Squirrel Stove Door-Fire Rope

[Lizzy J]

We inherited a squirrel stove which generally is very efficient and does the job. Being safety minded I wanted to make sure that the seals were all OK. Last year I bought some fire rope and after carefully scraping out the grooves around the door stuck it in, only to find it was impossible to shut the door.

 

This year I have bought a 6mm piece of fire rope and ditto the above. The door is now impossible to shut. I don't just mean difficult but even after SteveE has sat on the floor with his back against the cabin wall pushing it with his feet (it is securely fixed to the hearth) it still won't shut!

 

When said rope is removed it shuts fine, firmly and as I remember stoves on boats we have hired in the past.

 

We have come to the conclusion that perhaps rope around the door grove is not neccessary but is this correct? There is rope under the glass and this is no problem.

 

Advice please.

[Nightwatch]

We replaced our fire rope seal on our squirrel stove this summer. We bought from a shop that sells them, can't remember the size, not helpfull I know. However, the door doesn't close as much as before but will close with a push on the door so that the catch just holds it. If this doesn't work, then I think you have the wrong size rope. Ensure you are not overlapping the rope at the join. I put the join at the bottom of the door to avoid the gap being at the top. (smoke escaping etc.)

Edited September 23, 2008 by Nightwatch1

[Bones]

We inherited a squirrel stove which generally is very efficient and does the job. Being safety minded I wanted to make sure that the seals were all OK. Last year I bought some fire rope and after carefully scraping out the grooves around the door stuck it in, only to find it was impossible to shut the door.

 

This year I have bought a 6mm piece of fire rope and ditto the above. The door is now impossible to shut. I don't just mean difficult but even after SteveE has sat on the floor with his back against the cabin wall pushing it with his feet (it is securely fixed to the hearth) it still won't shut!

 

When said rope is removed it shuts fine, firmly and as I remember stoves on boats we have hired in the past.

 

We have come to the conclusion that perhaps rope around the door grove is not neccessary but is this correct? There is rope under the glass and this is no problem.

 

Advice please.

 

sounds like you dont have the correct size of rope. You do need the rope around the door seal.

[bridgit]

Same thing happened to us. I removed some threads from the centre until it was a bit thinner.

[nbtafelberg]

Same here

 

The shop insisted it was the right size but in the end I went for thinner rope.

 

It seems to me there are two models of Squirrel that look the same but one has a deeper groove in the door where the rope lives.

[Dalesman]

We inherited a squirrel stove which generally is very efficient and does the job. Being safety minded I wanted to make sure that the seals were all OK. Last year I bought some fire rope and after carefully scraping out the grooves around the door stuck it in, only to find it was impossible to shut the door.

 

This year I have bought a 6mm piece of fire rope and ditto the above. The door is now impossible to shut. I don't just mean difficult but even after SteveE has sat on the floor with his back against the cabin wall pushing it with his feet (it is securely fixed to the hearth) it still won't shut!

 

When said rope is removed it shuts fine, firmly and as I remember stoves on boats we have hired in the past.

 

We have come to the conclusion that perhaps rope around the door grove is not neccessary but is this correct? There is rope under the glass and this is no problem.

 

Advice please.

The easy answer is to remove the INNER core of the rope...worked for me. You need the rope to stop the draught so that you can control the air to the fire..

cheers

Dalesman

[Guest TerryL]

We inherited a squirrel stove which generally is very efficient and does the job. Being safety minded I wanted to make sure that the seals were all OK. Last year I bought some fire rope and after carefully scraping out the grooves around the door stuck it in, only to find it was impossible to shut the door.

 

This year I have bought a 6mm piece of fire rope and ditto the above. The door is now impossible to shut. I don't just mean difficult but even after SteveE has sat on the floor with his back against the cabin wall pushing it with his feet (it is securely fixed to the hearth) it still won't shut!

 

When said rope is removed it shuts fine, firmly and as I remember stoves on boats we have hired in the past.

 

We have come to the conclusion that perhaps rope around the door grove is not neccessary but is this correct? There is rope under the glass and this is no problem.

 

Advice please.

 

I take it you have removed all the previous cement back to bare metal and only used a thin cement to hold the rope in place. Some ropes are made with ceramic mat with a woven sleeve and may not be too accurate and some are too stiff and won't bed in sufficiently. If all else fails try a 5mm rope.

[Lizzy J]

Thanks for the confirmation that I do need the rope.

 

I have taken it back to bare metal in the grove and was assured that the rope I bought this time was correct! I had read of people removing the core of the rope before but wasn't sure how to do this or why it should be neccessary.

 

It seems ridiculous that in a commonly fitted stove there is not a rope which fits it readily available.

 

Regards

[wrigglefingers]

Thanks for the confirmation that I do need the rope.

 

I have taken it back to bare metal in the grove and was assured that the rope I bought this time was correct! I had read of people removing the core of the rope before but wasn't sure how to do this or why it should be neccessary.

 

It seems ridiculous that in a commonly fitted stove there is not a rope which fits it readily available.

 

Regards

 

I did mine last year and it was a complete swine. Echo Bones and others' suggestion - removing the core worked for me too...... Still stiff tho'

 

Jill

[Bones]

Thanks for the confirmation that I do need the rope.

 

I have taken it back to bare metal in the grove and was assured that the rope I bought this time was correct! I had read of people removing the core of the rope before but wasn't sure how to do this or why it should be neccessary.

 

It seems ridiculous that in a commonly fitted stove there is not a rope which fits it readily available.

 

Regards

 

there is a rope that fits, but as taf says, I think there are two sorts, the thinner one is the one!

[Guest TerryL]

Thanks for the confirmation that I do need the rope.

 

I have taken it back to bare metal in the grove and was assured that the rope I bought this time was correct! I had read of people removing the core of the rope before but wasn't sure how to do this or why it should be neccessary.

 

It seems ridiculous that in a commonly fitted stove there is not a rope which fits it readily available.

 

Regards

 

Thinking about this I'm wondering if the rope is actually a shaped seal with a flat face that only the manufacturers use. A rope being round may be too thick.

[wrigglefingers]

Thinking about this I'm wondering if the rope is actually a shaped seal with a flat face that only the manufacturers use. A rope being round may be too thick.

 

Hello Terry,

 

Removing the core enabled the rope to be fitted into the groove and pushed in to form a u-shape. The core is stranded so you can pull out as little or as much as you like. I found a pair of pliers helped me get a grip on it without pulling out all of it.

 

Wriggly

[Nightwatch]

I must have been fortunate. Mine went in okay. Get the right size and it fits. Simple as that.