Newbie here - with questions.

[g8rnbft]

Have been reading the forums here for a few hours to see what its all about. Great site and I am glad I found it. I purchased a new to me stove yesterday off Craigs List - and have a few questions - should be a piece of cake for the knowledgable posters here.

Anyway - the stove is a Sears model 143.84521 - Early American Franklin Stove.
It looks exactly like the Vogelzang Model FS 260E.
But there are differences that I am interested in understanding.

The Vogelzang website says their model FS 260 E is ALL CAST IRON. The stove I have has cast iron front/doors - but the rest is plate steel.
Vogelzang says the vent outlet can be top or back mounted - mine is top only.

Did Vogelzang allow Sears to use their face/doors or did someone do a different casting for Sears so they could market a knock-off?

As far as condition of what I bought - there is some surface rust but nothing serious - I will look into having the whole thing sandblasted to remove multiple coats of old ill-applied paint and scale.

Also - Sears parts shows the bottom plate as insulated - this stove does not have any insulation - can the bottom plate be poured with refractory?

Again - love the site, and thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Peter B.]

There have been many 'Franklin' stoves made through the years... no one has a license or patent on the design.

(As a matter of fact, it bears little (functional) resemblance to Franklin's original fireplace.)

The modern Franklins (regardless of make) are not terribly efficient... and may be prone to runaway fires if not watched closely.

However, given where you live, it may provide most/all the heat you typically need.

Be careful to maintain healthy clearances to combustibles when installing... and you'll probably want a flue pipe damper to help control the fire.

Pretty town, Beaufort... as I recall.

Peter B.

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[g8rnbft]

There have been many 'Franklin' stoves made through the years... no one has a license or patent on the design.

(As a matter of fact, it bears little (functional) resemblance to Franklin's original fireplace.)

The modern Franklins (regardless of make) are not terribly efficient... and may be prone to runaway fires if not watched closely.

However, given where you live, it may provide most/all the heat you typically need.

Be careful to maintain healthy clearances to combustibles when installing... and you'll probably want a flue pipe damper to help control the fire.

Pretty town, Beaufort... as I recall.

Peter B.

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Exactly - I have a previously unfinished basement - was able to get one duct down an existing chase from my central heat pump. This heater will be for the one large room - about 400 square feet that will serve as the den for me and my labrador. Probably run it most of the time with the doors open - and that might be all of 6-10 times a year.

What about the insulation in the bottom - pour refractory or fire brick or what is recommended??

Thanks - Blair

 

[Peter B.]

>What about the insulation in the bottom - pour refractory or fire brick or what is recommended??

Blair:

My gut suggests that it likely isn't necessary... provided you have an acceptable hearth pad (or concrete floor). I would imagine some firebrick - whole or split - in the bottom might help retain (a little) heat, and keep the fire off the floor of the stove. Refractory seems like overkill.

Peter B.

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[g8rnbft]

OK - did some more looking around on the board today - realized that what I have has little value as a serious heat producer. I suspected as much when I saw the main box was only 3/16 or so plate - but as I said - I am only concerned with roughly 400 s.f. in a basement that is 2/3 underground, has 8" block walls that are furred out with 2x4's and R-19 f/g insulation. I do want to install this thing the right way so here are a few more details/questions.
There is an existing 6 inch flue in a concrete block chase that goes all the way from the basement thru the roof, and three-four feet above the ridge. Total run is straight and 24 feet. The thimble into the flue is about 5 feet off the floor - which will make it about 2 1/2 ft higher than the outlet of the stove. The stove outlet is 8" diameter. The stove cannot be located under the thimble, will have to be offset to one side (left). First - I will need to reduce somewhere from 8" to 6". Better at the stove or at the thimble - or somewhere in between?? Rather than have a horizontal run of say 3-6 feet - I can 45* off the stove and make that an uphill run, then roll a 45* elbow and short piece into the thimble. This should help with draft restrictions - yes??

What else might I be concerned about that I haven't mentioned. Thanks in advance!!

Blair

 

[RichL35]

Here is a very strong suggestion for you.

Call your local wood stove/chimney store and have them come in to make recommendations on your install and give you a quote on performing it for you.

To install your wood stove properly is not as easy as placing it on the floor where you want it and buying single wall stove pipe pieces to meet your chimney thimble. There are VERY IMPORTANT CLEARENCES that have to be met, proper shielding to combustable surfaces like walls and floors, heat shields that may need to be on the stove, whether you need a flue damper and where to locate it, hearth size and placement, whether the chimney is useable etc. etc. etc. and they will probally take a quick look at your stove since they will need to be responsible for the safety of the installation if they complete it. Now I recommend that you allow them to complete the install but if not..... in the 15 minutes that the technician is at your house you can gather a tremendous amount of info if you ask the right questions.

Rich

 

[g8rnbft]

Thanks RichL35 - but it is obvious you have never been to Beaufort SOUTH Carolina - where wood stove sellers and installers don't exist and certainly wouldn't rate the title of "technician" if they did. Hell man - if they want a wood fire around here they knock the top out of a 55 gallon drum, bust a few gashes in the sides down low with an axe, drop in a couple splinters of fat lighter pine and a few splits of hickre and let er rip.

At any rate - if I had questions about very important clearances and such - I would have asked. I mean - that stuff is available on this interweb, right.

So I think I will just see if there isn't a kind soul on this board who MIGHT know a little more about an install than Billy Bob over to the Ace Hardware store.

Thanks again.

JK

 

[Peter B.]

Somewhat oddly, there's another thread on a Franklin install today, here...

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/35976/

... and the consensus seems to be that the stove may not be able to be burned with doors open if the flue size is reduced.

Peter B.

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[RichL35]

I certainly do not know the town of Beaufort for sure. Is it a small town with six people or is it that there isn't many wood stove shops in that area because of the warmer climate? My parents had a wood stove installed in their house in the Florida keys so I am imagining that it is probably just small town USA.

There is certainly a huge wealth of knowledge from the people online here on this forum and I am sure that they would be more than happy to give all the assistence that they can. That's what makes this forum so great.

You didn't ask about clearences I understand and I am sorry that I mentioned them to you. Of course either has the 10 or so people who posted pictures of their first new self installed wood stoves that are 6 inches from combustable walls with a pile of seasoned wood leaning on the side of the stove while it's burning. My post wasn't intended to insult you and I am sorry if it did. I was sharing info with someone who claimed themselves a "Newbie" in there post title.

With nothing but my best regards,
Rich

 

[g8rnbft]

Rich - I guess my reply was a poor attempt at sarcasm - and probably had something to do with the adult beverages I had consummed.

The JK at the bottom was to note that I was just kidding. I should have engaged the Smileys so it would have been clear.

Very few wood stoves in this area because of the climate - we see mid 20's maybe 5 nights a year - daytime temps are rarely lower than mid 40's.

I will - of course - follow clearance requirements and check the condition of the chimney before I proceed.

Believe me when I say I was not insulted - My skin is way thicker than that.

Again - just looking for reccomendations from those that have done installs and what their experiences have been.

Best regards to you as well and as we say down south - Ya'll come see us,you hear.

 

[Gooserider]

As a general practice, it is NOT a good idea to reduce the size of a stoves flue outlet, UNLESS you have a manual on the stove that says it has been tested and approved to do so... IOW, if you have a 6" flue, you should get a stove with a 6" outlet...

Gooserider