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After many years of building traditional short and deep fireboxes on my fireplaces, I happened across some information regarding rumford fireplaces. Curious, and intrigued I built one. Works Great. Then I found out about the superior clay corporation and all the nifty accessories they sell on rumford.com. Turns out that they sell preformed throats made of vitrified clay, the same stuff that flue tiles are made of. The process they described about laying up the surrounding masonry was in direct contact with the clay throat. Those of you fellow masons know that the flue tiles must have a one inch air clearance because of expansion from the heat of the smoke. My Question is that if the firebox is the hottest part of the chimney why do we worry about air clearances on the flue tiles? The reason I ask this question is that I have a hard time believing that flue gasses get hot enough to expand a clay flue tile when the fire box is totally backed up with 8 inches of surounding masonry and yet no worry of expansion? Anyone know of a technical data site dealing with this type of subject? Thanx Jon J.
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After many years of building traditional short and deep fireboxes on my fireplaces, I happened across some information regarding rumford fireplaces. Curious, and intrigued I built one. Works Great. Then I found out about the superior clay corporation and all the nifty accessories they sell on rumford.com. Turns out that they sell preformed throats made of vitrified clay, the same stuff that flue tiles are made of. The process they described about laying up the surrounding masonry was in direct contact with the clay throat. Those of you fellow masons know that the flue tiles must have a one inch air clearance because of expansion from the heat of the smoke. My Question is that if the firebox is the hottest part of the chimney why do we worry about air clearances on the flue tiles? The reason I ask this question is that I have a hard time believing that flue gasses get hot enough to expand a clay flue tile when the fire box is totally backed up with 8 inches of surounding masonry and yet no worry of expansion? Anyone know of a technical data site dealing with this type of subject? Thanx Jon J.