Tell me about this stove? (Listed as Ponderosa)

[last.mile.problems]

Hi all. Thanks for this great resource.

Been looking to buy a wood stove for some time and a neighbor I trust is selling this one. She listed it for $600 as a “ponderosa” which I assume is Vozelgang. I included her description which isn’t all that helpful. She told me she has had it five years and didn’t buy it new.

Wondering about what this box size is, what the year of manufacture is, what it’s worth, and what it’s likely to heat sf wise. Also about efficiency/safety (generally, what you can assess from type and potential age, which is unknown to me) and what I should look for in inspecting it.

Spent quite a bit of time trying to locate this stove using reverse image search and looking at Ponderosas but no luck and got a we both overwhelmed...plus the cows need haying! Hoping y’all might set me on the right track to learn and know more to make a good decision.

My goals? Just want a reliable, sustainable supplemental heat source on the farm as we are way out and I like redundancy in systems that keep my kids warm and allow us to have baths and hot meals. Would like something that will last for many years. Might use it in workshop/milking shed or in house add-on area converted from garage, that stays really cold and isn’t well insulated...even if overpowered for that spot, maybe be a good way to supplement house heat if electricity goes out as we can open door to kitchen from garage, and cook/gather/sleep there if necessary should propane be out.

Whole house is 1600 sf but we have propane heat both ducted and wall heaters now and I’m not looking to totally heat with this.

Any wisdom or experience is greatly appreciated.

 

[begreen]

The stove is much older than the Vogelzang Ponderosa. It looks like it's from the 1970s and is a basic, steptop box burner, hopefully with a baffle. The stove is not worth $600 in my opinion. Typically they go for around $200-300. Not a clean burner, but a simple old stove.

 

[last.mile.problems]

Not sure about baffle...I can ask.

Not a clean burner, meaning particulates are likely to be a real concern? (kids in house and I have occasional bad asthma). Maybe acceptable for emergency situations or supplemental heat but not daily use in-house, I’m thinking?

If I could get the stove for the price you imagine it’s worth, are there any retro fixes to make it cleaner?

Thanks a lot. I kinda wondered...glad I asked!

 

[begreen]

These old stoves were made long before emissions regulations came into place. It will never be a clean burner and it will need very generous clearances of 36" in all directions unless proper wall shielding is installed. This Ponderosa has 3 air inlets in which the upper one appears to be to introduce some secondary air to the burn. That's why I guessed it has a baffle.

 

[SpaceBus]

For $600 you could get a decent stove from a big box store and have a clean burning, efficient stove with warranty. Oh, plus a glass door for a view of the fire.