Lopi Freedom cracks in firebox and rusted damper

[bholler]

Yes. The liner and insulation came with the stove. I got it all for the trouble of removing it.

Good I didn't see that mentioned (I may have just missed it) just making sure you weren't just sliding it into the fireplace.

 

[bob95065]

Good I didn't see that mentioned (I may have just missed it) just making sure you weren't just sliding it into the fireplace.

Yeah, I learned this lesson the hard way. We bought our house in 2013. There was a old Sierra stove inserted in the fireplace. I lit a fire the following winter and the house started to fill with smoke. I got the fire out and inspected the stove the next day. The stove had been put in the fireplace with no liner. They at least opened the flue but it wasn't enough to vent the stove.

I took the door apart yesterday to polish the brass. There is some pretty deep corrosion on it. What's the best way to polish it? Brasso won't cut it until I get the heavy corrosion off.

 

[bholler]

Yeah, I learned this lesson the hard way. We bought our house in 2013. There was a old Sierra stove inserted in the fireplace. I lit a fire the following winter and the house started to fill with smoke. I got the fire out and inspected the stove the next day. The stove had been put in the fireplace with no liner. They at least opened the flue but it wasn't enough to vent the stove.

I took the door apart yesterday to polish the brass. There is some pretty deep corrosion on it. What's the best way to polish it? Brasso won't cut it until I get the heavy corrosion off.

If it is really heavy scotch brite or steel wool will work. We have had ones that were bad enough we had to start with sandpaper. If it is plated you need to be carefull not to take to much off

 

[bob95065]

I tried red scotchbrite and it wouldn't cut it. Do you think a scotchbrite drill pad would work?

Do you work with stoves for a living

 

[bholler]

I tried red scotchbrite and it wouldn't cut it. Do you think a scotchbrite drill pad would work?

Do you work with stoves for a living

Yes i am a sweep so i work on lots of stoves. Is your door plated or is it solid? If it is solid you pretty much cango as aggressive as you want. Then just step up in grit till you get to a point you can polish it again. If it is plated and corroded really bad there may be nothing you can do but scuff it and paint it

 

[bob95065]

The door is solid so it is possible to get the corrosion off. I'll try a scotchbrite drill pad first. I have a muslin wheel that I can use if I like when I get down to the finer grits.

 

[bholler]

The door is solid so it is possible to get the corrosion off. I'll try a scotchbrite drill pad first. I have a muslin wheel that I can use if I like when I get down to the finer grits.

Yeah if it is solid you will be able to clean it up just fine. I actually prefer the satin look of just using white scotchbrite as the final. But that is just my taste

 

[bob95065]

I've done a little bit of metal polishing on my motorcycle but it's been a long time. I'll look for some pads to use with my drill. Thanks for the advice.

Another thing: The inside of the door looks to have the remains of a rope seal that was adhered to the inside to seal the firebox. Is there a brand that I should go with to replace it? What adhesive should I use to hold it to the door?

 

[bholler]

I've done a little bit of metal polishing on my motorcycle but it's been a long time. I'll look for some pads to use with my drill. Thanks for the advice.

Another thing: The inside of the door looks to have the remains of a rope seal that was adhered to the inside to seal the firebox. Is there a brand that I should go with to replace it? What adhesive should I use to hold it to the door?

I would order gasket from lopi. If you had the olld one you could take it to a stove shop to find a matching size and density but without it you will have trouble. We just use high temp silicone

 

[bob95065]

I sanded off all the rust and painted the stove. I didn't think to take pictures before it was done.

I bought a set of Rollock Scotchbrite pads and finished the brass door. Midway through the first pass I thought to take a picture. This is what it looked like:



The corrosion on the top of the door is what the whole thing looked like.

First pass complete:



I put a muslin wheel in my drill press and polished the door with polishing compound. The light was poor when I took this picture but you will get an idea of what it looked like:



I plan on going over it with Brasso and calling it done.

I ordered the missing and broken parts I need from Lopi. The baffle assembly was completely missing, the upper bricks weren't there, some of the lower bricks were cracked and the glass was cracked. I posted about the glass and a fellow forum member sent me a link that saved me a few bucks.

I ordered a top plate for my flue. The stove came with enough insulated rigid liner pipe for my chimney. Once everything comes in I'll get the stove back together and installed in the fireplace.

 

[bob95065]

After a summer of welding, grinding and painting I finally lit a fire in my restored Lopi Freedom. Last Saturday I installed it with the rigid liner I salvaged from the house it originally came from along with an elbow and adapter I bought locally. I wanted to fire it up right away but it was too warm for a fire. I took today off work and it was a cool morning so today was the day.

Thanks to those who commented when I had questions. My total for this project including what I paid for the stove and liner (free) is around $400. Not bad for a Lopi a Freedom installed.



The fan came on when it got up to temp and the room is heating up. Feels good to have that s almost done. I have to get a surround and this project is complete.

 

[robertmcw]

I have an Avalon Olympic 1190 (the are both Travis products) I used for three years before we moved and still have it in storage. I loved that stove. We would use an iron cast Dutch oven for chili and spaghetti sauce and loved it. Get a stick on temperate stove top meter. I used a round one as I liked it looked better but what type you like, get one. I kept mine would cruise at 500 – 550 all day long and you it is really hard to stop a fire that is too hot. Too wood is really hard to control. Too hot is bad and your cracks could come back. Start with three splits until it gets hot and then adds one or two at a time keeping the temperatures 500 - 550. Don’t try to pack it to the gills and at the worst would be is to do the welds again. With that said, good job!!