Replacing the 'Glass' in a Classic Stove - where do i start?

[PercivallPotts]

I recently moved to OK and the new house is much larger than my old, and has a masonry fireplace (FP). My old home had an insert in the FP, but this new FP is much larger than my other one and I'd like to install a freestanding stove inside the FP.

I have narrowed it down to an Englander 30 (waiting on HD to put them on clearance) or a classic old stove off of Craigs List. Both my wife and I find this to be a truly charming stove that we wouldn't mind displaying in our FP even during our long summer months, but I think this one was in the Tornado's last spring and has several cracked panes that will need to be replaced. I understand how to replace the window in a newer unit, but how are these old ones done? Also can i send in a template of each of these panes and get them cut online?

Bottom line, how much should I expect to pay getting this thing ready to hold a fire?

Thanks in advance,

Keep those chimneys clean!

 

[coaly]

Looks like Mica, not glass, and an Antique, not classic.
Woodman's has mica in different grades. Clear is the best.
They usually have a double piece of iron "grate" that pinches the mica to hold in place. Getting the hardware loose can be the worst part. Once removed, you can tell how many pieces it has covering the holes. Not difficult, but the material is fragile, taken from natural occuring rock similar to quartz that peels off like thin shale.

 

[PercivallPotts]

Thanks for the tips and corrections. Sometimes ppl can be real touchy about calling something old an antique and they hold to strict definitions since I dont know those definitions I tried to avoid that.
I figured it was not actually glass but didn't know what it would be. Mica makes sense.
Do you think there is any problem with replacing with modern ceramic glass same as used in new stoves? I bet it would be much more accessible.

And the gasket sealing the windows? similar to modern units?

 

[coaly]

Glass would be far more expensive, and that may be a single piece bowed to fit the contour of the windows. It's so thin it's flexible. It's readily available and not expensive. Sealing was not very airtight, and most stoves were coal burners if the grates are movable to shake and the main air intake comes in below the grate, usually in the ash pan area. The air leaks around the glass gives coal stoves some secondary air above the fire to burn the coal gas with a blue flame above the coal bed. Most of the oxygen is used up going through the coal bed, so it's needed above the fire.

There's no antique section "yet" so you're in the right place.