Replacing Thimble

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 10:15 am

If you did this without rubber gloves, how are the cracks in your skin holding up? Refractory is a great product, but protect the finger tips. Nice removal and replacement. Great photos...and thanks for sharing.

Last week I was troubleshooting a low draft situation, and found a galvie thimble that was INSIDE the flue 5". We removed it and replaced it with 1/2" inside the flue. Problem solved, but that one deserves a WTF trophy!!!

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 10:39 am

buffalo bob wrote:take some rich stiff mortar almost like putty reach ur hand in there and pack it full of mortar at the joint of the thimble and the flue liner...refractory cement would be great as it will withstand the heat better reaching in there 12 inches is for sure a hand job...tools just wont git it packed in very good...

Thank you for the advice!

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 10:51 am

whistlenut wrote:If you did this without rubber gloves, how are the cracks in your skin holding up? Refractory is a great product, but protect the finger tips. Nice removal and replacement. Great photos...and thanks for sharing.

I'll make sure to put some gloves on, my wife would hate for me to ruin my soft hands

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 11:08 am

whistlenut wrote:Last week I was troubleshooting a low draft situation, and found a galvie thimble that was INSIDE the flue 5". We removed it and replaced it with 1/2" inside the flue. Problem solved, but that one deserves a WTF trophy!!!

I think its a 24 foot chimney with 8 inch square clay liner. I noticed some air blowing into the house from the thimble area. I was thinking it was because the top of the chimney is not level with the top of the roof, maybe two feet above where the gutters are supposed to be. Two chimneys were built many years after the house was built, on the side of the house.

In the photo, the chimney that is closest is the one I am connecting the stove to, the other is used for an old in the floor type oil furnace. A couple years ago when we used oil sparingly it cost about $1800 for 5-6 months of heating at $3/gal. Now that oil is above $3/gal electric space heating has been cheaper.

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 11:25 am

freetown fred wrote:I know this is only my thoughts, but, if you've got 8" tile--or even 6" I would cut that thimble so it only goes into the near side of the clay tile an inch or a little more. It will give you a lot better draw.

Are you saying that it would be best if possible to have the thimble inserted into the chimney liner an inch or so? I think that in order to do that I'd have to chisel away some of the clay tile and hope it doesn't break

Its a tight fit currently (not very straight either). At the local brick yard, Frederick Block here in Winchester, VA they have 6 inch diameter thimbles in 12 or 24 inch lengths only. I wonder if I should have bought the 24 inch and have the thimble stick out of the wall more. From the chimney its, liner - > cinder block -> ship lap wood siding -> lathe and plaster.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 11:26 am

Light some rolled up newspaper & hold it by the thimble--if it draws the smoke OUT---you're good---I repeat---how far into the liner is your thimble???? You should put a cap on the tile up top if you can get to it.

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 11:29 am

There is really only about 1/4 inch to maybe 1/2 inch over hang from edge of the plaster to the end of the clay thimble and less then and inch from where the liner and clay thimble would meet. No over hang in the liner. The liner is square and the thimble is round as seen in the pictures.

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 5:22 pm

Installed the new thimble with ASTM C199 refractory Mortar, purchased at Frederick Block Winchester, VA was $47 for a 50lbs bag.

Now we wait for it to dry...

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 8:11 pm

Looks real good L

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Mon. Feb. 25, 2013 9:44 pm

nice looking job...couldn't of done a better job myself...now keep an eye on it every time u clean out if it cracks wip up a little refract cement and patch it up...looks like u have plenty of cement...keep it dry don't sit the bag on the concrete floor sit it on a piece of ply wood...better yet put the whole bag into a nice heavy plastic garbage bag and tape it up,then set it on the wood..stuff to expensive to waste...every once and awhile thump the bag to keep it loosened up....u could also patch the room side up with it...

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Tue. Feb. 26, 2013 9:52 am

We have draft

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Tue. Feb. 26, 2013 10:15 am

loxety wrote:We have draft

yes u do looks good...now use some of that refract cement and patch up the hole around the pipe in the room try to push it in as far as u can..then take damp sponge and clean up wall...

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Tue. Feb. 26, 2013 10:42 am

Didn't I say roll up some paper???? Not some stinking candle

---ain't it grande when a plan comes together?

loxety wrote:We have draft

loxety · Post by **loxety** » Wed. Feb. 27, 2013 7:50 pm

Thanks to everyone that helped out I was able to get everything hooked up and passed code inspection this morning. I've got the stove going now, lots of heat!

Now to figure out if I am putting too much air in this stove or not.. How would I figure that out with out a thermometer on the stove and or pipe?

BTW it only took about 3 hours to get the coal lit lol!

Wiz · Post by **Wiz** » Wed. Feb. 27, 2013 8:37 pm

This will help you on draft. Manometer Install

Replacing Thimble

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