Jotul F500

[topoftheriver]

I am performing some maintenance and I need extra hardware as I have chewed up one philips head screw for the glass clip. I believe it is a number 10. And because of a broken baffle, now replaced I need a hex bolt to hold the top on. I have looked everywhere and can't find the correct hardware. I recently spoke with a woodstove dealer in MA and explained the whole thing to him. He did have much of an idea of what I was talking about.

The internet doesn't provide much data. The Jotul PDF identifies the part but with no details at all. I appreciate comments on this dilemma. Thanks, wood burners.

 

[begreen]

The top is gasketed and can sit on it's own weight. The bolt that holds it down will be metric. Our local True Value would carry this. Check yours.

 

[topoftheriver]

The top is gasketed and can sit on it's own weight. The bolt that holds it down will be metric. Our local True Value would carry this. Check yours.

I wasn't too sure about the weight factor supporting the top so that smoke doesn't escape. However, a concern is if someone had bumped into it accidentally would it move it out of position, damage the gasket etc. I have looked high and low for the proper hardware. I found a site yesterday which I will share with you. The following is only the page I was looking at for the parts I need: http://www.jotulparts.com/index.php?cPath=6&sort=5a&page=6. However, just delete everything after .com and you will have the website and the index. The prices on the hardware didn't appear to exorbitant. I did pick up stainless hardware at ACE, but it threaded about a quarter inch and then it wouldn't go any further. I think it is because the stainless is machine thread and threading for cast iron coarser, not as refined as steel thread. The same goes for the screws that hold the glass and holders on the front door. Just my view. Thanks for your reply.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like a thread mismatch. This should be a common metric bolt. It doesn't need to be stainless. Call your Jotul dealer and ask them for the spec and if they have a couple on hand.

 

[topoftheriver]

Sounds like a thread mismatch. This should be a common metric bolt. It doesn't need to be stainless. Call your Jotul dealer and ask them for the spec and if they have a couple on hand.

Oddly enough, I did visit my local guy?????? I swear, I don't know why some of these fellows go into this business if they don't give a hoot about the spare parts. All they want to do is sell you a new stove. I directed the individual to the web page and where to find the spare parts for all kinds of stoves. Additionally, at least for Jotul, they have a factory in Gorham, ME. I haven't been able to obtain the telephone number, but the dealers have access. Therefore, my local dealer is going to check on the hardware. Interestingly enough, machine thread screws and bolts don't match up to the coarse threaded wood stove bolts when it comes to cast iron. I could be wrong, but I don't think they can tap cast that fine. If it were a steel stove, possibly they could because steel is denser than cast. When I was looking at the hex bolts that hold the top of the stove down, they appeared scored on the sides indicating they may have been self tapping. I can't get straight answers from anyone on the street and my research hasn't produced much either. I am giving it another week and if I can't get the exact part I am looking for, I will drill the holes out and retap them to the next or two sizes up. The bolts are #10 so I will go to a 12, coarse thread.

 

[begreen]

Call Preston Trading Post in CT. They will be able to help you. Or ping stovelark and ask him for the size. 10mm sounds correct. No need to drill them out, all you need is the thread count. You might try removing one of the doghouse (air slider valve cover) 10mm bolts and see if it threads correctly. If it does, bring that into your hardware store and match thread.

 

[begreen]

I just found the diagram at jotulparts.com. They list this as a 6mm x 20 bolt. (10mm is just the bolt head size, not the screw thread). Part #33, $1.49 ea.

http://www.jotulparts.com/index.php?cPath=6&sort=5a&page=6

 

[topoftheriver]

I just found the diagram at jotulparts.com. They list this as a 6mm x 20 bolt. (10mm is just the bolt head size, not the screw thread). Part #33, $1.49 ea.

http://www.jotulparts.com/index.php?cPath=6&sort=5a&page=6

I also saw it there with most of the rest of the parts for the oslo500. If my local guy doesn't get back to me in a couple of days, I will order it online. Thanks everyone for all the comments.

 

[Blinkyjoe]

Hey Top, I have a f500 out in Winthrop. How do you even access the bolts holding the oval top plate on? I can blindly reach up above the stoneware plates above the baffle pipes to 'feel' the bolts, is is just a by-feel operation?
Thanks

 

[stovelark]

Thank you BG. Yes if you break a bolt on an F500 top, you could use the others to hold it in, or replace with the metric 10MM hex head. Easiest to get at local hardware store, if not PTP can ship (The shipping charges are more than the parts, that's why I'd procur locally). Pre-soak the bolts, usually they come out pretty easily. I don't drill and tap many tops, they usually come out, now side plate bolts and FL12 Rear burnplate bolts, they are another story.
Any Jotul dealer has their parts and price book, if they don't want to help, its not because they can't.
Hey blink- are you talking about the center oval?? They have a front and rear midplate 10 MM bolt and key that holds it in place, It usually is easier to take the top plate off to get access to the center oval. Are you changing it out?? Normally its not removed unless you are putting the optional milled plate oval in. Good luck with that. The top plate bolts are two in the front (10MM) and one center in the back, easily gotten to thru the flue outlet. Hope this helped.
Sorry missed topOTR response- The threads are indeed metric. Most bolt threads come out looking scored I think from the cast expanding/contracting and age. Most will go back in no problem. Most dealers will have the spare bolts in the shop out back somewhere, I know PTP does from working on stoves throughout the years. New ones can be gotten from JOTUL no problem. No need to retap, just get metric threads. Good luck.

 

[topoftheriver]

Thank you BG. Yes if you break a bolt on an F500 top, you could use the others to hold it in, or replace with the metric 10MM hex head. Easiest to get at local hardware store, if not PTP can ship (The shipping charges are more than the parts, that's why I'd procur locally). Pre-soak the bolts, usually they come out pretty easily. I don't drill and tap many tops, they usually come out, now side plate bolts and FL12 Rear burnplate bolts, they are another story.
Any Jotul dealer has their parts and price book, if they don't want to help, its not because they can't.
Hey blink- are you talking about the center oval?? They have a front and rear midplate 10 MM bolt and key that holds it in place, It usually is easier to take the top plate off to get access to the center oval. Are you changing it out?? Normally its not removed unless you are putting the optional milled plate oval in. Good luck with that. The top plate bolts are two in the front (10MM) and one center in the back, easily gotten to thru the flue outlet. Hope this helped.
Sorry missed topOTR response- The threads are indeed metric. Most bolt threads come out looking scored I think from the cast expanding/contracting and age. Most will go back in no problem. Most dealers will have the spare bolts in the shop out back somewhere, I know PTP does from working on stoves throughout the years. New ones can be gotten from JOTUL no problem. No need to retap, just get metric threads. Good luck.

Stovelark: I agree with you in part. I ordered the three bolts, even though I only needed one, from a dealer in Connecticut because the local dealers didn't want to deal with it at all. Then a friend recommended a industrial supply company in New Bedford, Massachusetts who had the same size bolt but with a allen wrench style. I replace them with those and it cost me $3.50. The bolts from the dealer in Connecticut cost me $20.00 shipped from CT to MA. Needless to say, that won't happen again.

The reason I broke the bolt in the rear of the top plate is because my baffle was broken for about a whole heating season and when I noticed it, the fire flame was going up the rear of the stove, probably hardening the bolt into the hole. The front bolts came out easy. I had to machine the rear bolt out and pick out the remaining pieces. Then I ran a new bolt up and down about 50 times to make sure the threads were fine and there was nothing left in the hole. Blew it out with the air hose, of course and then put it back together. I don't see any reason to remove the center plate unless you are replacing it with a new one. I found that the machine bolts with the allen heads were stronger than the phillip head bolts from the dealer.

I don't think the dealers want to be concerned about the hardware unless they are fixing it. It really is a small issue in the grand scheme of things but necessary if you need to take the top off with a frozen bolt. Any way, I am back in business and the stove is running just great.

Some on this forum have spoken of the cast baffles. I truly can't say which is better. I had cast on an older stove and this stove has vermiculite. I never paid much attention until the problem occured with this stove last winter. I can say that I like the vermiculite baffle and blanket and the replacement was not bad and the stove works well. That's all for now and sums it all up as well. Everyone stay warm this winter.

 

[begreen]

Good to hear you're up and running again.

 

[Blinkyjoe]

Thank you BG. Yes if you break a bolt on an F500 top, you could use the others to hold it in, or replace with the metric 10MM hex head. Easiest to get at local hardware store, if not PTP can ship (The shipping charges are more than the parts, that's why I'd procur locally). Pre-soak the bolts, usually they come out pretty easily. I don't drill and tap many tops, they usually come out, now side plate bolts and FL12 Rear burnplate bolts, they are another story.
Any Jotul dealer has their parts and price book, if they don't want to help, its not because they can't.
Hey blink- are you talking about the center oval?? They have a front and rear midplate 10 MM bolt and key that holds it in place, It usually is easier to take the top plate off to get access to the center oval. Are you changing it out?? Normally its not removed unless you are putting the optional milled plate oval in. Good luck with that. The top plate bolts are two in the front (10MM) and one center in the back, easily gotten to thru the flue outlet. Hope this helped.
Sorry missed topOTR response- The threads are indeed metric. Most bolt threads come out looking scored I think from the cast expanding/contracting and age. Most will go back in no problem. Most dealers will have the spare bolts in the shop out back somewhere, I know PTP does from working on stoves throughout the years. New ones can be gotten from JOTUL no problem. No need to retap, just get metric threads. Good luck.

Hey StoveLark-Nah, I was just curious if it came off easily to facilitate cleaning. Those fibrous batts that look like insulation get a bit sooty. Usually I just vac them off when I sweep the chimney and disconnect the flue outlet. Thanks!

 

[begreen]

That's the purpose of the removable top. It's bolted down for shipping. You can leave the bolts off when replacing the top.