adjusting BlazeKing Princess door tension gone bad

[RustyShackleford]

I'm starting to get a little slippage on my door seal (using the "dollar bill" test), so I decided to tighten the fit a little.

You adjust the fixed "catch" on the stove body (and L-shaped piece with threads on one end), not the latch on the door. The manual says to loosen the nut on the outside, then rotate the nut on the inside to pull the catch in a little, and then lock by tightening the outside nut.

First problem: the nut on the inside is welded to the stove body, so it cannot be moved. Thus, the only way to tighten the catch is to rotate it one full turn (so it comes back to the correct position) screwing it into the stove body - I guess that's ok, though it'd be nice to have a little more precision (than one thread pitch).

However, there wasn't enough thread to back the outer nut off one full turn - which you'd need to do in order to screw the catch into the stove body one full turn. It turns out I have the correct size die, so I figured I'd cut another thread or two on the catch piece. But the nut was on there pretty tight, and as I was trying to remove it ... you guessed it ... the threaded end of the catch sheared off.

So now I'm out of commission until I can get a new catch piece. Or until I can jury-rig something, which shouldn't be too terribly hard to do (update: just did it - bent a 3/8" bolt in my vise, and cut the head off).

Can't help thinking I've done something wrong. Anybody else run into these issues ?

 

[Swamp Fox]

I hope this is not too late. I had my latch break off, also, inside the nut that is welded on the backside of the front of the door. I was lucky in that I was able to use a pair of locking vice grips to grab the rear of the latch, as it extended through the back of that nut. I was able to remove it from the back side. I had an extra latch (I like to keep extra parts on hand, including the wedge roll pin, etc. that goes on the handle itself.) I wanted a little more to play with when adjusting the tightness so I went to local hardware store and bought the right size nut, but one that is about half the thickness of the original nut (on the outside of the stove.). I painted it black and all is good to go. Another thing, I was told by Blaze King is that they no longer weld that nut on the back of the stove (at least on the King model). I was also told there would be no problem in pounding that welded nut off (if you can get to it with a chisel and swing a hammer) and replace it with the same size nut and not weld it.

I'm starting to get a little slippage on my door seal (using the "dollar bill" test), so I decided to tighten the fit a little.

You adjust the fixed "catch" on the stove body (and L-shaped piece with threads on one end), not the latch on the door. The manual says to loosen the nut on the outside, then rotate the nut on the inside to pull the catch in a little, and then lock by tightening the outside nut.

First problem: the nut on the inside is welded to the stove body, so it cannot be moved. Thus, the only way to tighten the catch is to rotate it one full turn (so it comes back to the correct position) screwing it into the stove body - I guess that's ok, though it'd be nice to have a little more precision (than one thread pitch).

However, there wasn't enough thread to back the outer nut off one full turn - which you'd need to do in order to screw the catch into the stove body one full turn. It turns out I have the correct size die, so I figured I'd cut another thread or two on the catch piece. But the nut was on there pretty tight, and as I was trying to remove it ... you guessed it ... the threaded end of the catch sheared off.

So now I'm out of commission until I can get a new catch piece. Or until I can jury-rig something, which shouldn't be too terribly hard to do (update: just did it - bent a 3/8" bolt in my vise, and cut the head off).

Can't help thinking I've done something wrong. Anybody else run into these issues ?

 

[Highbeam]

I would expect that a bottomed out adjustment means that your door gasket is smashed beyond spec and is to be replaced. With the new gasket, expect to need to loosen the catch side of the latch mechanism.

On an otherwise excellent stove, the door gasket design is pretty awful.

 

[weatherguy]

You're right fox, they make the inside bold to loosen now so you can make more precise adjustments, the new Princesses have it too. I bought a jamb nut and also have two latches so I won't be down in case something happens to my latch. I think a new one costs 4 bucks, I have extra door gasket on hand too so once I cant adjust any more I'll just re gasket.

 

[Highbeam]

You're right fox, they make the inside bold to loosen now so you can make more precise adjustments, the new Princesses have it too.

I suspect they also quit welding that nut on the inside to make replacement easier when the inside nut becomes seized, breaks off, or otherwise fails. The whole latch is easy to remove without that weld. Drilling and tapping isn't something I'd want to do during burning season. Good move by BK.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I would expect that a bottomed out adjustment means that your door gasket is smashed beyond spec and is to be replaced. With the new gasket, expect to need to loosen the catch side of the latch mechanism.

It's the first time I messed with it (since I got the stove new).

On an otherwise excellent stove, the door gasket design is pretty awful.

Compared to my Dutchwest (before I got my BK), I think the latch design is actually pretty nice though - it does not waste any precious firebox space, as it's all pretty much external. On the Dutchwest, the latch actually reduced the effective depth of the firebox (from the side-loading door) a couple of inches for the last log.

I was told by Blaze King is that they no longer weld that nut on the back of the stove

I guess that's why when I checked the manual - the online version - it didn't make sense, given my welded interior nut.

I was also told there would be no problem in pounding that welded nut off (if you can get to it with a chisel and swing a hammer) and replace it with the same size nut and not weld it.

Have you tried this yet ? Seems like you'd not only need to bust the weld loose, you'd need to remove all traces of it, or else the interior nut couldn't be rotated freely (defeating the ability to get a finer adjustment).

 

[Highbeam]

It's the first time I messed with it (since I got the stove new).

Compared to my Dutchwest (before I got my BK), I think the latch design is actually pretty nice though - it does not waste any precious firebox space, as it's all pretty much external. On the Dutchwest, the latch actually reduced the effective depth of the firebox (from the side-loading door) a couple of inches for the last log.

I guess that's why when I checked the manual - the online version - it didn't make sense, given my welded interior nut.

Have you tried this yet ? Seems like you'd not only need to bust the weld loose, you'd need to remove all traces of it, or else the interior nut couldn't be rotated freely (defeating the ability to get a finer adjustment).

The latch design is acceptable, but the gasket hitting that knife edge is tough for a manufacturer to pull off and I do believe we would be better off with a flat face stove and a wide gasket such as the englanders use. Way more contact area and less dependence on accurate manufacturing.

I don't expect that anyone will upgrade their old stove to a non-welded interior nut until they manage to destroy their welded nut. If the threads are still good then there is little to gain.