Federal Airtight 288CCL

[Saphira]

I am replacing all the gaskets on my stove and removed the cook top to work on bypass door. Can someone tell me what I use to seal the top when I put it back on? Gasket or Cement? or something else?
Thanks

 

[Wood Doctor]

I am replacing all the gaskets on my stove and removed the cook top to work on bypass door. Can someone tell me what I use to seal the top when I put it back on? Gasket or Cement? or something else?
Thanks

For the top I use a 3/8" replacement fiberglass stove gasket with cement, same as the doors. You can buy it in 6' length kits from most home improvement centers. The cement comes with it and that holds it in place. It works.

Hard to believe I ran into someone else with a Federal Airtight 288. Mine's a 1988 vintage:


I fired it up two nights ago. She still cranks out fabulous heat!

And, welcome to the forum!

 

[Saphira]

For the top I use a 3/8" replacement fiberglass stove gasket with cement, same as the doors. You can buy it in 6' length kits from most home improvement centers. The cement comes with it and that holds it in place. It works.

Hard to believe I ran into someone else with a Federal Airtight 288. Mine's a 1988 vintage:


I fired it up two nights ago. She still cranks out fabulous heat!

And, welcome to the forum!

Thanks very much. I just ended up using the black stove cement and that appears to have worked. My learning...I should have used gaskets as you mentioned because now a hinge on the by door broke and am not sure that I can get it out without removing the top. The gaskets would allow me to remove the top anytime I need to....Lesson learned....and our stoves look the same...mine is freestanding and wow what a difference when I can use the bypass door. Any suggestions on where the best place to purchase the bypass door?

 

[Wood Doctor]

It might be a lot easier to take the broken pieces to a welder's shop and have them weld the hinge back together again. Or, operate with only one hinge wrapped around the pivot rod. Mine has been that way for 20 years after one of my hinges broke off. The second hinge has never failed (knock on wood). Apparently, the two of them tend to bind. One larger hinge was all that was needed in the first place.

Incidentally, I may have misunderstood what you meant by "top". I thought you meant the steel plate on top that covers the cat converter chamber and holds the temperature gauge. It also has a small gasket strip below it.

The only parts shop I know of is Black Swan and their supply has become bare bones:
http://blackswanhome.com/stove-parts/

My 288 stove could be free standing because I still have the legs. But, it was easier for me to install in this fireplace without them. Operating as a free-standing stove, you will get more heat in the house and less up the chimney. It might also be easier top clean the chimney. Luckily, I found a chimney sweep who is as strong as a gorilla.

With the bypass door open all the time, you have nothing more than a typical fireplace insert with no damper and the stove top will never get hot enough to boil a kettle of water or fry eggs with a skillet. Efficiency will also drop like a stone. So, the bypass door is a must for this stove. See what you can do. It will be worth it.

 

[I brew beer]

The manuel calls for a flu damper for max efficiency. I am not messing with my gasket, yet to install, until i burn for a yr or two. However the flu damper can close off exhuast maximum 70%, and help with high draft chimneys.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I've checked my manual several times and it fails to mention a damper requirement. You have complete control of the intensity of the fire with the air intake on the side door and bottom door. Closing both of them will almost extinguish the fire because the stove is airtight.

 

[I brew beer]

Update...sanded and painted some more spots the guy missed. Looks gd with 3 cans if high temp rustoleum bbq. I installed the gasket for the doors and cemented my mess up (broken bolt holding glass in place). I also recemented the top from the outside--2 bolts on one side are x threaded and hardly in. I was able to put tge remaining door gasket 3/8 into and under the damper witha small screw driver: used to clean old stuff out. Everything is about ready except my stupid hearth pad did not come yet. Install Sunday, hopefully the pad comes. One guy on youtube said he gets the cat going (cleaned that two with distilled and viniger water boiling) and then tightens the air down to burn all the smoke. Something must stay open though.

 

[I brew beer]

Looking gd, but the top has to come off as it is smoking through the vents. Thanl God I tried to cure the cement and paint on thr driveway. The problem is 2 bolts are hardly screwed in and def cross threaded.

 

[I brew beer]

I didn't realize I posted above in this thread. Update: pushed rope gaskets into where some warpage occured, cemented the roap, and added rope to seal the center combuster chamber. Along with clear sky cat for $70, it is running great. Cat temp up to 1400.