Pics added Northern Comfort - Desperately seeking information on this Coal stove!

[hanick]

I "inherited" a large, steel coal stove which is missing its grate and ash pan. The only markings, in large letters across the front are "Northern comfort". A global search on this site and an exhaustive search on the Internet turned up nothing other than a few ads on Craig's list for wood stoves which the company manufactured. There is an unrelated company by the same name in Canada that is a resaleor not a manufacturer and the company in New York with the same name but also not the manufacturer. It appears to be very substantial and well made.

I realize it was probably manufactured before regulations put everyone out of business. I live in an old carriage house with a full basement. The first floor is reinforced concrete. On our coldest days in Connecticut I would like to fire it up and get the first floor warm.

Has anyone heard of the company? Does anyone know what type of grate it originally used? Does anyone know where I can get a grate and ash pan or find parts that would work? I will post pictures over the weekend.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Hal
Stonington CT

 

[Fsappo]

If you dont get the answers here you can try:

http://nepacrossroads.com/

They have tons of information there.

 

[hanick]

Bump Pictures added

 

[begreen]

For sure try the coal forum. It looks like the grates are missing in the picture. Do you still have them?

 

[hanick]

No grate all I have is what you see. I can not figure what the handle is in the picture either.

 

[begreen]

The handle is for the shaker grates. If they are missing, this can't burn coal. The coal bed sits on top of the grates. Looks like you are already inquiring about them on nepacrossroads. That may be your best bet for finding them.

 

[hanick]

What does the handle have to do with the shaker grates? It swings in place but it doesn't move anything!

 

[hanick]

Still no Northern Comfort owners?????????????????

 

[webbie]

I have been around the industry for 35 years and never saw that brand - rest assured it was a "welding shop" special of some sort, that is very regional and not something which ever hit the mainstream. I'm pretty good at such trivia......

I would scrap that baby if I were you....

 

[hanick]

Thank you. Seems a shame to scrap as I only plan on using a stove a handfull of times each year when it is brutally cold (and I like the idea of coal) but I get your point.

 

[webbie]

It's a point of safety and of diminishing returns - If it was a known stove with all it's parts and a UL label I would suggest differently.

And definitely, if you burn it, don't use coal. That can cause death....CO poisoning. If I had to burn something in it, I'd put in some flat grates and use wood.