Securing Stove Pipe Connections

when you secure your stove pipe sections together do you pre drill a hole for the sheet metal screws and what size metal screws are you using for stove pipe on the TLC-2000 ?

Yes, pre-drill the holes & any size sheet metal screw are fine. They only have to be large enough to go through both stove pipes...Not huge. (it is recommended that you use 3 screws per joint for added strength)

Or use the self drilling screws.

Self Tap Sheet metal screws, like #10 or #12. Any hardward store should have them. You can also drill and screw them.

My chimney consists of 2 elbows 2 vertical and 3 horizontal sections , I use one screw per joint near the seam and in 15 years never had a problem . Unless you got time to kill and screws to waste don't go overboard that pipe aint going nowhere .

lewis wrote:Unless you got time to kill and screws to waste don't go overboard that pipe aint going nowhere .

I guess you're right.....Why BLOW 2 cents worth of screws & 5 minutes work just to ensure your family's safety!

Thank you guys very much !!!!

lewis wrote:My chimney consists of 2 elbows 2 vertical and 3 horizontal sections , I use one screw per joint near the seam and in 15 years never had a problem . Unless you got time to kill and screws to waste don't go overboard that pipe aint going nowhere .

You have never seen a good puffback, have you?

We want you to survive your coal experience, please put THREE(3) screws in every joint.

Amen to that. Three screws is an absolute must. And make sure your baro damper is very secure or it can blow that across the room also.

Read this topic:

Minor Explosion in Coal Stove

Puff backs do happen, and they make a mess, and a minor puff-back could open a joint with only one screw and provide a leak.

Better safe than sorry,,, saves $$ on the invitations to the funerals..

Greg L

Not to trump what these guys are saying........ or to suggest that you do anything I do......

But I have no screws in any of my joints on the pipe. I use fireplace mortar to hold the pipe in the chimney. Why? Because I'm lazy & want to avoid any extra steps in shutting down my stove for the season! I set the stove in place so that the pipe perfectly lined up with the hole in the chimney. Once I wrestle the pipe in there & mortar it up, that pipe wouldn't come out of there if it wanted to!

Solid. Redneck style!

That chimney pulls a killer draft -- I may be lazy, but wouldn't endanger the wifey & the cats.

Do you have any screws securing the elbow into the back of the stove??

On my 'Big Bertha' boiler, I blew the elbow out of the back of the boiler, pulling the elbow over the one [ 1 ] screw 'securing' it in place.. You can't imagine the mess... I had to powerwash the inside of the boiler building the next summer..
If this had happened in my house I would have had to buy new carpet, new furniture and repaint.. I was burning Bitumunous coal at that time..

So that elbow can be pushed off the stove by a puff-back.. been there, done that, made the mess

Greg L

No.

No screws anywhere.

Oh I can imagine! What a mess that fine ash makes when forced airbourne!

I've got myself & the wife trained on not opening any doors on the stove when there isn't any blue flame. Usually after I load it up, I leave the bottom door open for a long time so all the coal is burning before I shut the door.

If it blows off, I'll just blame my wife...

Three screws and you won't have to blame anyone... Note,, I'm a convert on this subject.. I thought one screw was plenty.. untill the above puff back occured..

Greg

"If it blows off, I'll just blame my wife... "

If it blows off, you won't be able to blame anyone and when they find you, you will be pink.