Soapstone Crack in Classic Woodstock--Safe?

[Ian]

Hello. I bought an older Woodstock stove from a friend of mine for the winter. It's been great but tonight I noticed a crack that runs across a the left-hand top section. I looked inside the stove, it seems to be cracked inside the stove as well. I lifted up the top to see how compromised it was, and there is certainly some give between the cast iron frame around the stone and the soapstone plate itself.

I'm wondering if there are any safety concerns I should be worried about. I have this fear that the top will just split in half and fall into the stove while it's running. Is my mind just going to a paranoid place? How can I fix this? Does this mean the stove has zero value in terms of being able to resell it?

I've attached a photo of the most noticeable portion of crack.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If it would help

 

[pen]

The people at woodstock are great. My best advice for a crack like that is to use your alternative heat until you can call and talk / share that pic with them to get their opinion on your options. If you are strapped for heat, as a temp fix, you may be able to remove the stone, apply stove cement, then re-set the stone. I wouldn't consider that fixed, but might help buy you some time w/out having the large air leak that you may have if that crack goes straight through. Without seeing how that stone is set in the casting, you'd be the best judge if it would fall in or not.

After seeing woodstock's facility, I bet there's a good chance the stone you need is there cut and they just need to know where to send it as I know they had a lot of spare stones for even their older units. Hopefully you'll be in luck.

Keep us posted.

pen

 

[Motor7]

The stone is captured inside the frame so most cracks don't affect function. You can buy Soapstone cement and spackle up those cracks. On mine they are so small that I can't even get any cement into the "crack". I'd run it, soapstone cracks are pretty common.

 

[fox9988]

Looks like a replacement stone (W-11A) is only $50.
https://store.woodstove.com/home.php?cat=274