What will it take to save my FREE Hearthstone!

[pen]

Well, I need your help guys. I have acquired some sort of a hearthstone wood stove from a buddy of mine. It was installed in his house new in '93. He told me the other day that this stove was in good working order when they removed it from service and said I could take it for 150 bux. What he didn't tell me was he stored it under a tarp, under his deck, full of ashes. You should have seen his face when he pulled the tarp back as he earnestly thought the stove would still look like it did 3 years ago! Regardless, he said if I wanted it for nothing that I could have it. Since I'm a glutton for punishment I got the big ol' girl home and here's what she is.

It was definitely sad that he stored this beauty the way he did. Had he even bothered to clean the ashes out first this would have been a simple clean up and fire up job. However, I don't know if there is any salvage to this or if it would be worth it. I don't know what model this is, I don't know what replacement parts cost or even if I can get them.

What do you guys think? Should I turn it into some sort of back yard lawn ornament (my wife would kill me) or do you think it's possible to salvage this for a reasonable amount of money?

My concern on the inside of the stove right now is that the bottom right hand corner of the rear damper plate assembly (don't know a better name for it) looks to be heavily rusted. Also, the lip on the door mating surface that is mounted to the stove front has bad rust damage. Also the secondary burn plate doesn't look that great. I also can't open the side door at this time and can't get the bypass damper to budge at the moment either. Hopefully the PB blaster will get to work and I can see there. Additionally, the panel that sticks out on the very back, bottom of the stove has serious rust damage (I don't even know what the heck this is, perhaps just a heat shield).

As always, any and all advice and opinions are welcomed.

When it comes to a project I'm not afraid to tackle most anything. What concerns me is if it would become cost prohibitive / foolish to do this.

If I can bring this stove back to working order it would be put into service for my shop for occasional use.

Thanks,

pen

 

[begreen]

Awful. That's bordering on criminal neglect. But I'm with you on trying to save the gal if you have the time to disassemble, clean up, replace parts where necessary, paint, reassemble.

 

[BrotherBart]

If I was 20 I would have a go at it. At over 60 I would be on the way to the landfill with what was left after I removed the stones for other projects. Like the four trailers so far that I have hauled to the dump in the last three weeks full of those "projects".

 

[pen]

Well, 20 was about a decade ago now. Maybe I should be wiser and not even drug the thing home!

But, with a good project I tend to go through less vodka and hops soup so I suppose it's just wise for me to stay busy

I'm thinking I need to find out what model stove it is, find the diagrams, find the parts list, see what parts are and are not available, see the prices, and then make a calculated decision as to whether or not its worth it.

Any help in these areas?

pen

 

[Todd]

What a shame. There has been a few threads here over the years where people have rebuilt these old stoves. Maybe look them up and see if it's worth the effort?

 

[Todd]

Well, 20 was about a decade ago now. Maybe I should be wiser and not even drug the thing home!

But, with a good project I tend to go through less vodka and hops soup so I suppose it's just wise for me to stay busy

I'm thinking I need to find out what model stove it is, find the diagrams, find the parts list, see what parts are and are not available, see the prices, and then make a calculated decision as to whether or not its worth it.

Any help in these areas?

pen

http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood-and-Coal-Stove-Manufacturers-Cross-Reference.html

Your picture of the UL lable says it's a Harvest.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

got a compressor? wire wheel in a pnumatic drill is what i use in my shop to clean up old stoves also one of these http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_12817_12817 "air needle scaler" although i'd be careful with the needle scaler with parts that are attached to the soapstone as it will jar the joints. if the parst can be removed it works great on rusted items especially cast (but do not use on anything less than 12 ga steel as it can damage it, use wire wheels on a high spped air drill for the thinner pieces). its gonna take some hours to get it done , but the stove itself is virtually all salvagable ,and the soapstove loos to be intact, just gotta descale it clean it up tape it off and hit it with stove paint. my advice , take your time , do it right pay attention to detail. it was a beautiful stove ,literally a work of art at one time , i bet if you work at it she can be returned to her former lustre. you may need to replace some sheet metal (that box in the back looks rough). honestly , i'd love to have a shot at it myself just to see how good i could make it look , but i wouldnt have the time these days.

 

[BrotherBart]

Well this gets interesting. That Warnak Hersey test report number on the tag was issued to a VestalAire circulator pre-fab fireplace in 1992?

http://www.vestalmfg.com/PDF/VestalAire.pdf

 

[BrotherBart]

Here it is:

http://tinyurl.com/2g49p48

 

[pen]

You guys are awesome. Time to go find the price list and start seeing what I'm getting into. If you noticed, there are 100 sheets of osb behind the stove. I'm also building the shop this summer, helping my father finish his garage, replacing my furnace / hot water and re-plumbing my house w/ pex, making my current basement garage part of my family room, and having another kid in October It's a good thing my profession gives me June / July / Aug off

So what do you surmise is the situation w/ that test report number? Misprint? Coincidence? I'm not sure the history of VestalAire but the home this stove was located in is about 5 miles from Vestal, New York. Coincidence again I suppose?

 

[BrotherBart]

It looks like we need a Congressional investigation here.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just don't spend a dime on parts until that thing is completely taken apart. I can't imagine any studs cast into that frame not breaking when you take the nuts off. If they are in fact attached to the frame.

 

[fossil]

Looks like it was hoisted up from the seabed. That's some ugly, deep corrosion. I doubt it'll come apart very gracefully. When you do get the rust layers off, it'll never, ever look like it did when it was new...too much metal gone. Being nearly as old as BB, I share his sentiments about it...it would be in my next trailer load to the landfill/recycling facility. But hey, if you've got time on your hands and are looking to take on a challenge, rip into it. But first, go rip into the guy who let the beauty get this ugly. Rick

 

[Cowboy Billy]

I would see if it would come apart. Use lots of PB blaster over a month. The worst parts are the inside and back. Probably going to have to replace some inside parts. The outside parts would look great nickel or brass dipped.

Billy

 

[firefighterjake]

What a shame . . .

If I were me I would not waste my time trying to restore it . . . but that's just me . . . too old and too far gone in my own opinion . . . but then again I've never restored any stoves or old equipment.

 

[Clarkbar2311]

I'd salvage the stone and get rid of the rest. I think she may be to far gone to be restored within reasonable limits.

 

[gandrimp]

Unless its an optical illussion, or the stoves are just made this way, the top is bowed up in the center. Junk it if it is bowed.

 

[sauer]

Unless its an optical illussion, or the stoves are just made this way, the top is bowed up in the center. Junk it if it is bowed.

thats bad hearthstone design. classic overfire indication. I rebuilt a mansfield with real bad sagging in the top cast stone support. A couple people on this site had similar problems

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

i have the exploded view, parts list online here
http://woodheatstoves.com/hearthstone-harvest-model-8402-mod-exploded-view-parts-list-p-12304.html


there are sooo many parts to that stove, i dont think its worth it.

but if you do, send me a list of what you need for a quote

 

[pen]

I appreciate the opinions everyone. At the very least, the stove will come apart and the soapstone will be saved for some future projects.

I wish I had known about this stove a few years ago

pen

 

[vvvv]

stove mortar + pay attention = duh

 

[BrotherBart]

I wish I had known about this stove a few years ago

pen

Nah. Then you wouldn't have discovered the 30-NC. :coolgrin:

 

[pen]

stove mortar + pay attention = duh

I wish it was that simple. Your "duh" comments tend to make me believe you are either uneducated on stoves more complicated than a fisher or else rather sarcastic in a way that is hard to read on the net. Either way, here's the first of 2 pages of schematic that was shared with me by another member. I'm afraid this number of parts + rust = too much of an expense for this project. If you knew me you'd know I'm not afraid of work, however I am not so sure the expense it would take here would be worth the reward.

But, we'll see once it is broken down.

pen

 

[Dakotas Dad]

What a darn waste. But since you have to take it apart to get the stone out to save.. I might be tempted to see how many bits really needed to be replaced as I took it apart... but I wouldn't have high hopes.. :-(

 

[savageactor7]

Well, I need your help guys

....when you need the heavy artillery.

Seriously a sand blasting will make this very doable. Cant wait to see it.