Cut metal piece in fireplace??

[Nater]

I am just about to purchase the Vermont Castings 2in1 Defiant, but I need to make sure that I would be able to fit it. There is a piece of metal that hangs about 1/2 inch lower than the bricks on the top of the fireplace opening. I'm pretty sure that the top of the flue outlet will be blocked by this piece of metal so I am wondering if it is ok to cut it out of there? It is approximately 2" x 2" piece of angle iron. I wouldn't need to cut the whole piece out, just a few inches off the lower piece in the middle of the fireplace. Does this piece actually serve a purpose or is it just part of the old fireplace?

Thanks.

 

[Milton Findley]

A picture would make advising you about what to do much easier, and it would make the advice much more accurate.

If it is just a bunch of dark sooty shapes in there, taking a piece of chalk to the edges of the metal makes it much easier to see in a picture.

 

[Dune]

Angle is often used as a lintel in masonry work.

Definition of LINTEL
: a horizontal architectural member spanning and usually carrying the load above an opening
See lintel defined for English-language learners »
See lintel defined for kids »
Illustration of LINTEL

Origin of LINTEL
Middle English, from Anglo-French *lintel, alteration of linter threshold, from Late Latin limitaris, from Latin, constituting a boundary, from limit-, limes boundary
First Known Use: 14th century

Consequently, cutting a lintel is likely a bad idea, unless other arangements can be made to take the burden.

Pictures would help a lot.

 

[Nater]

Hmm... thats what I was afraid of. Here's a picture. This was taken awhile ago so it is a little different now, but the piece of metal is still there. It goes up about 2 inches inside too. Could I just strengthen the inside part of it to carry the load? I am only looking to take out a few inches in the middle where the "T" would connect to the new stove.

 

[Dune]

A lintal is a beam, the center of any loaded beam is the weakest point.

Personaly, I would consider that metal untouchable.

Take a hammer to the tee before you cut your lintal.

 

[Nater]

The problem is that the bricks are 29" high, the lintel is 28.5" high, and the Defiant is 28 7/8" high. So the flue outlet will just barely fit under the bricks, but not the lintel.

edit: typo (meant 28.5, not 29.5)

 

[mhrischuk]

The problem is that the bricks are 29" high, the lintel is 29.5" high, and the Defiant is 28 7/8" high. So the flue outlet will just barely fit under the bricks, but not the lintel.

I think you have those numbers reversed. The bricks should be higher than the lintel. The lintel is a "bridge". When building the fireplace they install that angle iron (lintel) to support the bricks over the opening. If you cut it you risk a collapse.

Yes you could add a "doubler" plate to the inside and cut below but you need to be careful it is enough. Do you only need to get the flue pipe under there like the existing one? If so, the earlier suggestion of reforming the flue pipe is a good idea if you only need an inch or so. You might even be able to use some sort of round to oval adapter.

If you decide on a doubler plate you would want at least 1/4" plate. I would make it 4" tall and at least 12" long and weld it to the inside of the lintel, centered. I would drill 1/2" holes in the doubler so I could weld in there to add internal weld points. Also weld along the bottom seam and the ends. Don't do any cutting until the doubler is in place.

 

[Nater]

Sorry, it was a typo. It was supposed to say 28.5". The flue outlet from the stove needs to pass under the lintel, which is made out of cast iron so I won't be able to bend it at all. I don't have a problem welding up as much as I need, though. Maybe even another piece of angle iron (with a small cut out in the middle) to span the whole fireplace give extra strength.

 

[Dune]

Sorry, it was a typo. It was supposed to say 28.5". The flue outlet from the stove needs to pass under the lintel, which is made out of cast iron so I won't be able to bend it at all. I don't have a problem welding up as much as I need, though. Maybe even another piece of angle iron (with a small cut out in the middle) to span the whole fireplace give extra strength.

Highly unlikely that it is cast iron.

Cast iron has not been used in such applications for centuries now.

 

[Nater]

I didn't type that right, the stove is cast iron so I assume the flue outlet on the stove is cast iron, not the lintel. I just meant I couldn't bend the stove flue outlet (28.875" high) to go under the lintel (28.5" high).

 

[mhrischuk]

The flue outlet on my Hearthstone Equinox and Clydesdale are both cast iron.

Nater.... since you have the weld capability I don't see why you couldn't modify the lentil. Just make sure it's overkill.

Does the new stove have a shorter leg option?

 

[NCredneck]

Why don't you remove the legs, get it under the lintel in place, jack it up on something like blocks and reinstall legs?

 

[BrotherBart]

The flue outlet on my Hearthstone Equinox and Clydesdale are both cast iron.

Dune is talking about the lintel not being cast iron.

 

[glenlloyd]

the steel angle is the foundation of everything built above it, it's the 'bridge' across your firebox opening. If you alter the existing angled steel piece without further reinforcement above it then you risk a collapse as the op said. Only way I would consider cutting the bottom edge would be if a large plate were welded in behind the vertical piece. It would need to be welded right next to where the section was cut and at the outboard edges at the very least. A continuous bead would be the best. The plate should extend vertically as high as possible to provide as much rigidity to what remains of the horizontal section forming the brick ledge.

It would be easier to see about a shorter leg option that avoids cutting the horizontal steel part of the angle IMO.

good luck, never a fun deal when you find out what you want to do is off by such a small amount.

steve a

 

[Jags]

Make the legs a 1/2" shorter??

 

[mhrischuk]

The flue outlet on my Hearthstone Equinox and Clydesdale are both cast iron.

Dune is talking about the lintel not being cast iron.

That's not how I interpret Nader's post.

 

[DAKSY]

Make the legs a 1/2" shorter??

+1. They're cast iron. I've modified stove legs with a bench grinder
& you'll hardly notice the difference as long as you take your time
to do a nice job...

 

[Dune]

Make the legs a 1/2" shorter??

This certainly seems like the path of least resistance.

 

[Nater]

Thanks everyone for your help. It does sound like making the legs shorter is the best idea. The legs have levelers on them too, so I might be able to take them off and be able to fit. Otherwise, I'll have to take them to a machine shop to have them shortened a bit. I didn't really want to have to modify a brand new stove but it seems like the best option. And if I ever wanted to put it back to being original, it would be much easy to just buy new legs than to replace a fireplace, especially if it wasn't strong enough and collapsed.

 

[glenlloyd]

Make the legs a 1/2" shorter??

ditto...if shorter leg kit is not an option.

 

[NCredneck]

If you can buy new legs, can't you remove them until you get it into the fireplace opening and then install the legs? If not have them shortened.

 

[Loco Gringo]

Make the legs a 1/2" shorter??

+1. They're cast iron. I've modified stove legs with a bench grinder
& you'll hardly notice the difference as long as you take your time
to do a nice job...

Thats what I did. Cut em with a band saw or a chop saw even, just take your time and get all 4 perfect.