Hearthstone II Should I Rebuild??

[Wood Pirate]

I have a Hearthstone II from the early 1980's. My father bought it new and installed it in my childhood home. About 12 years ago, we retired it to our hunting camp.
My question is: The sideplate is broken. Probably needs a few other things as well. Is it worth taking it all apart and rebuilding it or should I look for something newer? After 30 years of service it has more than paid for itself. I am wondering if the money and time spent to rebuild is worth it?

Stove has always been good. I have replaced some interior parts. Definitely needs the side plate. Probably could use a new side door and some ash pan parts.

Thanks

 

[fbelec]

what kind of parts does it need? you can pickup parts at (broken link removed) usually the fireback takes a beatin. i had the baffle made at a welding shop for 35 dollars cheaper. make sure you keep the area behind the fireback and that right side plate clean and it should be ok. my side plate had heat damage it was starting to spider. but still in one piece so it went back in and works fine. and it has not got any worse.

 

[Wood Pirate]

what kind of parts does it need? you can pickup parts at (broken link removed) usually the fireback takes a beatin. i had the baffle made at a welding shop for 35 dollars cheaper. make sure you keep the area behind the fireback and that right side plate clean and it should be ok. my side plate had heat damage it was starting to spider. but still in one piece so it went back in and works fine. and it has not got any worse.

the side plate has a 4" long crack right near the air tube. I think I replaced the back plate a while back. Other than that, the stove seems to draw a lot more air than it used to. It seems that over time there have been some tiny gaps formed around doors etc.

 

[fbelec]

if the crack is not all the way thru leave it. my fractures on mine are not getting any bigger. i think because i am keeping the space behind it clear. that is why the side plate and fireback crack and melt. ash builds up behind them and they run to hot. you may see a gap but is it leaking air? run a thermometer on the stove and see if you can control the temp via primary air flap if so you are ready to fly.

 

[Kevlar_vw]

Pictures of the stove?

 

[bholler]

If it is getting hard to control at that age i personally would tear it down completely and rebuild it. I think it is worth it it will work like new again and you wont risk overfiring it.

 

[fbelec]

also moving it around tends to break and crack cement. side stones might be ok but the top stones are in place because of force of habit. they are set onto furnace cement across the top cast iron piece if you are leaking air replace the door gaskets and the seal around the metal frame of doors the ash pan door and the top three stone need to be reset and your good to go. that is really not that much work. the hardest thing to do in the stove is the curved baffle at the top of the firebox. i managed to get out the old warped baffle easy but getting the new piece in was a bugger. that's when i said tare it down and took it apart.