Grandpa Bear - restoration questions

[GaCrowe]

Just purchased this rear-vented stove. I have a few questions as this is new territory for me and I want to be sure I do the right thing and the stove is safe to use.
Anyone able to tell what year it is? How to determine if the name and trees have been painted over OR if there's nickel under the paint? There is some very mild rust under the lip of the top and inside the doors and wood box - should I work on this rust then paint with what Coaly has recommended OR just leave it alone? Inside there are plates welded on that appear to be for sitting a baffle on - is that correct? Bricks are cracked (none are missing) - is it safe to use as is OR do they need to be replaced? If need to replace, how do you get them out and new ones in with them being behind those welded on brackets? Anything else I should know about? Thank you!

 

[coaly]

1977.
The first year there was a 76 in the star on right door. The 76 was removed until the doors were made without the stars which also had the smaller trees and flat iron channel for door seal instead of the first style with round rod.

All flat top doors were painted black. No plating was done until 1980 on the arched top Cathedral style doors.

Baffles and supports for them were an addition after 1980 to reduce smoke. This is a Series I that used angle iron “clips” for brick retainers, and the plate under outlet is a baffle of sorts, not a Smoke Shelf Baffle that was trademarked for smoke reduction in the Series III. If you were to add a baffle, it would set on the flat plate in rear, and angle upward toward the lower bend in top.
This stove has the optional second course of brick used to raise firebox temperature for a cleaner burn as well. An added baffle would go above them toward front.

Bricks are useable as is. When they require replacement, remove bottom bricks first to angle the side brick away from wall at bottom. This allows for them to pass under brick retainers. Cracks fill in with ash becoming very solid. Use care when loading to prevent brick breakage on back wall.

Wire wheel any rust around inside of doors or door seal fof clean contact on back of door and round door seal rod.

 

[coaly]

If this is a Georgia stove, it should have a stove number and GA welded on bottom, probably with initials of welder as well, along with initials under the ash fender of the finisher that vented it, installed doors and ash fender.

 

[GaCrowe]

If this is a Georgia stove, it should have a stove number and GA welded on bottom, probably with initials of welder as well, along with initials under the ash fender of the finisher that vented it, installed doors and ash fender.

Thank you so much for all the info! Very helpful and just what I needed to know.
I will clean off the rust as you mentioned. Should I use the stove paint you've recommended in other posts on the inside of the door - or just clean off the rust and leave it alone?
Yes, there are welded #s/letters on bottom of stove and under the ash fender. can't read the ones underneath - far to heavy for me to turn over! Now that I know what it's supposed to say, I'll look again to write them down. Not too good of a welding job on the letters...
I've also printed off the manuals that you've posted - thank you too for that info.

 

[GaCrowe]

If this is a Georgia stove, it should have a stove number and GA welded on bottom, probably with initials of welder as well, along with initials under the ash fender of the finisher that vented it, installed doors and ash fender.

One more ? - the seller of the stove painted it with Rustoleum paint meant for high heat. Wish he hadn't as it's not the paint you have said to use, but he did. Do you think this is going to be a problem for me? Should I set the stove outside (it's not yet installed) and burn in it to season this paint before I put the stove into my house for use? Should I purchase the paint you recommend and paint over what the seller did? Thank you for your expert guidance.

 

[coaly]

Sometimes taking a picture of the bottom with a phone works well. Try with and without flash.

No paint inside doors. It will burn off.

Firing outdoors after application of any paint is recommended. They smoke off with the first fire, and every time you get it hotter than a previous fire you will smell it. Use at least one pipe section to create draft. The original by Forrest Paints seems to stay black longer than most other high temp paints. The color won’t quite be the same as original, paint is personal preference. Any color is fine as long as it is high temperature paint.

If it hasn’t been fired over the summer the fire bricks will absorb moisture from the atmosphere and take a fire or so to evaporate the moisture into steam. This takes a lot of heat along with it up the stack, so the first fire may not seem to heat well. The next fire will bring the surface up to higher temps and enjoy the smell all over again.