What is considered clean before insert install?

[d.sebens]

I’m just needing to know of this is clean enough. Sadly I don’t have a picture of the 12x12 clay liner but it matches sheen. I can work on cleaning the liner more if needed, I just need to know if this is stage three or if the light is making it look like it. The liner is very smooth with just a think layer of black. The thing is that with the light it looks like it might be a tiny but shiny. There’s no real build up or flakes or clumps. I will try to get a picture of the liner sometime for clarification. The firebox and damper pictures are for reference of the liner sheens.

Thanks in advance!

 

[EbS-P]

Did you run a brush or rotary cleaner down it? If it was me I didn’t get a soot eater and and leave the strings long clean the 12x12 then trim for your new liner. This was how clean mine was.

 

[EbS-P]

Pic

 

[d.sebens]

I did run a rotary down it. I will do it again just to make sure. Mine looks like yours but may be more shiny. It’s the same amount of build up though. I also would not consider it glass shine. It looks like the top of my fire blocks in the picture with the damper. The rotary is a little hard to use in there. It likes to go nuts with the wide open space.

 

[EbS-P]

I could not scrape anything off mine. It really was down to the smooth but coated clay surface. Are you using and insulated liner? I recommend it and removing the whole damper and frame assembly.

 

[d.sebens]

Yes it’s insulated and I removed enough of the damper. The rest that’s left it’s surrounded by brick and would make no difference. The insert is coming next week so im preparing. I made a block off plate and got rock wool in it right now. I’ll cut the hole when I get the liner and insert.

 

[d.sebens]

I pulled my block off plate to clean again just to make sure. I’ll post the before and after. I feel like it’s pretty clean now. There’s two before and one after.

 

[EbS-P]

I pulled my block off plate to clean again just to make sure. I’ll post the before and after. I feel like it’s pretty clean now. There’s two before and one after.

View attachment 289374 View attachment 289375 View attachment 289376

As long as the top is as clean as the bthe bottom you are looking pretty clean.

 

[d.sebens]

Yep, I spent more time up there than bottom. I can look up from the bottom and get a pretty good look. I was surprised, I was able to use the weed wacker soot eater on the smoke chamber also. It worked really well, WAY better than a wire brush.