Manual needed: Hicks-Millar Co, Villager wood stove

[bridgetdelamer]

Hello, everyone.
My husband received a 1980 wood stove in trade for some work and we thought we might install it in our home. It's a Hicks-Millar, Co of Bradford, NH model: Villager. Unfortunately, the company seems to be long out of business, there was no manual, and I honestly can't find anyone else who has even heard of this stove! It's quite possible that we have the one and only Villager still kicking about this world (which, frankly, is not a great sign). I'm attaching some pictures. Does this sound/look familiar to anyone?

I should mention that the person who traded the stove had no information on it to share. I think it has been traded quite a few times. From the looks of the inside of the stove, it has never been used.

I'm not sure if I should try to get someone to install it? Sell it? Wait and see if we can get someone to take it in trade from us?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 

[begreen]

Looks like a combo stove that may be better for coal than wood. I'd sell it for $100.

 

[bridgetdelamer]

Looks like a combo stove that may be better for coal than wood. I'd sell it for $100.

Ouch, $100! But, I suppose that is better than nothing. Thanks for your response.

 

[begreen]

It probably will be a poor wood burner. You can ask for more. It depends on how quickly you want to move it.

 

[bridgetdelamer]

It probably will be a poor wood burner. You can ask for more. It depends on how quickly you want to move it.

That makes sense. Thank you very much.

 

[bridgetdelamer]

It probably will be a poor wood burner. You can ask for more. It depends on how quickly you want to move it.

I do have to ask: what about it makes it a poor wood burner? Is that something you can tell just from the size/shape? Its age? Or, is that true of all coal + wood stoves?

 

[begreen]

Coal stoves need to feed air under the coal bed to keep it burning. It works well for a bucket load of coal, but it burns up wood too quickly. Also, there likely is no baffle above the fire to slow down the flame path heading out the flue. It's not necessary with a coal fire, but a baffle helps improve wood-burning efficiency. So yes, in general coal or coal/wood burners make inefficient wood stoves.

 

[bridgetdelamer]

Coal stoves need to feed air under the coal bed to keep it burning. It works well for a bucket load of coal, but it burns up wood too quickly. Also, there likely is no baffle above the fire to slow down the flame path heading out the flue. It's not necessary with a coal fire, but a baffle helps improve wood-burning efficiency. So yes, in general coal or coal/wood burners make inefficient wood stoves.

Ah, I see! Brilliant explanation. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

 

[ChillyB]

Can laying brick over coal grates make a coal stove serviceable as a wood stove?