OT Need to store a cast iron stove outside for winter

[Shari]

No, I'm not moving my Oslo outside.

I've got a cast iron stove that has to take an 8 hour trip up north to a charity group. I can't get it up there this year. I have to, repeat have to, get this stove out of my garage. I can store it on our cement base covered patio but can't guarantee it won't get some snow on it. What should I do, just tarp it? Tarp under & over it? Oil up the outside of the stove first?

This is a good stove and I just don't want it to turn into a rust bucket over the winter being stored outside.

Mods, if this is not the place for this post feel free to move it.

Shari

 

[Dune]

Just as you said, spray it with light oil like WD-40 or transmission fluid. and cover it with a tarp, tied on well.

Be liberal with the oil on the hinges, latches, slides, etc.

Most important for the life of the stove though, is too completely remove the ashes and oil the inside floor of the stove.
Water and ash form lye, which is capable of consuming metal.

 

[begreen]

Good suggestion. Vacuum it out thoroughly. Spray or wipe it down with a light coating of oil. Tarp it well so that water can't splash up on the underside. Put it on a sheet of plywood, chipboard, plastic, etc.. Cover with a new tarp or heavy plastic and secure the plastic well so that strong winds can't blow up. Use the stove legs to hold down the ends. And don't put it under an eave edge where it gets dumped on by water coming off of the roof .

 

[hemlock]

Can you build a crate for it, put it in the crate, then tarp up the crate? As others said, a thin coating of oil (maybe a lightweight hydraulic), and if you can, throw a few bags of desiccant inside the firebox. When whoever goes to use it again, give it a real good clean with perhaps some brake cleaner, and light the first fire outside.

 

[DanCorcoran]

WD-40 isn't an oil and will evaporate. It displaces water (hence "WD") and is a solvent. Use something else to coat the metal.

 

[Shari]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Yes, I have hydraulic oil but where would I get desiccant? We do have kitty litter and"oil dry" - would either of these work instead of desiccant?

Hmm.... a crate might be possible also.

PS Alternately, is anyone traveling about 400 miles northwest of Milwaukee, WI for the holidays? (Spooner, WI area)

 

[Hass]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Yes, I have hydraulic oil but where would I get desiccant? We do have kitty litter and"oil dry" - would either of these work instead of desiccant?

Hmm.... a crate might be possible also.

PS Alternately, is anyone traveling about 400 miles northwest of Milwaukee, WI for the holidays? (Spooner, WI area)

People use blue bags of desiccants in their closets and stuff. you can buy them at wallyworld iirc. Big bags of them fairly cheap.

 

[rwhite]

I'd search the recent post for finishing a stove with lard. Get it hot and coat it like a cast iron pan. Also I have had luck covering with a sheet or cloth then a tarp. Seems like it prevents moisture from forming.

 

[HollowHill]

Might try laying down a tarp, putting stove on tarp, pulling tarp up and over stove, tie it off, put another tarp over the top and tie off at the bottom. That should keep water out.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree with Dan on the WD-40 as it will evaporate. But even something cheap like 3-in-1 oil should work.

 

[tribe683]

I am kind of leery about using tarps to keep things dry. I had some lumber covered awhile back with a brand new tarp because we were expected to get some rain that night. I came out the next morning to find everything was completely soaked underneath of it. I would suggest some heavy plastic sheeting to keep the elements off of it, but be aware that condensation may form underneath the plastic. If you do end up using a tarp, I would make sure it is sloped so all the water runs off the top of it and doesn't just sit there and end up seeping through the tarp.

 

[WellSeasoned]

I would definitely put some dessicate in the firebox, local boat guy would have, I work in the metal finishing industry, and we use a rust inhibiter paper, than loosely cover with a tarp, insuring it wouldn't blow off. Hell, I'll even ups the dry bags and rust paper to ya. Good luck.