Huntsman stove

[El Dia Octavo]

A chap I know has offered me an old Huntsman stove for cheap. I'm looking at it for my shop. All cast iron and appears to have a upper and lower box configuration. I've inserted the URL for an old listing on craigslist with pictures but it does not appear when I preview. I'll try to just post it and see if it shows up. Anyway, the question is does anyone have experience with one of these and can educate me a bit?? Thanks.

 

[jabush]

Does it look like the one in my avatar? If so, then it was made by Atlanta Stove Works. That is a plate steel stove with a cast iron door. I like mine and have used it for the last three seasons. Heats the place nicely.
The only problem I see with installing this stove is that it is pre EPA (obvioulsy) and if it was ever UL listed, the tag is long gone. Your insurance co. probably won't like that as a new install. Mine came with the house, and I was lucky enough to get my insurance co. to sign off on it.
If you decide to go for it...post back as I have a copy of the manual you can have. I've also gotten good at controling the beast.

Oops...sorry...just my dogs in the avatar.
See attached pic...

 

[El Dia Octavo]

Yes, it kinda looks like that but the secondary chamber on top is longer - within about six inches of the full lenght of the firebox. It has three round air controls on the front and the image of a deer jumping over a log cast into the iron.

 

[jabush]

Hmmm...must be a different model than mine. I would like to see a pic of that thing if you decide to buy it. I can still send you the manual (to mine) if you'd like. I don't imagine the stoves are that much different to operate.

take care

 

[El Dia Octavo]

Paste this into your browser - (broken link removed to http://flint.craigslist.org/for/730757122.html)

It's the for sale listing on craigslist and has a couple pictures.

 

[jabush]

Thanks for the link. For $250 he could at least sand it down and slap a coat of paint on it!!
That stove still has a lot of life in it. The cabinet is 1/4 in steel and the baffel and the top of the upper chamber are 5/16.
The baffle system is most likely just like the one in my stove. It restricts the smoke as it rises in the back of the firebox(into the upper chamber), then it travels forward 12-13" before it flows into the "flu tube". The stove you linked to probably has an even longer "flu tube", which makes for a longer smoke path. Pretty good design for the late 70s.
Anywoo, I'd offer him 100 bucks. Like I said...as a "new" pre-EPA installation you may have trouble getting your home owners insurance to cover it. And you will never be able to "prove" that it's UL listed. That stove will heat any space you put it in, but you'll be on your own if a mishap occurs. I'll PM you the manual for my stove so you can see how it is designed.

 

[leaf4952]

I got one also. I love my Huntsman. It came with my house which I bought two years ago. My insurance did not bat an eye probably because it came with the house and so many people heat with wood, coal or pellet stoves up here in the pocono mountains. I cried alot that first winter but I'm going into my third winter now with alot more knowledge. I know what I'm doing now and I even got a guy friend teaching me how to use a chain saw to cut down all the dead fall on my property (waste not-want not). My Hunstman is just as in the picture posted, top chamber, 3 airholes etc. I have a 25 ft smokestack and an open chalet/a-frame type interior to my house with 2 large ceiling fans so the air circulation is good. It almost gets too warm in the loft area! 1000 sq ft. I haven't mastered getting it to burn the whole 12hrs I'm gone to work but I'm teaching my 15 yr old son to stoke it 3 hrs into my absence each day. I don't have a manual but saw some pages once for a manual for a double front doored model that came with a mesh screen for fire viewing. I thought it an odd configuration for a Huntsman since it appeared it would get too much air that way and waste wood but that owner liked it. I like mine and fuss over it quite a bit. Let me know if I can be of help on advice. Good luck with the insurance gremlins.

 

[naps1377]

I just bought a house with a huntsman stove in it. It is a double door model. I have just gone through and replaced all of the fire brick and I am in the process of getting it ready to burn for the winter. However, in preparations I came across a problem, two of the three draft regulators, (1 of the 2 on the bottom, and the upper one) seem to be seized up and won't turn. My question is has anyone else run into this problem and whats the best way to get the regulators un stuck? My second questions is I don't think that I would want to use WD40 on them to loosen them up, but is there something else that can be used? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[cmonSTART]

From a mechanical standpoint, I don't see much better options than using some kind of good penetrating oil on them to free them up (assuming they're stuck because of corrosion). Just make sure to clean them up really well before firing it up. Our friends have a Huntsman and they absolutely love the stove.

 

[El Dia Octavo]

I cannot see how WD40 or penatrating oil will cause any harm. A good fire will burn it off and the fumes from such a small amount will be negligible. If you are really concerned, try a mixture of kerosene and light oil - like a sewing machine oil or transmission fluid. This is a good penetrating fluid and is pretty benign.

In any case, you don't need a lot of it. A little goes a long way.

 

[pauldog]

I have access to an Atlanta Stove Works Huntsman, single door with a 6" rear exit flue. I also have a friend who has 30' of ovalized 5" ss flex liner (with about 3' of round on one end). I have read some posts by the "pirate" fossil and Craig Issod and am now aware of the reduction in square inch cross section due to going from 6" to 5", the penalty of using flex liner, the reduction due to ovalizing, and the golden ratio of door to flue size. My question for those on this thread that have this stove is 1, what size liners/type do you have, and based on your experience do you think reducing to the type and size liner I have would negatively impact the draft, or cause smoke to enter the room when the door is opened for loading. Thank you in advance for your time.

25' clay lined chimney (12x12), straight, well insulated older house.

 

[naps1377]

Thanks for everyone who posted on how to get those regulators unstuck. I ended up using a very small amount of penetrating oil on the regulators. I placed a few drops on each thread and let it soak in for about a half hour, then I started a fire and the combination of the oil and heat broke the regulators loose and now they turn very easy.

However, I now have a new question. I am pretty new to using a woodstove, I had grown up with them in my parent's house but my father was the one who did all of the adjustments to the stove and I was only used for cutting, stacking, and bringing in the firewood. So my question is with these Huntsman Stoves with the 3 air regualtors, what is the best way to hold a fire overnight (8 hrs). I have been fiddling with the controls on my own, but have had no success, my fire seems to go burn down to embers and go cold after about 3-4 hrs. The best combination I have to get to this long is to almost close the bottom 2 regulators and leave the top regulator open about 1/4 inch. Is there a better combination to which regulators to open/close and how far open/closed to have them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[Dave_1]

... However, I now have a new question. I am pretty new to using a woodstove, I had grown up with them in my parent's house but my father was the one who did all of the adjustments to the stove and I was only used for cutting, stacking, and bringing in the firewood. So my question is with these Huntsman Stoves with the 3 air regualtors, what is the best way to hold a fire overnight (8 hrs). I have been fiddling with the controls on my own, but have had no success, my fire seems to go burn down to embers and go cold after about 3-4 hrs. The best combination I have to get to this long is to almost close the bottom 2 regulators and leave the top regulator open about 1/4 inch. Is there a better combination to which regulators to open/close and how far open/closed to have them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

Go to

http://www.kountrylife.com/cgi-bin/topic.cgi?bd=forum&th=27100

Sign up then email Tony V a request for a manual.

or

contact this guy

(broken link removed to http://newlondon.craigslist.org/hsh/922666650.html)

 

[jabush]

My exterior masonry chimney is lined with 20' of 6" flex liner(plus insulation) and drafts like a champ...as long as it's clean. That Huntsman is going to make some smoke no matter how you burn it, so regular chimney inspection and brushing (if needed) is a must. Based on my experience with this stove, I wouldn't hook it up to a 5" liner. It may draft well at first, but as soon as you start to get a buildup of ash and creosote in there,which you will, you'll have smoke spillage every time you open the door.

I have access to an Atlanta Stove Works Huntsman, single door with a 6" rear exit flue. I also have a friend who has 30' of ovalized 5" ss flex liner (with about 3' of round on one end). I have read some posts by the "pirate" fossil and Craig Issod and am now aware of the reduction in square inch cross section due to going from 6" to 5", the penalty of using flex liner, the reduction due to ovalizing, and the golden ratio of door to flue size. My question for those on this thread that have this stove is 1, what size liners/type do you have, and based on your experience do you think reducing to the type and size liner I have would negatively impact the draft, or cause smoke to enter the room when the door is opened for loading. Thank you in advance for your time.

25' clay lined chimney (12x12), straight, well insulated older house.

 

[jabush]

I use a Liquid Wrench dry lube on the threads of my regulators. Keeps them spinning freely.
As far as your burn times...I don't know what type of wood you're burning, if you're filling the stove or just burning a few splits at a time, etc...I would need to know more details about your setup.
For an overnight burn ( in my case) I make sure I have a nice bed of coals about a half hour before I turn in. Then I open all the air regulators and literally pack the firebox full of hardwood splits (or rounds if I have them on hand). I let the load getting going until the (interior) flu gas temp is around 600 degrees and climbing, then I start to back down the air to keep things under control. Once the flu thermo hits 800-900 degrees, I close both lower regulators and leave the upper regulator open 1.5 turns. This gives me about a six hour burn time with plenty of coals to start it back up in the morning. YMMV...

Thanks for everyone who posted on how to get those regulators unstuck. I ended up using a very small amount of penetrating oil on the regulators. I placed a few drops on each thread and let it soak in for about a half hour, then I started a fire and the combination of the oil and heat broke the regulators loose and now they turn very easy.

However, I now have a new question. I am pretty new to using a woodstove, I had grown up with them in my parent's house but my father was the one who did all of the adjustments to the stove and I was only used for cutting, stacking, and bringing in the firewood. So my question is with these Huntsman Stoves with the 3 air regualtors, what is the best way to hold a fire overnight (8 hrs). I have been fiddling with the controls on my own, but have had no success, my fire seems to go burn down to embers and go cold after about 3-4 hrs. The best combination I have to get to this long is to almost close the bottom 2 regulators and leave the top regulator open about 1/4 inch. Is there a better combination to which regulators to open/close and how far open/closed to have them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[pauldog]

jabush, thank you for the reply. I will go with a 6" flex liner, probably from Rockford. It sounds like you have the manual in electronic form. Would you be willing to email it to me (after the holiday, of course)? I'll pm you my contact info. Thanks again and happy thanksgiving. Paul

 

[jabush]

The manual should be in your hotmail inbox right now.
As an edit to my above post regarding the overnight burn...I was a little conservative. I can actually strech the overnight burn to 7-8 hours and still easily restart on the remaining coals. At seven hours the stove top is in the 300 degree range. Been payin closer attention this week as I've been burning 24/7!

jabush, thank you for the reply. I will go with a 6" flex liner, probably from Rockford. It sounds like you have the manual in electronic form. Would you be willing to email it to me (after the holiday, of course)? I'll pm you my contact info. Thanks again and happy thanksgiving. Paul

 

[burnwood]

Hi, I just bought one of these stoves last night. It looks identical to jabush's picture. I am hoping this is a good stove. It looks very well made and its in great condition. I'm not quite sure when it was made. I couldn't believe how heavy it was. I paid $250 for it. I don't know if thats good or bad, but I'm excited. Before I fire it, I still have to vent my gas water heater through my roof with a metal type B gas chimney, then I have to install my Rigid chimney liner. I can't believe this thread was taking place while I randomly bought this exact stove.

 

[jake823]

Hello,

I just recently bought a woodstove like someone previously mentioned. It has double doors and deer on the front and I cannot install it without the specs according to the town. Anyone know where I can find Specs on this stove? It has no model number on the back all I know is that
It is a huntsman by Atlanta Stove works.
Any help would be appreciated


Jake