High temp filler?

[Burn-1]

I'm getting ready to work over the PE Vista I picked up and I've cleaned most of the steel up prior to polishing it but there is some really small pitting on the surface from what looks like water spills. I'm probably being too picky because it isn't that bad but I need to keep my home design consultant, (wife) happy with the looks. So I was hoping to find some way to make the paint look smoother. Is there any useful high temp filler which could be put on and sanded down to smooth out the eventual finish? Any ideas are appreciated.

Would something like this work? It's rated up to 1,000 degrees.

Hi-temp Lab-metal

I know most stove paints are rated to 1,200 degrees but if I get the outside skin of that Vista over 1,000, the last thing I'm going to be reaching for is the can of touch-up paint.

 

[Gooserider]

Don't know, but the applications mentioned did say wood stoves. IIRC your stove is a double wall unit, so the outside shouldn't be getting that hot, so I'd think it might work. Of course it might not hurt to run the existing stove by the design expert before going to the effort - if the pitting is minor she might buy off on it the way it is and save you a bunch of work...

Gooserider

 

[karl]

If you have torch, get a broze rod and fill it with that. It's permanent. It will flow in the hole well, and it will take the heat. This is how surface rust is fixed on high end classic cars.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

"Charactor"


It's the minorly distressed look.

HTH,
Matt

 

[Burn-1]

I thought about a braze rod but can you use one with a blowtorch? That's all I have. I was also worried that dissimilar metals might expand and contract differently so that the paint would chip out where the brazing filled in the pitted area. I am thinking of just priming it and then painting it. The stove will be partially recessed in my fireplace and it's an elevated hearth so the offending area will be pretty hard to see but it's always nice to get something to look the way you want it as well.

 

[BrotherBart]

J-B Weld is good up to around 500 degrees sustained max temperature. If the pits are on the outer shielding it would be the quick and easy way to fill the spots. We have used it to fill holes in the side of small engine blocks where the connecting rods made unplanned emergency exits.

 

[babalu87]

I thought about a braze rod but can you use one with a blowtorch?

MAP gas

My solution, a bigger tea pot

Actually, coffee pot.

http://www.peak62.com/search/category/enamelware/subcategory/enamelware percolators/

It will serve as a steamer, tea kettle and , when the power goes out, a coffee pot :D
I went with Green

 

[Eric Johnson]

J Weld is what the pros use to patch holes in cast iron radiators.

 

[drizler]

Wow I used JB on about everything even fixing a cracked Toyota exhaust manifold once. That lasted 4 years and the best part was that I didnt' have to pull it to fix the thing. They do make something better nowdays though if you can get it . Stuff is called DEVCON and it is like JB on steroids. Best its ceramic so it stays put unlike JB and sets up in a short while. I fixed a cracked head on my mercuriser 4 years back with it and its still fine. In case you dont' know the epoxy stuffs success depends on preparation. You need a clean rough surface. Gouge it up any way you can and then sand it as you like using a block sander or piece of 2 by 4 to keep the repair sanding perfectly flat.

 

[Burn-1]

I checked out a MAPP gas torch and brazing set up at Home Depot last night. If I went this route what is the appropriate alloy to use? It looks like nickel-silver would work according to what I saw but if anyone has better advice I am open to it.

One concern I have though is if I get the surface of the stove hot enough to braze it; how is that not different from an overfire albeit in a smaller area? Would the brazing damage the metal in any way.

 

[jqgs214]

Devcon 5 minute epoxy, we sell it in our ship store - great stuff!

 

[Burn-1]

I looked at the DEVCON but I checked out their website and it says the max operating temperature for their products is 250 degrees.

 

[drizler]

I guarantee the JB will take a lot more than that from my exhaust manifold experience. Besides its cosmetic anyways so why bother with brass or silver solder. Those small gas torches don't put out all that much heat when you put them up against a big heat sink like a stove so you might not get it hot enough. Why bother, just use the JB. It sands nicely feather edging pretty much like bondo. I tried to look up the temp specs for the 11700 Devcon that I have but guess what. The sides of the box read like "War and Peace" in a couple languages and if its in there you need a microscope to begin to read through it. Use the JB and sand and paint it just like it was a car.