Jotul 602 Restoration - Advice?

[Blake Carrington]

Hello Hearth people!

***Disclaimer: I'm a complete newbie to this community. I searched the forum & guides and perhaps missed what I need - apologies if this topic has been covered at length previously. If so please just point me in the right direction. Or point me to the correct sub-forum. Thanks for reading!​

I've got a pre-EPA Jotul 602 here in Denver, CO that I received as a gift from my mom a ear ago (purchased cheap in Virginia and driven out here for some strange reason). It has some notable rust on the exterior - in the notoriously detailed working of these stoves. Questions, details, and pictures below. Thank you for any advice or feedback you're willing to offer.

1. I've got a grandfathered wood-burning chimney in an old house here - will never need any inspection
2. Stove is holding some unfortunately positioned rust; should I restore or just burn it as-is? Obviously I'm going to test to make sure it doesn't leak, but if it's sealed is it worth going through the restoration process?
3. IF I should restore it, should I plan on beading the entire thing (can disassemble it) and re-painting it? OR just go after the rust by hand with copper brushes?
4. If I should just attack the rust - do I buy the Jotul paint and brush it on?
5. If I should bead it and start over - what the hell do I paint it with? I love the enamel but can't find anywhere here who can coat and bake it.
6. OR: if in your opinion this thing is a turd - let me know and I'll start looking for a good-condition replacement.

Thank you for your time and insight.
Lee

 

[begreen]

Questions, details, and pictures below. Thank you for any advice or feedback you're willing to offer.

1. I've got a grandfathered wood-burning chimney in an old house here - will never need any inspection
2. Stove is holding some unfortunately positioned rust; should I restore or just burn it as-is? Obviously I'm going to test to make sure it doesn't leak, but if it's sealed is it worth going through the restoration process?
3. IF I should restore it, should I plan on beading the entire thing (can disassemble it) and re-painting it? OR just go after the rust by hand with copper brushes?
4. If I should just attack the rust - do I buy the Jotul paint and brush it on?
5. If I should bead it and start over - what the hell do I paint it with? I love the enamel but can't find anywhere here who can coat and bake it.
6. OR: if in your opinion this thing is a turd - let me know and I'll start looking for a good-condition replacement.

1. That is a definite reason to have the chimney closely inspected by a certified chimney sweep to determine if it's safe to burn and if the flue is properly sized to the stove.
2. It's sad and unfortunate that this stove was neglected, but I would probably not try to restore it. You could bead blast it, but it's going to take a long time to blast off the enameling.

The stove appears to be missing the right side burn panel and the baffle. It should not be run without them in place. Also, inspect the stove carefully for any cracks. Look around the corners and on the rear below the flue exit.

 

[Blake Carrington]

Hi begreen!

Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply. More info - if this helps:

• Chimney has been swept and (temporarily) closed. I will need a new flue and piping to get to the interior exit. I will also have the system inspected, swept, and approved before burning any new stove here.
• I do have the right side burn panel, additional (extra) burn panels, baffles, a second door, all original top/back closures, fire bricks, and the original taller legs (which I will use).

Does that change anything? Thanks again regardless of how you answer
Lee

 

[begreen]

Good that you have the parts. There is no firebrick in this stove. just the left and right burn panels and then the baffle which sits on top of the panels. Make sure things fit snugly and correctly. A misfit of the baffle can allow hot flames to go right out the flue collar and crack the back due to unprotected rapid heating.

I have heard of people painting enameled stoves by sanding down the enamel a little to give it tooth for the paint. If you choose to do so, uses steel wool for the final rub down, then wipe clean and wipe again with alcohol. Stove Bright paint is a good stove paint to use.

 

[peakbagger]

Unless the look of rust bothers you, no need to do anything to the rust. These are great little stoves if used properly but not particularly valuable second hand so the best approach is make sure its functional and use it. Definitely not worth having it re-enamelled. I have seen some pretty good repaints where they sandblast the finish with fine grit to get some surface texture and used normal stove paint. Not sure how long it lasts.

These stoves tended to get abused by folks trying to get more heat out of them then they were designed to put out. They are a intermittent space heater not a house heater. The other thing is that folks would try do long burns with them by getting them hot and them cramming the full of big splits and then turning down the damper to get a long burn. Two things would happen, a gasket would leak and the stove would take off at some point causing the stove to overheat or it would fill the chimney with creosote. Its designed to be fed wood while heat is needed and then fed another chunk if additional heat is needed. Not very good for overnight burns as it means getting up to feed it numerous times (that is why folks try the cram it and choke it approach).

 

[bushman]

If you want to strip the enamel, go to Harbor Freight and get a needle scaler for $25.00 ran by air compressor. That’s a small stove so the work won’t take long. I stripped a big Efel stove with MANY parts and it was a big deal.

I would break the stove down and rebuild it, it’s small so why not?

 

[Ashful]

I have and frequently use a few needle scalers. Awesome tools for blasting rust and paint off things like old machinery and farm implements. But, do note that they take a reasonably big compressor to keep up with them. The Central Pneumatic unit at HF takes 10 CFM at 90 PSI, which is 60 gallon / 5 hp compressor territory. You’re not going to run a needle scaler off anything portable.