Page 8 RAIN January 1978 Care Ecologically-oriented people are using more wood fuel than ever before. I've noti.ced that many of us who burn wood have a tendency tQ neglect the periodic maintenance necessary for safety and efficiency. Of particular concern are older single ' course, unlined brick chimneys. Chimney fires are of little concern in newer, better constructed brick chimneys. This year, three old houses near mine have burned because their owners did not maintain the chimney. • A yearly cleaning and inspection of the stove or furnace is a good point at which to begin. Potential problems can be discovered before·they become critical. Stoves which have air leaks tend to develop "hot spots" and deteriorate much faster than they should. Welded stoves warp at an accelerated . rate as the door or door frame begins to lose shape. The first step is to wire brush and vacuum the stove interior. Listed below are some common chores and examinations to perform. • Trouble 1. Place trouble light inside stove in darkened room. Examine door and door frame for light leaks. 2. While trouble light is inside stove, check for light leaks around seams and joints. 3. If the appearance of .the stove is rusty or pale grey-white. Mode of Actidn to be Followed Replace door gasket if light is visible: Some . older stoves did not use gaskets, and a good seal cannot be achieved. Maintenance of newer welded stoves must be done by the stove dealer or manufacturer usually under the implied or limited warranties. I consider stoves one to five years old with warped doors or door frames to be defective. Fjll any g~ps by applying furnace cement (usually a clay, asbestos and water mixture) from the inside. No special tools are needed. Wipe off any excess cement which appears on outside of stove. Remove rust with a wire brush or emery cloth. Do not sandblast! Apply stove polish or high temperature silicone finish. FIRCHER'S CORNER Here are two publications from Rodale Press (Emmaus, PA 18049) that are about using firch for toolmaking and knifemaking. The1first, Edge of the Anvil: A Resource Book for the Blacksmith, by Jack Andrews ($6.95),•is a well:rounded primer with lots of drawings, an ex,cellent bibliography, and a useful index. Perhaps most interesting, after reading about how to make different shapes by all sorts of methods, are the photos of the decorative smith-work produced by a master. Step-by-Step Knifemaking, oy David Boye ($7.95), starts from scratch and leads you from the first simple knife through an increasing profusion of more difficult knifework, using simple and then more complex cools and techniques for heattreating, handle-making, blade-trueing. Sharpening & maintenance, steel-etching, sheathmaking and the science of alloy steels end the book. It's full' of shop hints and reads clearly. and maintenance. Square Chimney Brush Round Chimney Brush Older or unlined brick chimneys should be occasionally tested. One effective method is to build a small smudge in your stove or in the cle<J,n-out at the bottom of the chimney. Cover the chimney top with a wet blanket or piece of plywood. Look for smoke oozing from behind partitions or between bricks. If the chimney leaks smoke, it's probably time to call for professional help. Sometimes your local fire department can be of assistance. Pre-fabricated metal chimneys must also be inspec(ed and deaned. These chimneys are easily brushed by the homeow.ner. If you're operating an air control efficient wood burner, I suggest that "air-siphon'~chimneys (Ameri-vent, Majestic) not be used, and if they have been installed previously, replaced with a chimney incorporating solid insulation. The air-insulated chimneys tend to super-cool the stove exhaust, causing excessive creosote accumulation when used with efficient stoves. •
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