Adjusting door handle angle

[ccmac]

I have a wood stove. Double door model made by Timberline (similar to Granpa bear). The door handles are not symmetrical. One handle is at a very different angle than the other and I am trying to fix it. Anyone know how to do this? This is the stove. I am picking it up this coming weekend.

 

[CamFan]

If it locks like a Fisher all you need to do is to heat the elbow of the locking portion of the door red hot is best. Put a small pipe over it and bend it out slightly. Try it and tweak it until it matches. If you do not heat it then it can bend where you do not want it to. Generally the locks on the stove are not big so a small amount of adjustment is all you need. My guess is the handle either did not lock or was the hanging and they adjusted it with a hammer and could not get it back. Good luck Can you post of picture of the inside of the door handle?

 

[ccmac]

Here is a picture of the inside.

 

[930dreamer]

Any chance the handle was removed and installed off 180 degrees?

 

[ccmac]

I supposed that is possible. I am picking it up this Saturday evening. I'll have more of a chance to look it over then.

 

[coaly]

Normally the handle is a steel rod with a washer welded on it, and bent inside to pull tight against a wedge welded inside the stove. The bend usually gets straightened out by forcing closed too tight. Then the handle stops lower and lower, until it slips off the edge of the wedge going all the way around. People tend to bend it back cold, and after a few fires, the bend relaxes back to where it was, hence CamFan's suggestion to heat and bend properly. Make sure the wedge is correct and hasn't been replaced or moved.

Here's the inside of a Timberline door that shows the handle latch end better. Post a better close up of the handle when you can to make sure it's the original type.

 

[Earth Stove]

I'd heat it up at the elbow with an acetylene torch and keep it a dull red, gently bend like CamFan suggested and use a cardboard template made off of other handle's exact angle or your eyeball if a template is too fussy? That's how I'd do it if all else is proper with latch inside.

 

[coaly]

The other handle won't move on a double door, it's bent over between two pieces of cast iron to hold in place as a handle to pull open only. (or welded) The left door handle does does not rotate.

 

[ccmac]

Thanks for the intel guys. I was gonna pick it up Saturday but I asked for another weekend so that they can complete the poured concrete on my shop floor. The poured today and will finish tomorrow (Friday) So looks like I can place something on the floor by Tuesday. I will a much closer look then.

 

[ccmac]

Well, I finally got the stove home. It is a great looking stove and is very well preserved. I found that the door gasket was holding the door out just enough to not allow the door to close appropriately thus keep the right handle from rotating completely and aligning with the other handle. The gasket looks to be pretty thick, I was considering replacing it with something much thinner. I like the idea of making the stove more air tight for higher efficiency. What do you all think? Has a nice looking baffle already and vents thru the rear of stove.

 

[Earth Stove]

Well, I finally got the stove home. It is a great looking stove and is very well preserved. I found that the door gasket was holding the door out just enough to not allow the door to close appropriately thus keep the right handle from rotating completely and aligning with the other handle. The gasket looks to be pretty thick, I was considering replacing it with something much thinner. I like the idea of making the stove more air tight for higher efficiency. What do you all think? Has a nice looking baffle already and vents thru the rear of stove.

I like the idea of tight too. I guess if the compression of door gasket does not distort/warp/bend any parts? "Tight is Good"