Eventually everything becomes obsolete. Parts become harder and harder to find until one day scavenging from old stoves is all that's left. Then one day even that source dries up. Sometimes the part is something that can be a DIY fabrication or maybe a professionally machined piece. On brick lined stoves the refractory can be replaced. Custom shaped fire brick can be made. Kbobs and handles can be adapted. On cast iron coal stoves failure of an internal cast iron coal basket or grate system can be a bit more of an issue. I wonder if dimensions should be recorded for critical parts while the parts are in working order just in case later fabrication becomes necessary. Who wouldn't like to extend the life of a beloved appliance? Are there any interesting stories on the forum of obsoletes brought back from the dead?
Obsolete stove parts
- Thread starter Mijoka
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Anything can be replaced given enough money. I have had parts recast already. The thing is that costs lots of money. The last full rebuild I did on a cook stove was almost $5000. And then you still have an old inefficient stove that will cost a whole lot of money the next time it breaks
My guess is 3D printing is probably the future for making high value replacement parts. Its already being use to make parts for older turbines.
Yes but you need a good part to scan. I generally take what's left of the part then fill in with clay and wood to make a mold off of. Now a good 3d modeler could do the same electronically. But that will still only get you a model at this point. It would still have to be sand cast from there
No need to sand cast anymore https://markforged.com/3d-printers/metal-x, the initial 3d printing was using the lost wax technique but it has now been expanded to direct printing of metal parts. I am not aware if they have figured out how to print cast iron.
I know that printing metal parts is possible but I didn't think there was anything that would stand up in a stove. But I see they list stainless so maybe
By the way I am absolutely not going to complain about people willing to spend the money to rebuild old stoves. I enjoy doing it and make good money in the process. Much more than I would selling them a new stove. But I do try to talk them out of it in most cases. They simply aren't very good stoves in almost every case. And I generally would rather see them keep the old one as a decorative piece and get a new stove to use that is more functional
When I was rebuilding my Dutchwest it was very difficult to find an inner top. When I did find one, they sent the wrong one for the larger stove.
Then they were out of stock on the one I needed.
I took a ton of dimensions and decided my inner top was identical to the newer, large one, only difference was it was wider and the triangle supports were at a shallower angle as well. I put it on my waterjet and shaved a few inches off both sides, then used a grinder to match the angle of the support webbing triangles.
If you paid me to do that... I probably would charge $225 not including the cost of the part.
Then they were out of stock on the one I needed.
I took a ton of dimensions and decided my inner top was identical to the newer, large one, only difference was it was wider and the triangle supports were at a shallower angle as well. I put it on my waterjet and shaved a few inches off both sides, then used a grinder to match the angle of the support webbing triangles.
If you paid me to do that... I probably would charge $225 not including the cost of the part.
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