Old Gal ain`t what she used to be..

[RedRanger]

Took the door off my old PE insert today cause I sensed trouble on the way. Sure enough, gaskets fell out, (disintergrated), nuts that used to hold the screws in place "gone".. Only the rope gasket is still in good health. Damn good thing I listened to my instincts otherwise the glass likely would have fallen straight down and broken. Well, with cement and using screws and nuts that really are too small,I have managed to patch it back together to finish the season,I hope?

So, not being a super do it yourselfer. Do you think a fireplace dealer can do the repairs when parts are no longer available? I would hate to disregard brother barts advice which was to "keep the one I have". Or is 25 years enough for the old gal?

Any advice would be appreciated.. Should mention that the DW observed my patch job today, so is letting my discretion,or should I say my descretion and you people on this forum decide the issue. That is to say that I can buy something else to replace the old beast before next winter if I/we should so decide. Any and all comments would be much appreciated.

 

[BrotherBart]

My old insert at 21 years, and then at 22 years.

 

[SlyFerret]

Nice work cleaning that insert up, BB.

Is that a file cabinet on top of it in the pic on the left?

-SF

 

[BrotherBart]

The pics are reversed. The one on the left is after 21 years of faithful heating service. Yep a filing cabinet. Put the meat in a dollar store broiling pan, slide it in and 14 hours later you have smoked meat that is to die for.

4.3 cubic foot firebox Redneck Meat Smoker.

 

[RedRanger]

WOW! bb that is a mighty awesome looking insert. Like a total power machine. Have to ask what is it?

I know that I wasn`t nice at Xmas, and my apologizes. Hope you accept? You read my post so you know that the better half has agreed to replace if needed, and she seems to think so, maybe more than me. :lol: I also noticed not a lot, but a little bit of rust on the top of the old gal. She used to fire out of a chimney without a raincap and no liner. might explain that,dunno?

I`m really not thinking about overnite burns here, cause all we can get for the most part is softwood. Just looking for maybe if neccessary a replacement that will at least burn for 4 hours using softwoods without the constant "babysitting"..

Ya, I know that PE is so close to where I live, but don`t want overkill. the recroom is only 300 sqft. and then all the heat has to rise slowly, seems like ever so slowly to the other levels.

Have to say though that what you showed in that pic is mighty impressive. :zip: Kinda looks like the mighty beast that the better half wouldn`t let me buy. :-/

 

[BrotherBart]

It is a Sierra T-4600 Royale.

You need to get ya a PE Vista insert.

 

[RedRanger]

thank you, thank you bb--the DW and I discussed this just hours ago, and she agreed that we have the funding for that this summer. Her reasoning and I agree, why buy the Pacific if ya have to get up in the middle of the night to feed it anyways.

with softwoods, compare a 6hr burn to a 4hr burn. Makes no diff in our situation. Can`t wait to let her see your reply cause that is exactly what I was thinking, or wanting. Just makes sense.

FYI we aren`t fossil hogs, 125 gallons of oil per year,80 gallons of propane, and the rest is renewable. "wood".

Don`t know how your house is built, but ours isn`t exactlyl condusive to heating totally with wood -4 levels. makes it almost impossible. And she won`t allow me another wood insert on the 3rd level, and unfortunately she gets reinforced with that opinion from her girlfiends at work.

I just can`t believe how much you review the previous posts and make the right determination. Thanks for your help.

Been reading your posts, hey, ya gotta get back to being a little more caustic. otherwise we can`t really be sure it is really you :lol: you have just been too helpful for too many of these newbies lately without that, well ya know? nice and dry sense of humour.