Can I turn a Defiant Encore upside down?

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Yeah, what I need is a rubber hose about 3/4" in diameter. Gotta go to my workshop and turn over the piles of stuff I never throw away, just in case I might need something some day. I sure need something today

Thanks!
I bought the rigid vacuum from Home Depot it looks like a toolbox. Has a smaller diameter hose. I like it. I also have a bucket top vacuum that has an even smaller hose diameter
 
You can definitely tip it on its back. Again, careful not to break the legs.
 
You can definitely tip it on its back. Again, careful not to break the legs.
Diabel, are you familiar with his model? Can he just remove the lower fireback and snag it from next to the refractory box? Or is it not as easy as with the 2550?
 
I believe someone has tipped their encore on its back to replace an upper fireback. I would be very carful not to break any legs. I also think tipping it upside down is a bad idea.

More than one poster has now said down do upside down, so I am backing off on that. But I might lay it down. I wont try it on my own, I have a good friend who is strong enough [and so am I] to do that with good control. Once I get it down I think I can tickle it out.

So does anyone think laying it down will endanger the refractory? I expect it just sits there in place with gravity. It's not held in place with any kind of mechanical constraints? I just dont want anything falling out of where it belongs, then I would REALLY be in a mess.
 
Diabel, are you familiar with his model? Can he just remove the lower fireback and snag it from next to the refractory box? Or is it not as easy as with the 2550?

Yes
The fireback is made of two sections upper and lower. You should be able to remove the six bolts easily. But some liquid wrench of some type would make the removal process much easier.
 
The firebacks should hold the box in place. I don’t know if the cat will flop around on you though. You should try and free up those access screws while the stove is down. Good time to do some other maintenance while the stove is cold.
 
Yes
The fireback is made of two sections upper and lower. You should be able to remove the six bolts easily. But some liquid wrench of some type would make the removal process much easier.
Can he just take out the lower like we do on our 2550?
 
Can he just take out the lower like we do on our 2550?


On the 0028 the fireback overlaps. You need to remove the upper before you can take out he lower. Very easy process. Not as easy as on the 2550 but still only six bolts.

I would still try the shopvac method. You will need it for future cleanings.
 
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On the 0028 the fireback overlaps. You need to remove the upper before you can take out he lower. Very easy process. Not as easy as on the 2550 but still only six bolts.

I would still try the shopvac method. You will need it for future cleanings.
Is the upper cemented in on the 0028 or just gasketed?
 
Just be careful with the vacuum technique. If your refractory box is old and beat up it can be very fragile
 
Just be careful with the vacuum technique. If your refractory box is old and beat up it can be very fragile

I would think that as I slip the hose down, it would run down the outside, the casting, until it hits the bottom.

I dont have the hose I want yet, I will have to go looking in my shop, but what I have in mind would be something soft, not as soft as surgical tubing, but not a hard plastic that is only flexible because it's corrugated, so th speak.
 
I would think that as I slip the hose down, it would run down the outside, the casting, until it hits the bottom.

I dont have the hose I want yet, I will have to go looking in my shop, but what I have in mind would be something soft, not as soft as surgical tubing, but not a hard plastic that is only flexible because it's corrugated, so th speak.
Smooth would be ideal. I would be worried the corrugated hose might “saw” the corner of the box off sort of speak. If you have to use the corrugated hose maybe put a small piece of angle iron or something on the corner to protect it. To soft of hose might collapse when to turn the shop vac on. Radiator hose maybe. Piece of garden hose even.
 
I have been using a corrugated hose (I think it is 1” thick) all along for years with no problem. A piece of angled metal is a good idea though.
 
I am sorry but why not just take the internals apart? It is going to need done periodically snyway for service so why not just do it now?
 
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I am sorry but why not just take the internals apart? It is going to need done periodically snyway for service so why not just do it now?
I personally agree with you. It’s good way for the op to familiarize himself with his stove.
 
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I personally agree with you. It’s good way for the op to familiarize himself with his stove.

I agree that would be best, too. But I hesitate. Only because the stove is old. As I mentioned earlier, it was new in 1990 but only used for 5 years then it sat idle for 20 years. Already I have had one screw rusted on so bad that it broke off, Luckily it was the catalytic cover so there are still 3 holding it.

If something goes bad, I am really in a mess. I have central heat, as I said, but I dont want the living room to be a workshop for longer than I have to. And I am overloaded with things to do these days. And ... complain complain.

And I worry about taking apart and putting together. I see Diabel says gaskets only. Will they go back in place or do I need to replace them? I dont have gasket material here. Actually I did, when I got the stove a year ago and thought I would do some maintenance, and now I cant find the d*** package. They are not cheap.

Is it possible to use just generic gaskets to replace, if that is what I should do?
 
And can I ask one more? I said at the first that I determined it was the damper rod where it rubs up the middle that the problem was to start with. I did that by putting just a bit of oil on where it rubs and presto! it worked smoothly again. But oil wont last long.

There was a bit of rust there and a bit of roughness. Do I try to smooth it down? Sand it? Or take a Dremel to it? Dremel I would have to be careful with, to not dig into the iron much.

So if I get to that point, of putting it back into service, what's best?
 
I would still try the shopvac method. You will need it for future cleanings.

Good point.

Also. Anti sieze may be the answer on your sticking/hanging up issue. Its what BK stove users are instructed to use when lubing the bypass assembly.
 
My old 0028 had no issues with the bypass handle. My buddies 2140 had the handle issue, it was really annoying.

Bholler would be the best person to answer your question. He loves all VC products......
 
I agree that would be best, too. But I hesitate. Only because the stove is old. As I mentioned earlier, it was new in 1990 but only used for 5 years then it sat idle for 20 years. Already I have had one screw rusted on so bad that it broke off, Luckily it was the catalytic cover so there are still 3 holding it.

If something goes bad, I am really in a mess. I have central heat, as I said, but I dont want the living room to be a workshop for longer than I have to. And I am overloaded with things to do these days. And ... complain complain.

And I worry about taking apart and putting together. I see Diabel says gaskets only. Will they go back in place or do I need to replace them? I dont have gasket material here. Actually I did, when I got the stove a year ago and thought I would do some maintenance, and now I cant find the d*** package. They are not cheap.

Is it possible to use just generic gaskets to replace, if that is what I should do?
I can relate to being overwhelmed with a million things to do. It might be better to tear into now during shoulder season while the demand for heat is relatively low. The gaskets will only need to be replaced if they are in poor condition. You can get gasket rope at any hearth store. Menards and tractor supply will have it, however, I don’t know if they have the size you will need. My model uses 5/16 on the fireback. Not sure what the 0028 uses.
 
Well, I GOT IT!!!

I finally went back to the glue trap idea, the sticky rubbery stuff in the little tray. SO hard to work with but Lordy, it is sticky. I also found my little automotive mirror on a handle, a small round one that I could get in there and maneuver until I could see the flashlight, so I knew where to aim. And in my shop I found the world's largest cable tie, just lying around. About 2 and a half feet long, a good quarter inch wide, pliable enough to go around the corner, stiff enough to let me push down on it. The head of the tie is about the size of my fingernail, so I could get a good glob on it. The first 10 or 12 tries, I just got a coating of ash and powder, but I kept adding the gick and the size of the glob got to at least an inch in diameter.

Finally I could feel the gick pushing against the flashlight so I let it settle in good, then pulled up and when it got near the top I was able to grab it!

Luckily for my hand and the flashlight, the gick is soluble with gasoline. So my hand is clean and the flashlight is clean and shiny.

AND -- the flashlight was still on and shining brightly.

So, case closed. And thanks to all for the ideas and interest.

Graphite as a lubricant? I presume that would be at a hardware or auto parts store? Just apply it to all the sliding surfaces?

Thanks again!

SonOfEru
 
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