I was asked to share some details on how I did mine. unfortunately its already built and in the hole, but here are some models of how mine was done. there will be a picture of it finished at the end once I get home to take it. Any questions or concerns let me know.
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what were starting with. drolet escape 1800i. has correct outside dimensions. door's modeled a little janky. heat jacket in orange.
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bent sheet metal side post. reversible for both sides. if your insert is centered you can make them identical. better off to measure both sides tho.
bent sheet metal top.
another view of the top.
bent sheet metal top.
another view of the top.
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how it goes together. you can paint it ahead of time but there will probably be touch up work needed.
install 2 side posts first. when you bend these don't go quite to 90. the idea is it springs itself in between the heat jacket and masonry. if done correctly they hold themselves in place or close. also both sides can be the same length. I offset mine. on leg is 3" the other is 1" I had to clear a masonry piece you probably wont have. picture everything in this install sliding straight in from the front.
notice how it springs in between the masonry and heat jacket when installed. this is the idea for all three pieces. if you can make the two legs the same length go for it so the side posts dont want to cock sideways on you. I could not do this for my install(clearance). notice there is no interruption of forced air. Drolet's surround mounts to a panel that is between the heat jacket and stove mounted on one bolt. seems like the surround was an after-thought almost.
top ready to slide straight in. springs the same similar to the sides but is different as explained below. see where it will overlap the sides this is where you will rivet it.
in place. on the drolets and other sbi stoves theres a lip in the front on the heat jacket bent 90° up so you will either have to test fit the top and trim to butt up to the lip or just make it so it springs against the top of the lip (what I did).
rear view. orange is heat jacket.
I put two rivets in the top left and top right corners. once riveted its pretty solid but you can kind of move it if you want in order to square it to the insert or brick or whatever. just remember when you're making your parts that you do not want this thing to fall perfectly into place. you want to have to bend and tweak it and trim it some for that perfect fit. I also just painted mine after it was installed but I also have 4 windows within 10 ft of it. you'll probably have to touch up no matter what due to that perfect fit. hang some plastic sheeting and open a window. it takes three times as long to protect your things as it does to paint. maybe find a different way to paint it. what I did worked well for me.
I'll get a pic of the real deal uploaded tomorrow. Hope this helps get somebody wheels turning.
top lip I was talking about.
install 2 side posts first. when you bend these don't go quite to 90. the idea is it springs itself in between the heat jacket and masonry. if done correctly they hold themselves in place or close. also both sides can be the same length. I offset mine. on leg is 3" the other is 1" I had to clear a masonry piece you probably wont have. picture everything in this install sliding straight in from the front.
notice how it springs in between the masonry and heat jacket when installed. this is the idea for all three pieces. if you can make the two legs the same length go for it so the side posts dont want to cock sideways on you. I could not do this for my install(clearance). notice there is no interruption of forced air. Drolet's surround mounts to a panel that is between the heat jacket and stove mounted on one bolt. seems like the surround was an after-thought almost.
top ready to slide straight in. springs the same similar to the sides but is different as explained below. see where it will overlap the sides this is where you will rivet it.
in place. on the drolets and other sbi stoves theres a lip in the front on the heat jacket bent 90° up so you will either have to test fit the top and trim to butt up to the lip or just make it so it springs against the top of the lip (what I did).
rear view. orange is heat jacket.
I put two rivets in the top left and top right corners. once riveted its pretty solid but you can kind of move it if you want in order to square it to the insert or brick or whatever. just remember when you're making your parts that you do not want this thing to fall perfectly into place. you want to have to bend and tweak it and trim it some for that perfect fit. I also just painted mine after it was installed but I also have 4 windows within 10 ft of it. you'll probably have to touch up no matter what due to that perfect fit. hang some plastic sheeting and open a window. it takes three times as long to protect your things as it does to paint. maybe find a different way to paint it. what I did worked well for me.
I'll get a pic of the real deal uploaded tomorrow. Hope this helps get somebody wheels turning.
top lip I was talking about.
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That looks really good! I bought the same stove last year with the giant sized surround as a kit on sale.
I wanted to do something similar to mine but my wife kept insisting i was crazy because it was all done and working.
It looks way better than the giant face i have i might copy you!
I wanted to do something similar to mine but my wife kept insisting i was crazy because it was all done and working.
It looks way better than the giant face i have i might copy you!
do it. big surround they sell woulda covered my grey side vent things or been right up to them. woulda looked goofy.
mellow
Resident Stove Connoisseur
Nice, next step would be to put some river rock over those vents 
That would drive me more nuts than the surround.
That would drive me more nuts than the surround.I actually don't mind the vents with the covers on. do you have a picture of the river rock thing you're talking about though? I'm struggling with visualization of that.
mellow
Resident Stove Connoisseur
@FuzzyOne 's install is a good start.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/remodeled-my-fireplace-insert.157331/
oh you mean the whole face. that does look nice. This is just my first home though and I plan on upgrading in the next few years so I don't want to put too much more into it than I already have. maybe on the next one.
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