Riteway 37 and a newbie

[freeindeed]

Hello All. I hope I'm posting on the right board. I have been lurking here for a week or 2 and decided to jump in and pick the brains of some that have vast amounts of knowledge that I lack. I have been burning wood for many years with mostly old airtight woodstoves that I picked up for little to nothing. Currently running an old solarwood. I just found a brand new late 70,s Riteway 37 never installed for very cheap. it is complete except for a shaker handle. I don't know what it looks like and I may try to fabricate something that I think will work. I don't know if the handle is supposed to hold the grates in place so as not to risk their warping ir the tool is stowed out of the stove. I will be burning wood for now and will keep an eye on them. but would like to begin to use coal if I can find a supplier around here. Should I fire it up outside to season it or just hook it up in my basement and do it in its permanent place? It is very clean but sure it might put off some surface smoke. Any help would be greatly appreciated an I am sure I will have more questions. Thanks in advance, Rob

 

[flamereader]

used a riteway 37 from 1976 thru 2007. Love the huge firebox and the automatic thermostat. a durable ugly stove that makes its share of stovepipe gunk. still have the stove in the barn but with a cat installed. helped some but still smokes about half a much as before. you will love the long burn times. the shaker handle is no more than a three eights rod bent 90 twice about 5 inches each way, with a 1 inch long square welded on one end that fits over the end of the shaker grate. if you look in the ashpan door you will see the two square ends of the grates. you slip the handle over the square end and rock the grate back and forth until you see red coming thru the grates. you will like the stove. a great find. call if you need the measurements of the shaker handle.. david 918-267-4141