Point me to Earth Stove fix-up videos and forum threads?

[William Crowell]

I'm still trying to fix up my old Earth Stove, even though its one helluva wood hog, because it's big, and replacing it would be quite expensive.

The main problem is that the baffle was totally burned out. I tried making a new baffle of steel plate, level above the fire box, and it works OK (better than it was with no baffle at all) but not great. I take it that the baffle needs to be inclined instead, and maybe there should be another inclined plate above it, at the front of the firebox. So I really need to construct a different kind of baffle, and try get some secondary combustion going.

Of course it would be nice to find a video or thread by somebody who TIG-welded up a secondary combustion setup from stainless steel specifically for the Earth Stove, but I guess that is expecting too much. Do you think I should try to emulate this guy?:

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Can you point me to any other threads or videos that might help me, or would you have any opinions to share? (I realize that some day I may need to give up on my old stove and buy a new one.) Thanks a lot.

 

[William Crowell]

Kindly forgive this obvious "thread bump". Think I might be able to do something like this to my old Earth Stove?:

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[begreen]

There are several past threads about adding a baffle and secondary rack to an old stove. Search on 'add secondary' in this forum. There are many variations. Here's an example.

DIY Secondary Combustion / Air

I want to share what I have learned from hours of reading forums and watching youtube - an attempt to repay those who laid the groundwork for me. I have a Suburban Manufacturing Wood Chief / Coal Chief stove insert that has faithfully heated my house(s) since 2006ish. This is been a great...

www.hearth.com

 

[William Crowell]

That was a good video, begreen! Thanks a lot. I had failed to do a search before, but think I am getting the idea now. I would probably have to install glass in the front door of my Earth Stove to see if the secondary air is working, and would have to weld the tubes up from stainless. (I need to learn how to weld stainless.) I appreciate your help.

 

[begreen]

If you look at the link provided and others you will see some people have used regular pipe with success too.

 

[William Crowell]

If you look at the link provided and others you will see some people have used regular pipe with success too.

My thought exactly, begreen, after checking out the prices of TIG welders!

Having the rack burn out after a few years doesn't appeal to me. But since I don't need very much pipe to construct it, I could afford to special-order some 3-foot lengths of thick-wall mild steel pipe (the thickest wall they sell) from McMaster-Carr or Grainger and braze it up, brass being so good for filling gaps. The melting point of brass is at least 1650 degrees Farenheit; way above the temp that any fire would ever be.

I don't think I want to perturb my old Earth Stove's orbit too much right away because the weather might turn cold before I finish the project, so this winter I think I'll just try various permutations of the steel plate baffle, constructed of 6"-wide strips of 1/4" fish plate laid side by side that I am presently using, and do the secondary air project next summer. This winter I think I'll try cutting pieces of fire brick to support two inclined baffles using those steel plate strips.

Thanks again for your help. I really do appreciate it. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

 

[begreen]

I am not sure brazing is the way to go here, but am no welder.