Hearth mount Virginian stove questions

[racinghoss]

Hello

Last year I bought a house with a hearth mounted double door Virginian stove from Virginia Stove works. I have not been able to find ANY information on this stove. My google skills must be lacking. I have also done several searches and perused lots of threads on here, but to no avail. The stove is in the basement family room and is vented through a ceramic chimney with no SS liner. Does anyone have any info on this stove? I would really like to know where to get an owners manual.

Overall, it seems to be in decent shape. Last fall, after moving in, I had a pro take a look at the chimney and stove and received his blessing to heat my house with it. He did recommend a liner, but stated that the chimney was in good shape and that he would not hesitate to use it. I used it to heat the basement only last year (about 1000 square feet) with no problems. This year, I have been wanting to heat the entire house (the stove is big enough), but there are a couple of things that worry me:

1) the front doors are whitened, presumably from overheating

2) there is no chimney damper

3) there is no gasket on the doors, but it looks like there isnt supposed to be. However, there is a visible gap so I think that I might add a gasket to them anyway. What can it hurt?

Any info that you all can help with will be greatly appreciated.

 

[racinghoss]

Nobody has ever heard of these stoves? Me neither, but there are a few of them scattered around these parts.

 

[jabush]

Can you post a pic of the stove? I flipped through my small collection of stove books (from the 70s) and only one mentions Virginia Stove Works, Inc.
The book mentions the Virginian 101 & 102 "Convector" stoves. Both with a series of heat exchangers in the firebox and a heat collector attached to the stove body. There is also mention of a short horozontal baffle, optional fieplace screen, spin wheel draft control and oak door handle.

FWIW The address listed (in 1979) was:

Virginia Stove Works, Inc
1922 Patterson Ave SW
Roanoke, VA 24016

I'll try to scan the specs for both stoves as well as the sideview of the "102" and post them up for you.
Sorry, no manual.

Oh...welcome to the forum! Whereabouts are you in MD?

 

[jabush]

OK, I haven't posted pics in a while. See if these work.

 

[racinghoss]

Thanks. I will try to post some pics in a bit. I have some, I think.

That diagram is definitely my stove. It is a model 102. Mine does not have wooden handles though; nor do the other few stoves like mine that I have seen in CL ads, etc. I do have the screen though. It also looks like there might have been an interior damper in it. There is a small knob at the top center of the front of the stove that does nothing. I find it hard to believe that it is for air control because it is very small compared to the other vents. The inner parts of it are gone. I have heard of stoves ith an inner damper like that.

I am near you in Mt Airy, Frederick Co, near Penn Shop Rd.

 

[jabush]

Yea, some pics would be good. Get some of the firebox while you're at it. If the baffle is gone you may be able to fab something up.

Ahh Mt. Airy. You're right up the road a bit.

 

[racinghoss]

Sorry it took so long, but here are some pics. Hope this helps. I still have not found anything on it. I am using it to heat the entire house this year, with success too. Even though I have an exterior ceramic chimney (tile lined), I have not had too much creosote. I brushed it out last week and although I did find some creosote, it was not bad considering that I had burned around 2 cords since it as last cleaned.

 

[Captain awesome]

Sorry it took so long, but here are some pics. Hope this helps. I still have not found anything on it. I am using it to heat the entire house this year, with success too. Even though I have an exterior ceramic chimney (tile lined), I have not had too much creosote. I brushed it out last week and although I did find some creosote, it was not bad considering that I had burned around 2 cords since it as last cleaned.

So I also live in Maryland and have a Virginian model 102 in my basement. Wondering what benefits I get from a hearth and if this thing is safe to use. There is a dial/ knob that spins in the middle of the stove that appears to do nothing. Any thoughts?