How to remove stove temporarily???

Hi Folks,
We have an early nineties Lopi Flex 95 which I would like to remove from it's installed position temporarily while I replace the tiles it is standing on. You can look at pictures of the installation here;
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/64928/

The chimney seems to be single-wall stainless and is installed such that each section fits down and into the one below. My goal is to support the chimney with a 2x4 support once the stove has been pulled out from under the chimney. The problem is that I'm not sure what steps to take to disconnect it from the chimney.

Any advice??

Thanks,

Jim

In the second picture you can see the rod for closing down the flow to the chimney. When I try tugging, twisting or shaking the chimney the assembly that the rod goes into moves with it. Lopi refers to it as a Top Kit in the install manual that I found online. It really shouldn't so I'll have to fix that I'm sure.

In general is is OK to slide an entire chimney upwards by an inch or two? That's all I need.

I haven't removed any of the screws I can see on the outside of the chimney as I can't see how that would help. Each section fits into the one below and then there's a slight bulge in the chimney to prevent the sections sliding further into each other (did I explain that right

Jim

Thanks for moving the pics over by the way - very cool.

OK. I'll continue trying and report back.

Thanks for the replies.

Jim

Hi Again,

Per Milt's suggestion, I eventually found one of the joints that allowed significant up/down movement. It was up high in the stack and not easy to see. So now I have the stove out of it's nook. Thanks Milt.

As the sucker weighs so much I decided to strip as much off it as possible to assist in lightening the load. While doing that I removed the firebricks - all 29 of them. A lot of them are cracked and broken and some have badly crumbling faces. Obviously I need to replace them. I also need to paint the whole unit as the finish is really worn in places.

Here are my questions;

Are all firebricks made of the same stuff and/or are some better than others??

What is the best make of brick?

Is there a cheap place to get them? Prices are all over the map using Google.

I'm thinking a matt black color will be best so is there a recommended manufacturer and is it advisable to use a sponge brush to apply the paint (I won't be able to get the stove outside for spraying.)???

Looking forward to the answers.

Thanks

Jim

fossil said:

Rutland replacement firebrick. Cut easily (if necessary) with any sort of masonry saw. Rick

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1366795&CAWELAID=109349399

ETA: Stove-Brite paint will give excellent results, but you'll need to spray it. It can be done inside, if you provide the best ventilation you're able, you are careful to mask/cover everything you don't want paint on, and you wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

Click to expand...

Can't use a brush or rag or sponge brush??? I just finished repainting the rooms around where the fire is and the thought of overspray leaves me cold.

Jim

Hi Again,
Just a note to tell everyone to remember to check the condition of your firebrick(s). I'm going to have to replace more than half of mine as they were either cracked or very crumbly, presumably from age. (When I say cracked, I mean that they were in several pieces.

Jim

Hi Again,


Just a quick note to say that I was able to repaint the stove beautifully using the paint suggested above (the Rustoleum High Heat). Initially, I used a sponge brush to apply the paint in a really thin coat but that took ages so for the second and third coats - also very thin - I used a cube of sponge from a car-wash kit that I cut so it was around 1.5 inches per side. That worked really well. Obviously as I finished each coat there were some "sponge" marks. I left the stove to dry for 4 or 5 days between coats. It just happened that I had several weeks after the last coat until I fired it up. Bear in mind that the stove is in it's usual installed position in the house so I was concerned about off-gassing and the general toxicity of the fumes when the thing was fired up. I did leave a few windows open for the first hour to hour-and-a-half. I needn't have worried. There was very little off-gassing but what I am really pleased to report is that ALL the "sponge" marks from applying the paint have disappeared - completely. The stove looks as if it has a factory finish.

Thanks to all of you that responded. Our stove has now been completely rebuilt and refinished and looks as if it was installed a few months ago!!

Jim

Ok,
Here's a pic of the fire right now. This was taken with my phone so the quality is not as good as the photos above. You'll also notice that I made a huge 'slot' in the wall beside the fire. This opens into the family room which was cold. The heat from the fire couldn't get in there. Now, with the slot, the cold air is pulled out of the room and it is replaced by warmer air going in through the door. It's made a huge difference.I also have yet to install the trim around the bottom of the walls.

How do I get a photo to appear in the text??

Jim

Shari said:

Looks awesome! Great 're-do'!

Click to expand...

Thanks. The dark red tiles the previous owner had there were really depressing and just sucked up all the light. Always reminded me of an industrial institution of some kind.