# What stove is this (and how can I replace the gasket)?



## Helter (Nov 15, 2013)

My wife and I bought a house that included this woodstove.  I've decided to try using it to help offset the cost of oil, but thought it might be a good idea to find out what I'm doing at some point.
So first of all, can anyone identify this stove just by looking at it?  There don't seem to be any markings that I've been able to find, and it doesn't look quite like any stove I've seen in pictures.  It seems to be plate steel, has firebrick inside, and has a six inch flue at the top and a variable blower.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





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Second, the door gasket seems to have been held on with rivets, and is mostly gone.  How should I go about replacing it?  I looked this up, but the instructions I found all referred to their being a kerf around the glass that I could put the gasket in.  Should I just force the fiberglass around the rivet heads, and use high temp adhesive?

The stove seems to work pretty well as it is, I've kept an eye on the flue, and the only time there is visible smoke is when I start it up.  Other than that it's just clear heat shimmer coming out the top.


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## Motor7 (Nov 16, 2013)

Looks like a early 80's Buck copy. Can you post some pic's of the gasket/rivets? You may have to drill out the rivits, then install new one's...really not a big task.


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## Helter (Nov 17, 2013)

Thanks for the info!  Sure, here are some pictures.












So if I need to drill them out, would I then use pop rivets to attach the new gasket?  Are there special "wood stove" rivets?  Or will normal steel rivets work (I assume aluminum is a no-no)?


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## Motor7 (Nov 17, 2013)

Hard to tell from the (clear Macro shots would be helpful), but yes it looks like they used pop rivets, so that door frame must be hollow. A generic rope gasket kit the same diameter and some steel pop rivets should do the job. Even aluminium one's would probably work since they won't be exposed to open flame, but yeah, I'd go steel.


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## Helter (Nov 17, 2013)

Sorry about that, all I have at the moment is the iphone, and the light in this room is terrible.  Thank you for your advice though!  I should be able to get that taken care of shortly.  It's really great to be able to get advice on these things from people who know what they're talking about.
To add another bit of confusion, when I cleaned it out today I decided to take the entire ash pan shelf out to see if there was anything behind it that needed to be cleaned.  Of course the entire opening was filled with ashes, but as I was clearing it out, I noticed that there was an awful lot of coal in the ashes too. So, it looks like the previous owners considered it both a wood and coal stove.


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## Motor7 (Nov 17, 2013)

Keep us posted, if everything inside looks straight & not warped once you fix the gasket it should fire up fine.You are/did clean/inspect the entire flue right? If not, get a Sooteater and run it up there.

Oh, and ash pans are known to leak air, take a close look at it's fitment when closed.


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## Helter (Nov 17, 2013)

Thanks, new gasket is installed! (though the one I got is too big, they only had round rope gaskets at Lowes, and what it was replacing was a flat ribbon gasket).  I had the flue looked at when I first bought the place, the guy said the whole thing was safe to use.  I was thinking of putting a creosote log in after I've I've used it for a little while to help keep it clear anyway though.  
The ash pan has a gasket around it too, that appears to be in good condition.  Is there any way to tell for sure if it's leaking?  
I just started a fire and closed all the vents, it definitely tamed the fire down, but did not put it out.  I think that will wind up being good enough for me, eventually we plan to replace this with a fireplace insert.


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## coaly (Nov 20, 2013)

What makes you think it's a wood stove?
Is that a shaker handle to move grates in the middle at bottom?
Primary air comes up through the grates from ash pan door, and secondary air for coal gas combustion comes in the upper air intake.
You "can" burn wood in a coal stove, but you can't burn coal in a wood stove.
Try a bag of anthracite, you'll like it. No more chimney or glass cleaning. One match in November, load once a day and shake twice a day until spring. They go until you let them go out.
It requires a barometric damper with coal to control draft through firebed too.


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## Helter (Nov 20, 2013)

Well now, that's interesting.  Honestly, what made me think it wasn't a coal stove is that the only coal stove I've ever experienced was for cooking, so I always think of coal stoves as having those round cook plates on them.  Also, there was a stack of firewood outside.  but there's a masonry fireplace in the kitchen that appears to have been in use (completely unlined, just brick all the way up, seems to have been used for the last 200 some years), so that might be what the wood was for.
The middle handle isn't for a shaker grate, it's what latches the ash pan door.  There IS a very generous grate at the bottom though, which lets a lot more air in below the fire than any wood stove I've ever seen.  There's also a barometric damper on the pipe, just above the "normal" damper.
I guess I should figure out where I can buy coal, and give that a whirl.  It would be nice to stop loading this thing every 4-5 hours.


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## coaly (Nov 20, 2013)

Your thinking of a cookstove with lids, and most are coal.
You should not be burning wood with a barometric damper.

Very similar to a Gibraltar or Hitzer I've heated many seasons with as an only heat source.
Use coal that won't fall through the grates, probably chestnut size.
There should be a way to shake the grate with a handle that removes from the outside. Some require the ash pan door to be opened to slip the handle on.
Strange there is no label on the back. I'd look for tiny holes from 4 rivets that held a metal plate on.
Here's some tips from a long time coal burner;
There is usually a banking plate in front to fill coal to the top of. Just pile it on top of a small wood fire, and it will switch over to coal easily. I start with a little cardboard and kindling and have a coal fire established in about 15 minutes. It takes a lot of air to get it going, then close it down to a glowing mass. Once going, don't be afraid to cover the burning coal with more until you see no fire and fill to the top of banking plate. (this is called stoking) If you turn up the bottom air, as the coal gas escapes from the fresh coal, it will burn on top with a blue flame. Not much air is needed through top intakes for this. The larger the pieces, the more air space between them, and the faster it burns. Same amount of BTU per pound, just a different burn rate. So on warmer days, you learn to use the "fines" in the bottom of bin. This type of stove is not "banked" like an antique that was not airtight to save fuel through the night. It also takes temps below 50*f for a 24 hour period for most chimneys to keep most coal stoves operating properly. Warm days you will have a sluggish glowing fire, but when it cools down it will take off.
Shake only until you see glowing coals start to fall through. Some grates can move so far they start to dump the fire. Huge difference in gentle rocking of grates when lots of ash is on them to quick sharp motion when cleaning a fire with little ash.
Coal stoves are not dirty and dusty when shaken while they are burning well to pull the fly ash into the stove. Shaking a cool stove in the morning before it's drafting well WILL put dust into the air and earns coal stoves the reputation of being dirty.
Don't use coal ash in the garden like wood ash for lime or making plants reproduce. Nothing in coal ash beneficial to plants. It's good around fence posts or driveways (anti skid) where you don't want weeds to grow. 

#1  Most important rule ; EMPTY ASH DAILY  You never want the ash to get up to the bottom of grates !  The air coming up through grates cools them. Coal will warp, sag, and melt iron grates if incoming air is not allowed to come up through them.

#2  If tempted to open ash pan door to get coal fire going, do so carefully. It is not recommended, but many do. Stay with it, and close ash pan door when coal fire is established with blue flame.

Unlike a wood fire, you won't feel a lot of heat quickly. The first time your glowing mass grows you'll wonder if it's going to throw any heat. After a few hours you'll be amazed how much heat without maintaining the fire. With the fan on, you won't be able to cook on the stove top. It will just heat enough water to humidify the air with a kettle or pan on top. It will not radiate much off the outer skin, but it is a space heater that heats large amounts of air by what comes out the blower holes. In a power failure, the fan is not required to keep it cool, it becomes a radiant heater.


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## coaly (Nov 20, 2013)

My experience with Blaschak brand was not good. It was higher in ash content, and higher in sulfer. This makes acid in connecting pipes (reason for stainless) tears up stainless chimney caps, and even etches into glass in door. I learned to wipe door glass daily with a damp rag first thing in the morning to remove any fly ash on glass. When this wasn't done, it "crazed" the glass by etching into it. So a quick wipe with hot water on cloth keeps it very clean.


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## Helter (Nov 21, 2013)

Thanks for the advice coaly.  t. 
The grates at the bottom didn't seem mobile when I cleaned the bottom out.  I'll check again to see if there is a shaker though.  Either way I'll take a shot at it, and see if if works with coal.


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## coaly (Nov 21, 2013)

Not all grates are movable. European stoves have a flat surface on top with slots through the stove front for a "slicing knife" that works quite well sliding over the top of grate. The slots will have little flaps to cover them like doors on the inside. The openings in their grates will be smaller to prevent Pea size from falling through. European stoves by our standards are over engineered with many parts like rollers on door latches, multi piece doors, sheet metal shields..... not made with a few parts to be simple like those designed here. Metric hardware and threads is another giveaway.
  Can't be many stove doors with two handles on a single hinged door to help identify. Which way does the door swing, and do both handles pull it tight?
Most European stoves have steel covers outside over a cast iron firebox. They are all about efficiency.


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## Helter (Nov 21, 2013)

It doesn't look like there are any slots for a slicing knife.  Is is possible that you're just supposed to open the door and move the coals with a poker? 
The door opens down, which is somewhat interesting when it's hot.  The handles are steel rod that is bent at a 90 on the inside, and contacts a steel ramp, which pulls the door tight.


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## coaly (Nov 21, 2013)

hmmm, doesn't make sense that there's no way to shake the grate. Some rock, others slide back and forth with a wiggle. Could be a hole accessable from the front usually through ash pan for shaker handle of some type. Really have to see it without guessing. The grate system means a lot to how well the stove works and ease of cleaning the fire.
*You should never poke a coal fire from the top*. Poker goes up through from the bottom if necessary to loosen a jammed piece of coal (from over shaking) or poke at a section not glowing through the grate with packed ash that didn't clean by shaking. It's not usually necessary, just gives a more even clean fire. Looking up through the grates you can tell where the dead spots are that may need to be touched up. Depends on how well the grates are designed.
** You don't want to disturb the glowing mass because if you drop the critical mass temp too much by breaking it up, there is no getting the fire back.**


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## webbie (Nov 22, 2013)

I almost recognize that stove!
Almost....but not yet......  

Ah, now I have it!
It's a Pine Barrens Coal/Wood Unit.....or it sure looks like one!

Maybe they had wood grates for it?


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## Helter (Nov 22, 2013)

Wow!  That's it!  I'm amazed that you were able to place it from just a picture and an old ad!

Coaly, you were of course right.  There's a square bolt protruding just below the right hand blower fan. I thought it was for the blower, but when I put a wrench to it, it moves the grate.

Now I just need to find coal near me!


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## webbie (Nov 22, 2013)

I get lucky sometimes! It rung a bell.....and then I dug through the scraps of paper in a box next to my desk! Specifically, the 1982 Woodstove  Directory.


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## coaly (Nov 22, 2013)

Thank you webbie !  I can finally sleep tonight.
That drove me nuts. The All Nighter style handles had me worked up.

Reading coal should be easy to find down your way ?


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## sealover (Dec 2, 2013)

Patricia" Pine Barren Stove. Call The Pine Barren Stove Co. in  Chatsworth, NJ # (609) 726-1550 And talk to Lee, he will answer all your questions. You must use the correct gasket type and size for the doors and the glass. I have 2 of these stoves in my house, they are the best. Enjoy


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