Restoration

[Drawdy 165]

Hello,
I'm new here and to wood stoves in general. A friend of mine picked up a small cast iron wood stove that needs some pretty serious cleaning. We have no idea how long it was sitting before he got ahold of it. The bottom of the fire box is caked in about an inch of fused ash or clinker, I'm not sure what you'd call it. Is there anything that will break this stuff down, or is copious elbow grease and chisel my only viable option? Any insight would be wonderful. Thank you.

 

[ct01r]

I've been able to get a scraper under it and pry it away from the bottom where the ash tray goes. You could try vinegar, as ashes are typically pretty reactive to acid. I wouldn't try anything stronger though. Good luck! Curt

 

[peakbagger]

A needle scaler works real well on cast iron. Just wear a good dust mask as you never know what might be in the drap you are removing.

 

[Drawdy 165]

I've been able to get a scraper under it and pry it away from the bottom where the ash tray goes. You could try vinegar, as ashes are typically pretty reactive to acid. I wouldn't try anything stronger though. Good luck! Curt

Thanks, I'll give the vinegar a shot.

 

[Drawdy 165]

A needle scaler works real well on cast iron. Just wear a good dust mask as you never know what might be in the drap you are removing.

Yeah, that was one of our first approaches, everything in the shop got covered in it. That's when we moved to a chisel and mallet.

 

[Woody5506]

If the whole stove is in rough shape bring it to a sandblaster. Depending on size I usually charge about $150 to blast and high-heat paint them at our shop, assuming they are appropriately disassembled. I have done a bunch and they come out like new. But as wood stove users we also tend to be frugal types so I'd totally understand not wanting to put that much $$$ into it. Just gotta weigh the options I guess. Another plus side is after being blasted, you will see very clearly every weld, imperfection or potential cracks that are common in these old neglected stoves often covered up by years of rust scale.

 

[Drawdy 165]

If the whole stove is in rough shape bring it to a sandblaster. Depending on size I usually charge about $150 to blast and high-heat paint them at our shop, assuming they are appropriately disassembled. I have done a bunch and they come out like new. But as wood stove users we also tend to be frugal types so I'd totally understand not wanting to put that much $$$ into it. Just gotta weigh the options I guess. Another plus side is after being blasted, you will see very clearly every weld, imperfection or potential cracks that are common in these old neglected stoves often covered up by years of rust scale.

I dont think he wants to throw too much money into it. He got it from a friend of his and it's going in his small workshop (shed.)