Mother's Heat Grabber Is Back

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Trim the fiberglass batting to fit between the support strips and use it to cover all of the remaining exposed (under)surface of the paneling. Then with the collector still upside down-cut enough aluminum printing plates to cover the entire bottom of the Heat Grabber (don't forget to allow for 1" overlaps at the seams and for the 90° bend where the sheeting is fastened to the lip at the collector's top), and staple the plates to the edge of the frame and the cross-supports.

Turn the Heat Grabber back over and begin construction of the two-part divider by cutting five 112" X 314" X 67-112" strips and four 112" X 314" X 24" strips of wood from the remainder of your 1 X 8 stock. Then nail two of the 112" X 314" X 67-112" and all four of the 112" X 314" X 24" pieces of wood together into a 112" X 25-112" X 67-112" "ladder".

Trim both sheets of cardboard to the same outside dimensions as the ladder framework (25-112" X 67-112"), staple one of the sheets to one side of the frame, turn the assembly over, and glue the 112"thick tubing spacers to the cardboard's inside surface.

Fill this newly-formed "tray" with an ample amount of cellulose insulation (or fiberglass batting, if you have enough on hand), lay a bead of glue on the exposed surfaces of the 112".thick spacers and framing, and staple on the other sheet of cardboard to form an insulation-and. spacer "sandwich".

Cut enough aluminum foil to cover both pieces of cardboard. Then coat one side of the divider with water glass, carefully cover it with foil, turn the divider over, and cover its other side the same way.

Position the three remaining 112" X 314" X 67-112" strips of wood on top of the foil-covered divider-314" sides down spaced as shown (7-314" apart)-and nail them to the divider's frame and cross members. Then cut enough aluminum printing plate material to cover the 25-112" X 67-112" area (allow enough for overlap at the seams), cover it well on both sides with a coat or two of high-temperature flat black paint, and staple the aluminum sheeting to the three supports.

Position the completed divider in the collector's frame-aluminum plate up so that it's butted up against the foil covered paneling in the Heat Grabber's upper section (this will leave about a 2-314" space between the divider's bottom end and the frame's lower end board). Hold the divider up temporarily so that there's a 2-114" space all the way up and down between its back surface and the foil-covered paneling underneath it. Then drill through the Heat Grabber's sides into the sides of the divider's framing and secure the divider in place with wood screws.

Lay the three panes of glass into the groove around the top of the collector's frame, tack them in place with glazier's points, run a bead of silicone sealant along the two seams where the panes meet, and form a weather tight seal between the glass and the wooden frame with glazing compound.

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