Need help identifying a Rais wood stove (photo)

[Sonko2010]

Hi everyone,

I just purchased a home that came with a Rais soapstone stove (photo enclosed). So far it lights easily and stays warm long after the fire goes out. I've been impressed with this little wood-stove.

The problem is that I am not sure of the manufacture date or the model. It seems it might be an "Atlas" model based on some of the images I have found on-line. Unfortunately the manual was not in the house. Is there an online resource to get manuals of older discontinues Rais stoves?

Also, under the firebox, there is a small rectangular door (red arrow), which has an internal hinge on the left and a pull knob on the right. For the life of me, I cannot get that door to open. I have pulled in and out, up and down, and left to right, but with no luck. I really don't want to pry it open with a flat head screw driver for fear of damaging it. I would be grateful if someone could confirm that this is an ash clean-out and secondly, how this is supposed to open?

Stay warm everyone,

Chris

 

[begreen]

I think this might be a RAIS komba. Not sure why the ash pan door is stuck. It should open relatively easily. If you can't get it open, just shovel out the ash from the front. You may actually find the fire burns better with an ashpan full of ash.

https://us.rais.com/client_media/files/Manuals/RAIS_ARENA_SERIES-Rev2[1].pdf

 

[Sonko2010]

Thanks for the reply. Does the ash pan door typically swing out, similarly to how the firebox door opens? Thanks for the manual!

 

[begreen]

I don't know how the ash door works. Give the local RAIS dealer a call.

Warming Trends
4 South A Street
Santa Rosa, CA
[email protected]
707-578-9276

 

[Sweetbay]

Thanks for the reply. Does the ash pan door typically swing out, similarly to how the firebox door opens? Thanks for the manual!

I just purchased a used Atlas, originally from Wittus/Rais Company in 2004. The company still exists in NY and sent me the installation manual.
The ash pan door swings out on my stove. Maybe if you lift while pulling the door it might be easier to open or maybe you can adjust the locking nut.
How far from combustable wall is your stove?

 

[SteveKG]

I have a Rais Wittus cookstove from the early nineties. It does not have that sort of "ash door" so no help there. However, I've called them a couple times over the years, and they've been very helpful and open about giving me information. Call them and I bet someone will help you troubleshoot that stuck door. Also, provide a manual.

Be patient with the door. I had a broken part on my stove, and Rais was not able to provide me a replacement as they no longer had any for my long-discontinued model. You'll be left with a machine-shop job if that is the case with yours and it gets broken. They did search for my part in their inventory and called back in a couple days to give me the bad news.

 

[Sweetbay]

I have a Rais Wittus cookstove from the early nineties. It does not have that sort of "ash door" so no help there. However, I've called them a couple times over the years, and they've been very helpful and open about giving me information. Call them and I bet someone will help you troubleshoot that stuck door. Also, provide a manual.

Be patient with the door. I had a broken part on my stove, and Rais was not able to provide me a replacement as they no longer had any for my long-discontinued model. You'll be left with a machine-shop job if that is the case with yours and it gets broken. They did search for my part in their inventory and called back in a couple days to give me the bad news.

Do you recall the phone number and/or contact info for Rais? I will need some fire bricks. Here's a pic of my stove without the soap stone side panels and top piece. Here's a pic if the inside to illustrate the missing curved brick.

 

[SteveKG]

Most recent phone number I have for Rais is 914-764-5679.

Address: Hack Green Rd., Pound Ridge, NY, 10576.

 

[Rickb]

You might be able to fab up a new brick with a square brick and a grinder.