The cheese they try to put in stove now

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Hi guys, I've not had the chance to read every single post on this so excuse me if I cover previous ground. From a MFG point of view you must differentiate between 'fiber board' and Ceramic cast. The term cheesy has been used quite a bit so i'm trying to figure out what is going on.

As a MFG we use all sorts of material for baffles: pumice bricks, refractory bricks, vermiculite, Stainless steel, 'C-Cast' Ceramic baffles. But not fiber board. I dont know off hand what is the composition of fiber board. They come in various grades and thickness. I see them used in lower price point stoves.

Since we've used all material for our baffles we can speak with experience what is 'better'. From a user point of view 'better' is in the eye of the beholder. Each have their unique properties, pro's and cons. Steel baffles are durable, but over time will crack, bend & warp especially if they are welded into place. Pumice bricks of course have to be replaced on a regular basis, easy to access but is inexpensive and typically used on lower price point stoves. etc...

When you talk about a cheesy baffle, I assume you are talking about Vermiculite or fiber board.

We use 'C-Cast' in some of our premium brands and furnaces since it outperforms many of these in Strength, insulation, abrasion resistance, resistance to shrinking, weight loss & environmental exposure. It will handle close to 3,000 F. We use these not because it is less expensive, as a matter of fact it is much more expensive than all of the above but because it has a better overall performance. As far as breakage, well yes you can break them especially if a sweep do not remove them first and hit them with their brushes. From a user point of view, I cant understand how you would break one of those since the tubes are in the way, so logs would hit those first. Unless you are very over zealous with a poker it's not an issue. However, there is a 7 year warranty.
 
FyreBug said:
As a MFG we use all sorts of material for baffles: pumice bricks, refractory bricks, vermiculite, Stainless steel, 'C-Cast' Ceramic baffles. But not fiber board.

It may simply be a difference in terminology, but straight from the parts list for an Isle Royale:
Part 9.5 - Fiberboard, Baffle
And I would be very hesitant to call an Isle Royale a "lower price point" stove.
My guess is that proper terminology may be getting in the way of our discussion.
 
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