Exposed steel in the arch

[TedA]

Johnallin, thanks for the pictures. I like your sandwiche approach but wonder how long it will hold up. I suspect the bolts or nuts (whichever is on the fire side) will eventually disintegrate from prolonged exposure to extreme heat. If you got two years out of it w/o having them turn to dust, my hats off to you. Did you use some special bolts that can take the heat? Also your inside part of the sandwich appears to be metal. Tell me that won't get red hot after an hour or two of steady cooking. Then like my small flat iron wedge pieces, it becomes a hazard while fueling. Sounds like there is no easy solution.

[mol1jb]

On the 2x6 I made last year I welded nuts to the inside of the door and just used bolts through the insulation blanket to keep it attached the door. The bolts were 1/2 inch grade 8 and held up great. I have heard of others using grade 8 bolts with good success

[johnallin]

Johnallin, thanks for the pictures. Did you use some special bolts that can take the heat? Also your inside part of the sandwich appears to be metal. Tell me that won't get red hot after an hour or two of steady cooking. Then like my small flat iron wedge pieces, it becomes a hazard while fueling. Sounds like there is no easy solution.

The bolts are stainless steel along with the inside piece of metal. So far, after two seasons, so good. It does get hot, but no hotter than the cast iron door alone.

[TedA]

OK, johnallin is on to something here. After reading his response, it seems that I made several mistakes. One was my bolts through the door were too small. Second they were not stainless steel. Third my wedge pieces were barely 1/8 inch and were normal ferrous steel, not stainless. After a couple of hours of cooking, my thin wedge pieces were bright cherry red (i.e. super hot). Johnallin used stainless bolts and his inside plate is 1/4 inch stainless - which being thicker and stainless - heats up more slowly.

[Sugarbush Ridge]

I use some expanded metal. Yes, only last one or two years but holds and protects blanket.

[smokeyamber]

I would second using just plain steel, and the stainless bolts, just did this on my setup, and yes the sheetmetal does get a nice cherry red, but should last several seasons. My rig throws enough heat that loading is done from the side so I am never too close to the red hot metal.