Advice on adding a baffle to my Dragon

[brenndatomu]

Thanks for the links!
I don't have a problem using stainless except I have no way to weld anything together. I would have to somehow be able to thread the pipe so I can put a nut and washer on it, pass it through the stove wall and put another washer and nut on the outside effectively sealing it to the stove. As far as making bends on the inside of the stove I'm not sure how to do that. With black pipe I could have the hardware store thread the ends of my pre-cut pieces and use 90's or 45's to make my bends on the interior. Can this be done using stainless as well?

Just figure out your lengths, have the local hardware or HVAC shop thread it for you. You can assemble with standard pipe fittings, they hold up to the heat fine, no need for stainless fittings, and you should be able to build this without having to bend the pipe. Oh, and just a lil FYI, no need to tighten anything too tight, the minuscule amount of air that may leak out will not matter one whit. Actually, if you have any inclining that you may want to take the assembly apart again, you definitely don't want to tighten too much, once heated, the fittings will NOT unthread again if tightened fully.

 

[woodchuck357]

I put sliding baffles in several stoves by bolting angle iron to the inside top on both sides about 2 inches from the top and laying a sheet of steel that has been fitted to the back of the stove on top of the angle. The steel sheet is about 3 inches shorter than the fire box. When starting the fire and adding fuel the sheet is pulled forward allowing the smoke to flow from front to back and up the flue uninterrupted. For most of the burn cycle the baffle is pushed to the back cutting off the direct path to the flue and forcing most of the smoke to travel to the opening that is now at the front of the firebox and then between the baffle and the top of the stove to get to the flue.

 

[Bushbow]

Go stainless and get in touch with a welder. I have built baffled stoves and did mods to stoves with a baffle and tubes but that stove is in the welding/blacksmith shop so all the steel and tools were readily available.

 

[Bushmans]

Thanks for the advice Bushbow! How's the snow over in Fowlerville? Haven't been over that way in a few years.
I have a source for stainless tubing. I think we have stainless welding capabilities at work. I'm not 100% sure but I'll check. We weld aluminum and steel all day long so there's a good chance. Especially where I work building custom fire truck chassis.

 

[Bushbow]

Bushman - probably not much different here than there but I will be buzzing by on 69 in the AM so I will see if you all got the snow we have. For the baffle, if you have access, it will not need to be as heavy as you have now if stainless with a backer. You can get some on the flea bay and cut to size. I plan to cut some 1/8" stainless to put between my tubes and baffle boards on my NC 30 just to protect them a little from my aggressive loading. The welds do not have to be with stainless rod or wire - it is the parts that span(tubes/baffle) that like to be stainless because mild steel tends to sag in those heats.

I strongly suggest taking your phone or camera into home depot/lowes/TSC and take a bunch of shots inside a tube stove. If they give you any poo just say you are shopping a few different stoves and want to record details.

I did this and referring to them it helped a lot putting one together. Another option and recommendation is look at some of the stoves online. They have cut out diagrams that explain the 2ndary air system really well and will help you with ideas as to how to mod you current stove. I love a good project - keep the updates coming.

 

[Bushmans]

It's funny you say that. My wife works at Lowes part time and I asked her to take pics of the inside of the stoves so I can see! LOL

 

[disk_55FL]

" They have cut out diagrams that explain the 2ndary air system really well and will help you with ideas as to how to mod you current stove."

I've looked around some of the sites .... no joy

Can you point me in the right direction .... ?

 

[CTYank]

To prevent back-flow in the secondary air passages, you might want to pitch the baffle, so that the high side is the one the gases leave on. Having the discharge holes oriented parallel the gas flow ditto. Per below, you might want that air inlet down lower, for more heating surface.

Heating the secondary fresh-air is a good thing- helps to keep those gas jets firing over a wide range of conditions. E.g. in my Morso, the whole rear wall is a skin of a secondary air pre-heater, then that discharges into another pre-heater. It's not just about dumping some air into the firebox.

 

[rockhounder2414]

I'm thinking about all sorts of things but I think a simple baffle 1/4 inch stainless plate steel. I'm just not sure how close to the flue entrance ,and how close to the front door I can come. Open to any suggestions. Also for the fellow who was wonder about welding you can get 309 arc rods that will do fine for welding stainless to plain carbon steel just give the area a pre heat weld it and a little post heat. Heat the area all around the weld even to about 500 degrees let it cool slowly. If pre heat and post heating isn't an option you can ping the weld with a punch every 1/4 inch while it cools this will relieve shrink stress as it cools

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