# Help On A Potbelly Stove



## Durango1917 (Apr 7, 2014)

Hello, I found a potbelly stove whilst cleaning out a farms shop. My dad says he vaguely remembers it heating an old wood barn. I had someone look at it and they said it was probably made in the 1950s-70s. It says made in West Germany and I think it burns coal and wood. Here are some pictures of it.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			







Why does the fire grate pictured above have a movable piece on it and what is it called? It looks like the fire got too hot once and broke part of the grate off too. 
Can I use the stove outside without a pipe on it and is it legal in California?
What is the value of it too with a missing bar for the cooking lid and a broken fire grate?


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## webbie (Apr 7, 2014)

Not much value for a pot belly - unless a collector values that particular brand (would have to have a foundry name or something similar on it).

The grates have various purposes - to shake and make the (usually coal) ashes come down quicker. In some cases, coal forms clinkers - like rocks! Having a dump grate like that may allow them to be more easily pushed into the ash pan. 

Outdoor burning with no pipe? If your air shed has no outdoor burning regs, then it probably could be a hand warmer if kept away from buildings, etc.


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## FanMan (Apr 21, 2014)

That's a coal stove... coal stoves have shaker grates to help break up the ashes so they fall through the grate so they can be removed.  You can burn wood in it (you usually start a wood fire to get the coal going) but it's not really made for wood.


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