My wife broke my stove (cat bypass rod)

[a316co2000]

I have an old Derco Grizzly stove insert with a catalytic combustor. A picture of the stove is attached. A week ago I had to run to the store shortly after loading the stove with wood. I told my wife to wait about 10 minutes and close the cat bypass by pushing in the rod. She's done this for me in the past so I didn't think it would be an issue. 20 minutes after leaving the house my wife called me and told me she couldn't push the rod in with her hand, so she laid down and pushed it with her foot, at which point it "went down."

Long story short, she bent the damn rod. It was still functioning, mostly, but I worried that one day down the line the rod may break. That day came today when I went to close the cat bypass again. The rod broke off where it screws into a nut which is welded in place. I know this because I can see threads on the end of the broken rod.

Does anyone have any advice on how to rectify this situation? The way I see it I have two options, and I don't like either of them:
1. Continue to use the stove without use of the cat.
2. Pull the insert out of the fireplace and try to remove the remainder of the old rod. Then somehow find a tubular piece of steel, thread the end of it, and screw it into the existing nut. More realistically, I'll probably have to cut the old nut off to get the remainder of the rod out, weld on a new nut, and still find a tubular piece of steel to thread and screw into said nut.

Coldest week of the year so far just started...figures.

 

[mellow]

Was a piece of wood in the way of the damper closing? Just trying to figure out in my mind what would make it so hard to close?

I would go with #2 ASAP.

 

[a316co2000]

No, that's not really possible. The wood would have had to been sticking up through the bypass hole, and that would be very difficult to do. I have no idea why she had issues.

 

[Byrond]

Not sure if this would do the job but a piece of All Thread may work as a substitute. Also, a nipple extractor may work for removing the hold handle. That and a generous application of PB blaster.

 

[mellow]

I have had some weird shaped pieces shift on me and angle up into the bypass, had to let it burn down before I could close it fully.

 

[a316co2000]

I have had some weird shaped pieces shift on me and angle up into the bypass, had to let it burn down before I could close it fully.

That day I only loaded it up about halfway, since it wasn't that cold outside. I will look out for that in the future though, assuming I can get this thing fixed.

 

[a316co2000]

Not sure if this would do the job but a piece of All Thread may work as a substitute. Also, a nipple extractor may work for removing the hold handle. That and a generous application of PB blaster.

Unfortunately the old rod is in there pretty good. I know this because I got this stove used for free, and before my friend and I installed it we actually tried to unscrew the rod to gain better access to the cat, so we could inspect it. PB blaster didn't help...we couldn't get the thing to budge.

 

[Byrond]

Unfortunately the old rod is in there pretty good. I know this because I got this stove used for free, and before my friend and I installed it we actually tried to unscrew the rod to gain better access to the cat, so we could inspect it. PB blaster didn't help...we couldn't get the thing to budge.

Torch for heat?

 

[Jags]

Drill it out with a reverse drill bit (it goes counter clockwise).