As new as it gets

[begreen]

According to user reports, the stove sold for around $2250 back in 2016. Maybe the $3000 was for just the stove or for the entire installation or maybe she paid too much? Anyhow, asking more than 50% for a 6 yr old stove is too much in my book. The firebox is pretty close to the same size as the Columbia II.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/ratings/4053/view

 

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Thank you, I'll have a lot of questions for her when I see her. It may possibly also come with some pipes which would be a game changer, but we'll see. We are in no real rush to buy anything and do have the luxury of time, so I'll likely pass if it's just the stove and they won't budge on the price. Even if they did perhaps pay 3k for it, I still feel like 2k is a heavy asking price.

Thank you for the information on sales prices! That is helpful and I can use that in my negotiations I appreciate all of your time and assistance, truly.

 

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Well, we looked at the Explorer II. We really love the look of it, looks like it will fit our space well. It has features I really like, ie the large flat top, enamel finish, large window, good size fire box, close clearances, right side door opening…

The problem is the stove has been stored outside. The owners evidently had it one season, then moved. They weren’t able to fit it in their new home so it went outside under a carport. From the look of it, it was perhaps dinged up during moving, then stored outside where rust took over. The rust spots are not terrible, but will need to be buffed out and then the paint touched up. The firebox looked good, maybe some very mild surface rust in one spot but not bad. The concern is if there’s any rust internally…this is a layered piece, with steel then cast iron as the shell. The fear is there may be rust in between the layers. Hubby operated all the levers and said they felt good. The door worked well, gaskets are in good shape as well. It is going to need a couple of bricks replaced.

We talked to the sellers for awhile, and ultimately they offered it to us at $1000.

So, what would y’all do?

Does anyone know if the back of this unit can come off somewhat easily to see if there is internal rust issues? That would certainly help us make the call.

I’m attaching the picture only I got of the unit, although it’s dark. The light brown spots are the rust spots. The front is the worst of it. The white spot on the door is actually a bug nest of some sort…but not damage.

 

[begreen]

OK, $1000 is more realistic. It was a beautiful stove in its day. It's a shame they abused it by leaving it outside, but inside the firebox it's a simple tube stove and probably ok. If anything has seized up due to rust it is probably the Automatic Combustion Control (ACC), which is a timer based start up air system. Checking that out would require removal of the right side cast iron panel. The stove can still function without the ACC.

 

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I definitely have to agree @begreen , good looking stove (and appealing features) -- today we'll be pricing out some of the components/replacement parts we might need (or definitely need in the case of the bricks) but I think we're going to go for it. I'm pretty jazzed about giving this beauty a new life.

Thank you for all of your feedback! I'll likely start a new thread to document the construction in case people are interested in seeing it.

As an aside, is there a thread on this website somewhere with a photo gallery of peoples' set ups?

 

[begreen]

The firebrick in this stove is most likely pumice firebrick. They should still be in great shape after only one season of use. Note that the site owner @webfish has the larger Explorer III version of this stove.

 

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The brick they have is indeed in good shape, however a couple were broken “in the move” and a couple are missing.

I actually read some positive accounts on the explorer iii from webfish which put the explorer ii on my radar I’m glad to read so much positive feedback about the Quadrafires.