Rebuild Dutch West 2461

[Blazzinghot]

I went to look at this stove once and offered a lower price and they would not accept it so I passed it by. After a month I noticed it was still on Marketplace so told them my offed was still standing and they replied and they said come and get it. The manufacture date code is 1505 Which makes this stove a 1995 model if I have read all the other posts on this topic correctly. The tag says it meets the 1990 EPA standards so I think the date may be correct. I took this wood stove totally apart and cleaned it and installed a brand new catalytic combustor and and new back burn plate.

I made a new ash pan out of stainless steel and a new handle with part of a cut off table leg and 1/2 socket and bolt.

This is my second cat stove but this one has a window so I can see what is going on inside. So far I really like it.

I cat that was in the stove did not look bad but replaced it just to make sure.

 

[begreen]

Nicely done, it looks great. It's wonderful that you have given it new life.

 

[bholler]

I went to look at this stove once and offered a lower price and they would not accept it so I passed it by. After a month I noticed it was still on Marketplace so told them my offed was still standing and they replied and they said come and get it. The manufacture date code is 1505 Which makes this stove a 1995 model if I have read all the other posts on this topic correctly. The tag says it meets the 1990 EPA standards so I think the date may be correct. I took this wood stove totally apart and cleaned it and installed a brand new catalytic combustor and and new back burn plate.

I made a new ash pan out of stainless steel and a new handle with part of a cut off table leg and 1/2 socket and bolt.

This is my second cat stove but this one has a window so I can see what is going on inside. So far I really like it.

I cat that was in the stove did not look bad but replaced it just to make sure.

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They were very great stoves for their day. And still perform pretty well against more modern stuff.

 

[Blazzinghot]

Thanks for the comments, From everything I have read it seems that people who have these stoves really enjoy them. This is the first time I have seen a cat stove in operation and how it devours smoke. After seeing the fire in this cat stove it does have some secondary burn action that takes place inside the main fire box. The primary air seems to get very hot near the surface of the ceiling of the stove and there are some nice dancing purple flames toward the top. My wife really likes the looks of this Dutch West and we even discussed putting this in our home but decided to keep our nice 2017 Jotul F45. The downside to this Dutch West stove is the glass does not stay clean very long. But I am sure they have improved this on newer cat stoves.

 

[stoveliker]

I recognize a lot from my older FA264CCL. What my stove did not (anymore?) have is the little valves at the bottom left and right corners. I had dials for air on the (door-) side and in the ash drawer (mine could also do coal), and these holes were just for convecting air going in, that was then coming out of the convection top.

As I don't see air dials on this model, are those holes (with little flappers) for combustion air?

I see you still have "secondary" combustion air on the top of the door (presumably coming out of the ring under the cat)?

No airwash indeed...

Nicely done!

 

[Blazzinghot]

stoveliker, I will have to look up your stove so I can see what it looks like. I remember you stated it was a cat stove. And when I saw this Dutch West I was thinking you mentioned you had a Dutch West plus I have always wanted to get a cat stove so I can see it in action. There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.

You are correct the two flappers are the air control but they don't go directly into the stove. As you can see in the picture the air flows into a manifold and then over the top of the window. This manifold it sealed with a rope gasket. As you know when the cat get going you can close down the primary air which in my case is causes the window to get dirty.

The secondary burn was all along the back side of the stove towards the top. The flames were in mid air just dancing along it was nice to watch. I am thinking the top inside plate of the stove must get very hot from the cast iron and the cat causing some of the smoke to get a secondary burn. This only happened when the damper was closed and of course when the fire goes into the smolder stage there is very little or no flame. But that combuster stays red hot and no smoke was seen coming out the flue.

And yes, the little valve on the left of the stove above the side door is for secondary air that flows through a chamber that goes into the stainless steel burner jus below the cat. The manual stated to only give it one turn allowing a little secondary air to enter. I guess it burns hotter as you add more secondary air. I am still learning as this is all new to me.

 

[stoveliker]

Hm, interesting; that is in fact an airwash.

I remember leaving my primary air open a little bit (and the secondary air only a tiny bit) to run. I wonder if you could do that and keep the window clean(er).

More modern cat stoves often don't have secondary air; I think the idea that the primary fire consumes all oxygen and there is nothing left for the cat to oxidize gases with has been recognized to be incorrect.

In any case, it looks fantastic.

 

[Blazzinghot]

stoveliker, This stove does have a nice air wash system over the glass window but it does not seem to be enough air. I had the settings just as you stated and the window in the end had a nice v shape on the glass as most of the air seem to come from the middle down on to the glass. But I have only had one fire in this stove. I always test the stoves before I sell them.

I looked up your stove and remember now what it looks like. There are a couple of videos on YouTube of people showing how to use your stove. It has the square glass windows in the front with two doors instead of one on the front. And the air control as you stated on the ash door.

Your comments on the reason for the secondary air seems to makes sense.

And thanks for you comments on how this stove turned out. It did not look like much when I first started working on it. But after it was cleaned up and the legs installed it turned out to be a real nice looking stove. This stove was not easy to assemble holding all the parts up and getting all the black cement in all the joints.