Ashley Automatic model 25HFR

[Brian59]

Hello to all wood stovers -

I just looked at an old Ashley Automatic by Martin Industries, model 25HFR. From what I can gather about the names Ashley and Martin on the web, I think it's 25 to 30 years old. Owner's comments make me thing it was fairly lightly used. It's kind of nice to look at .... with an oval footprint and short legs. It's about 32" high, 32" deep and 18" wide. It has a 6" Dia top exhaust placed at the very rear of top plate. I could see moving it back into our fireplace and venting directly upwards (using stove pipe) through the present damper with hardly a kink. I may remove the damper to simplify installation and since damper is damaged anyway. If I have to move it out and run exhaust through 2 90 elbows (or a 90 and a T) it won't make it into our fireplace. The opening is only 34" high. Some notes on the Ashley. It has a swing away top for top loading and a front door for front loading. The front door has an asbestos seal in need of repair. There's a thermostatically controlled device also bolted on to the front door. It may or may not function properly.

So ... questions for the assembly ... 1. are Ashley's any good? 2. What should I offer her for it? 3. Is the swing away top safe as long as it appears to want to sit down nice and tight on the housing below? 4. Are there safety or functionality concerns surrounding the idea of top venting straight upwards into a lined chimney? 5. Does anyone know where I can find a user manual for it? 6. Does your average chimney sweep install an asbestos seal on a stove, reblack an old stove and check it for cracks etc? I'll need something to reassure the insurance company that it's safe. 7. should I tell the owner to scrap it and take that deadly thing off the market? ;-)

Thanks in advance for your advice. Regards, Brian

 

[Jack Straw]

I grew up with one of those stoves. It was in our living room and it heated our house for many years. I remember how impressed my father was when he got his new EPA approved Quadrafire to replace the old Ashley. The Quadrafire really moved the heat better and we enjoyed the glass door. Actually the Quadrafire is still being used daily (probably 15-20 years old now). I would spend a little more and get a "modern" stove.

 

[woodsmaster]

I have one of these heating my house as I type. Works pretty good but probably not the most efficient. Probably not asbestos seal. I replace the seal in mine every year, not a big deal. look at the metal on the
inside around the bottom for warping. Mine is starting to get pretty warped. the automatic damper on the front is nice it helps keep a steady temp. It will close on It's own If it gets to hot, a nice saftey feature. I
heat a old 1600 sq' house moderatly insulated with only the ashley unless it gets below 0 F It uses about 5- 6 cord a year. I'm currently installing a boiler for more even heat.

 

[woodsmaster]

Ashley is a big name in stoves and shouldn't be any more of a problem to insure than any other wood stove.

 

[Brian59]

Thanks for your comments! It does have a certain air of quality to it. Nice to know that replacing front door seal is not difficult. Nice to know it's not terribly efficient. Does anyone have a comment on the idea of running the stovepipe straight up into a lined chimney? Also .... how is it to clean?

 

[firefighterjake]

My grandparents had an Ashley and around here there are still folks who think the Ashley is the best stove ever made . . . of course these are the same folks who are burning unseasoned wood, damping down the fire to a smoldering mess at night, etc.

Honestly, for the time I believe the Ashleys were a decent stove . . . make that a very good stove. However, for what it's worth, I would spend my hard earned money on a newer EPA stove myself vs. taking a risk buying a 20-30 year old stove . . . plus there are a lot of benefits to the newer stoves -- more efficient burning, clean burning, views of the fire and a tax credit.