Cawley/ Lemay 600

[cuttingedge]

I have one of these in my basement and I love the stove. I just found the literature that came with it. It says that it can heat 5500 - 10,000 cu/ft. Is this in any way a realistic number? I am struggling to keep my basement over 65 degrees and am left wondering if I am being too gentle on the stove? I usually have it going at around 500- 600 stovetop. Should I be letting it go higher?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[webbie]

That is a very capable stove and easily capable of heating a normal home of 1700-2000 sf - so that cf is actually a very low estimate.

BUT, many basements (I know, because I have one!) are very difficult to bring up to temperature because the vast amount of mass in the floors and walls are trying to keep it at the usual temp (about 50 degree or less where you live)....

I don't think you are being too gentle. 700-750 or even higher for spurts is fine on the cook plates. Still, the best investment may be to eventually insulate the walls and/or floor. I use the gym-type pads on my floor - the interlocking ones you can get at home depot, etc.

Even if you just cover portions of it - it may help.

 

[cuttingedge]

That is a very capable stove and easily capable of heating a normal home of 1700-2000 sf - so that cf is actually a very low estimate.

BUT, many basements (I know, because I have one!) are very difficult to bring up to temperature because the vast amount of mass in the floors and walls are trying to keep it at the usual temp (about 50 degree or less where you live)....

I don't think you are being too gentle. 700-750 or even higher for spurts is fine on the cook plates. Still, the best investment may be to eventually insulate the walls and/or floor. I use the gym-type pads on my floor - the interlocking ones you can get at home depot, etc.

Even if you just cover portions of it - it may help.

Thank you for the info. I know that you have mentioned in previous threads that you knew or met Bob Cawley. It really is a beautiful stove and I am sure it is very capable. I actually have two copies of the original literature that came with the stove. I would be very happy to share them if needed for others to see. I actually was at a store the other day and they had a Cawley 600 for sale for $1200 and it was clearly in need of being redone. The one we have is in very good condition and even has the canning rack attached to it. I feel lucky to have this stove and in such great condition. Soon we are revamping our hearth upstairs to change from a Thor metalworks insert to a Jotul F55. I am fairly confident that with this set-up I should be able to greatly reduce our oil consumption.

 

[webbie]

Yes, I knew Bob and his wife Martha quite well. I had the ultimate respect for both of them....that stove is truly the best that can be built and also a piece of history.

I would be glad to scan the manual and put them online here in our wiki.
I will PM you my address in case you want to do this.

 

[webbie]

As an aside, here is Martha Cawleys latest work. We bought a dog statue from her years ago.....

(broken link removed)

 

[cuttingedge]

As an aside, here is Martha Cawleys latest work. We bought a dog statue from her years ago.....

(broken link removed)

She is a great artist. I could tell that just by looking at the sides of my stove. I will be happy to send you a copy of the manual and the original order form with prices for the stoves.

 

[bholler]

I just spent $1000 to rebuild mine that I got for free. It needed all new internal parts and a new top but they are great stoves way ahead of their time.

 

[bholler]

I also would love to see the manuals

 

[cuttingedge]

Do

I just spent $1000 to rebuild mine that I got for free. It needed all new internal parts and a new top but they are great stoves way ahead of their time.

do you happen to have the ignition grid in yours? If so do you think it does anything?

 

[bholler]

yes it absolutely does make a difference if you don't that could be part of the problem

 

[bholler]

mine is in an old basement to and it takes several hours to heat all that masonry up but once it warms up the basement it heats the house nicely

 

[gholler]

Do

do you happen to have the ignition grid in yours? If so do you think it does anything?

The grid is what made these stove so great. It put them ahead of thier time burning cleaner than anything out there at the time.
You can get all parts for this stove.

 

[bholler]

Here is the page for parts
http://stoves.com/category/product/cawley-lemay/#close

 

[begreen]

The grid is what made these stove so great. It put them ahead of thier time burning cleaner than anything out there at the time.
You can get all parts for this stove.

Cleaner than the Kent Tile Fire or BK cat stoves back then?

 

[bholler]

I don't know if they are cleaner than either of them but the cawley was sold here before the kent. I don't know when bk started making cat stoves. But my cawley 600 has 1976 stamped on it