Comforter Stove Works..newbe ?'s

[OBOYU2]

Hi to all and my thanks also to all who run and participate in this forum.
I have just purchased a comforter stove..mid 70's variety..UL approved but not a DEQ rated unit. It appears to have little use. I intend to put it in my insulated shop, 24' x24'. It may be overkill but the price was right.
My question's...#1 What is the significance of the round removable plate on the top of the stove. #2 The handle slides over a wedge like thing on the doors, and this handle has a spring at that point, so as you push the handle on it would compress the spring. I don't know if this is broken or what. The handle seems a bit akward to use. I'll try to upload a couple of pics. Don't hold your breath though as my techno abilities are lacking...It might take the rest of my life I did find some info on post 0872 and I have some questions related to that also, but thats later.
Thankyou folks.

charlie

 

[JimWalshin845]

Sounds like that hole in the top is for loading wood and the removeable handle is so you can get the top off while the stove is fired without burning your mitts off.

Welcome aboard and have fun

 

[webbie]

Here is the stove:
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/ads/source/comforterad.html

and yes, it uses a handle which fits on a cam. The folks at Woodmans have parts for this sucker if you ever need them!

The hole in the top is just a cookplate - that stove is designed for side load. The hole in the top was also used for loading coal once a coal conversion was installed.

That is a nice stove.

 

[webbie]

The handle sounds normal - it is designed so you cannot leave it on the stove (where it would get too hot)....

Also, none of my business, but do they allow you to install non EPA stoves in Oregon? I thought things were pretty tough out there.

 

[OBOYU2]

Thanks for the info..

Craig.. I was under the impression that as long as this was going in my shop and not my residence it would be OK.. Now I am not so sure as I have been reading the code but find no exemption for that...Hmmm...I may have bought some scap metal for recylceing.. That is a picture of my stove also.

Thanks charlie

 

[webbie]

I thought it was to do with air quality in the entire region or state, but I'm sure you can find the answer on the DEQ Oregon site. There is sometimes a big difference between what can be sold and what can be used. At worst, you can sell it out of state - it is a nice unit!

You can also get a tax deduction for it by donating it to certain stove museums.......maybe....

 

[bluen0te]

Here is the stove:
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/ads/source/comforterad.html

and yes, it uses a handle which fits on a cam. The folks at Woodmans have parts for this sucker if you ever need them!

The hole in the top is just a cookplate - that stove is designed for side load. The hole in the top was also used for loading coal once a coal conversion was installed.

That is a nice stove.

i read this post and you mention "woodmans" as a source for parts for this stove. (comforter). i desperately need a damper for one of these stoves and i don't know who woodmans is. any help? thanks...

 

[webbie]

(broken link removed)

 

[fossil]

Charlie, if you try to pull a permit for installing the stove, which is required by Oregon law, it ain't gonna be approved for installaion anywhere. Even though we see old stoves routinely on craigslist, it's actually illegal to sell an old non-EPA approved stove once it's been removed from its former service. Having said that...I installed a stove in my workshop without pulling a permit. When the shop building was built last year, I specified a professional chimney installation through the ceiling, attic, & roof for a "future" stove, so the hard part was already done. My stove happens to be a new EPA stove, but it's completely off the radar as far as the county's concerned. We did pull a permit for the stove in our house, and that entire installation was professionally done. The inspector was such a nice reasonalbe guy, I showed him my shop installation, and he said it looked very nicely done. Good luck with it. Rick

 

[bluen0te]

charlie,

if you are still out there and still have the comforter stove i wonder if you might help me out with a question. when you look inside the end loading door, down on the right at the bottom of the back wall, there are two tabs sticking up. i wonder if i am missing a part or are these part of the coal conversion i've read about. i'm in the process of repairing the damper for this stove, have to order a new baffle and i'm done. thanks for any info you have. this seems to be one of the hardest stoves to find any info on.
jim

 

[woodguy]

To answer bluenOte's question, those tabs are for the coal conversion as far as I remember since I have not burned coal in my comforter since 1983. From 1983 to the present I have been burning wood in the stove. Coal works very good in the stove, much better than wood (higher temps and much longer burning time).

NOTE OF CAUTION: if a person does use coal, only with the coal conversion installed of course, they need to be very careful until they become accustomed to setting the air setting, etc. as it is possible to get the stove hot enough to make the top glow cherry red

I have not used a catalytic converter in this stove with wood (to hopefully increase the burning time and heat output) but I am thinking about it, so if anyone has any experience using one I would appreciate some feedback.

 

[bibhaslam]

First post for me....great site. I have the same stove, with the coal conversion apparently because it's a grate sitting on those tabs with a skirt around it. I plan on burning coal in her this year, but I just had some Locust trees cut down in my yard and plan on burning that next winter. How exactly do you burn wood in this stove? Just remove the grate and burn it right on the bottom?
I do see that the bottom has grooves (best way to explain it).