Have I screwed up bad?

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Chris_J said:
Hi all,

I've just serviced my wood burning stove and polished it using Stovax stove black (http://www.stovax.com/products.htm?cid=7&sid=22&pid=491). I've just fired up the stove now, expecting a little smoke. However, my room is now filled with smoke and it is just pouring off!

Have I bought a product which was designed to polish inactive stoves, or is it just baking on?

Chris.

You better open all the windows because it says do not breathe fumes..... Not good! It also says it is flammable..

Ray
 
It's stopped smoking so much now. Maybe it's just baking on? Didn't expect that though.

I've opened all the windows, so hopefully I've not breathed in too much!

Surely if this stuff wasn't designed for active stoves, it would state that quite clearly!?
 
Chris_J said:
It's stopped smoking so much now. Maybe it's just baking on? Didn't expect that though.

I've opened all the windows, so hopefully I've not breathed in too much!

Surely if this stuff wasn't designed for active stoves, it would state that quite clearly!?

From what I could read on the label (and it doesn't say much) I am guessing it needs to dry or cure before you apply heat to the finish.. I remember the 1st time I fired up my stove the paint fumes were horrible..

Ray
 
Yeah, first time I fired it from new, it smelled horrible but I've never seen smoke pouring off it like it was. It looked like it was about to burst into flames. Seems fine now. I've had it going for quite a while and there are no funny smells. Hasn't effected the finish at all, so I guess it was meant to do the crazy smoking. Would have been nice to have clearer instructions and a little pre-warning!!

Cheers for your help.
 
i was looking at stove black last nite & thinking about if I wanted to apply some to one of my stoves.

Thanks for the heads up on it.

I knew they had a baking off-- curing time for the first firing & one company recommended making an intial extra small fire with just 3 or 4 very small splits , almost kindling size, to kind of slowly cure the stove black with a warm stove instead of hot stove.

Warm the stove up gradually, to cure the stove black slowly, was how they put it.

But, thanks to you,now I know, to do it on a warm spring day & be ready with the outside ventalation fans.


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I reciently put some stove morter cement on the elbow that comes out the back side of my stove as it has a rear exit stove collar.

About a tablespoon of ashes had collected inside
the bottom of the elbow since it is only offset 2inches from the firebox. The ashes can form an acid that attacks the single wall black stovepipe , so I am putting 2 tablespoons of baking soda powder inside the elbow to stop further acid formation.



Anyhows, a pinhole leak developed there & i was getting a bit of campfire smell through there. I plastered the outside of the elbow with stove mortar mix with a puddy knife.

I knew that stove morter mix has water in it & if you heat it up too quickly,it makes steam & blows through the mortar so i heated the stove up to 175 deg F for an hour with 3 or 4 very small splits like 2"x3"x1/2in , a very weak fire controled by inadiquate fuel supply & it worked like a charm. The mortar mix dried thoughly without steam blowing a hole through my patch job & plugged the pin hole smoke leak in the elbow.
No more smell now.
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This is only a temporary fix as in april,when its warm, i will take down the stack & replace the elbow, but , I didn't want 2 do it in the winter cold when i need the fire.
 
http://www.rutland.com/maintenance_html/paints_polishes_cleaners.html


They have a tdx button to push that downloads a xxxx.pdf file that gives detailed instructions
on the contents (ingredients) of stove black & with application & detailed curing instructions,
especially what to expect when you lite off the stove to cure the fresh stove black. (15 minutes of smoke, open doors & windows).

Stove black typically contains waxes , that burn off, giving that waxy smell & smoke and black pigments.

Williams stove black contains only carbon & graphite & gives a satin dark gray finish after cook off. (curing).
 
Chris_J said:
Yeah, first time I fired it from new, it smelled horrible but I've never seen smoke pouring off it like it was. It looked like it was about to burst into flames. Seems fine now. I've had it going for quite a while and there are no funny smells. Hasn't effected the finish at all, so I guess it was meant to do the crazy smoking. Would have been nice to have clearer instructions and a little pre-warning!!

Cheers for your help.

Glad I could be of assistance.. This is a great forum with lots of helpful people :) I learn something new here every day.

Happy Burning,
Ray
 
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