Question about fire rope gasket

[sluggish]

Unfortunately life has gotten in the way this year and I haven't had a chance to build an evaporator as I had planned. However, I did manage to pick up a wood stove for free, that is a bit bigger than my stove last year, and is 2 tiered. I have cut out the top of the stove to set two pans on and am wondering about sealing up the area where they sit. Specifically, I'm wondering if I can attach/secure the rope gasket to the flat surface of the top of the stove, or does it need to be inset in some sort of channel? Heat loss was a huge factor for me last year, both around the pans, and also by not having insulation or fire brick. As luck would have it, I have lots of fire brick now and will be lining the new stove. As long as I can get the area around the pans sealed up, I should see a vast improvement. Any input on sealing that area? Any specific sized gasket? Thanks

[billyinvt]

A rope gasket will do wonders. I use a little bit of high temp silicone to get it to sit still and then the weight of the pan will keep it in place.

[sluggish]

Thanks. I bought the little rope kit with cement from HD so will see how it goes. It is put in place but hasn't cured yet. Should I expect it to cure nice and hard or will the cement always be kind of tacky. It seems more like a clear silicone than a cement. Guess I'll check it tomorrow and see how it is. I put a steel plate resting on the gasket and then about 50lbs on that.

[Gissert]

I set my 2 x 4 pan on rope gasket. The flat stuff seems to hold up better but I have to replace it every year. I take a wire wheel to the steel and clean it up before cementing it down. By the end of the year its in tough shape but its relatively inexpensive to replace on a yearly basis.

[billyinvt]

I've never had the cement actually hold the gasket in place. The weight of the pan holds it in place and I don't take the pan off till the boiling is all done for the year. I guess if you're taking the pan off several times per season you'd want it to stay in place by itself.

[markcasper]

What is up with the price of the strip insulation for under the pan edges? The crap is almost double the price from last year. 49$ for a 25 foot roll 1" wide, what a joke!

[woodey24]

go to http://www.sugarbushsupplies.com/2015_Catalog/archesforceddraftinsulation.pdf page 7 of the catalog, 17.50. Don't know how much shipping would be but shouldnt be 30.

[woodey24]

On the same page they have 4in wide strips that could help you seal it up if your gap is bigger.

[JDP]

anyone use roxul insulation cut in strips as a gasket?

[markcasper]

go to http://www.sugarbushsupplies.com/2015_Catalog/archesforceddraftinsulation.pdf page 7 of the catalog, 17.50. Don't know how much shipping would be but shouldnt be 30.

You are looking at last years book....2015. The same item above from Leader is $29.00 this year and that is what SBS sells. The 1" strip x 25' is listed at $48.95.

[woodey24]

I just bought one last Thursday from there and it was 17.50. I checked the receipt this morning.

[mtcrumpit]

If you go to McMaster Carr they have the ceramic blanket its 24" wide but the same price as the 2" roll. I snap a chalk line and cut with scissors