welds on the bottom are broken. I wish the welds would have broken before the face plate cracked in the corners. The cracked corners have about doubled since i first reported on it. Right side about 3/8" long, left side about 1/4" long now.Just need it to hold together for a couple more months. I suspect now it will with the welds broken. new model tundra is real nice. Cracking issues have been fixed but there are still a few concerns but I feel the fixes are easy. I will update shortly with some pics of the few extra firebricks and rock wool I put in just incase. SBI is a great company, makes great stoves. They replaced my first model Tundra with the newest updated model. The biggest change is the fan comes on really soon and runs pretty much through our every entire burn big or small. starts to cycle off and on only towards the end of the burns. Runs much cooler heats much better. I am over all pretty damn happy with it for the $. its 10 deg out side and my house is 72.
find a menards.. like 13-1400 after mail in rebate rt now. normal price at menards is 1650$ TSC sucks. Everything there is overpriced.
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
Since your unit has been warrantied now, drill 1/8" to 3/16" holes at the very tip of those cracks...that is where they will stop. Fill the hole with furnace cement and roll! Ideally you'd let furnace cement dry for 24 hours before heating it up, but just to fill this lil ole hole...it doesn't matter...you can do this fill n drill without the furnace being cold.As i was loading this morning i figured i would look up at the welds.
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To anybody else reading this...don't drill holes in your unit while it is under warranty!
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
ya with our exchange it would cost me more to come accross border to a menards. trust me I already did the math!
Tsc actually has the lowest price here, other places I have priced want $2400 cdn
I only ask that cause I have heard health care costs are low or provided by taxes. I hear about CA social healthcare system but really have never heard from a CA'ian about it. If its true while your exchange rate may make the stove cost you more I have paid enough in health insurance in the last year to buy 2 Tundra's or a Caddy. lol
I just seen something.. on 6b161gc's tag.. 4 ton splitter!?!? What exactly does that split? Kindling? lol. Im just having fun but seriously I have a 30 ton splitter and have used 20 ton splitters. Had interest in the little elect splitter for small stuff or kindling, its 5 tons splitter. Never heard of a 4 ton power splitter. In all seriousness I am quite curious what a 4-5 ton splitter can handle. 1" diameter logs or no?
maple1
Minister of Fire
What exactly was it you where incorrect about? I tried to go back thru the posts and make sense of it but couldn't. Something about the top of the loading door and why it may or may not crack? not the HE door.
maple1
Minister of Fire
I've got one. In my basement. Works great for resplitting. Pretty slow but they're good for what they do. Pretty easy on fuel & no stink.
I don't want to have a big convo about health care and politics I'm seriously curious about healthcare costs up there in CA. Never heard it from the horses mouth. This is an opportunity to do so. This forum is not for discussing such matters and I plan to stand by that just curious if its true health care is cheaper or paid for by tax dollars in CA.
and no noise to speak of probably. Been wanting one for in the shed and kindling just can't bring my self to spend 300$ on sum thing I really don't need. my 2lb small hand maul makes kindling in a hurry and splits small logs with no effort. would be nice to have though. thx for the info.
Ok here's the minor additions I added to the new Tundra replacement unit.
-firebricks at bottom of loading door.(SBI only used them up the sides.
-installed small amounts of rock wool insulation around inside corners of top of loading door cut out in firebox and where main air comes in.
There is insulation in the gap between the last vertical firebrick lining the sides of the firebox door cut out and the top of the cut out flange. This gap was large an direct heat was still exposed to firebox corners here. The insulation helps hold fire bricks snug, insulates corners further, and allows for fire bricks to expand. Important to rem when messing w firebrick n steel, firebricks will expand a ton compared to the steel.
2nd pic shows insulation (rock wool) in the corners where the air inlet is to further help insulate the corners.. Well in hindsight thinking back I am removing this insulation cause all its doing is keeping flowing fresh cool air from contacting those areas of metal as air is pulled in. The air prob cools more than insulation will protect.
The final pic simply shows additional fire bricks I added at bottom of door. SBI tech dept recieved these pics and approved these methods. Mainly the added firebrick they approved. SBI said me adding bricks is fine and reason they didn't was to allow for max volume in fire box for better complete burn.. Really? 8 cubic inches? Lol
I do feel w changes SBI has made and the few extra measures I took this stove will be fine. Works very well better than old model did.
SBI was great to deal w an shipped me a brand new updated model. I keep the old one. Still works. Damage really is minimal an doesnt affect function at all. Drilled hole crack at HE stopped. Prob would sell for cheap. Firebricks already added so it prob run fine for a long time.
SBI will stand behind their products. One should have no fear in purchasing SBI products. Tundras r great economy line models of high efficiency furnace. Lotta bang for your buck and solid warranty.
-firebricks at bottom of loading door.(SBI only used them up the sides.
-installed small amounts of rock wool insulation around inside corners of top of loading door cut out in firebox and where main air comes in.
There is insulation in the gap between the last vertical firebrick lining the sides of the firebox door cut out and the top of the cut out flange. This gap was large an direct heat was still exposed to firebox corners here. The insulation helps hold fire bricks snug, insulates corners further, and allows for fire bricks to expand. Important to rem when messing w firebrick n steel, firebricks will expand a ton compared to the steel.
2nd pic shows insulation (rock wool) in the corners where the air inlet is to further help insulate the corners.. Well in hindsight thinking back I am removing this insulation cause all its doing is keeping flowing fresh cool air from contacting those areas of metal as air is pulled in. The air prob cools more than insulation will protect.
The final pic simply shows additional fire bricks I added at bottom of door. SBI tech dept recieved these pics and approved these methods. Mainly the added firebrick they approved. SBI said me adding bricks is fine and reason they didn't was to allow for max volume in fire box for better complete burn.. Really? 8 cubic inches? Lol
I do feel w changes SBI has made and the few extra measures I took this stove will be fine. Works very well better than old model did.
SBI was great to deal w an shipped me a brand new updated model. I keep the old one. Still works. Damage really is minimal an doesnt affect function at all. Drilled hole crack at HE stopped. Prob would sell for cheap. Firebricks already added so it prob run fine for a long time.
SBI will stand behind their products. One should have no fear in purchasing SBI products. Tundras r great economy line models of high efficiency furnace. Lotta bang for your buck and solid warranty.
BTW the paint did blister a little even after proper small loads building up to big loads over 24 hrs when stove was new. Rt at the top corners above the welds on the firebox door cut out. This is why I put rock wool in there on the inside. SBI's firebrick was about 1/2' short in my opinion and should have come up closer to 1/8" or 1/4" from steel. Doesn't expand that much. 3/4" was too big of gap and obviously that area is still getting hot enough to blister stove paint. However I don't think it will crack and with the rock wool added def likely not now.
Ok here's two close up pics of both old and new stove. Pic is of top left inside crnr of firebox door cut out. Changes were made here too. Mybe a little tough to see but
-heat shield steel is thicker
-main air shield is not welded to door cutout and is below weld instead of up flat against top an welded into corner.(part thats new air flows against coming in)
-both air deflector and heat shield are held further back from exterior steel.
There's more room for expansion, less parts welded together, and air space between metals. I think this was critical. Prob the reason top corners cracked was the heat shield directly on top of air deflector, air deflector rt on top the door flange and welded to it. Too much heat transfer not enough room for expansion in a hot hot spot.. I think the key culprit to the design flaw here was the air deflector being added and welded to a firebox door.
You can see how the entire system there is further back there's a 1/4" gap where before was none.
-heat shield steel is thicker
-main air shield is not welded to door cutout and is below weld instead of up flat against top an welded into corner.(part thats new air flows against coming in)
-both air deflector and heat shield are held further back from exterior steel.
There's more room for expansion, less parts welded together, and air space between metals. I think this was critical. Prob the reason top corners cracked was the heat shield directly on top of air deflector, air deflector rt on top the door flange and welded to it. Too much heat transfer not enough room for expansion in a hot hot spot.. I think the key culprit to the design flaw here was the air deflector being added and welded to a firebox door.
You can see how the entire system there is further back there's a 1/4" gap where before was none.
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
20" logs believe it or not. Split 6 cord with it this year. Yes full cords.
It is true our healthcare doesn't have a monthly cost however we pay very higher taxes in all aspects. Income,sales everything is more expensive here for the most part. Hence when I travel to the states I almost always buy booze and clothes!
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
Good good glad to hear. I may just order one up then! Oh and forgot to mention our public health insurance doesn't cover all things. If you did a stay in hospital you'd still get a bill. It just won't make you homeless! And proudly I say sbi is a Canadian company and my fireplace was built by them!
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One thing i would do before ordering a Tundra would be call up where you are going to buy it and have them confirm the Build date and serial number of the unit you will be receiving. If they will not do so i would explain to them why you are requesting the information and see if they will comply. If they say it comes direct from manufacture still have them confirm. In the US SBI has a facility that stores the Tundras ( In IL i think ) and all units ship from there. That is where mine came from and was still old stock. Just trying to save you a headache.
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