# Hearthstone II rebuild ...need help



## seatacartist (Aug 9, 2007)

I am the original owner of a Hearthstone II circa 1981 (yeah, the caveman owned this model, built just after fire was discovered).  Anyway, I need to rebuild the internals that have deteriorated over the years (damper etc) how do I go about taking the stove apart.  Where do I start? Stove is in good condition except for the internals. I have a steel fabrication background so the fabrication of the parts is the easy part for me. Just need to take the stove apart ....correctly.


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## thechimneysweep (Aug 9, 2007)

I rebuilt a Hearthstone of that vintage a few years ago: I think mine was a I, but Hearthstone seems to have stuck with the same assembly technique to this day, so this is most likely how to proceed:

My stove was held together by threaded rods in all four corners.  The rods are threaded into female threads cast into the cast iron top frame, and extend all the way down through the leg mounting holes at the bottom.

So, you turn the stove upside-down.  OK, you and your four buddies turn the stove upside down.  Loosen the four nuts that hold the legs on, being careful not to turn the rods.  Remove the legs, bottom plate, etc., until you end up with the top casting with four threaded rods sticking up out of it (I'm a little hazy about the interim steps, but as I recall, once I got the bottom plate off, everything was pretty self-explanatory.

If you encounter joints that are still being held together by the furnace cement, hold one end of a short 2x4 against the part and hit the other end with a hammer.  The cement will pop apart.


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## Highbeam (Aug 9, 2007)

On my newer Hearthstone Heritage. Much newer. I can remove every bit of the secondary baffle and manifold through the doors without disassembling the stone. Why I had to learn how to do this is another story but it is worth trying to remove the bad parts only. 

A write up of your disassembly would be great with pictures. I would love to have a look see inside.


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## stoveguy13 (Aug 9, 2007)

i have not looked at one in a bit but all the internals should come out with out taking the stones apart but at the age of the stove it would most likely do you good to fully rebuild the whole thing you can take the stove apart standing up it is a good idea to strap the stove before you start to pull either the top or bottom you can lift the stove top out with the rods still in place helpful to have some one help you when you do this it is heavy and you have to get it up in the air a bit then you can proceed to remove the stones the strap helps to keep everything in place well you remove the top as the top holds the stove together. hearthstone does use specific furnace cement that has some fiberglass in it but the regular stuff works fine as well you may want to check with a local dealer most if not all the parts can be bought.


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## fbelec (Aug 10, 2007)

i rebuilt my hearthstone two upright. my stove was made in the mid to upper 80's. i could get the bad parts out of the stove but could not get the new parts in. so i took off the top. all one piece of cast iron but the 3 stones came off easy. you find once you start taking the stove apart that it should be done any way. very easy to do. everything on my stove was held together with small 1 inch coarse screws. the top comes off by removing the small screws at the top of each cast iron corner piece and give a good tug. and yes it is heavy. once the top is off you can do everything that you need to do to this stove. the side plate and the back plate are held in with 2 nuts and bolts
on the bottom of the inside of the stove that go thru to the outside. the top baffle is held in with two long 3 or 4 inch screws with lock nuts to the top cast iron piece that the 3 stones sit on. tuff to remove while in the stove so i pulled them out together. and the back of the top baffle just sits on the back plate with the big h in the middle. 

when you put it back together put in the back and side plates first. then lie the top baffle inside then put on the top cast iron piece then attach the top baffle with the two long screws and nuts.
then the stones are attached with only furnace cement. don't be afraid to use plenty of cement so that there won't be any gaps for smoke to leak out of or air to get into. oh ya i forgot to say you will have to remove the secondary burner pipe and put that in after you put in the back and side plates. it's only held in by one screw. it expands big time when you fire it up so don't worry about the play it has when it's cold.

good luck
if you need picture or some more help i'm glad to help

frank


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## fbelec (Aug 10, 2007)

if you need parts i bought all my parts at http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/default.asp i bout everything but the top baffle. that any welding shop can do for you cheaper all it is is boiler plate


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## frwinks (Aug 21, 2007)

I'm actually in the middle of rebuilding our hearthstone II as well .  It did a great job keeping our home warm last season, I figured it deserved a second shot at life after being overfired for what it looks like many, many seasons...lol

as stated by fbelec, the top is held in place by 8 screws, then all the internals can be accessed easily from the top...







a good tug pops the top cover off





and the result old age and/or abuse or a little bit of both....















surprisingly, I managed to salvage all the hardware (minus the threded rods holding the top baffle plate), so I will reuse it.

Now the q , I'm thinking of using 1/4"-3/8" reg. steel plate to fab up the pannels.  Is reg. steel plate OK for this project or do these pannels have to be cast steel?  The secondary pipe will be SS, just because I have some laying around.. lol
Any info on the material will be much appreciated...


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## kwburn (Aug 21, 2007)

Sorry I don't have the answer to your question but I too am working on a Hearthstone II right now.  I'm replacing the right side and rear plates with original Hearthstone parts.  Luckily my top baffle and damper are fine.  I bought stainless at a local steel company for the secondary air tube.


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## Gooserider (Aug 22, 2007)

frwinks said:
			
		

> I'm actually in the middle of rebuilding our hearthstone II as well .  It did a great job keeping our home warm last season, I figured it deserved a second shot at life after being overfired for what it looks like many, many seasons...lol
> 
> <snip>
> 
> ...



I would replace the hardware - it's not that expensive and will make life a lot easier if you ever have to do it again.  Use Stainless hardware, and put some high temp Never-Seize on it.  (even if you do use the old hardware, put the Never-Seize on it...)

I would also strongly reccomend using Hearthstone OEM parts if you can get them.  If you do have to fab them, I'd think the steel plate would work, although the originals were cast iron (not steel)

Gooserider


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## fbelec (Aug 22, 2007)

i used 1/4 inch plate. that was the size of the original. the guys at the metal shop said that it would be ok. what you have to do is 5 break in fires like the manual says to do. each fire you gradually bring up the temp of each fire and let it cool down to room temp in between fires and that will heat treat the plate. the only plate i bought that wasn't hearthstone was that curved top baffle plat on top.


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## frwinks (Aug 22, 2007)

right on... I have some 1/2" cast iron plate a buddy of mine just found in his shed...might be able to use it for the back and side plate, the top baffle will be 1/4" steel, as I'll have to bend/roll it.
I'll take pictures as I go along and post up... thanks


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## kwburn (Aug 31, 2007)

i got my hearthstone II parts at Preston Trading Post in Connecticut.  very fair prices.  they don't have online ordering but i'm sure they would take inquiries over the phone.  www.prestontradingpost.com


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## frwinks (Nov 29, 2007)

just so you guys don't think I gave up on the ol' girl  

the 1/2" cast was just way to heavy, so I used 1/4" steel plate instead for all my panels.  For the secondary pipe I used some SS tube I had lying around.

I bent the baffle a little more aggressively than the stock unit for a slightly larger firebox










a fresh coat of polish 





a few small break in burns





and final seal of approval :coolsmile: 





I think it should be good to go for another.... umhhhhhh 20 years or so :lol:


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## tickbitty (Mar 28, 2008)

I just wanted to bump this old post to the top so the recent poster about rebuilding one of these will see it. 

(Oh, and FRWINKS, nice looking dog!) - and stove too...


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## rhamm17 (Dec 16, 2010)

I am going to be rebuilding a Hearthstone II soon.  Earlier in this thread, pictures of the rebuilding process were posted on PhotoBucket.  They have been removed or moved.  Would it be possible for the original poster to re-post these pictures?

I have no idea what condition the stove is in since I have not yet taken delivery of it.  

Also, how did the 1/4" steel plate work out for replacement of the internal cast iron pieces?

Thanks in advance.


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## Wood Heat Stoves (Dec 16, 2010)

http://woodheatstoves.com/hearthstone-ii-exploded-view-and-i-ii-parts-list-p-12306.html

here is the exploded view and parts list if you need


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## andme3 (Sep 2, 2014)

fbelec said:


> i rebuilt my hearthstone two upright. my stove was made in the mid to upper 80's. i could get the bad parts out of the stove but could not get the new parts in. so i took off the top. all one piece of cast iron but the 3 stones came off easy. you find once you start taking the stove apart that it should be done any way. very easy to do. everything on my stove was held together with small 1 inch coarse screws. the top comes off by removing the small screws at the top of each cast iron corner piece and give a good tug. and yes it is heavy. once the top is off you can do everything that you need to do to this stove. the side plate and the back plate are held in with 2 nuts and bolts
> on the bottom of the inside of the stove that go thru to the outside. the top baffle is held in with two long 3 or 4 inch screws with lock nuts to the top cast iron piece that the 3 stones sit on. tuff to remove while in the stove so i pulled them out together. and the back of the top baffle just sits on the back plate with the big h in the middle.
> 
> when you put it back together put in the back and side plates first. then lie the top baffle inside then put on the top cast iron piece then attach the top baffle with the two long screws and nuts.
> ...




I'm planning to tackle this same stove rebuild this Fall and your description is extremely helpful.  How are the top stones held in place,  just by furnace cement?  Can/should I remove these before I remove the entire top?  Seems like it would be easier to handle the top with the stones off.


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## begreen (Sep 2, 2014)

This is a seven year old thread. Start a new one and put a link in it to this thread so that you get current answers.


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