Steel Stand Alone Wood Stoves

[soupy1957]

I recently read that the Steel Stoves don't have the durability of a Cast Iron Stove. Ok, I'll bite.........naturally a Cast Iron Stove would, at first consideration, be a more durable material, but in what respect??????

What can I expect to "fail" over time, with my presumed "steel" stand alone wood stove (the Avalon Rainier)?

Are those who critic stoves saying that the steel stove will eventually pop its welds and literally fall apart?????

-Soupy1957

 

[savageactor7]

Back in the day they used cast iron because steel was more expensive. However making good cast iron was an almost an art. With today appreciation for craftsmanship that you see everywhere around you... do you really think that's the same durable cast iron our fathers made?

Cast stoves appeal to the public mostly imo because of their handsome architecture. They are not boring looking.

I dunno about being more durable than plate steel, HUH? surprised to hear that. At least with steel you can re-weld it and it's operational again. Cast is tricky...

 

[summit]

I gotta agree,, I am not sure that cast is more durable.. i know the parts are more $ and cast will crack if overfired... steel just warps a little.

 

[soupy1957]

Wasn't trying to infer that Cast Iron WAS more durable than Steel, as much as making that assumption because of the density of Cast Iron.

In any case, I was fishing for what Summit touched on.......that steel will "warp" over time. Wondering how much warping or damage must occur to a Steel stove before it is rendered unusable.

I'm looking at lifespan expectancy.............if I will have to replace my stove in any predictable amount of time. This is based on reading about "over firing" of a wood stove. I'm wondering where that fine line is, that is to be avoided, in a typical burn. In other words, is running my stove at 700ºF or up, for any length of time, promoting that "over firing" that "can damage your stove" as the Owners Manual seems to intimate.

-Soupy1957

 

[Battenkiller]

Wasn't trying to infer that Cast Iron WAS more durable than Steel, as much as making that assumption because of the density of Cast Iron.

The density of cast iron is lower than that of rolled steel because it is somewhat porous. That is supposedly the reason for the "softer" heat of a cast stove. But not all cast is the same, and the better grades of cast are less porous. My VC stove is an older one, back when the folks in Randolph took great pride in the quality of their castings. Jotul stoves are supposed to be high quality cast iron as well.

A good cast stove is forever if treated with care, but most need periodic rebuilding because the stove cement that is used to join the plates breaks down over time due to thermal expansion and contraction. Definitely more long-term maintenance than a steel stove.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Wasn't trying to infer that Cast Iron WAS more durable than Steel, as much as making that assumption because of the density of Cast Iron.

In any case, I was fishing for what Summit touched on.......that steel will "warp" over time. Wondering how much warping or damage must occur to a Steel stove before it is rendered unusable.

I'm looking at lifespan expectancy.............if I will have to replace my stove in any predictable amount of time. This is based on reading about "over firing" of a wood stove. I'm wondering where that fine line is, that is to be avoided, in a typical burn. In other words, is running my stove at 700ºF or up, for any length of time, promoting that "over firing" that "can damage your stove" as the Owners Manual seems to intimate.

-Soupy1957

My take on it is that any stove will last as long as me, if used under the same conditions.. and 700, may or may not be too hot on any particular stove, my owners manual says 600 on the stove top is max. I seriously doubt I will ever get close to that, somewhere around 450 the thing is heating the house into the 80's...

Be reasonable in using the stove, don't run it 10/10ths all the time, or more, and it will last you a long time.. regardless of material, run it 11/10ths just a few times and well, it's done.

The engine in my daily driver Mustang has 120k miles on it, never needed a thing. I know people who have destroyed the very same engine in 10k miles or less.

What I am saying I guess, is no one can tell YOU the lifespan of YOUR stove, as that is very dependent on you and your habits. Look around and you can find many, very old stoves, still working away..

 

[John_M]

Soupy, If you are planning to purchase a new wood stove, I would suggest you read on these boards what others have said about their stoves. Then go to a dealer(s) and look at all the stoves having the highest ratings and decide which of those will fit/look best in your home. Touch the stove, open the door(s), look inside, check the door latch, compare the size of glass viewing areas, and work the controls. The best of the steel and cast iron stoves today are so good that, when burned properly, you will not know (or probably care) whether the stove is welded steel or form fit cast iron. Both materials make excellent stoves that will provide many years of reliability and maintenance-free pleasure when assembled/welded by workers who care.

None of the stoves will perform properly for many years if they are continually overfired, loaded with unseasoned wood, or otherwise misused by the owner.

Good luck in your quest.

John_M

 

[madrone]

In my experience with both metals, I'd expect cast iron to crack before the steel failed if we're just talking about longevity. Fatigue happens to any metal, but steel is far easier to repair if you had to.

Over-firing is different story. Welds could pop from the heat expansion, but cast tends to crack from cooling too quickly. Might be a wash.

 

[Fsappo]

There are different qualities of cast iron as a raw material and there are different thicknesses of steel and quality of welds. If I was to buy a stove I would buy one from a top notch manufacturer. Lopi, Quad, Regency for steel or Jotul/Hearthstone for cast iron. I would do this knowing either way I shouldnt have to worry replacing either for 20 years or so. 20 years is a long time. By then I could be dead, moved to a warmer place or looking to replace the stove anyway due to advances in technology.

Buy a cheap cast stove or a cheap steel stove and I would take that 20 years and cut it in half.

You own what I believe to be a good quality stove that should give you 20 years. Could a Jotul give you 30? Maybe...but who the hell cares really

 

[savageactor7]

Our first stove was a cast iron Franklin with 8 little isinglass windows. It was an older stove that developed a crack in the side that sparks could exit from. Back then our house was something right out of Li'l Abner's dog Patch.

With that in mind and acting on my buddies advice I drilled a few 4 holes along the crack. Then on the inside and out side fashioned some folded roof flashing that I bolted fast, did some tin knocking...then painted over it. DONE!

Now a days a fix like that wouldn't pass the wife's OK but I would be happy with it. That was probably our best looking stove as far as elegant design goes but it was one hungry bastage when it came to wood.

I suppose now a days with epoxy's available for cracked engine blocks there maybe something better for a cast repair. Back then before our chimney was rebuilt a certain fickle wind would cause a draw to hard that our first 2 stoves would get red under the right conditions.

Our second stove that also got cherry red, the plate steel R65 Shenandoah never warped. Unlike the cast Franklin fail btw the crack didn't form where it got red either.

Anyway soupy I just didn't want you to think I was bashing cast...they're very good. While I prefer plate steel I'd get a cast if the price was right like we got with this stove.

 

[Martin Strand III]

The Truth is:

Nothing lasts forever.

Longevity is all about what happens to the item (people included) of interest.

Treat any modern good quality steel or cast iron wood stove properly and it will most likely last longer than you.

Aye,
Marty
PS: Grandpa used to say, "I want to live long enough to be a problem to my children and grandchildren."
He did.

 

[soupy1957]

Thanks for all the great observations folks....

John_M: just BOUGHT a wood stove.......not in the market for another one just yet.

I've heard things like:

"if you keep a good bed of ash on the bottom of the fire box, you're protecting the bottom of your stove." (Made me wonder why the bottom of my stove needs protecting)

"The heat blocks (I forget their actual name) that line your fire box are there to retain heat
and protect the sides of the fire box." (So now the sides need protecting?)


and stuff like that........

-Soupy1957

 

[quads]

My steel stove, lined with firebrick on the sides and bottom, cast iron doors, has had a fire in it for 40 years. Not even so much as a firebrick replaced yet.

 

[soupy1957]

Quads: .........40 years........."hot" fires constantly, moderate fires????? That certainly gives me some idea of the longevity of that type of stove.



-Soupy1957

 

[quads]

Quads: .........40 years........."hot" fires constantly, moderate fires????? That certainly gives me some idea of the longevity of that type of stove.



-Soupy1957

Well, on occasion it's been hot enough that it's got some white areas where the paint used to be black. I never let the single wall pipe get over 500° nowadays that I have a thermometer, but some nights when it's 30 below zero and the wind blowing I'll run it many hours that way.

 

[SteveKG]

Our Shenandoah, an inexpensive [relatively] rolled steel stove, has been heating this house since I bought the stove, new, in '75. No sign of any degradation, warping, etc. in the stove.

Our Rais, an expensive [relatively] welded steel plate stove at the other end of the house has been heating that area since '91, when the stove was bought new. No signs of any degradation of the steel or welds.

So, at least in our experience, the steel stoves we have are in as good a shape as they were brand new, as long as 35 yr. ago.

For what that's worth.....

 

[soupy1957]

SteveKG (Nice to meet a fellow "Steve"): it's worth a LOT..........thanks.

I wonder if anyone in here has had an Avalon, (and even luckier, if anyone has had a "Rainier" specifically) and can speak to ITS historical durability and performance????????

-Soupy1957

 

[LukeDawg11]

Soupy -- I have an Avalon Rainer 90 and I am in CT as well. So far, no problems with the stove (put it into service 1/2009), burn every night, and 24 hrs on the weekends.

 

[hareball]

My steel stove, lined with firebrick on the sides and bottom, cast iron doors, has had a fire in it for 40 years. Not even so much as a firebrick replaced yet.

+1 and -1 for a few less years and 3 cracked firebrick Lol!

 

[begreen]

SteveKG (Nice to meet a fellow "Steve"): it's worth a LOT..........thanks.

I wonder if anyone in here has had an Avalon, (and even luckier, if anyone has had a "Rainier" specifically) and can speak to ITS historical durability and performance????????

-Soupy1957

The Rainier has a good long history out here. It is definitely built to last.