Rusty Blaze King?

[nate379]

I had shut the stove down for the season a few weeks back so went ahead and did the full cleanout on it. Pull the bricks out, vacuum everything and decided to pull the combustor as well.

Combustor looked brand new, 2 years on it, so I'm happy.

BUT I ended up breaking 8 firebricks getting them out. The sides and backwall were all stuck. Creosote had built up behind them and fused them to the stove. Also rusted the heck out of the steel behind there too!

I cleaned it all up well, put down some rust treatment and a few coats of stove brite. $40 later replaced the broken bricks as well.

Didn't have this issue last year, not sure what changed? Most of the wood I burned this year was left over from last year even, so light with a match dry.

Something I noticed to is the stock firebrick is pretty chinsey compared to the replacements I got. The 8 I broke weighed about as much as 2 of the new bricks.

 

[jeff_t]

The heavier bricks are made from a different material. The lighter ones are pumice, I believe. They are supposed to insulate and reflect heat better, keeping the firebox hotter.

 

[raybonz]

Nate,
My T-5 also uses the pumice type brick and there has been discussion concerning using different type brick. I suggest you search the forum as you may find that you may want to stick with what the stove manufacturer originally used..

Ray

 

[nate379]

Stove shjop only stocks the ones I bought so it is what it is. There were $5 each too... ouch!

 

[raybonz]

Stove shjop only stocks the ones I bought so it is what it is. There were $5 each too... ouch!

I hear you! Seems Alaskans pay through the nose for most anything however your stove was designed to use those bricks for a reason.. You make the call..

Ray

 

[Armoured]

Stove shjop only stocks the ones I bought so it is what it is. There were $5 each too... ouch!

Info from another thread (note the bit that dense/heavier firebrick is more like soapstone, i.e. tends to absorb heat and conduct over time, as opposed to insulating/reflecting):

Probably a question best asked of the manufacturer and why they have them in there. Soapstone and insulating (light) firebrick have different properties - the most basic of which is that soapstone absorbs quite a lot of heat and conducts it over time, whereas insulating firebrick doesn't do either that much.
See here:
http://www.tulikivi.com/en/fireplaces/Soapstone_Properties_of_soapstone
http://www.traditionaloven.com/articles/81/insulating-fire-bricks

See also dense firebricks here which are closer to soapstone in some respects.

 

[nate379]

Is the BK rep still on here? I'd like to get his thoughts on it. I for sure don't want to damage my stove because of the wrong firebrick.

 

[rdust]

Is the BK rep still on here? I'd like to get his thoughts on it. I for sure don't want to damage my stove because of the wrong firebrick.

I'm sure he checks still, send him a pm and see what he says.

 

[Armoured]

Is the BK rep still on here? I'd like to get his thoughts on it. I for sure don't want to damage my stove because of the wrong firebrick.

I think that's definitely the thing to do. Personally I doubt it would damage it, particularly if it's just for a while and not pushing the stove hard (don't know if you need to use it now), but still best to check. Just as likely it just wouldn't burn quite as well / as designed.

 

[nate379]

I have no idea how to find him, I just remember a while back a guy from Blaze King answering questions on here.

I'm sure he checks still, send him a pm and see what he says.

 

[GAMMA RAY]

I have no idea how to find him, I just remember a while back a guy from Blaze King answering questions on here.

I think it might have been Fsappo....
I remember he started a thread about a Blaze King stove. He was reporting the burn times and temps. I think he owns a stove shop and they started carrying Blaze King stoves.
He hasn't been around in a while. It couldn't hurt to shoot him a pm.

 

[mellow]

Are you talking about BKVP?

https://www.hearth.com/talk/members/bkvp.18988/

 

[greythorn3]

nate stop trying to take the cheap way out! GET THE RIGHT BRICKS!

 

[Highbeam]

Old thread for sure but screw the bricks, aren't you all worried about the huge rust problem? How long before the firebox was perforated?

 

[nate379]

Dunno, I'd imagine the steel is fairly thick.

 

[Ashful]

Dunno, I'd imagine the steel is fairly thick.

10 ga. firebox = 0.135" thick
16 ga. exterior = 0.060" thick

 

[Woody Stover]

10 ga. firebox = 0.135" thick
16 ga. exterior = 0.060" thick

Not that it would rust through any time soon but that's not real thick, is it? Pretty sure the Buck 91 is around 1/4", maybe thicker on top. I'll have to measure... I know the Buck is like 140# heavier.

 

[nate379]

10 ga. firebox = 0.135" thick
16 ga. exterior = 0.060" thick

Nah it's thicker than that. Top and front is 1/4"

 

[Highbeam]

I don't know, I figured the top is 1/4" but the rest is easily 1/8". The BK is not built like a tank with regards to thickness. You can actually see the metal distortion in the top from the welds below where the cat enclosure is attached.

 

[Woody Stover]

Blaze King "10 gauge. & 1/4” Firebox" so 1/4" top, I guess?

EDIT: OK, Nate.
Saw this thread, didn't realize it was older, and thought "He's shutting down already? This must be a weird winter..."

 

[Woody Stover]

I can tell you, it's a job getting the Buck rolling from a dead stop; All that steel really soaks up the heat.

 

[greythorn3]

mines welded all around not just stiched welded like in that pic.