Jotul Firelight model 12 repair or replace - Doing the repair

[jsb]

I've decided to repair the stove and have a couple of questions.
First I have removed the following parts so that I could get at everything that needed replacing, Top, both front doors, side burn plates, topload mechanism side cover, inner burn plate, rear burn plate, damper frame and damper, and the complete cat chamber. I have inspected all parts and none are warped or cracked. I have cleaned out all ash and loose mortar from the stove and have blown air along all the seams. In a couple of the seams I see air blow through.
I am entertaining taking the stove all the way down and wonder if there are any gotcha's I need to be aware of?
It appears rather straight forward but would like to hear from someone who has done it.
Secondly, How hard is it to put back together? Are there possible problems where I have to remortar seams?
Here are a few pics I have of it in its current state.

 

[Ashful]

Minus removing the doors, I've had my Jotul F12 down exactly as far as where you are now, never further. Of course, if you're thinking the way I was at the time, you're almost all the way there! There's really not much left to remove.

Then again, there's a good argument to be made for having it sandblasted as it stands now, re-cementing the gaps from the inside, and bolting her all back together.

 

[Ashful]

I have a question that you might be able to answer. The air control lever on my 1993 Firelight 12 often sticks in the full-closed position. I've almost broken it several times, trying to get it un-stuck. I have never figured out how to get at it without completely splitting the stove (beyond where you are now). I see your stove has some sort of window in that tunnel between the andirons, right below the front doors. Is that an access panel to get at this problematic linkage? What year is your stove? I may need to cut an access panel in mine.

 

[jsb]

Yes, I bought mine new around 1999 or 2000 I think but most of castings have dates of 96 and 97 on them. That is the access door, it has 2 screws. You remove them and can see the air chamber "flap" which slides left to right.

 

[Ashful]

Cool. I might hit you up for some measurements if I can get a cover plate and cut an access door into my older F12. Any chance you could get a picture of the mechanics inside that tunnel?

Am I correct in assuming the only way to get in there without an access door is to pull the sides off the stove? Likely why they decided to add an access door!

 

[begreen]

You might ping Summit if he is online. He did a nice rebuild a while back.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/f600cat-rebuild.49348/#post-49348

 

[jsb]

You might ping Summit if he is online. He did a nice rebuild a while back.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/f600cat-rebuild.49348/#post-49348

I saw his work in progress but wasn't sure about trying a "direct" contact. It appears he's the guy who could give me the answers.
How would I go about contacting him?

 

[jsb]

Cool. I might hit you up for some measurements if I can get a cover plate and cut an access door into my older F12. Any chance you could get a picture of the mechanics inside that tunnel?

Am I correct in assuming the only way to get in there without an access door is to pull the sides off the stove? Likely why they decided to add an access door!

I will take some close up pics tomorrow and pass them along.

 

[begreen]

I will take some close up pics tomorrow and pass them along.

Go to your Inbox, and click on start a new conversation (upper right).

 

[jsb]

Cool. I might hit you up for some measurements if I can get a cover plate and cut an access door into my older F12. Any chance you could get a picture of the mechanics inside that tunnel?

Am I correct in assuming the only way to get in there without an access door is to pull the sides off the stove? Likely why they decided to add an access door!

here are the pic for the air control lever door. Hope it helps.

 

[Ashful]

here are the pic for the air control lever door. Hope it helps.

Thanks! Definitely does. Got the part number for that access door already, and will be cutting a hole for mine as soon as I get it.

 

[summit]

I sent you a message, JSB, with my phone #... it'll be easier to explain it to you than to type it all out.

 

[jsb]

Well, I've got the firelight apart and just about all cleaned up. But now I have a question? When I took the bottom outside (103325) away from the bottom base plate (103317) I


l found 21 little plug like things between the two plates. I have enclosed a picture. What are they, I do not see them listed anywhere and wonder if I need to replace them. They appear to be hard cinder like material, about 3/8" diameter by 1/4" tall. Unfortunately most of these things, i'll call them spacers, had all relocated to one spot, but I suspect they should have been strategically located based on where two had remained in one corner of the plate.