# Montgomery Ward potbelly stove info



## mdkpsu (Oct 11, 2020)

Hi All - I'm new here and to woodstoves in general. I just picked up a small potbelly stove today for occasional heating of a small, uninsulated workshop. It was sold to me as a Montgomery Ward 68 wood / coal stove. I'm curious if this is actually a wood stove, or if it's designed to  just burn coal, based on the dimensions. It seems I'd have to work to break down any firewood to get it to fit in this small stove. Dimensions are approximately 11" wide and 27" tall. 

Also curious if anyone has tips for adapting this oval flue connection to standard round stovepipe. Oval measures 6"X3", and I need to adapt to 6" round pipe. I'm thinking I can secure a 6" round pipe over it and call it done? Or should I find an adapter/make my own for a tight fit? 

Lastly, ,  is the round, removable plate in the top of the stove just another door for stoking the fire? Or can it also be used for cooking? I keep seeing mentions of this sort of plate being removed and used for special cooking pots, but maybe that is something else entirely? Like I said, new to this.

Thanks in advance for the help!


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## begreen (Oct 11, 2020)

Looks like a coal stove.


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## SidecarFlip (Oct 12, 2020)

Sure does.  Best use is as a planter.  Art deco piece...


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## mdkpsu (Oct 12, 2020)

Thanks for the info. Just curious why you're implying it won't be very useful as a stove. Does this style/size of a coal stove have issues? I didn't pay much for the stove so just trying to figure out if this is worth hooking up and using, or cutting my losses and finding something else. The room I'm looking to heat occasionally is a 10x10 shed. Thanks again,


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## PA Mountain Man (Dec 14, 2020)

This brings back memories. My dad put one of these in our small kitchen in 72. I spent a lot of time cutting and splitting 4" wood. It drafted like crazy and the joke was don't split the wood too small or it will suck it up the chimney. We figured out half green sugar maple worked best. I seem to remember  squashing one end of pipe to fit the oval. It heated up fast, but didn't hold fire long. Yes you can cook on top. We neer used coal, but in the 11 years of service it worked well. Hope this helps.


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## john26 (Dec 15, 2020)

Coal stoves have a grate in the bottom, coal burns from the bottom wood from the top.  You would not be able to establish a good bed of coals with this, it would burn wood fast and hot could damage the stove possibly the chimney.  If you tried to burn green wood or half green to slow the burn down it would make a lot of creosote and could possibly cause a chimney fire.


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## Piney (Dec 16, 2020)

Ours works fine with wood.   We heat a 400 sq ft office with it.   Add some steel at the grate level if you can’t establish a bed of coals. Squash a 6” pipe.  It should fit the oval.


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## Piney (Dec 17, 2020)

Piney said:


> Ours works fine with wood.   We heat a 400 sq ft office with it.   Add some steel at the grate level if you can’t establish a bed of coals. Squash a 6” pipe.  It should fit the oval.


PS. We do use a damper- that’s key


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