Given the limited time that stone masons (all amateurs, with the exception of the exceptional Bob Stafford) spend on the island, the project could take years to complete.
No fires can be built until the project is complete.
Recently, Bob proposed a solution that would hasten the project forward. Once the smoke box is completed, which is tentatively scheduled to happen later this summer or fall, two solutions could be finished in an afternoon (or two). That means fires in the fireplace!
Quick Solution # 1: The metal-and-asbestos solution. On top of the smoke box, a metal tube rises up to the roofline and above it, fastened to the siding with arms every few feet. Ugly, perhaps, but cheap. Here are a couple of examples.
Since we already have ceramic flue tiles on the island, Bob recommends a different solution if we want to go the "quick" route: cinder blocks that can be stacked. Here are some pictures as examples.
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| This picture shows a cinderblock with the ceramic flue liner inside it. Note: we already have the ceramic flue liners on the island. |
Prices for these cinder block chimney pieces are about $10 apiece. I estimate we would need 30 or 40 of them. They are pretty easy to install.
