Old Mill Coal(/Wood) Stove

[DonnieMac]

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping one of you can point me in the correct direction. Our family is looking to replace an existing small wood stove in a rustic hunting cabin. We'd like to minimize the cash investment (although there are about 5 pockets that could contribute). I have an "Old Mill" Coal Stove that we previously used to radiantly/convectively heat our ranch home (it was/is in the basement). I'm considering moving it to the cabin for primarily wood burning. My questions are:

(1) Can you direct me to a website where I can get information on this stove (I haven't found one). There are no numbers or plates on it, but it does have "Old Mill" on the main door.

(2) This stove has 2 dampers on the ash door, and 1 damper on the main door. Is this sufficient to control draft and burn rates, or would I need to install a flue-damper also?

(3) This stove has an exit pipe diameter of 8". Is it against code, or not recommended to reduce to a 6" fluepipe (that is what is currently in the cabin)?

Any other information you can provide would be REALLY appreciated. I can provide additional information (dimensions, photo, etc.) if needed.

Thanks,
Don

 

[Gooserider]

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping one of you can point me in the correct direction. Our family is looking to replace an existing small wood stove in a rustic hunting cabin. We'd like to minimize the cash investment (although there are about 5 pockets that could contribute). I have an "Old Mill" Coal Stove that we previously used to radiantly/convectively heat our ranch home (it was/is in the basement). I'm considering moving it to the cabin for primarily wood burning. My questions are:

Given that it has no label, the stove is probably a "Pre-EPA" model, and doesn't have UL aproval either - If I understand Elk and friends, that means the stove is NOT LEGAL TO INSTALL - it will have higher wood consumption than a modern stove, and make more pollution. If you have a fire and burn the place down, you might also have trouble getting your insurance to cough up a settlement.

From a practical standpoint, given that you want to put it in a hunting cabin (presumably out in the boonies?) and that it would replace an existing stove you probably could get away with it as long as you don't make to many changes. I would look very closely at clearances and the like using at least the "unless otherwise specified" numbers and possibly trying to add to them.

I'm also not sure about how safe / workable it is to attempt burning wood in a coal stove, I know one shouldn't burn coal in a wood stove unless it's specifically designed for it.

I'm sure Elk and co. will chime in on this as well

(1) Can you direct me to a website where I can get information on this stove (I haven't found one). There are no numbers or plates on it, but it does have "Old Mill" on the main door.

Sorry, perhaps someone else can.

(2) This stove has 2 dampers on the ash door, and 1 damper on the main door. Is this sufficient to control draft and burn rates, or would I need to install a flue-damper also?

On a pre-EPA stove, you likely will need a flue damper. If you are putting in pipes anyway, I'd probably put one in just because it would be a pain to have to add it later. After all if you don't need it, it won't hurt anything to leave it open.

(3) This stove has an exit pipe diameter of 8". Is it against code, or not recommended to reduce to a 6" fluepipe (that is what is currently in the cabin)?

I don't know about your stove, but both of our pre-EPA smoke dragons have 8" outlets which connect directly into 8" -> 6" adapters and go with 6" pipe from there. I understand this is a fairly common design. You said earlier that you were using this stove in your main house - What kind of pipe was it using there? I'd go with the same size if you can't find any information that says otherwise on your specific stove.

Gooserider

 

[webbie]

I have a spec sheet of some type on the OM80 Wood/Coal stove - I will upload to the wiki and post the URL here.

Here is basic spec - it was UL approved.

I have also started an old mill topic in the Wiki and have this and also another old mill spec sheet there.

As far as the 8" flue size, the reason for that is the large door opening. The stove will almost surely smoke out the doors if you downsize it. 8" flues are usually found on stoves with large open fronts for that specific reasons.

 

[Webwidow]

We used to sell this stove way back in the day. Please note that this is my opinion only, I am not talking code. I will leave that for another.

2) This stove has 2 dampers on the ash door, and 1 damper on the main door. Is this sufficient to control draft and burn rates, or would I need to install a flue-damper also?

What fuel do you intend to burn, coal or wood or both? Check the baffle plate in the top of the stove, is it warped, if so this is red flag, is there adequate air flow for draft?

(3) This stove has an exit pipe diameter of 8”. Is it against code, or not recommended to reduce to a 6” fluepipe (that is what is currently in the cabin)?

I am not talking code here just basic operation, as you know one never keeps the doors open to view the fire when burning coal. BIG NO NO. The 8inch flue is needed for wood burning and fire viewing as it creates more smoke than coal. if you keep the door closed at all times and have a high chimney with excellent draft you should be fine. My next question is what type of chimney, do you have... materials, masonry,doublewall pipe? Height of chimney, does it go straight up or does it go outside and up along side of the building?

 

[Gooserider]

Well we don't KNOW that the stove he has is in fact an "Old Mill 80" as it could be a different model, but I noticed that the spec sheet says 6" flue.... Presumably if the existing flue draws OK then he should be able to use it.

Gooserider

 

[webbie]

Strange, I don't remember old mill making any coal stove other than the 80. Maybe he will post pics.

 

[Gooserider]

Strange, I don't remember old mill making any coal stove other than the 80. Maybe he will post pics.

I agree, pix would be very helpful. I certainly don't claim any specific expertise on the stoves, I was just reading what is implied in some of the content...

In the brochure you posted, they talk about "Old Mill's other stoves" which implies that there are more than one, but no idea if they were coal, wood, or ???

In the original post, DonnieMac talks about it saying "There are no numbers or plates on it, but it does have “Old Mill” on the main door." - Note the singular DOOR, not doorS, however the photo in the spec sheet looks like it has a double door on the front. This would imply that either DonnieMac is careless in his language, or that he has a different stove. I can't tell which from here, so I have to be conditional about pointing out where the spec sheet says 6" flue pipe for that stove, sinc I don't know for sure what he has.

Pix would be nice, or he could just look at the spec sheet photo and dimensions and see if they match. Being paranoid, I'd check the dimensions to make sure I didn't have a similar model that was larger or smaller w/ the same look but different specs...

Certainly I don't intend to get over a fight about it - It isn't worth it, quite aside from it always being a bad idea to argue with the Webmaster ;-P

Gooserider

 

[webbie]

yeah, his damper desc. also does not match. I think we need a pic.