Do you have an Atlanta Stoveworks Box #27?

[Stegman]

Fired up the stove for a test-burn over the weekend:

 

[VCBurner]

Thanks for the pics Stegman, looks very familiar! Thanks for the parts schem. also. It looks like you've done a good job taking off all the rust. Mine had wore rust damage because it had sat, without the legs, in a basement that got flooded. These stoves are so fun due to the simplicity and old time feel they bring into a room.

Now to answer your questions:

1. I was going to do the cement and try to make it airtight primarily in order to prevent it from smoking up the cabin. But if that’s not a big concern, I might forego that. From what you’re saying, it sounds like making it airtight is done to improve efficiency. If I don’t do the cement, will it emit smoke like crazy?

I did not take the stove appart in order to cement the seams. I just added some to the seams I thought needed it from the outside and inside the stove. This is not the proper way to cement it. Most of that cement has since fallen off and it did not change the performance of the stove. I never had noticeable smoke pour into the room from the seams. The North to South design of this stove makes it draft very easily out of the collar.

2. I was going to do the stove polish, but after I did the once-over with WD-40 and steel wool. Is that overkill? If I can skip the WD-40 step, I’d be more than happy to.

From what I understand, people used to polish their stoves a couple times per burning season. This was a common practice for people in the hay day of old non air tight cast iron stoves. They used to let their stoves cool off on Sundays and polish it in place. Then open the window nearby to let the smell out when restarting it. The polish supposedly covers up, penetrates and prevents rust. You can even apply the polish without removing minor rust and it'll look like new. So, I guess the answer is, I would just slap one or two coats of polish on it and you're ready for break-in fires. If you have a piece of stove pipe laying around I'd put it on the stove to do the break in fires outside and you can see that no smoke will leak out of the stove during light off. Just get a draft going with a piece of newspaper near the stove flue.

Where are you installing this stove. I see you have two nice Jotuls alredy? Good luck!

What part of Worcester are you in? I'm about 5 minutes from the center of Paxton, on Marshall Street, it's nice to see some more local guys join the ranks!

 

[Stegman]

Hi VCE.

We're actually in Sterling. Just moved there over the summer after spending six years in Grafton and five before that in Worcester. My wife and I grew up in Westboro.

Thanks for the info. During my test burn over the weekend I didn't notice too much smoke coming from the seams - maybe a little out from under the top plate. It was hard to tell because I didn't have any stove pipe around, so the wind may have been causing some optical illusions. It does look like there was a bit of soot left over on the top near the edge of the top plate, so I think I may try to hit that area with some cement.

What was really interesting to me was how the fire would die down when I closed the front door. Despite it not being an airtight stove, closing the door seemed to choke off the airflow quite a bit. So what I did was remove that middle plate in front that covers what I guess must be some sort of ash-removal compartment. That gives about an inch of clearance under the door. Once I did that I was able to close the door and keep it raging pretty hot.

This bad boy is ticketed for a small cabin we have up in Vermont that is currently in the process of being spruced up. Based on recent history, it will probably be a couple of years before we're actually able to install and use it. I think in the short-term I'm going to polish it up and slap some cement on it and have a few more outdoor burns.

I'll post some more pics when it's fully restored to showroom condition.

 

[VCBurner]

Hey Stegman,
So you're in the Wachussett area, I hope you're ready for the Nor'easter that's coming our way! I guess we were due to get some considering we've been spared, for the past couple of years really. 12-18" is not too bad I guess. Anything under 2 feet is do-able around here, right? The Wachussett school system has already cancelled school so I'll be taking the kids sledding tomorrow. This area is the nicest in the county in my eyes, but we get pounded with the worst weather usually. You're lucky to have missed the ice storm of 08, we were hit really badly :ahhh: ! Having the stoves will certainly help . Good luck tomorrow.

What was really interesting to me was how the fire would die down when I closed the front door. Despite it not being an airtight stove, closing the door seemed to choke off the airflow quite a bit. So what I did was remove that middle plate in front that covers what I guess must be some sort of ash-removal compartment. That gives about an inch of clearance under the door. Once I did that I was able to close the door and keep it raging pretty hot.

The only reason why the fire died down was lack of draft, due to not having a stack on top of the stove. The soot left around the top edge was probably there due to the smoke that was trying to escape out of the sides at the end of the fire. Again, a stack would prevent that. The ash pan cover also serves as the air intake. Close it partially and you get less air, open it all the way and watch out! Especially when it is connected to a chimney! Thery are really easy to operate. However, I would certainly recommend a pipe damper on this stove, as they don't have any baffles or really efficient air controls. I used to use my fireplace flue damper to control the intensity of the burns. For an elongated overnight burn, I'd have the damper almost completely shut. I've been thinking of installing mine in the unfinished basement, during a clean up and remodeling project that will be my next item on the things-to-do-list. I would have a damper and a heat reclaimer on the pipe connector. They blast out a lot of heat by themselves but putting a heat reclaimer would add 30,000 BTU's and help spread the heat through the basement. Get yourself a piece of stove pipe and put it out back in the summer. Take the top off and with a cast iron griddle or a simple grill and you can cook some killer burgers!! :coolgrin:

Take care,
Chris

 

[Stegman]

Good info, Chris. I was definitely thinking of a pipe damper. But what does a heat reclaimer do?

 

[VCBurner]

Good info, Chris. I was definitely thinking of a pipe damper. But what does a heat reclaimer do?

It installs in your pipe connector and reclaims a ton of heat that would otherwise go up the flue. Folks around here are not big fans, but they are safe in my opinion when operated correctly with a stove like the Box. I have one that has been connected to two different stoves in the basement. It works like a charm. Here's a link, I have the Magic Heat.

http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5VZ-HR-6&source=nextag&kw=5VZ-HR-6

The cheaper kind only has 1/2 the CFM on the motor. I've never used it but it may work depending on the space you have to heat.

 

[Stegman]

If anyone in the New England area is interested in one of these, I found what looks to be one on craigslist for $75.

http://worcester.craigslist.org/for/2208779329.html

 

[VCBurner]

How's the rebuilding coming along?

 

[coz_01]

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to add my find and experience with these to the thread. I found both of these stoves by accident one day while I was out and about. they were sitting in some guys yard full of cigarettes butts and were in such poor shape he gave them to me for $150 for the pair.

Should have took a before shot but didnt think to do it at the time. I broke both of them completly down and hit them with a wire wheel on an angle grinder to clean the rust off of them and polished them up with WD40 and they look awesome I can not wait to fire them up. The only problem I had was them 13.5" Main Body Rods all snapped on bothe stoves so I had to order more. I had a terrible time finding new ones. I finnally tracked them down here. http://www.usstove.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=173_178&product_id=1553

They are not cheap. On the bungalow I found they were actually too short so I had to fabricate my own from .25" steel from lowes. Had to heat it up with a torch and shape the flat end and threaded the opposite end with a die.

I fiiled the seems with Mega Black High Temp Gasket Sealant http://www.itwconsumer.com/userfiles/files/techdata-sheet/VC Tech Data/99839 TDS.pdf

Hope that stuff works heh heh.

They are not Atlanta Brand But Birmingham Stove and Range Company - these Atlanta stoves seem to be complety identical. This Forum was the closest I got to getting any info on them.

So Thanks!

 

[begreen]

This is a very old thread.

RTV is not suitable for sealing seams on a stove. You need something designed for higher temps like Rutland furnace cement.

 

[zap]

I just bought Oscar Hedstrom's (Indian Motorcycles) 19th century farm house and there was one of these hooked up in the basement- probably was in use until 2008. there are gaps in the sides that have been caulked with furnace cement. it fits inside my fireplace and i was thinking of using it for heat. not sure if this is a safe idea, not much room for a stack. a test burn with some papers had smoke coming around the top edge.

does anyone have any input? short stack up to the flue door?

 

[begreen]

That stove is shot. Send it to the scrap yard.

 

[zap]

That stove is shot. Send it to the scrap yard.

why do you say that? the one pictured in the post above seems the same just cleaned up better

 

[begreen]

The one you posted appears to have serious cracks. That grey stuff appears to be cement that someone tried filling the cracks with. The one one coz pictured does not have cracks in it.

 

[zap]

The one you posted appears to have serious cracks. That grey stuff appears to be cement that someone tried filling the cracks with. The one one coz pictured does not have cracks in it.

yes, thought i mentioned someone used furnace cement. the cement makes the stove look bad but i can clean it away.

there's a seam right up the middle on coz's stove and my stove. looks like 3 rivets to the rear of the seam on both stoves. mine seems a little out of shape but basically the same. maybe i can disassemble the stove and realign the seams. the only crack i can find is on the top on the right side near the back.

what about the idea of putting it in the fireplace as shown? instructions on vozelgang stove states not to do it...

 

[bholler]

Yeah A crack in cast like that prettymuch means its scrap. If that is the only cracked panel you could try looking for a new panel but i wouldnt spend allot of time or effor on it there are allot of stoves like it out there for very little money and allot of stuff that will work better as well. Not saying they are bad stoves at all for what they are they are very good stoves. but yours is cooked

 

[begreen]

yes, thought i mentioned someone used furnace cement. the cement makes the stove look bad but i can clean it away.

there's a seam right up the middle on coz's stove and my stove. looks like 3 rivets to the rear of the seam on both stoves. mine seems a little out of shape but basically the same. maybe i can disassemble the stove and realign the seams. the only crack i can find is on the top on the right side near the back.

what about the idea of putting it in the fireplace as shown? instructions on vozelgang stove states not to do it...

The stove is shot. It should be scrapped. Note that the Vogelzang box stove is a copy. They are not the easiest to control due to a sloppy air control and have a bad reputation of not standing up well due to poor castings. Regardless, if the manual says no, that is the end of discussion.

Start a new thread if you are considering a new installation. The stoves that will work will depend on the height of the fireplace lintel. We'll need that and a further back picture to see if there are other considerations. You might also consider a rear exit stove like the Buck 261, but we'll need to check that lintel height for fit. http://www.buckstove.com/model-261.html#.VE0zfodnqyc

 

[zap]

The stove is shot. It should be scrapped. Note that the Vogelzang box stove is a copy. They are not the easiest to control due to a sloppy air control and have a bad reputation of not standing up well due to poor castings. Regardless, if the manual says no, that is the end of discussion.

Start a new thread if you are considering a new installation. The stoves that will work will depend on the height of the fireplace lintel. We'll need that and a further back picture to see if there are other considerations. You might also consider a rear exit stove like the Buck 261, but we'll need to check that lintel height for fit. http://www.buckstove.com/model-261.html#.VE0zfodnqyc

i think i misunderstood manual, want to put conventional wood stove into fireplace, dont know about flue hookup, which seems to physically fit into fireplace.

i dont have privleges to start a new thread. i dont have much cash, but tons of wood. using a cheaper, less efficient stove seems the way to go. have 27" to top of fireplace opening, brownstone lintel.

 

[bholler]

You can put allot of traditional wood stoves in fireplaces but if you do you really need a liner run from the stove to the top of the chimney. And the stove you have pictured would need a hearth extension. You hearth looks pretty deep though i think allot of stoves would work with out an extension.

 

[TC2209]

My brother bought this and restored it and gave it to me as a gift it looks beautiful in my 3 season room.
However, I am having a very difficult time finding a connector for the oval connection at the back of the stove for my 6" stove pipe. Any suggestions?
Oval is 7" long and 4" wide

 

[begreen]

Will an ovalized section of 6" pipe fit the flue outlet?

 

[JBPhoto]

Hello everyone... I just found this thread through a search and joined. My dad gave me an Atlanta Stove Works 27 Box stove and I just spent the morning cleaning it up and repainting it with high heat paint. Will be installing it this weekend in my new woodworking shop! Will share some photos once it's in place!

 

[Joecoffman]

I would like to find the bolts that hold the stove together is there new ones that will work because of heat and where can I find them? Joe Coffman Burlington,NC. (336)-540-4461.

 

[Cutwormsmith]

Howdy. Been lurking here for about 4 years. I've had an ASW 27 box for about 25 years. Finally built a garage 4 years ago and put the stove in. Worked well, but had to keep it full and fired on those really cold days/nights.

Came across an old Fisher mama bear on side the road last week for a good price.

Put it in and now figuring out how to use a sealed stove. Wood seems to last alot longer so far. Love wood heat!