Old vs. New

[Fred Gaevin]

Greetings all,
Looking for the collective opinion and some sage advice on choosing between a vintage stove (1800-1900) or a newer stove. The stove will be used mostly in the evenings for a total of about 2-3 weeks a month and will supplement a gas/forced air heating system. This will be for a new home under construction next month. I am very attracted to the WOW factor which will complement the rest of the house furnishings, and accept the differences in burning techniques vs. a newer epa designated stove. So far, no restrictions on burning in my county. Some of the older stoves I am looking at are about half the cost of a newer stove, produce more heat but are some what less efficient. I do have access to fire wood (seasoned) so that is not an issue. I have used wood stoves in the past, kept up on maintenance and burned at optimal temps. to avoid the build up.
Please feel free to point out any errors of my ways or what you might do in my situation.
Thanks from a new member.

 

[EbS-P]

I would imagine that most stoves of the vintage are coal stoves. I’m in the new is better camp.

Have you seen these?

Thelin™ Hearth Products

Producing innovative and quality stove products including wood pellet, gas, and wood burning models in both 'pot belly' and contemporary designs.

thelinco.com

 

[bholler]

Greetings all,
Looking for the collective opinion and some sage advice on choosing between a vintage stove (1800-1900) or a newer stove. The stove will be used mostly in the evenings for a total of about 2-3 weeks a month and will supplement a gas/forced air heating system. This will be for a new home under construction next month. I am very attracted to the WOW factor which will complement the rest of the house furnishings, and accept the differences in burning techniques vs. a newer epa designated stove. So far, no restrictions on burning in my county. Some of the older stoves I am looking at are about half the cost of a newer stove, produce more heat but are some what less efficient. I do have access to fire wood (seasoned) so that is not an issue. I have used wood stoves in the past, kept up on maintenance and burned at optimal temps. to avoid the build up.
Please feel free to point out any errors of my ways or what you might do in my situation.
Thanks from a new member.

What are some examples of stoves you are looking at? Most stoves from that time period will be coal stoves. Parts will be pretty much unobtainable. Efficency is far far lower on the old ones. Old ones will have no fire view. Old stoves also need far larger clearances and may be a problem getting insured.


That doesn't mean you can't use an old one but honestly it doesn't really make much sense

 

[bigealta]

Newer stove with a Big Window would get my vote. I like to see the fire. I have an old jotul 118 clone with no window and i have to look thru the little draft wheel to see any flames, Not ideal. My other jotul f400 has a big window. Can watch that all day and night. Love that.

 

[mikey]

Greetings all,
Looking for the collective opinion and some sage advice on choosing between a vintage stove (1800-1900) or a newer stove. The stove will be used mostly in the evenings for a total of about 2-3 weeks a month and will supplement a gas/forced air heating system. This will be for a new home under construction next month. I am very attracted to the WOW factor which will complement the rest of the house furnishings, and accept the differences in burning techniques vs. a newer epa designated stove. So far, no restrictions on burning in my county. Some of the older stoves I am looking at are about half the cost of a newer stove, produce more heat but are some what less efficient. I do have access to fire wood (seasoned) so that is not an issue. I have used wood stoves in the past, kept up on maintenance and burned at optimal temps. to avoid the build up.
Please feel free to point out any errors of my ways or what you might do in my situation.
Thanks from a new member.

Old stoves have old technology if you want a model T it’s nice but not easy to own, a better choice might be a 68 mustang, a nineteenth century wood stove is like the model T, a 1970 Jotul 602 is the 68 mustang. Good luck!

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Older stoves can be brought up to par for efficiency in most cases. I did it for a guy a couple of years ago. The stove worked great, but his insurance would not let him install it. (He was supposed to check before I did the work, and he told me they said yes) It's a stove I would love to use, and it burned forever on a very light load.

 

[bholler]

Older stoves can be brought up to par for efficiency in most cases. I did it for a guy a couple of years ago. The stove worked great, but his insurance would not let him install it. (He was supposed to check before I did the work, and he told me they said yes) It's a stove I would love to use, and it burned forever on a very light load.

How are you bringing an old stove up to par with modern stoves with regards to efficency?

 

[Isaac Carlson]

How are you bringing an old stove up to par with modern stoves with regards to efficency?

Adding air tubes, baffles, etc...
It's not that hard to get real close to the modern stuff. I was able to throw a handful of bark, cardboard, and odds-n-ends in the stove and it burned for 45 minutes and ran at ~425* surface temp. Beautiful light show from the secondaries. Other guys do it too.

 

[bholler]

Adding air tubes, baffles, etc...
It's not that hard to get real close to the modern stuff. I was able to throw a handful of bark, cardboard, and odds-n-ends in the stove and it burned for 45 minutes and ran at ~425* surface temp. Beautiful light show from the secondaries. Other guys do it too.

You can absolutely improve efficiency and reduce emissions by doing those things. But I doubt any come close to modern stoves. The only way to know would be through lab testing

 

[Isaac Carlson]

You can absolutely improve efficiency and reduce emissions by doing those things. But I doubt any come close to modern stoves. The only way to know would be through lab testing

But you can't say they don't, either. I think an older stove run properly beats a new one being run improperly. Lots of folks buy a new stove and have no clue how to use it. A friend of mine had me install a brand new stove and I just found out this year that he never read the manual and had the primary air wide open trying to get more heat out of it because the wood was not burning as well as he expected. I took him a load of nice wood and showed him how to close it down. The stove temp shot right up and he said that was the warmest his house had ever been. Proper use has more to do with it than age, but that's a rabbit hole.

 

[bholler]

But you can't say they don't, either. I think an older stove run properly beats a new one being run improperly. Lots of folks buy a new stove and have no clue how to use it. A friend of mine had me install a brand new stove and I just found out this year that he never read the manual and had the primary air wide open trying to get more heat out of it because the wood was not burning as well as he expected. I took him a load of nice wood and showed him how to close it down. The stove temp shot right up and he said that was the warmest his house had ever been. Proper use has more to do with it than age, but that's a rabbit hole.

I absolutely agree an older stove run properly beats a new one run improperly.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Greetings all,
Looking for the collective opinion and some sage advice on choosing between a vintage stove (1800-1900) or a newer stove. The stove will be used mostly in the evenings for a total of about 2-3 weeks a month and will supplement a gas/forced air heating system. This will be for a new home under construction next month. I am very attracted to the WOW factor which will complement the rest of the house furnishings, and accept the differences in burning techniques vs. a newer epa designated stove. So far, no restrictions on burning in my county. Some of the older stoves I am looking at are about half the cost of a newer stove, produce more heat but are some what less efficient. I do have access to fire wood (seasoned) so that is not an issue. I have used wood stoves in the past, kept up on maintenance and burned at optimal temps. to avoid the build up.
Please feel free to point out any errors of my ways or what you might do in my situation.
Thanks from a new member.

You can find a modern stove with classic looks.. I certainly would not put an 1800s stove in my home.. There is a reason why there were so many chimney fires in that time period.. Your looking for something that looks good and is efficient, and doesn't burn the house down.

 

[coaly]

Don’t expect the antiques to burn all night.

Sounds like the whorehouse red Summit is a candidate. WOW factor along with efficiency.

 

[Bad LP]

Don’t expect the antiques to burn all night.

Sounds like the whorehouse red Summit is a candidate. WOW factor along with efficiency.
View attachment 293485

That red and chrome is sexy. Looks like my truck!!

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I must have glazed over the date when reading the first post. Anything that old will be cast iron, and most likely rusted out or close to it.

When I mentioned refurbishing and updating, I was talking primarily about plate steel stoves. There are plenty of newer stoves that still look like the old ones.

 

[peakbagger]

Insurance is also an issue. Many companies will not insure a home with an unlisted wood burning appliance. Thus old stoves are out of picture for many.

 

[Fred Gaevin]

Sorry for the long absence, but new construction is not what it used to be. Thanks for all of the feed back. I have finally decided to give serious consideration to a Glenwood Oak 30 stove because it can use coal or wood and not that I am totally aganist something like the Thelin stove, but I would like to here comments on this stove if anyone has experience with this or someting similar.
Thanks

 

[bholler]

Sorry for the long absence, but new construction is not what it used to be. Thanks for all of the feed back. I have finally decided to give serious consideration to a Glenwood Oak 30 stove because it can use coal or wood and not that I am totally aganist something like the Thelin stove, but I would like to here comments on this stove if anyone has experience with this or someting similar.
Thanks

Do you want to burn wood or do you want to burn coal. There are very very few stoves that do both well.