Jotul Series 8 - top casing seal

[spirilis]

Hi-

I was fumbling around with my downstairs woodstove last night, a Jotul Series 8 from 1984 (no cat, looks like the 1st generation--uses a rotary dial air control below the glass, no air wash) and I noticed the top cast iron piece, with the stovepipe coming out, came right off (after I removed the stovepipe). No cement holding it down. Underneath in the crease was a fiberglass rope gasket sealing it against the cast iron sides (which were cemented together). Anyone know if this is normal? Sounds a bit scary to be honest, I'm wondering if this was some kind of rig job by the previous owners or if the stove's actually supposed to assemble that way... Even if there is supposed to be furnace cement in that crease, there doesn't appear to be any form of "tie rods" holding it together so I'm wondering if that is, in fact, how it's supposed to go.

 

[bherrin]

Hi,
I just refurbished my "early 8" and discovered what you did. The top is secured by the weight of the casting alone. I know it seems odd, but unless there is an earthquake, it creates an effective seal. An advantage of this system is that it makes cleaning, inspecting, replacing the gasket (which is cemented into the groove) and dismantling for moving a snap!

 

[Fsappo]

yup, thats the design and it works, even though it seems flimsy. If I recall correctly, thats just a 3/8" rope gasket held in place by gasket cement.

 

[spirilis]

awesome, thanks guys! good to know I don't have any reason to be scared