Making a damper for a fireplace?

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My wife and I were married this summer, and now she's in the process of selling her house.The damper for her wood burning fireplace is broken.  The damper is the style with a handle that comes down into the fireplace, and you move the handle back and forth to open/close the damper.  The handle is loosely bolted to several linkages which in turn are attached to the damper and the flue.The hinges where it attaches to the flue have rusted away, along with the portion of the flue where the hinges attach, as well as some of the linkages that connect the handle to the damper.  The damper/linkage/handle has basically fallen into the fireplace.  Everything that held it in place has rusted away.The good news is that the damper panel itself is in good shape, is thick, and has not rusted away.  I'm not sure if I'm talented enough to duplicate the original flue.  Does anyone have some ideas or suggestions on how to make a simple damper?  I thought about welding 2 hinges to the back side of the fireplace to hang the damper, and using a small chain with a hook/latch to adjust how much the damper is opened.  Kind of like a drawbridge over a river, or a castle entrance door that lowers over a moat.HH187Harris O/AInfrared thermometerHalf a dozen angle grinders
Reply:If you've had enough moisture in the chimney to rust thru the damper, I'd bet you have major issues with the masonry chimney itself. It would not at all surprise me if it doesn't need to be completely torn down and rebuilt or at least relined. You might want to have a pro inspect it before you get too far into rebuilding the damper..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I agree with DSW. I can take pictures of one of the dampers from one of the 4 fireplaces at my house. They range from totally ornate to the simplest of designs if your stack checks out ok.I can remember in the 7th grade my mom said "people will offer you drugs" by the 10th grade I was like, "where the hell are these people?"
Reply:Thanks Joe.  Could you take a picture of one of your simpler dampers?  That would give me an idea for a starting point.HH187Harris O/AInfrared thermometerHalf a dozen angle grinders