Help with Jotul F3 Setup & Log Cabin pics

[River19]

My wife and I are finishing up a log cabin in VT and just set the new Jotul F3 on the hearthpad……..this is easily going to be the best part of the house for us. We are top venting this unit and per the instructions I took the top off, removed the round vent plate etc. and put the top back on. The issue came when we needed to insert and connect the “stove pipe adapter”. It appears the stove pipe adaptor is about 2mm too wide for the whole in the stove and after and hour of trying (including banging with a piece of wood and a mallet) we cannot figure out a way to get this inserted.

What the heck am I doing wrong? Any tricks?

Thanks for the help…………

Here is the new setup

 

[BrotherBart]

No tricks that I know of. I had to use a two by four and a hammer to drive mine into the hole also.

 

[Skier76]

Wow! Really nice looking setup!

 

[River19]

Thanks for the compliment………….it is getting there.

We had a kid from Maine build the hearth pad itself as we were tied up building the entire interior etc. My wife did the stone work on the wall and then grouted and sealed the entire shebang. It looks great. Of course I need it to start burning but can’t get this freakin’ adapter into place. I’m afraid to bang on the stove too hard and I can clearly see there is a little 1mm flange of metal around the rim of the stove hole that is making it a little too snug to go in. I assume that crimping the adaptor a little would allow for potential smoke leaks…..right?

I can’t wait to get this cabin done……..we have been working on it for 32 of the past 33 weekends and need it completed by Nov 1st for the loan to convert……….a labor a love. I could load this place up with pictures but I’ll refrain………

Steve

 

[Skier76]

Post pics! We love pics around here!

 

[River19]

Alright, pictures..........first a little background. We're not rich by any stretch but we have no kidsa nd make a decent living, we need to get away from the BS so we always find ourselves in northern New England where we belong. We found some land in an area where we mountain bike and I hunt, so it was perfect.........

My wife and I had a contractor get the 2BR 1 bath cabin dried in and the deck framed then we took over for the interior and everything else. His subs did the electrical and plumbing. After this house is done I never want to sand T&G;boards or polyurethane anything for a few years. The ceiling alone has been a beast to get done. Sanding and putting 3 coats of poly on everything....walls and ceiling has taken a wee bit of tme.

Finishing the cabin slowed our mountain biking adventures this year and is starting to eat into hunting season which means I am morally and ethically torn between wants and needs now..........

It is coming out pretty sweet though.......it has come along a little further since these were all taken. We are staining and sealing the logs now........

One side......the walkout is nice and the basement is set up to be finished off and already has heat installed.

The Other side

I built a barn style bathroom door from cherry and black walnut.....

My wife is an adventurous lady and decided we would make our own soapstone countertops after we installed the kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets.....

Here she is cutting one of the pieces........yes I know I won the wife lottery....

Test fit for the bathroom sink....she had to go undermount....this gave me stress....

Yours truly after cutting one of the pieces

We had to cut the kitchen sink while it was in place as the slab weighed close to 400lbs.....once it was in, it was in.

Finished products....

My big win.......the antler chandilier finally hung.......

Thanks for looking.......

Steve

 

[begreen]

Back to the stove...
Take a coarse metal half-round file and work on enlarging the hole slightly. It doesn't take that long. If you have a small grinder, that can work too. Then persuade it in with the taps of a 2x4.

 

[Iembalm4aLiving]

Wow, gorgeous getaway cabin! Thanks for sharing the pictures. VERY nice!

 

[Valhalla]

Very nice place! And a hardworking wife too.

It does not get any better!

 

[River19]

BeGreen - Thanks, I will use a hand file or dremel........I only have a large grinder etc. That is what I needed to know, I'll go slow so as not to remove more than I need to.

Thanks to the other posters, the place is getting there. I wish it were our primary home and it may become that but the bills need to get paid and in this economy, two good jobs are hard to walk away from for now.

I can't wait to get the stove up and running.

 

[Skier76]

Outstanding work! We just bought an A Frame back in March in Southern VT. We really love it up there. We're skiers...but found that Vermont is nice year round.

You'll enjoy the stove. We went with a Castine in our place. I had it chugging along nicely Saturday night and my wife commented on how nice the fire looked through the glass...and how nice the stove itself looked.