Best way to "seal" Buck doors?

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tpcolson

Member
Nov 2, 2016
19
tennessee
I have a very old Buck Stove (circa 1980's) with two doors, and each door has an "insert", presumably for glass if one were to find them. Currently populated with insert blanks, square steel pieces that came with the doors, with a screw on each corner holding a "cam" (piece of metal) that holds the insert inside the door. No matter how much I bend these cams to keep the insert firmly in the door when the screws are cranked, I can't them "air tight", as when I close the air gates on each door, I can hear wheezing as air is sucked in through the very loose inserts. Would "Stove and Gasket" sealant work here? I'm not above talking them off and to a shop to have the inserts welded shut.
 
I have a very old Buck Stove (circa 1980's) with two doors, and each door has an "insert", presumably for glass if one were to find them. Currently populated with insert blanks, square steel pieces that came with the doors, with a screw on each corner holding a "cam" (piece of metal) that holds the insert inside the door. No matter how much I bend these cams to keep the insert firmly in the door when the screws are cranked, I can't them "air tight", as when I close the air gates on each door, I can hear wheezing as air is sucked in through the very loose inserts. Would "Stove and Gasket" sealant work here? I'm not above talking them off and to a shop to have the inserts welded shut.
Is there any gasket on the plates?
 
Is there any gasket on the plates?
No, and there's really no clearance/space for a "rope" gasket like there is with the door. But enough clearance where I can get the biggest blade of my feeler gauge in there, and with the cams tightened, it still rattle in there. It can be compared to a cheap-built cabinet door where the builder didn't use rubber or foam in the stile grooves and the door rattles when it's slammed. And if you're really into wood working, like a mortice joint where the tenon is far smaller than the mortice and all 4 sides, as well as the bottom of the tenon not going all the way into the mortice joints. (basically how I cut all my joints, measure once, cut 3 times!).
 
No, and there's really no clearance/space for a "rope" gasket like there is with the door. But enough clearance where I can get the biggest blade of my feeler gauge in there, and with the cams tightened, it still rattle in there. It can be compared to a cheap-built cabinet door where the builder didn't use rubber or foam in the stile grooves and the door rattles when it's slammed. And if you're really into wood working, like a mortice joint where the tenon is far smaller than the mortice and all 4 sides, as well as the bottom of the tenon not going all the way into the mortice joints. (basically how I cut all my joints, measure once, cut 3 times!).
You need room for gasket there. I would guess there is room if it is rattling but if not the plates need to be made from thinner material. It wouldn't be rope gasket it would be flat glass gasket
 
Arrows indicate where the gap is. As I took the photo, also notice that the air gate thingy also has a slight gap/rattle regardless of how tight those screws are.
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Arrows indicate where the gap is. As I took the photo, also notice that the air gate thingy also has a slight gap/rattle regardless of how tight those screws are.
View attachment 283100
Yes that plate needs flat glass gasket between it and the door.
 
And while I'm on the topic of gaps in doors, where the two doors meet, there is this rather substantial gap. Would doubled-up rope gasket work here?
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Yes that plate needs flat glass gasket between it and the door.
Please forgive my ignorance, what is a common (best) source/brand of "flat glass gasket"? Sorry, I can rebuild my truck with a popsicle stick and a butter knife but certain household appliances mystify me. Have to have IT install apps on my phone for me.....
 
Please forgive my ignorance, what is a common (best) source/brand of "flat glass gasket"? Sorry, I can rebuild my truck with a popsicle stick and a butter knife but certain household appliances mystify me. Have to have IT install apps on my phone for me.....
A stove shop, chimney sweep, glass shop that does stove doors, some good hardware stores
 
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I have this problem as well. Did you ever get an answer on this gap?
No.....I stuff a thick piece of rope gasket in the bottom where the doors meet and that gives me another 1-2 hours of burn, but I have to place it each time I open/close the doors. Trying to cement a gasket in the top gap resulted in the doors bowing and snapping one of the brass hinges so I abandoned the effort.
 
Service sales place has all things for your old buck stove.