Atlanta Stove Works - Woodsman

[jdavemiles]

Wow, you really can find out about anything in the internet, even wood stoves! I could really use some help and information about a find of mine. Please see the attached photos. I literally found this Atlanta Stove Works - Woodsman box stove in the basement of an old 2 family 1920's home in St Louis that my nephew was going to rehab and rent. It was so cool I took it home to see if I could clean it up. Frankly I have no use for it (now) but that doesn't mean I don't want it! I may put it in a house someday. So, I cleaned it up, washed out all the ashes, scraped it clean, hit it with a wire brush and sprayed it with WD40 and put it on the back patio to look at. Oh, I also mounted 2x4s and some casters on the legs so I could move it around...it must weigh over 200 pounds! The only problem with the stove is that the door has a broken top hinge and no gasket. I couldn't find the broken part in the basement, would have welded it back on if I had. There do not seem to be any cracks, warps or over-firing effects and it even came with a partial stovepipe, damper and two elbows. What a find!!

So then I Googled it and now here I am on this great site. I have already learned that ASW is out of business, sold to B'ham Stove or some such company, also out of business, that the stove in non-UL listed and it is an American Copy of the Jotul 118. I found some of this info on www.woodsmanpartsplus.com hoping I could find a new door. It really does look like the Jotul 118 stove. So here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know the approximate value of this stove? I found one on an auction site for estimated $300-$500 in working condition.
2. Where can I find a new or a used door or have the hinge repaired?
3 I read about the light-bulb test to look for cracks and leaks in the seams but I think it needs a door gasket and a better latch...and of course a new or repaired door before I can do the light test. Will a gasket set for the Jotul 118 work for this stove? I can buy that from the Woodsman Parts Plus people for $36.
4. Were these stoves originally painted? Or were they just cast Iron? Mine was just lightly rusted, not scaling anywhere so I sprayed the outside with WD40 to protect it from the immediate elements out on my covered patio. I hope that was not a no-no?
5. Does anyone have an owners manual on this stove? Do you know what model number it is? There are no markings on the back. Only part numbers on individual parts (Ex: Door Part 3820)

Please let me know if you can help me answer any of these questions and if anyone knows where I can get a door for it. I really appreaciate and feed back I can get... Thanks, Jdave

 

[webbie]

I think it is going to be tough to dig up a manual......

As to the gasket, this can usually be figured out by looking at the space to fill - the newer gaskets compress quite well. Chances are that a 5/16 or something like that will work.

As to the value - well, with the broken door hinge it loses a lot....but that can be fixed, so I'd say the best value for this thing is to USE IT....the auction value, all fixed up, is somewhere in the ball park - say, anywhere from $200 to $350.....

It probably sold for $400 brand new - maybe less.

High temp stove paint was probably used - that would work well to restore and protect it.

As far as the model, I remember there being only one size of this cast-iron model....with that name. So that is probably good enough.

 

[jimbom]

Atlanta Stove Works information is hard to find. Something about this stove you have....Seems like I saw one like this on Craigslist in St Louis recently and looked up a parts diagram. I want to say Sears/Kenmore, but tried that right now. No luck. I know I saw something, but can not put my finger on it right now.

The one I saw did not have a broken hinge but the picture of the insides showed no burn plates. So I was looking to see if burn plates were part of the original design. I stopped looking at the Craigslist stove for some reason. A reason that escapes me. I have forgot more stuff that I never knew or something like that.

If I remember I will post.

 

[jdavemiles]

Thanks JimboM & Craig. My Woodsman has both side burn plates intact and good condition and a top baffle with two oval holes into the top box to where the pipe exits from the back. This thing is in really good condition... Except for the door. Keep the comments coming!

 

[Bud liska]

I tried to upload a PDF file of the Woodman manual but got an error message. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected]

 

[webbie]

I tried to upload a PDF file of the Woodman manual but got an error message. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected]

If you email it to me [email protected], I will upload it in our wiki or here....

 

[webbie]

Here is a smaller file size copy of the manual - should be still readable, but small enough that it let me upload it.
Thanks, Bud!