Refinishing cast iron safely

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

I have an older jotul 118 that I will be giving to a friend. It has been outside on blocks for years but surprisingly is in good condition.
I would like to clean it up before giving it to him.
My question is what I can safely use to take off rust. I was thinking an angle grinder with wire wheel attachment. Will this scratch the cast iron?

Photos this weekend

Thanks for the help!

 

[bholler]

I have an older jotul 118 that I will be giving to a friend. It has been outside on blocks for years but surprisingly is in good condition.
I would like to clean it up before giving it to him.
My question is what I can safely use to take off rust. I was thinking an angle grinder with wire wheel attachment. Will this scratch the cast iron?

Photos this weekend

Thanks for the help!

Is it enameled or painted?

 

[webby3650]

This one was pretty rough when I bought it. Wire wheel on a drill and a can of stove bright is all it took.

 

[TWoods]

If not enameled, I would first use a soft wire brush for anything that had a cast iron relief scene (or use moderate to fine sandpaper). Go easy and see how it does. If you are rebuilding it and redoing to the seems and joints with furnance cement, I would use a hard wire wheel on the joints to really clean them. Then reasemble and repaint with high temp paint.

Hope your friend enjoys the stove. The 118 is a great stove.

No idea on enameled.

 

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

Neither painted or enameled. I will probably try to finish it with stove polish instead of paint. Although webbys painted stove turned out amazing.

 

[bholler]

Neither painted or enameled. I will probably try to finish it with stove polish instead of paint. Although webbys painted stove turned out amazing.

Use paint it holds up allot better. And as long as it isnt enameled you can go at it with a fine to medium wire wheel. A really still one could take a little bit of the detail out of the releif. But not to much really jotuls dont have allot of fine detail.

 

[webby3650]

Neither painted or enameled. I will probably try to finish it with stove polish instead of paint. Although webbys painted stove turned out amazing.

The polish is a pain. It’s messy and needs nearly constant attention. Then when you decide to switch to paint, it won’t stick unless you strip the whole stove of polish. Stove Bright paint is what most manufacturers use, including Jotul.

 

[begreen]

Have you been following this F118 restore? It was pretty rusty to start. They used a vinegar bath first.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/jotul-118-restoration-questions.169793/

 

[peakbagger]

No substitute for a light sandblast with fine media.

 

[webby3650]

No substitute for a light sandblast with fine media.

Only if the situation calls for it. Many times it’s just light surface rust that’s easily removed.

 

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

Thanks for the input. I'm never let down by this forum.
To show my appreciation, I will be sure to post many photos of the procces.
Thanks for the link to the 118resto thread. I will try wire wheel, vinegar, and sand blast.
Sounds like you talked me into stove paint. I was thinking it would be difficult to repaint if it started to chip.
I was comparing stove polish to deck stain and high temp paint to deck paint... much easier to restain than re paint

 

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

 

[begreen]

I've seen worse. It will clean up nicely, probably without sandblasting.

 

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

Well that's comforting. I was expecting "that's the worst one I have ever seen"

It's amazing how well jotuls "pig iron" has held up over years in the elements.

 

[VplxM1]

good old 118.
One of the first wood stove designs with an after burner. 27" ! long firebox .
Fond memories of my young son watching, stoking , learning ..about fire .
Perhaps new owner can heat some water on stove top and enjoy an Irish coffee