Firebox Door Seal

lostbuckaroo · Post by **lostbuckaroo** » February 22nd, 2013, 12:38 pm

I thought I read on here somewhere that the rope/rtv combo won't work on the fire box door???? (only on the CC door) If this is the case how are you all sealing your FB door??

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » February 22nd, 2013, 12:54 pm

I don't know who "seals" the firebox door per say....

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lostbuckaroo · Post by **lostbuckaroo** » February 22nd, 2013, 1:23 pm

Ok so "sealing" the firebox door (or a somewhat air tight seal) is not as important on the FB door...Like the CC door would be.. ??

Miketheforester · Post by **Miketheforester** » February 22nd, 2013, 1:27 pm

I didn't us a "seal". As long as your door fits relatively snug against the flange you should be fine. If you look at the picture of the door latch on Frank's 24x36 patio he just finished you will notice the latch hits a metal ramp inside the fb which will keep the door pulled snug against the flange and seems to work really well.

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » February 22nd, 2013, 1:36 pm

Yes it's not as important ....because your only drawing a small amount off air thru the door .....unlike the cook chamber which your not wanting to loose smoke....

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lostbuckaroo · Post by **lostbuckaroo** » February 22nd, 2013, 2:00 pm

Miketheforester wrote:I didn't us a "seal". As long as your door fits relatively snug against the flange you should be fine. If you look at the picture of the door latch on Frank's 24x36 patio he just finished you will notice the latch hits a metal ramp inside the fb which will keep the door pulled snug against the flange and seems to work really well.

Got it! That's exactly what I was planning on doing! Thank you

lostbuckaroo · Post by **lostbuckaroo** » February 22nd, 2013, 2:00 pm

dcman (The Czar) wrote:Yes it's not as important ....because your only drawing a small amount off air thru the door .....unlike the cook chamber which your not wanting to loose smoke....

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Thanks for your help!

Hambone · Post by **Hambone** » February 25th, 2013, 1:45 pm

lostbuckaroo wrote:I thought I read on here somewhere that the rope/rtv combo won't work on the fire box door???? (only on the CC door) If this is the case how are you all sealing your FB door??

It works fine on my wood stove. Same idea.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » February 26th, 2013, 6:49 am

I must see the world differently because I have to share some experience here....

The think the seal on the Firebox door is as important if not MORE important than the cook chamber. If you build tight with no warpage problems then you'll probably be fine ... HOWEVER, a leak at that location means you have a minimum draft that has nothing to do with your intentional draft setting. Even closed, your fire is still getting air so you can't throttle it back to a solid idle or choke it - a safety feature for killing a runaway (hope you never have one) also a darn handy feature at comps where you want to kill the fire to clean out and pack up for the trip home in short order.

If I close the FB door and draft and install the shunt cap on Edgar (see snow picture on "A table idea... post") that fire will be out in 45 minutes to an hour - not that you could grab it bare handed, but it will never come back to life on it's own at that point.

A wise man once told me about smoker design; "If you aren't controlling the air then you aren't in charge."

jm2cw

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » February 26th, 2013, 6:51 am

Sorry for the double post but all my designs have fire rope on the CC door and it works fine there - hell it's rated over 2000 degrees and most fire boxes I've seen never got north of 900 ...

TuscaloosaQ · Post by **TuscaloosaQ** » February 26th, 2013, 7:39 am

make you a door with a sub frame like this and i will guarantee yoo it will seal and not leak I do it on all doors/// cause it is the right thing to do

lostbuckaroo · Post by **lostbuckaroo** » February 27th, 2013, 1:08 am

Rick wrote:Sorry for the double post but all my designs have fire rope on the CC door and it works fine there - hell it's rated over 2000 degrees and most fire boxes I've seen never got north of 900 ...

Glad you posted it's not too late for fire rope and I've got plenty!

SoloQue · Post by **SoloQue** » February 27th, 2013, 1:24 pm

The first time I fired up ol Pops he smoked around the FB door so I ran out and bought some braided gasket. I bought too large of a diameter and couldn't even get the door closed once the gasket was in place. At that time I wasn't totally familiar with just how good TQ can weld so I had seriously over compensated. I pulled out all the 3/8 cord and went back in `with 1/4. The door was really stubborn but I got her closed. About 2 weeks later on my 4th cook or so I could no longer get the FB door closed and believe me I have a fair amount of weight to close doors with. I stripped out all but the single bottom line of gasket and the beast hasn't wiffed a puff of smoke since.

All that said, it has been my experience that as the metal heats it will do a bit of expanding and forming to where it can so what lightly smokes today just might not at all after a few cooks.

This has not been a paid advertisement of TQ smokers but it is a dang close facsimile to what folks say of his work daily

TuscaloosaQ · Post by **TuscaloosaQ** » February 27th, 2013, 3:23 pm

Thanks Solo, I appreciate the Kudos

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » February 28th, 2013, 8:52 am

I can appreciate what you're sayin there Solo ... when you deal with a world class builder like TQ you have to set the fire rope gasket to the door/frame FIRST ... then compress and weld the hinges/latches etc. to allow for the compressed thickness of the seal ... otherwise that will happen....

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