Breaking in new stove top on old woodstove

[earlbear]

10 year old jotul oslo f500 woodstove that I am putting a new top on , do I break it in as though it was a new stove with 3 or 4 small fires ? Thanks

 

[begreen]

If painted then it wouldn't hurt to do a break-in of two smaller fires before a hot one.

 

[Defiant 3]

I ALWAYS advise customers to "treat the stove as though it's new again" after replacing almost anything. Can't be too careful, esp w parts that are prone to cracking. I assume that's why you've replaced your top?

 

[earlbear]

Yes , the top has two 2 inch cracks on both sides of the top and I was going to try and repair them with jb weld extreme temperature but decided since I can buy a new one for $315 I would just buy one , figured I should treat it as a new stove

 

[peakbagger]

Unless the manufacturer has a specific recommendation, yes do warm up fires

FWIW I have a replacement grate for a jotul 404 cookstove and it recommends two methods.

Oven method, Start oven at 325F, place cast iron on rack. Every 30 minutes increase temp by 25 degrees until the oven is maxed out. Let cast iron cool back to room temp.

Fire method, five small kindling fires, let fire cool between each burn.

The claim with the instructions is that will "harden" the cast iron for full burn.

IMHO, I like the oven method if it will fit in the oven, as its a more uniform predictable method.

 

[BillBurns]

I collect cast iron skillets and dutch ovens, We season them with slowly warming them up, then a cool down time. Then do it again x3 or 4 times. I just did 2 small fires and then gradually made bigger ones.