Can a Cawley 800 be successfully completely ,rebuilt by a guy with no stove experience and a bad back?

[Superdave444]

I ran across this site Yesterday when I was looking wether to paint or use stone polish for the refinish . I found the stove on FB Marketplace for free from a very nice old home being rehabbed. It was so heavy we took it apart to get it transported. I started on it last week using a drill and wire wheel to clean followed by wiping down with denatured alcohol, then a coat of Meeco’s black stove polish. So far so good. I finished the 4 doors first and am now on the backside panel hooked on to the 2 side panels. This is how far we had to get the weight down to a manageable number.I’m starting to be concerned about getting all the seams correctly sealed.
How do i know what size rope to buy and do I need to use flat rope in some areas?
I also am starting to wonder how to move it around once I start putting it back together?
Any advice is greatly appreciated, I’ll try to add pics

 

[bholler]

Clean the stove polish off now before it sets.

 

[stoveliker]

For starters, I'd start over and sandblast the stove polish off.

 

[begreen]

The stove polish is wax based. Use a strong solvent like toluene or xylene in a well-ventilated area to remove it before it sees heat and bakes in. Then steel wool and/wire brush. Clean of all dust, wipe down with alcohol, and then paint with Stove Brite metallic or satin black using light coats.

The reassembly is not rocket science, @D. Hermit can help you with the gaskets and steps.

Cawley

Ladies and Gents my post is above that has heated my cabin since 1980. The dust along top edge which seems to be light ash. I’ve ne er noticed this before any advise?

www.hearth.com

 

[bholler]

I have never rebuilt an 800 but a few 600s and 400s they all used cement in the joints not gaskets

 

[D. Hermit]

Im going to be honest. You're in for a challenge. But anyone can do it, it's just a matter of how good you are at problem solving problems when you run into them. And well, basic stove knowledge goes a long way too. Just knowing how a stove is supposed to draft internally and work makes a difference.

There is not exploded diagram that I know of for the 500/550/800. So I hope you took lots of pictures when you took it apart. It only goes back together one way.

It uses furnace cement in the channels, and make sure to assemble to stove completely for a “dry fit” with no cement first. That way you will see if you have any fit issues to worry about, and that you have it put back together in the right order. The last thing you want is to take apart pieces that you cemented together, its just a mess and it wont seal properly.

I also hope your baffle is in good shape, baffle alone is almost $600 with shipping. I may be able to get you a slightly better deal if you need it.

 

[Superdave444]

After a long weekend of removing stove polish and painting, I’m baffled on how to fit these 3 pieces. I’ll call em 1 (rectangle flat plate with grooves) then 2 (big plate with half circle) and 3 (side vent)..
what order do they go in?
Do i have to take sides off to fit 2 in?
Do i have the flat triangle supports in the right place?
Are the grooves on 2 to align bricks, or do they face down?
Also was wondering if I should paint the inside?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Superdave444]

Im going to be honest. You're in for a challenge. But anyone can do it, it's just a matter of how good you are at problem solving problems when you run into them. And well, basic stove knowledge goes a long way too. Just knowing how a stove is supposed to draft internally and work makes a difference.

There is not exploded diagram that I know of for the 500/550/800. So I hope you took lots of pictures when you took it apart. It only goes back together one way.

It uses furnace cement in the channels, and make sure to assemble to stove completely for a “dry fit” with no cement first. That way you will see if you have any fit issues to worry about, and that you have it put back together in the right order. The last thing you want is to take apart pieces that you cemented together, its just a mess and it wont seal properly.

I also hope your baffle is in good shape, baffle alone is almost $600 with shipping. I may be able to get you a slightly better deal if you need it.

 

[Superdave444]

View attachment 300387 View attachment 300388 View attachment 300389

I think I have this right, can’t seem to fit 2 in

 

[Superdave444]

Im going to be honest. You're in for a challenge. But anyone can do it, it's just a matter of how good you are at problem solving problems when you run into them. And well, basic stove knowledge goes a long way too. Just knowing how a stove is supposed to draft internally and work makes a difference.

There is not exploded diagram that I know of for the 500/550/800. So I hope you took lots of pictures when you took it apart. It only goes back together one way.

It uses furnace cement in the channels, and make sure to assemble to stove completely for a “dry fit” with no cement first. That way you will see if you have any fit issues to worry about, and that you have it put back together in the right order. The last thing you want is to take apart pieces that you cemented together, its just a mess and it wont seal properly.

I also hope your baffle is in good shape, baffle alone is almost $600 with shipping. I may be able to get you a slightly better deal if you need it.

I just realized I have this thin sheet not sure bout it either

 

[Superdave444]

Im going to be honest. You're in for a challenge. But anyone can do it, it's just a matter of how good you are at problem solving problems when you run into them. And well, basic stove knowledge goes a long way too. Just knowing how a stove is supposed to draft internally and work makes a difference.

There is not exploded diagram that I know of for the 500/550/800. So I hope you took lots of pictures when you took it apart. It only goes back together one way.

It uses furnace cement in the channels, and make sure to assemble to stove completely for a “dry fit” with no cement first. That way you will see if you have any fit issues to worry about, and that you have it put back together in the right order. The last thing you want is to take apart pieces that you cemented together, its just a mess and it wont seal properly.

I also hope your baffle is in good shape, baffle alone is almost $600 with shipping. I may be able to get you a slightly better deal if you need it.

It’s fitting good without this piece (2)

 

[Superdave444]

Summary: After a long night, I got it together but have a couple extra pieces. I got this thin sheet and also the biggest piece with a half circle, im stumped on wheee they belong…..

 

[Superdave444]

Summary: After a long night, I got it together but have a couple extra pieces. I got this thin sheet and also the biggest piece with a half circle, im stumped on wheee they belong…..

View attachment 300397 View attachment 300398

 

[Superdave444]

Finally got it, I think… except for the thin sheet I have everything but the circle top plates,

 

[begreen]

Getting there. Did you see the spec sheet for this stove?

https://hearth.com/images/uploads/cawley800specs.pdf

 

[Superdave444]

Getting there. Did you see the spec sheet for this stove?

https://hearth.com/images/uploads/cawley800specs.pdf

Thanks for the spec sheet! Should I paint the inside or just clean?

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the spec sheet! Should I paint the inside or just clean?

If it is going to sit unused for very long painting inside isn't a bad idea. But if it will be used in the next season or 2 I wouldn't bother

 

[Superdave444]

I think this is too nice to use in my garage. How much do you think it might be worth?

 

[Superdave444]

If it is going to sit unused for very long painting inside isn't a bad idea. But if it will be used in the next season or 2 I wouldn't bother

Here’s the back plate

 

[D. Hermit]

I think this is too nice to use in my garage. How much do you think it might be worth?

The market is good right now even for just backyard restorations like this. Ideally you could get upwards of 1000-1500.

Eta- thats if you were in the North East. I have no clue what you could get in MO. I would start listing it high and see what interest you get.

 

[Superdave444]

The market is good right now even for just backyard restorations like this. Ideally you could get upwards of 1000-1500.

Eta- thats if you were in the North East. I have no clue what you could get in MO. I would start listing it high and see what interest you get.

I fired it up last night , no cement or sealant and it worked great.i need to find a couple of the 8” lid covers. I was amazed how much heat you get when you don’t lose anything up a chimney. The 4 doors make it super easy to reach any part of the huge inside. I have a detached single level garage that is 2 car lengths long with a concrete floor, single door on one end and garage door on the opposite end. I can either take the pipe straight up or out the side wall. I found a $100 deal on marketplace for a variety of flu pipes and plan on getting tomorrow. Who would I contact to help me design/build chimney?a? eBay and crabgrass are the only 2 I know of for advertising? I enclosed a bunch of pics

The market is good right now even for just backyard restorations like this. Ideally you could get upwards of 1000-1500.

Eta- thats if you were in the North East. I have no clue what you could get in MO. I would start listing it high and see what interest you get.

 

[D. Hermit]

…..but you are taking it apart again to cement it now right?

And are you just burning it in your garage? No stove pipe? Nothing?

 

[Superdave444]

…..but you are taking it apart again to cement it now right?

And are you just burning it in your garage? No stove pipe? Nothing?

Yes im going to take it apart for cement, i put a screen over the exhaust to keep any big ember’s from flying out, and used the front shelf(tray) to cover the lid opening’s. Had both doors open, it smoke initially but then wasn’t bad once it go going’s I cleaned all the ash out and blew it out with a leaf blower then wiped down with a towel. I also pulled the race car outta the garage just in case. Kept an eye on it till completely out with hose within reach

 

[Superdave444]

Yes im going to take it apart for cement, i put a screen over the exhaust to keep any big ember’s from flying out, and used the front shelf(tray) to cover the lid opening’s. Had both doors open, it smoke initially but then wasn’t bad once it go going’s I cleaned all the ash out and blew it out with a leaf blower then wiped down with a towel. I also pulled the race car outta the garage just in case. Kept an eye on it till completely out with hose within reach

I had a good box fan at each room end pointed outward. Once it caught i closed the stove doors and smoke was eliminated.

 

[RockyMtnGriz]

Dude has a rippin fire going in a woodstove inside a garage, with NO flue, with a sofa and at least two overstuffed chairs next to it - LMFAO!! As a firefighter, I thank you for a lifetime of job security, and the next generation that I've been honored to help train, thanks you too, I'm sure!