Repairing a Cawley LeMay 600

[Pierceab]

I’m new to Hearth.com. I would be grateful for advice from Cawley-LeMay owners.

I’ve used a Cawley LeMay 600 since we bought our house in 1984 and found one already installed. I don’t think I realized right away what a treasure this stove is, but I grew up with fire: my grandparents cooked over an open hearth in their cottage in Co. Tipperary, and my parents burned coal in their fireplace in the city. I’ve used my CL 600 pretty heavily over the years. I became aware that one of the inner side plates had cracked, but I thought I would have to take it apart to replace the plate, and since I didn’t trust myself to do this (and couldn’t find anyone locally in Waltham, MA), I cut back on the size of the fires and crossed my fingers.

Finally one of the plates broke in two, dropping the baffle and the ignition grid into the bottom of the stove. I assumed that this was the end of the line and starting looking for a new wood stove (which was a depressing experience). Then I happened to come across a post on this site from last year suggesting that it’s possible to obtain replacement parts—and to install the side plates and the grid/baffle without taking the stove apart. (Another post suggested that it might be best to do a “teardown and rebuild”—which is beyond my ability.)

I’d be grateful for any information that members can provide about replacement parts, persons or companies who work with wood stoves in my area (MA 02452), and inspection, codes, or manuals.

Many thanks.

 

[begreen]

It should be repairable. @Deranged Hermit should pick up this thread soon. He's not that far away. In the meantime if you can post some pictures of the inside and outside that may help.

 

[Pierceab]

Many thanks. Here goes:

 

[Pierceab]

I haven't cleaned it out yet or tried to detach the damaged side plates...

 

[bholler]

It looks like you will need all of the internals

 

[Mt Bob]

Perhaps this place is still in operation-

Bucks Stove Palace | Wood and Gas Stoves in Portland OR

Bucks Stove Palace | Cawley 400 & 600 Engineer Drawings

Top Baffle Extension | Cawley LeMay | Wood Stove Parts

This is the extension for the Cawley Lemay 600's cast iron top baffle

www.woodmanspartsplus.com

 

[Blazzinghot]

That is a very nice looking stove. The casting with the picture on the side is very nice. Sorry to say that cast iron side burn plates are shot and what looks like the grate might be able to be replace by bricks. You could make new side panels with 1/4 steel. This stove has had some hot fires in it. I fixed up a Woodford which has a similar design to this. I would check to see if the bottom of this wood stove is cracked.

 

[Pierceab]

Yes, thanks, I'm cleaning it out now.

Mt Bob, thanks for link to baffle extension: definitely need a new one. I've written to Bucks and will call too. I'll also get in touch with woodmans -- though I may have read somewhere that Bucks supplies woodmans...

 

[bholler]

That is a very nice looking stove. The casting with the picture on the side is very nice. Sorry to say that cast iron side burn plates are shot and what looks like the grate might be able to be replace by bricks. You could make new side panels with 1/4 steel. This stove has had some hot fires in it. I fixed up a Woodford which has a similar design to this. I would check to see if the bottom of this wood stove is cracked.

That "grate" is actually a grid that works as a primitive secondary combustion system. It works quite well. The floor on these have a cast in grid that should be filled with sand. Those casting's have the deepest relief of any I have seen.

 

[SpaceBus]

What a beautiful stove, these little box stoves are my favorite.

 

[bholler]

What a beautiful stove, these little box stoves are my favorite.

The 600s are actually pretty big for box stoves

 

[Pierceab]

The internals...

 

[D. Hermit]

Alright guys im here! Sorry Im late. The shop has been BUSY, and so has life!

Ok, so for a 600 you are looking at a pretty penny,(over $1500) for to replace all those pieces. You can get them
Here right now. You need the baffle extension for the 600 also. Last I knew Buck was still looking for a new foundry and did not have parts currently. But always worth a call.

And yes of course a rebuild is always ideal for this age stove, because cement doesnt last forever. And the internals will last longer after a rebuild because the stove will be more air tight and controllable again.

So you really have to figure out how much the stove is worth to you. On the private market, fully restored with all the internals brand new, I would value around $2000-$2500.

These are amazing well built stoves, and after a rebuild and new internal pieces, you should get another 20 years of good service, at least. (As long as you are not abusing the stove of course)


Any other questions, feel free to let me know here or The shop page

 

[D. Hermit]

That is a very nice looking stove. The casting with the picture on the side is very nice. Sorry to say that cast iron side burn plates are shot and what looks like the grate might be able to be replace by bricks. You could make new side panels with 1/4 steel. This stove has had some hot fires in it. I fixed up a Woodford which has a similar design to this. I would check to see if the bottom of this wood stove is cracked.

This is about the only stove I would not recommend making new side plates. They are not just plates, they are made to be reversable for two different firebox sizes. And they have a special lip at the top and bottom because the side plates actually hold up the whole internal set up.

 

[Pierceab]

Thanks, DH. This is invaluable and most welcome information. As I can see from perusing past posts, you are most generous in offering your time and your expertise…

Certainly the stove is worth what it would cost to buy and install the new parts—to me. I saw a couple of stoves for around the same amount that I did not love, and the thought of spending another winter without the 600 is depressing. As for another 20 years, I’ll be lucky if I’ve got that left in me…😊

About the rebuild: I used to run this stove very hot and all the time, including overnight. When I noticed cracks in the side liners about 10 or 15 years ago, I made a half-hearted attempt to find someone local to work on it. When I couldn’t find anyone, I cut back on the size of the fires, and I no longer run it overnight. What if I install the new parts and keep the fires small? What if I reverse the liners to reduce the size of the firebox? I just want to sit beside it and feel the warm glow that no other form of heat can give…

I’ve heard that codes have changed and that this kind of stove may no longer be legal in MA. Do you know where I should go for information about codes and inspections?

Thanks again!

 

[D. Hermit]

Thanks, DH. This is invaluable and most welcome information. As I can see from perusing past posts, you are most generous in offering your time and your expertise…

Certainly the stove is worth what it would cost to buy and install the new parts—to me. I saw a couple of stoves for around the same amount that I did not love, and the thought of spending another winter without the 600 is depressing. As for another 20 years, I’ll be lucky if I’ve got that left in me…😊

About the rebuild: I used to run this stove very hot and all the time, including overnight. When I noticed cracks in the side liners about 10 or 15 years ago, I made a half-hearted attempt to find someone local to work on it. When I couldn’t find anyone, I cut back on the size of the fires, and I no longer run it overnight. What if I install the new parts and keep the fires small? What if I reverse the liners to reduce the size of the firebox? I just want to sit beside it and feel the warm glow that no other form of heat can give…

I’ve heard that codes have changed and that this kind of stove may no longer be legal in MA. Do you know where I should go for information about codes and inspections?

Thanks again!

“Legality” and “code” are different things for another person to address. I do restoration and work on stoves and stick with that, no installs.

As far as the new parts, you should be able to have good hot overnight fires, without over firing the stove. If your getting the stack temp past 550-650 for long periods of times, you will start to stress the cast burn plates. And burn plates are not ment to ever be repaired, they are just a consumable part. You cant weld cast thats been used as burn plates, it just wont work.

Is the stove controllable? And do you have a damper? Because in the end, you should be able to use the stove overnight and not ruin the plates for 20 years. Something else is happening if your fire is getting too hot, possibly overdraft. But again, those are questions for the chimney guys here.

 

[bholler]

Thanks, DH. This is invaluable and most welcome information. As I can see from perusing past posts, you are most generous in offering your time and your expertise…

Certainly the stove is worth what it would cost to buy and install the new parts—to me. I saw a couple of stoves for around the same amount that I did not love, and the thought of spending another winter without the 600 is depressing. As for another 20 years, I’ll be lucky if I’ve got that left in me…😊

About the rebuild: I used to run this stove very hot and all the time, including overnight. When I noticed cracks in the side liners about 10 or 15 years ago, I made a half-hearted attempt to find someone local to work on it. When I couldn’t find anyone, I cut back on the size of the fires, and I no longer run it overnight. What if I install the new parts and keep the fires small? What if I reverse the liners to reduce the size of the firebox? I just want to sit beside it and feel the warm glow that no other form of heat can give…

I’ve heard that codes have changed and that this kind of stove may no longer be legal in MA. Do you know where I should go for information about codes and inspections?

Thanks again!

It is still legal. Technically for new installs stove need to be ul listed. Some cawleys we're if yours is it will have a ul tag on the back. But yours is an existing install so it's grandfathered in

 

[Pierceab]

I don’t have a cast-iron damper in the stove pipe, but I’ve never had a problem controlling the temperature with the circular draft regulator in the door, and the stove doesn’t seem to be particularly leaky. I no longer need to keep the stove running overnight, and I’d like to avoid the rebuild if possible. But I understand that I have to find someone locally who will inspect it. Did I abuse it? Well…those internals look pretty beat up. I didn’t use sand in the bottom of the box (though I wondered what those ridges were for), which someone suggested might now be cracked.

There is a metal tag on the back; it’s kinda hard to read. The stove was installed on 3/20/79. Some of the text that’s legible: FUEL APPROVED…ARNOLD GREENE, NATICK, MA [a testing lab]…TEST STANDARD (s) – and a bunch of numbers and letters, including UL.

Thanks to all!

 

[bholler]

I doubt the base is cracked. I have never seen that I have seen a couple cracked tops from burning without the baffle. If it was me I would probably tear it down and recement it. They are easy stoves to do.

 

[Pierceab]

Glad to know that the base is probably not cracked. (I was about to crawl underneath it with a flashlight; maybe I'll still do that... ) I've had a hairline crack off one of the cooking plates for years.

I'd LIKE to do the rebuild, but I have no expertise, and I'm getting a little long in the tooth to be lifting heavy parts. Maybe I can find a local wood stove lover who will come and take a look at it...

BTW, thanks for the tip about the sand. An excuse for a trip to an ocean beach...

 

[bholler]

Glad to know that the base is probably not cracked. (I was about to crawl underneath it with a flashlight; maybe I'll still do that... ) I've had a hairline crack off one of the cooking plates for years.

I'd LIKE to do the rebuild, but I have no expertise, and I'm getting a little long in the tooth to be lifting heavy parts. Maybe I can find a local wood stove lover who will come and take a look at it...

BTW, thanks for the tip about the sand. An excuse for a trip to an ocean beach...

If you get beach sand rinse it a lot. Then rinse it even more. Salt eats stoves up in a hurry

 

[Lawrence Miller]

Hi, I have a Cawley Lemay 600 that I purchased new over 25 years ago. In very condition except the ignition grid is warped. Anyone know of where I might find a replacement? The stove still works but I noticed the warped ignition grid. Thanks.

 

[begreen]

Hi, I have a Cawley Lemay 600 that I purchased new over 25 years ago. In very condition except the ignition grid is warped. Anyone know of where I might find a replacement? The stove still works but I noticed the warped ignition grid. Thanks.

Check with Woodmans.

Cawley Lemay Stoves | Model 600 | Wood and Coal Stove Parts

Cawley Lemay Wood and Coal Stoves Model 600 and the replacement stove parts, images and schematics that can be found on our website

www.woodmanspartsplus.com

 

[D. Hermit]

Hi, I have a Cawley Lemay 600 that I purchased new over 25 years ago. In very condition except the ignition grid is warped. Anyone know of where I might find a replacement? The stove still works but I noticed the warped ignition grid. Thanks.

I can get you a bit better deal than Woodmans through my dealer account. Just reach out privately.

 

[Lawrence Miller]

I can get you a bit better deal than Woodmans through my dealer account. Just reach out privately.

Thanks for your reply. What did you have in mind?