Anyone ever heard of damper only air controll?

Anyone ever heard of a damper only air controll?

I have these dirt poor neighbors.

Last winter I bought them an airtight stove from a junkyard for $50.
They were trying to heat with a broken window in their existing stove.

This year, someone gave them a "good" stove.

I wish had had taken a picture, but anyway, it is a perfect cube on a pedestal.

It has a double gasket front door (with glass), and is top vented.

It is lined with firebrick, has a steel baffle and an ash draw.

The air inlet is under the door, just a rectangular opening about 2x4 inches.

The flue has a damper.

They are convinced the flue damper is the only contoll.

I am pretty sure the air inlet is missing a piece.

Of course I can make a part for it, but only with their permission.

It is a well made rugged little stove.

If pictures would help, I will take some tomorrow and finaly learn how to post them.

All opinions welcome.

Most new non-EPA stoves don't have [inlet] air control. I remember when I was shopping and found my 12, said something about being the only stove that offered air control, or something like that. This is how they maintain the 35:1 rating that makes them EPA exempt.

If you find out this is a non-EPA, my advice is to make some sort of a control, but then explain to them that you don't just load it up and then shut it down. Otherwise you get a major creosote factory.

Thanks,
I am relatively certain it is pre-EPA.

No ID plate on the back? I'm gonna be useless for helping figure out what stove it is, but get pics if you can. I'll even help you post them if you need help, just PM me.

Cool.
I'll take pics tomorrow.
No tags.

My new (1 yr old) non-EPA stove is controlled only by the damper. I experimented with covering the intake holes, but i became too much work, and i just didnt seem to burn warm enough for us. So i just use the damper and once i get the stove warmed up i ust shut the damper as far as i can and i get a nice slow burn that holds the stoves temps.

Thanks.
Before I installed my present air tight stove I had a true antique.
The damper was not nearly effective and the stove was only controllable when enough ash blocked off most of the excess air.

My stove has the air inlets right above the door and it air washed the glass. But there isnt any control. Works fine for me though. They call my stove air tight, but i dont know how they can say that cause the inlet slots are open right to the firebox.

It is air tight because those are the only inlets. The rest of the construction is airtight.

aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I always wondered why they could say it was airtight, but then i thought if it was truely air tight there would be no inlet.

And no fire either.

seems to be pretty common. I am in the opposite camp currently, with air supply only controls.