Lopi Liberty Craigslist Score

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TX-L

Burning Hunk
Sep 1, 2010
243
Tug Hill State Forest, NY
Check this out:

http://syracuse.craigslist.org/hsh/3055105697.html

I answered this Craigslist advertisement last week, the owner told me on the phone that it's mine for $20.00! Yes, the decimal point is in the right place! I went and picked it up on Saturday.

What I have discovered:
1) The door did not pass the dollar bill test;
2) The door retainer (has the hinges on it) was loose inside the door shell due to bottom of door missing the two set screws that hold it in place, this allowed the glass to move back and forth just a little;
3) The door handle assembly was loose due to the nut that holds it on the inside being loose;
4) "T" shaped baffle support bracket is warped (apparently it did get quite hot);
5) Secondary air combustion channel looks to be cracked in a couple places in the back/top of stove.

Everything else seems ok, tubes are straight, front "Y" baffle support bracket is straight, damper plate and slider are not damaged, bypass damper handle is straight, and only 2 firebricks were broken. I dropped it off at my buddy's house for welding the air channel cracks, and he said he will build a new "T" bracket. I got new setscrews for the door and everything seems to be solid and in place, I need to glue the door gasket in before I can verify the dollar bill test.

Lunch for two people on the way home cost more than the stove!
 
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Wow, new that's probably around $2500. GREAT SCORE! It looks exactly like my Endeavor. Are you gonna burn or sell that?
 
Nice find. Have your welder closely examine the entire air channel manifold. There can be leaks that are not visually apparent. If I remember correctly someone reported leaking at the front on the exterior wall side of the manifold on their Lopi stove. It would be worth rigging a test for this. Maybe try to pressure test the manifold for leaks by plugging up the secondary tube ports temporarily?

I'm wondering what caused the overfire? He mentions strong draft. Was there an unusually tall flue on the stove? What is replacing it?
 
Great find,you have got to love craigslist!I picked up a very lightly used 03 revere last week for $125 on CL.I wonder why the OE did not want to repair it?
 
I plan on installing it in the garage; building one this year.

The cracks aren't large or easily identifiable, but I believe I have seen three possible locations. We could cut out the entire back "T" channel pieces, but won't if it's easier to locate and weld the existing cracks. I plan on pressure testing the air inlet system when we think we're finished. I can plug all but one hole, attach the air at that point, and will have to fabricate a seal plate of some type for the inlet beneath the stove, but there is also the main air at the bottom front of the firebox that will need sealing as well. Maybe I'll take pictures of the progress and post them. I see various Labatt Blues involved in the execution of this work!

This was in a two story house, exterior masonry chimney that he said had a liner installed. Maybe this setup has extraordinary draft? The stove door was likely an issue contributing to more combustion air than wanted. Original owner said he had to load it every two hours when it was cold. Also, he had large rounds piled under some pine trees, none split, and I wasn't close enough to know what species of wood it was. As it wasn't split, and located under trees away from the sun, it probably isn't ideal fuel. I didn't ask him about his wood supply, didn't quiz him on the value of dry wood, didn't ask about his operation of the air control on his stove. If I lived nearby I would bring him a couple armfuls of dry wood and let him try that out this fall when he starts burning.

He didn't know what was replacing it, and said he had all summer to decide. He mentioned Vermont Castings and Osburn. I suggested he look at the BK Princess and Chinook after he said he wanted overnight burns without having the stove go out. He wrote down the stove name and the dealer name in West Monroe, maybe he will go give them a look.
 
Helluvadeal.
 
Great score!!!!

How do you do a pressure test?

I got a used Avalon 1190 Insert (the same stove from Travis) but I paid $1500.00 plus the flex and a cap.

CL is a good place to look but there is a lot of junk there too.

Robert
 
Whatadeal! I've been combing craigslist for about a year looking for a deal on an epa stove, no luck yet. Smoke Dragons sell for $700+ typically around here. If I could find a deal on an epa I could sell my old stove and make a profit.
 
Hello

Nice deal!

Good to have a welder buddy!

After your done it should be in grate shape! LOL
 
What! a smoke dragon for $700. I can buy those here in SC for under $400 all day long. More like $250 or 300? I think folks have no idea the value of things or either there are no stoves in your area, but your climate should be similar to mine here in upstate SC and there seems to be several stoves for sale at any one time in all the sale places (cl, classifieds, iwanna sale ads).
 
Yeah, its kind of crazy. I think everyone is scared of the epa stoves around here because of past horror stories (most due to wet wood I'm sure). The big very heavy built stoves (see avitar) bring a premium. Thin generic stoves can be bought for $300-400.
 
Out of curiosity, since I may be buying a stove off Craigslist myself, what is "the Dollar Bill test"?
 
Also, a side note; awesome sled you got there in your Avatar; I'm an old Polaris guy myself - I have a '74 and a '77 Electra.
 
Yeah, its kind of crazy. I think everyone is scared of the epa stoves around here because of past horror stories (most due to wet wood I'm sure). The big very heavy built stoves (see avitar) bring a premium. Thin generic stoves can be bought for $300-400.

Englander 30-NC's for $600.

A 3.5 cu ft firebox and heats like the Sun... ;)

If you wanted something big for less than $790, there you go..
 
Out of curiosity, since I may be buying a stove off Craigslist myself, what is "the Dollar Bill test"?

Dollar bill test is used to test to see how good the gasket seal is around the stove's door and or ash pan door. You take a dollar bill (or any denomination for that matter), stick it in the door opening and shut the door so half of the bill is stuck outside and half inside. If the dollar bill comes out easily with little to no resistance it may be time to replace the gasket. If the dollar bill comes out with some resistance or not at all the gasket is probably good.
 
Englander 30-NC's for $600.

A 3.5 cu ft firebox and heats like the Sun... ;)

If you wanted something big for less than $790, there you go..
I need something smaller. A 30 would cook me out. I think the Princess would be nice, if I could get past the price and the looks.
 
Fox, can you start a new thread so that we can give you better attention without hijacking this thread? Include the size of the area to be heated, general floorplan description, state of insulated and tightness of the house, ceiling heights, etc.. There are lots of stoves out there and I'm sure we can narrow the list down to an affordable solution.
 
Out of curiosity, since I may be buying a stove off Craigslist myself, what is "the Dollar Bill test"?

Open the door, place a dollar bill over the gasket then close the door. Do this at several points around the door frame. If you can easily pull out the dollar bill with little resistance, then the gasket is no longer sealing well. The door needs adjusting at that point or the gasket needs replacing. If there is good resistance, then all is well.

Though dollar bills are commonly used, I recommend using Franklins for this test and will gladly inspect them after you are done. Contact me for shipping address. ;)
 
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;em
 
Hey fox, don't be shy. I wasn't complaining or admonishing. I just want your specific needs to get the attention they deserve. A new thread will also make it easier in the future for fellow Arkansans that may be in a similar situation.
 
Hey no problem, I agree. ==c
 
So this unit is only 4 years old? That means that it is still under warranty, did this guy not know this, he could had it shipped back and paid like $100 for shipping and it would be a new stove right from the factory? You might as well call and see if you can have that done, and have a new Liberty for $120!!
 
So this unit is only 4 years old? That means that it is still under warranty, did this guy not know this, he could had it shipped back and paid like $100 for shipping and it would be a new stove right from the factory? You might as well call and see if you can have that done, and have a new Liberty for $120!!

I have some stoves I need to ship. Please tell me where I can ship a five hundred pound stove anywhere for a hundred bucks?
 
Nice find! Definitely worth putting some work into for that price.
 
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