Found A Good Source For 1/2" Ceramic Fiber Board For Baffles, etc

[Nonprophet]

I know from looking at various threads here on baffles and baffle material that a fair amount of us use 1/2" thick ceramic fiber board baffle material which isn't very easy to find on the secondary market. I need a 14.5"x8.75" piece for my Isle Royale, and I was having a hard time swallowing the $72 dollar plus freight price tag for such a small piece.

I found this source on ebay (broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-temperature-ceramic-fiber-board-2300-F-/110746928562?pt=BI_Security_Fire_Protection&hash=item19c90805b2#ht_500wt_1413) where you can get a 3'x2' piece for $50 shipped. For me, that's four pieces the size I need for $50 shipped, not bad at all IMHO.


NP

 

[BrotherBart]

That is a find. Thanks.

 

[Jags]

An intentional bump to the top.

Nice find on the baffle material. One more piece of the puzzle in putting that quad back into action (where it belongs)

 

[Joey]

Nice...good info.

 

[mhrischuk]

That's nice but I need a full sheet for my larger hearth. I don't want pieces.

 

[begreen]

This is for a the stove baffle, it would be overkill for hearth insulation.

 

[Jags]

That's nice but I need a full sheet for my larger hearth. I don't want pieces.

This is the wrong stuff for hearth construction. This is the stuff that typically sits above burn tubes (or cat) inside the stove.

 

[mhrischuk]

That's nice but I need a full sheet for my larger hearth. I don't want pieces.

This is the wrong stuff for hearth construction. This is the stuff that typically sits above burn tubes (or cat) inside the stove.

My mistake. Read it wrong. I used Micor

 

[latitude45]

Nice find. I know I will need some for next season. better order now!

 

[cmonSTART]

I bet those would work well in a 30NC. Might need to trim them a bit though.

Great find!

 

[raybonz]

Great find NC! Ebay has some good deals at times and can beat many larger retailers..

Ray

 

[precaud]

NP, this is not an equivalent product to what your Quad had. This is lower density and much lower abrasion resistance, basically the same as Kaowool M-board. Temp-wise it's fine, but bump a split into it and you'll leave a significant gash. It will not last long unless you have a very tall firebox where there's no chance of wood coming into contact with it.

The stuff you want would be rated 2500-2800F or higher. I spoke to that vendor in the spring, he told me he would have the higher density board in 1/2" thickness available by this fall. You might want to ask him about it.

 

[Nonprophet]

Hi Precaud,

Thanks for the advice. I did talk to the company to explain what I would be using it for, and they told me it would be very near to the density of the board being used in most wood stoves. I asked if they had any that was the same density as the factory Quad stuff in 1/2", and he said they did not, and didn't know if they would be getting any. So I figure that A) all the ceramic fiber boards are fairly fragile (or else we wouldn't need to be replacing them) and so it's a good idea to be careful about not jamming splits up against it no matter which board you're using, B) you're supposed to leave a 3-4 inch gap beneath the burn tubes and the top of your wood for the most efficient burn which should help limit contact with the baffle board, and C) at $12.50 a shot if each piece lasts a couple years I'm ok with that as opposed to $85 a piece from Quadrafire.

I guess I'm a little confused because in another thread (https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/38442/) you said that you had switched out your Skamool baffles (which are harder and denser I think) with Kaowool-M baffles about which you said:

"Both of my stoves have ceramic fiber baffle boards, though the X33 originally had a Skamol baffle and I replaced it with Kaowool M-board. The fiberboard baffle material fits right in with the concept of lightweight, highly insulating lining materials for the firebox and, in my opinion, it’s the best material for the job. Replace it with just about anything else and you’re emissions will go up, guaranteed."

Have you actually tried any of the board that I just bought? I am curious to see how well it holds up.......

Thanks!


NP

NP, this is not an equivalent product to what your Quad had. This is lower density and much lower abrasion resistance, basically the same as Kaowool M-board. Temp-wise it's fine, but bump a split into it and you'll leave a significant gash. It will not last long unless you have a very tall firebox where there's no chance of wood coming into contact with it.

The stuff you want would be rated 2500-2800F or higher. I spoke to that vendor in the spring, he told me he would have the higher density board in 1/2" thickness available by this fall. You might want to ask him about it.

 

[DexterDay]

With the gaps in the top of the 30-NC. I figure I will bite. Ordered it last night. Shipping is pricey (more than the board itself/ouch) I am thinking about just putting it on top of the factory boards. It will cover the gaps, add insulation to the top, and also still be protected by the factory boards (if this is flimsy)

Any thoughts??? Or did I just flush $50 down the toilet? The gap in the middle or sides (depending on how you have it sitting) seems pretty significant. I would like the heat to stay in the stove ss long as possible. Not escaping through a 1/2" gap. I have read were others have added another board from Englander in the middle/top. Same idea here.

 

[precaud]

NP,

I switched out the baffle in my X33 from Skamol to M-board (both 1") because it has a very tall firebox and under no circumstances will wood get anywhere near it.

Have you actually tried any of the board that I just bought? I am curious to see how well it holds up.......

Of course, there's nothing wrong with experimenting. I only wanted to alert you that the material you're getting isn't what you're replacing. The density and abrasion resistance are much less. Ask the vendor for those figures. You will see, it is the same as the M-board.

The vendor is primarily a sales person. I asked him to contact me as soon as they had the higher-density 1/2" board available; he never has.

 

[northwinds]

Still a good find, NP. Let us know how it works for you.

 

[precaud]

Sorry to differ, but 2300F ceramic fiber board in many thicknesses has been available from numerous sources for years. I paid $33 for a 1"x36"x24" sheet two years ago.

What we really need is to convince someone to stock the higher density board in 1/2" thickness. We know its being made; but noone stocks it. This eBay vendor had no idea the material was being used in woodstoves until I told him so.

BTW, a much cheaper way to protect the standard baffle board and prolong its life is to add a layer if 1/4" Kaowool on top. Some manufacturers started doing that already. It has the added benefit of sealing any gaps around the perimeter of the baffle board.

 

[BrotherBart]

One inch is all over the place. It is a different story for half inch. I have looked for it off and on for four years.

 

[precaud]

BB, I think that's because it has limited usefulness in lower thicknesses; the density isn't high enough to give good dimensional stability, it will warp and sag. And if you don't need dimensional stability, then the blankets offer better insulation properties and cost less.

Sagging isn't the end of the world, as long as you're willing to replace it more often.

 

[Nonprophet]

With the gaps in the top of the 30-NC. I figure I will bite. Ordered it last night. Shipping is pricey (more than the board itself/ouch) I am thinking about just putting it on top of the factory boards. It will cover the gaps, add insulation to the top, and also still be protected by the factory boards (if this is flimsy)

Any thoughts??? Or did I just flush $50 down the toilet? The gap in the middle or sides (depending on how you have it sitting) seems pretty significant. I would like the heat to stay in the stove ss long as possible. Not escaping through a 1/2" gap. I have read were others have added another board from Englander in the middle/top. Same idea here.

I agree that the shipping is spendy, but, if you think about sending a 3 ft x 2ft pice of glass through the mail you get an idea about how they have to package it up. In fact I found a place in Texas that would sell me a similar size and quality piece and they wanted $25 for the fiberboard, a $25 packaging fee, and then another $25+ in shipping.....In fact that's one of the reasons I was excited to find these guys on ebay because their price shipped is the best I'd found anywhere.

I think it should work quite well for what you want it--keep us posted!



NP

 

[Nonprophet]

BTW, a much cheaper way to protect the standard baffle board and prolong its life is to add a layer if 1/4" Kaowool on top. Some manufacturers started doing that already. It has the added benefit of sealing any gaps around the perimeter of the baffle board.

For my Isle Royale, I think this should work pretty darned well because A) it's a small piece (15"x9") and B) it's sandwhiched between the solid steel baffle plate and the burn tubes. I'll probably put some fireplace mortar on the back of the piece to help "glue" it to the movable baffle plate--I may also think about putting some wire mesh over the baffle board to help protect it......



NP

 

[begreen]

How about a sheet of 24ga stainless under the board to protect it?

 

[BrotherBart]

How about a sheet of 24ga stainless under the board to protect it?

I put a piece of 304 thicker than that under it a couple of years ago to see. It warped in no time flat.

 

[begreen]

I was afraid of that, but thought it would at least last a season. Oh well.

 

[Nonprophet]

How about a sheet of 24ga stainless under the board to protect it?

On the Isle Royale, the baffle board actually sits against the 3/8" thick cast baffle plate that is raised up and down via a lever to facilitate top-loading. Seeing as it has solid metal completely behind it, and burn tubes directly underneath it, I don't think it's going anywhere. Time will tell, but I think that at least for my application this stuff should work pretty darned well...


NP