Want to get a Fisher
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I scrap atleast a dozen old pre EPA stoves a year many times more that are no longer useable. All stoves wear out over time or are destroyed by abuse. As I said there is absolutely no way I would ever go back to a pre EPA stove for heating my house.
That stove. Not really it really is a pretty simple one. Unless they abused it and cracked one of the main panels I don't know what would cause it to be just parts. Even that could be fixed with a new panel but it probably wouldn't be worth it
The round oak is a good old stove. And I like those old art deco heatrolas. But they really are coal stoves.
That isn't a bad stove. It is a cheap box store stove and won't last as long as a better one. But not bad
BKVP
Minister of Fire
He says it's got all the stickers. Only had a fire in it twice. Guessing he's not home to send pics.
It just doesn't look like any hearthstone I have ever seen. The glass looks really dirty for 2 fires as well
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
I'm trying to comprehend this thread.
So you want an old (pre-EPA) stove. E.g. a Fisher. Ok, not my choice, but preferences exist.
Then you post many pics. All of which essentially result in a comment "that's an old model, it'll be inefficient, check for cracks". Because really judging the (remaining) quality of (or life in) a stove is tough based on a few pics like that.
I think it's time to write down a few guidelines based on which you can choose (and take the risk). And because I have the audacity to propose this, I am obligated to start - despite my far less knowledge of old stoves. (I.e. others will correct me and expand on this list.)
- Check for warping of panels
- Check for cracks
- Check for white spots (due to overheating)
- Check seals (of cast panels w/ stove cement and gaskets around doors and windows); this is not a show stopper as you can fix things but you want to know before how much work a stove is going to be to get operable
- Check if it's a coal vs wood stove
- See how large the firebox is (so you can estimate a bit the heat output and duration, going by volume and performance of similar old and inefficient stoves)
- See whether the flue is top or back side, and what size. Does it fit the place where you want it to go. Same for clearances (which will likely be 3 ft all around)
- Consider side loading, front loading, (and E/W vs N/S with respect to the door opening), and associated hearth sizing (likely needing to be insulated, and if not at least spark protector) needed for the candidate stove
- Consider split length that can be loaded
So you want an old (pre-EPA) stove. E.g. a Fisher. Ok, not my choice, but preferences exist.
Then you post many pics. All of which essentially result in a comment "that's an old model, it'll be inefficient, check for cracks". Because really judging the (remaining) quality of (or life in) a stove is tough based on a few pics like that.
I think it's time to write down a few guidelines based on which you can choose (and take the risk). And because I have the audacity to propose this, I am obligated to start - despite my far less knowledge of old stoves. (I.e. others will correct me and expand on this list.)
- Check for warping of panels
- Check for cracks
- Check for white spots (due to overheating)
- Check seals (of cast panels w/ stove cement and gaskets around doors and windows); this is not a show stopper as you can fix things but you want to know before how much work a stove is going to be to get operable
- Check if it's a coal vs wood stove
- See how large the firebox is (so you can estimate a bit the heat output and duration, going by volume and performance of similar old and inefficient stoves)
- See whether the flue is top or back side, and what size. Does it fit the place where you want it to go. Same for clearances (which will likely be 3 ft all around)
- Consider side loading, front loading, (and E/W vs N/S with respect to the door opening), and associated hearth sizing (likely needing to be insulated, and if not at least spark protector) needed for the candidate stove
- Consider split length that can be loaded
They have switched focus onto more modern stoves at this point. Coaly of all people talked them into it lol.
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
Then still, I'd be hesitant to make decisions based on what someone says in the net judging from a few pics.
So a list of "pay attention to this" is I think a more useful approach than asking "this one? or this one? or this one?" and receiving "fair, mwah, coal, pizza oven, dirty glass" answers. I mean I don't criticize the answers you give but the point is that they are not really helpful in providing datapoints based on which to decide whether to buy a stove or not.
This is my $0.02 so I may be wrong.
So a list of "pay attention to this" is I think a more useful approach than asking "this one? or this one? or this one?" and receiving "fair, mwah, coal, pizza oven, dirty glass" answers. I mean I don't criticize the answers you give but the point is that they are not really helpful in providing datapoints based on which to decide whether to buy a stove or not.
This is my $0.02 so I may be wrong.
Ah, but it has come full circle.
The only stove that checks all those boxes;
-Check for warping of panels
- Check for cracks
- Check for white spots (due to overheating)
- Check seals
Is a Fisher! They get white in spots that get really hot without damage, there are no gaskets, no cast iron to crack, but they smoke like an old Pinto that needs valve seals!
Well they can be damaged I have seen a few. But someone really has to put effort into doing it
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