First burn of the season

September 7, 2026    Rain, 48F with a high of 53F.
When I rebuilt the Shop Dragon last year, I only had one 12x12 slab.
I used it at the rear of the core, and I used insulated firebricks for the front.
In order to use the individual bricks, I needed angle iron T-bars to support them.
Initially, they were protected by Superwool; unfortunately, the wool was knocked off last winter, and by spring they were not sealing at all.
The rear T-bar was twisted badly from the heat, allowing the bricks to walk and knocking the mortar off.

Today, I removed the offending pieces, and replaced them with a 12 x12 slab.
After completion, I fired her off for the first time this season!
With the bypass open, I was able to get a nice fire burning with no difficulty.
By the time it burns down, my repair will be fully dry.