- I Page 6 RAIN ·wooo ,·COOK STOVES SELECTIO,N AND REPAIR Quite possibly, in 1915, the first acquisition of a newlywed couple would have been a wood_-coal cookstove. Water heating, garbage dispdsal, food cooking and general house heating were_ a~complished with this one appliance. Recently the w,ater heating capabilities of the cook stove have been incorporated into solar home heating systems. In the last 100 years no major improvements hav<': been made in wood-coal co~k ranges, The general tendency has been gradually to decrease the quality of tht; newer stoves. : ' I Older stoves are still readily available'; however, most people no longer give them away. It should be remember~d that a good ' quality cooking range·sold for the same price as a Ford auto- _ mobile sixty years ago. If you're planning to acquire one, don't be dismayed at having to pay a few dollars for a product that . may last a good portion of your lifetime and, with good care, be passed on to your children. A good, serviceable, used cook stove is likely to set ypu back at least $100 and perhaps as much as $500 or $600. Generally, as you pass the $150 mark, the price is determined by the amount of ornamental t6m and ' the nostalgia value of the stove. I Go6d quality, new ·cook stoves are likely to cost $600 -ro $1400 and some waiting. time should be expected. Lesser quality new stoves will cost betwe~n $250 and $450 and usually can be obtained within 30 days. • • .,,~ ----- -~~-,- - I ,, Many 'of the quality--det~rmining f~atures elude the eye until you have spent some time examining cbok stoves: As ·a rule the best stoves have slightly larger fireboxes (16-inch grates), slightly larger surface plates (19-1/2 inches or longer), insulated exterior walls, larger ovens and smoother, more highly polished surface ·plates. These features add to the versatility of the stove in cooking a meal.'Ot~er features have some beari~g on the amount of maintenance and the expected life of your cook stove. Cast ovens (instead of sheet steel), heavier firebox linings (such as Monarch, Majesti-c and Home Comfort brand's) and heavier surface plates decrease the maintenance needs of the stove_. As most people are still buying, using and trading older units, here a~e a few areas to examine on the stove you are considering: 1. The Firebox. Quite ofteri older stoves were discarde-d or stored iii the barn \Yhen the linings or grates had disintegrated. Luckily, new replacemenrs for these parts are available most of the time. A few all castbody stoves such, as the old "Sexton and Giffon" required very unique ·parts which may not be available. Parts for a complete firebox will likely run $70 to $200 plus installation. - 2. ·Surface Plates. A~used or mistreated stoves may have • cracked or broken plates. If the cast iron is not warped or crystallized, an experienced welder can mend them. Rustpitted surfaces have no practical remedy. 3. Ovens. Neglected stoves may develop rust "cancer" in which the metal near the firet>ox or rear of the stove has disintegrated. Sometimes lack of a firebox lining will burn out the oven. Any hole in the oven allows soot and ashes to enter the oven and the food al'ld must be repaired. 4. Stove Body. The ext~rior body of the stove has the same "cancer" problems as the oyen. Repairs on small spots can .be accomplishe·d by making a "sandwich" of two pieces of sheet metal. filled with furnace cement and bolted together over the hole. Extensive "body cancer" may require the replacement of the entire sheet body of the stove. Unless the stove has a lot of nostalgia va!ue this is usually not a practicality. 5. Trim. Nickel ~rim can be replated by many plating works. ' Most of the work involves the time nece·ssary to disa~semble and reassemble the parts. The cost of plating the parts for a Monarch will vary from $100 to ·$150, depending on their condition. _Missing trim pieces are nearly impossible to obtain for older stoves. Possibly the most d,ifficult aspect of using a: wood cook _ stove is that of finding knowledgeable repair pe·ople. Here are a few places to check in the Pacific Northwest (let us know about others w~ere you've had good e;xperiences): Portland Stove Parts ,Company Rt. 1, Box 309 West Linn, Oregon 97068 503-638-;4719 Stovie's Stove Works 1922 Hewitt Everett, Washington 98201 206-252-9562 (Joan & Jack) Anchor Tools & Wood Stoves 618 N.W. Davis Portland, Oregon 97209 503-223-3452 . ' Here's a few don'ts in contacting wood-coal stove repair . people: _ • 1. Do~'t expect pick-up or delivery unles~ you plan to pay dearly. • • 2. Even doctors don't make house calls. 3. Stove parts can't be fitted over the phone. 4. Repairs may take ·some time ~o accomplish. 1 While waiting for an opportune time to get your stove in good condition you may need some sort of temporary repair. Asbestos furnace cement is a universal "fix-all". Furnace cement will fill cracks and holes in firebox liners. The joints between iron castings can be filled to eliminate air leak~ and hot' spots. Re111ember, though, furnace cement is a short-term expediency and will not last long. • (Special note ro readers: We would appreciate hearing about _ other·source~ of parts and repair shops throughout the nation. ._Please write us. We'll try to put together another article even more chock-fuJl of useful information and hints.) BILL DAY Bill, one of our subscribers, has been associated with a store in Portland, Oregon, which carries wood stoves, His parents' hardware store in The Dalles was·one of the last places in eastern Oregon to find repair parts for wood and coal stoves.
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