e-mail info@stovehospital.com
Where “good enough” is NOT good enough!
About Antique Stove Hospital
Wood and coal stoves returned to day one condition. All stoves are totally disassembled, cleaned, parts welded or replaced as needed, caulked, reassembled, painted, new grates installed and nickel replaced. Our stoves are rebuilt one at a time from good original stoves and guaranteed to operate as they were designed. Kitchen ranges and parlor stoves are available. We carry 1850 to 1930 stoves of these types.
Wood/gas combination ranges were the top of each manufacturer's line. They combined the advantages of both the wood/coal winter range and the gas fired summer range. We restore the solid fuel fireboxes to either wood or coal. The gas fixtures are completely rebuilt for propane or natural gas depending upon the planned use of the stove. Gas ovens and broilers are insulated if needed and thermostats and safeties are added to the unit.
We are not a large operation that is restoring stoves on an assembly line. Each stove is personally attended to by Mr. Pineo and will not leave the shop until it is ready. We do not sell stoves as decorations or curios but for everyday use in your home. I am not a broker. With the exception of castings and nickel plating, all work is done here at the hospital. Some dealers subcontract work to other dealers. We do not do this.
We maintain an inventory of about 200 stoves at all times. Call and we can discuss your wishes and the availability of the stoves. I prefer not to accept deposits on sales, but rather ask for payment when you are happy with the stove.
Emery Pineo "Paleostoveologist " and "Stove whisperer"
Information
I can probably help with questions about stoves made in New England and general information about restoration etc. Information about non-New England stoves can be gotten from David Petrieka of 823 Lincolh Ave. SW in Fairabault, Minn. 55021. Please send a SASE ifyou want a mail reply. His phone number is 1-507-210-4304. David has anextensive collection of original material about most of the antique stove
manufacturers.
Changes in business; People used to come in and buy stoves for occasional use and nostalgia. No more! I'm seeing folks that realize that some winter there will be a shortage of fuel and lots of cold people. They are preparing by having a coal/wood range or a parlor stove. Both run on fuels that are available locally and can be stored. Coal can be bought years ahead and stored in the cellar(I buy mine in July , in plastic 40 pound bags on a pallet.I'm still using some that I bought several years ago). When we loose power I often don't know till morning when I try to brush my teeth.--no water!! Most modern stoves use electricity, or worse --a manufactured product like pellets! This year many dealers got their pellet supply in March--almost spring!! I like my winter fuel supply where I can see it.
My wood and coal restoration has reached the point where I will be doing mostly the coal/wood end of the business and less in the gas area. We send our gas work out to a man who specializes in that work only.
Our business has expanded greatly this year. Let's face it, things are pretty uncertain right now. I am currently swamped with folks that are worried about winter heating and the availability of various fossil fuels. My son has even taken a year off from teaching in order to help here. If you are thinking of a wood/coal range or heater, please do not wait till the last minute. Order early if you plan to use a stove this winter. We will do our best to meet everyone's needs.
Also;
1. I've turned sixty five and I have started to bury my friends. My very best friend of forty years died on election day. Two others in the month before or after.
2. My insurance has taken a quantum leap that means , in effect, I would be working to support them. I now know why they own the large buildings like the Prudential Center
3. These stoves seem to be getting heavier. I need help now to haul even the smaller ranges up a flight of stairs.
4. Time is much more important than money right now . Someone else is catching the fish, I have cars to restore, dogs to walk, and sunsets to be viewed.
You will see that many of the stoves on this site are sold. I do have around 250 right now in stock and we are restoring as fast as possible but cannot catch up. Folks have realized that a wood range may be very important one of these days and are buying now. If you see one you like you can order now and pick it up when it is done. Deposits; We do not take deposits. You tell us what stove you want, we restore it, then you decide if you like the stove. If you do not like the stove you are free to walk away.
Gas or Electric Conversion of Antique wood Ranges
I have been getting calls about conversion to gas or electric for stoves orginally designed to burn wood.. I do have lots of ranges that are good candidates for this. Best deal for you seems to be to buy a range from me and I will arrange for the conversion. Call and I will give details.
Shipping:
I do ship stoves all over the country. I am forced to charge for crating as it takes time and pallets, particle board, ,a trip to Home Depot, etc. Recently I have developed a relationship with a broker that has allowed me to get discounts in the 70% range. The trick is that I must pay up front to get the discount. I usually crate the stove, get the price, then have you pay by credit card before pickup. The difference is enormous. A $1000 shipping charge will be more like $200. Delivery to your home by liftgate can also be arranged if you wish.
Antique Gas Valves.
We have been getting lots of calls from folks with gas valve problems. The valves on antique gas stoves NEVER wear out. The proprietary sealant inside them does get old and dry out after 50-60 years. They get hard to turn or you can smell gas leaking from them. You do not need to discard the valves and replace them. We know a gentleman who spends his days rebuilding antique gas valves for folks from all over. His usual turn around time is 1-2 days and he can supply sealant etc. as well. His number is 1-508-369-4267. If you have valve problems you might want to try him.
Coal versus wood in ranges.
I own a 7 acre wood lot but I burn coal. In places where wood is plentiful like Maine, wood makes lots of sense. In my area I have a choice and have tried both. Coal in a rebuilt range will burn for 8 - 12 hours at a time without any tending. There is no dust or odor if you are using it properly. It does take practice but once mastered is great to use. There is no danger of a chimney fire with coal. If you just light the stove for cooking or special occasions then wood is your best bet but if you heat full time think a little about coal .
Trades
We do take trades of many sorts. My first Golden Retriever was a trade in on a stove. Stoves are often traded as are many other things. Both my son and I have FFL's. We are also interested in early mechanical devices, antique autos, early marine engines. Mechanical music of all sorts, and early cast iron. If you have a interesting trade, give us a call.
Charm Crawford Royal with roll oven
Just finished for a Halloween deadline! This is a Charm Crawford Royal 8-20 with the very rare overhead roll-top warming oven. This is a medium sized range that is more than ample for any modern houshold needs. This range can comfortably cook for twelve people and has been set up to burn wood, using our own "forever" wood bottom fixture. In addition, we were fortunate enough to find and replicate the factory oringinal fire box extender which makes this range have a firebox that is TWENTY FOUR INCHES LONG: yes 24" long! Very helpful in woodcutting season.
$ 3900.00 sorry, SOLD
Village Crawford with water tank
Prior to 1900 Crawford produced some of the most beautiful ranges ever made. This example of the Village Crawford is one of them. This one is fresh out of our rebuild shop and is set up for wood and ready for another century of service. Ranges with water tanks were popular on farms before domestic hot water was available. I do not have any more of this model but we have two other ranges with water tanks. One is a Glenwood 208C that we bought from the original owner, and the other is a Village Crawford Royal. Both are in excellent shape and can be restored to new condition.
Glenwood 508E.
This one is fresh from the recovery room and set up for wood only with a 24 inch firebox that feeds from the front. I heated my home for two winters with a similar stove. One of my personal favorites. I have four more of these great stoves in stock. $2800.
We can restore your antique stove.
I will need to know the brand and model and size of the stove. Wood/coal stoves require complete disassembly, sandblasting, welding or parts, caulking, reassembly, paint , and firebox work. Nickel is done by a local shop and I charge what they charge me in most cases. It is very high quality and I pay accordingly. Firebox parts like grates need to be recast at a foundry. I have grate patterns for several hundred ranges. I charge $1400 for a wood/coal kitchen range rebuild plus nickel and parts. The process usually takes a month or more due to the wait for nickel plating, longer in Winter because we cannot sandblast below 32 degrees F. Parlor stove rebuilds vary in price due to the difference in size and complexity of the stoves. I do have parts for stoves but could never have everything for every stove.
Cost increases
We are being assaulted from all sides. My sand was $3.50 per bag and has gone to $15.00. Nickel work is very high right now and in many cases it is of dubious quality.( I have switched shops for this reason). Paint has gone up again and my good nickel welding rod is now in the $70.00 per pound range. A sheet of stainless that was $30 two years ago is now around $170 and the price changes from day to day. I have had to slightly increase prices to take all this into account but I will try to limit increases to as small as possible.
Magellan
Ptolemy is training a security assistant named Magellan. Just twelve weeks old in this photo he promises to be a large golden in a few months.
Planning to visit?
Ptolemy has passed away. He lost his battle with lymph cancer on November14, 2008. He did his best with the help of Doctor Mutty( real name). The world is a little less fun without him.
This is Ptolemy, my director of security at the hospital and he is friendly without mercy. His favorite things are exploring the woods, the drive thru at Burger King, and greeting visitors. If you have a friendly dog, Ptolemy will show him/her the very best places to play and probably get wet. The hospital is a working shop and you should not overdress for a visit. Fall and Spring are sometimes muddy. It is also good to call ahead as I have been known to occasionally leave for business reasons or bass fishing. Looking forward to seeing you.
Shep
This is Shep. He is a rescue dog that was scheduled to be put to sleep the day after we saw him. He was skinny and had been abused but has finally struck gold. My son has adopted him and he is fitting in well here at the Stove Hospital. Magellan has become a big friend and part time jungle gym. Here he is resting between attacks on Magellan. If you drop by he will probably be here to help greet you.
Security Staff
My security staff hard at work protecting the stove hospital from squirrels. What better way to spend a cold snowy afternoon? Incidentally, at the sight of a squirrel they turn into velocigoldens. 4 down so far this season and one skunk!!
Fortress Crawford with Roll Oven
Before WW1 this was one of the great stoves made by Walker and Pratt in the Boston area. The cabinet base allows for the ash bucket to be far from the grates which helps preserve the grates since heat is not reflected back into them. This style came in four sizes and this is the most popular one. This one was restored from a pair of stoves that were carelessly stored for many years. Today it is ready for several more decades of daily use. SOLD
US Army Cannon heaters.
I have only one #18 cannon heater left and it is near perfect. These were designed for use in Baracks etc. and are of very heavy construction. The forepots are unlined but heavy and do eventually break due to the heat. You just went down to the quartermaster's and got a new one. Can't do that today so we line our firepots with refractory. It does make the stove even heavier but it also preserves the firepot for decades to come. $1500
Just a word about ranges.
When they were originally sold, you purchased the base range which was the base and the body. Then you added options till you arrived at the stove that met your needs. These options included the gas side car (left or right or both), gas side shelves, overhead gas ovens, water tanks, internal water heaters of several different types, a choice of 6 or 8 different grates, through the floor shoots for ashes, cabinet bases, colors, warming ovens (above and below the range), kerosene set up, left or right firebox, and many more choices. If you can think of it---somebody built it. Sometimes we have a difficult time finding some configurations as they may have been very unpopular at the time of manufacture or proved to be less durable than other choices. If you have something in mind I will try to find it for you.
In New England many folks never throw things out.
This garage is one example of someone that could not part with the old stoves. Over the years it developed into a small collection of stoves. The place is now sold so they had to go. This is the third such garage I have been in this year. Two truckloads came from here to my barn. They will all be restored and put back into use.
Combination wood/gas stoves
Some of these are illegal and cannot be made legal to use today. Call and describe the stove and I can help identify the ones to stay away from.
Unique Stoves
Barstow coal recirculator 1851, Chilson Trio stove 1851, Lowe Art Tile stove 1880's
These are both odd ball stoves from the 1850's. I collect stoves that are old enough that they will never be called on for heat again. Many of these are close to unique and all of them reflect the best thinking of their time. These were the high tech implements of the past and should be saved. I have perhaps 100 or so and I will continue to collect, repair, and store them. My son, the history teacher, takes a new stove each week to his schoolroom and displays the best ironwork of each era.
Eventually they will go into some museum for future generations to appreciate. If you have a strange old stove that is probably too old for use. I would like to know about it. I do not sell these but will eventually donate them somewhere where they will be safe.
Why New England Stoves?
We prefer stoves made in this area for several reasons. One is that many stoves manufactured in the mid-west are part sheet metal and part cast iron. The pieces are riveted together and a rebuild requires drilling out all the rivets, removing lots of asbestos sheets, and putting all new rivets in when assembling the stove. The parts that wear are usually buried under the oven or in the back. I would rather eat a worm. Stoves in this area are plentiful and come apart easily. We can disassemble, replace parts etc., and reassemble without worrying about whether the parts will fit or not. If we have defective parts, they can be replaced or recast as needed. You end up with a better product.
UL Listing
Many times an inspector will say a stove must be UL listed. This rule only applies to stove manufactured since Jan. 1, 1981. Any stove made before that time is grandfathered but must be looked over for damage etc. The rules are found under the BOCA codes or the ASME codes, " solid fuel room heaters" in the exemption section at the end.
Here is how I rebuild
This is an example of a Glenwood 508E range that spent many years in a barn and at least two or three outdoors. It looks to be complete with no breaks but it needs a complete rebuild.
Rebuilding Services
What is involved in properly rebuilding a kitchen range?
I have seen many examples of shoddy work in what was supposed to be a rebuilt range. Examples include just taking the cook surface off and sandblasting the stove whole to just a good washing with detergent.
RUST JACKING
This is my son's name for what kills old stoves. There is caulking in the joints of the stoves. Over the years the stove heats and cools many times plus it sits around all summer and gets damp every day.
When the stove heats up, the metal expands and any loose caulking or rust tends to slide downward in the joints. That puts pressure on the lower corners of the stove. Dampness adds more rust and the rust grows and
expands. eventually it breaks the corner brackets and panels begin to move around which breaks more tabs. In the end the stove falls apart in a heap.
Rustjacking is one reason why a rebuild is so important.
1. We disassemble to the last nut and bolt. Everything needs to come apart so we can inspect all the parts and replace missing or badly damaged parts.
Most dealers don't do this but claim they do.
Notice that even the base has been broken down. I do this so I can paint the inside of the legs where they touch the side rails. If I don't do this there is a chance that rust could form in the joint and travel under the paint. It isn't that bad for the stove but it is ugly.
2. It is at this point that I usually find a number of cracks , broken pieces , or worse yet, something that was fixed years ago by that uncle that knows everything. I usually end up unrestoring these parts before I continue.
3. Everything goes into the sandblast room and is sorted and set on the blast table. I use a system that recirculates the sand so I use it several times. It breaks down into finer particles and actually works better after it has been used a couple times.
4. After blasting , any broken parts go to the welding area and are welded, fishplated, or both. I also usually need to replace corner brackets by welding or fabricating new
ones. Certain models seem to break in certain places so I try to reinforce these points. Lids often need to be welded because they leak around the lifter holes.
5. The stove parts are painted in some cases. The front frame needs to be painted now so I don't paint the inside of the oven later. I like to paint the oven walls before assembly. They are coated with a 1200 degree silver paint that makes it easy to see the food in the oven. Painting while the stove is apart assures that there will be no overspray in the oven.
6. The entire stove is assembled in the assembly area , painted (3 coats), and closely inspected
7. The firebox is put in place. This can be a wood bottom, coal/ wood grate, or coal only bars. New grates can be found, but my foundry work is done in Wisconsin. They do great work but I have to pay shipping both ways plus the cost of the work. We then line the box with refractory material appropriate to the application.
8. The ash pan is built to fit the stove. The thermometer is fixed or replaced
9. Nickel is replaced on the stove. I have a very good shop. Not cheap, just good. A kitchen range will run from about $300 up depending on the complexity of the nickel for that model. The price also seems to vary with golf scores, wind direction etc.
Some notes on these stoves
One of the reasons stoves wear out is not that they are used each winter but that they are not used each summer. In summer the house gets warm during the day. At night cool air falls down the chimney and moisture condenses inside the stove. This water mixes with the ash and forms harmful chemicals which eat the iron from the inside out. Stoves with water tanks are often paper thin around the tank. Be very careful when purchasing these stoves. It is best to disconnect the stove from the flue in summer to eliminate the problem.
We paint our stoves with a high quality stove paint. Rust has never been a problem for us. One way to eliminate the problem is to rub a small amount of cooking oil into the cook surface in spring. Just put some on a rag. Get rid of the rag right away. The stove will smoke some in the fall the first time it is lit but it will soon go away.
Sometimes some of the stove cement will stain the stove around joints. I take some cooking oil on my finger and rub it into the area. In ten minutes the stain goes away and never comes back. I have no idea why.
Most stoves advertised online like Craigslist or ebay are overpriced. I cannot buy these, fix them , and break even. Everyone thinks they have the only one around. Too much Antiques Road Show and American Pickers. If you cannot sell your stove it is priced too high. If you want to buy a stove, don't be afraid to walk away from a deal that seems wrong. I do all the time.
When looking at a stove check the corners, get a flashlight and look around in the oven, in back, and underneath. Especially check the wall between the firebox and the oven and the corners. Can the stove be fixed or do you need to find another like it to get one good one? Keep in mind the cost of restoration. Nickel runs $300 UP for a range, Welding rod is $77 per pound, paint is not cheap and I buy it by the several case lot. Sandblasting is quite a project. Don't forget grates. A new set from a foundry(if you have the original patterns) can run between $200-$300. The firebox liner will run $50 or so. Add it up before you buy and find out it's too expensive. Most antique ranges can be purchased for under $300. Do not buy wood/ gas combos without checking. Most are illegal today.
Let's say you find a model T Ford in a barn. Would you drag it home, pour gas in it, and start to commute to work with it the next day. No! But people try it all the time with stoves. You cannot just connect a stove and start using it. Here are some of the problems;
1. Does it have grates? If not you need to find a set. Some folks use thick steel plates in the box. They expand more than iron and will crack the box. Can you drop wood down in the ashpit? Yes you can but it will blow a hole in the oven wall before long. The folks that designed these stoves knew what they were doing and you should do your best to get the stove back to what it was in the beginning. The autos today are pretty dependable after 110 years or development. The wood/coal stove industry in the USA started in 1627 and lasted till WW2 or so---over 300 years. They got it right!!
2. "My friend says If you burn wood you don't need a liner in the firepot." I hear that all the time and it is wrong. I also get calls all the time from people wanting a new firepot. Don't listen to the oldtimer that tells you bunk like this. We have liners for almost everything. A firepot with a proper liner is good for a century or two. firepots are expensive because so many people have used them without liners.
3. The stove is just like new and ready to use. NO!!! We bought out a building full of new old stock ranges from the 1930's. They were still crated and every one needed a rebuild. The caulking in the joints breaks down, the joints develop rust, the joints fill with smoke and particulates, and the corners are under great pressure. A rebuild puts everything back to day one and the stove will last a lifetime.
4. The stove gives off a ton of heat, it even gets red. OUCH! The stove should NEVER get red. If it does, it is overheated and will warp, crack, self destroy, etc. The stove is leaking air, or you need a damper, or you need a liner etc.
5. Dampers, I keep hearing that you need no damper or a barometric damper. Both are wrong. If you have no damper you will just send the heat up the flue and kill the caribou. Do not confuse the controls on the stove for dampers. They are draft controls or controls for direct or indirect draft. You do need a damper in the first section of pipe above the stove. Some modern installers insist on a barometric damper. They are OK with modern stoves but will kill any chance of heat from an antique. Go to the hardware store and buy a plain old fashioned damper. They work.
Till the advent of oil folks had these and nothing else. They long ago perfected the coal and wood stoves of their day. Coal burning technology peaked around 1910 and went down hill because of cheap oil and central heating. Don't try to out think what they did. Better to use their ideas and enjoy the stove and the heat
Household Base Heater #6
The photo doen't really show the size of this stove. These are serous heaters for use with wood or coal. This one came from a garden shed here in RI where it sat for many years. The owner planned to rebuild it himself but since then has had to live with an oxygen bottle. No flames allowed in the home nowadays. This was a good solid original and has been rebuilt with new grates , liners , etc. Ready to go and do some serious heating $2900 SOLD
Village Crawford Royal
Village Crawford Royal 8-20. This is one of my personal favorites. I had one in my kitchen for several years. This one is set up for wood only and feeds from the top or from the front. About 10 years ago my son and I were in a "junk barn" in Searsport, Maine. He found tucked under a bench a new old stock Village crawford firebox extender. I have had several made and one is on this stove which gives it a firebox length of 23". Very large for a medium size stove. The oven is the 20" model and this is just a great stove. $2700 SOLD I have several more in this model
Magee kitchener
Magee kitchener. Believe it or not, this is the small kitchener. Magee also made a HOTEL model of the kitchener and I have the only one of these currently known. It has 10 lids rather than 8 and is simply enormous. When we purchased the stove we had to remove two windows and a wall under the windows to get the stove out of the building. If you are looking for a unique, very large stove to convert to gas/electric you may want to look at the hotel kitchener from Magee. It looks similar to this one but is about a foot wider. The small one is sold
Glenwood 308 Home grand with warming oven.
In 35 years of collecting and restoring stoves I have never had a chance to pick up a Glenwood Home Grand with the warming oven. They are just very rare. The stove was the top of the Glenwood line and the double mantle back was very impressive. The warming oven was infrequently ordered and are exceptionally rare today. This one was put in a dry cellar around 60 years ago and just came to light last week. IT has lots of dust and assorted crud on it but it will clean up beautifully. The stove is complete, not broken up, and not pitted as many are. This is an exceptional example of a rare stove that I have never had a chance at before. I would like to set this one up for coal or wood burning. I used a similar stove without the warming oven but removed it because it made the house too hot. Don't let the photo trick you. The stove is 56" long and very subtantially built. If you have the need for a great stove and lots of heat, this may be the ticket. $3900
SOLD
This Home Grand was sold and the buyer was scheduled to pick it up on April 21. We have not seen the buyer and have not been able to make contact with him despite repeated tries. The stove is now back on the market and ready for immediate delivery
Glenwood 508E
Just completed. A rare 508E with the very early roll warming oven. These are very hard to find and it has been years since one came in. The later stoves have a sheet metal warming oven which is nice but this cast iron version is better. This one has been set up for a combination of wood and coal burning as needed. Ready to go for many years. Sorry, SOLD
Cast Iron Cookware
Many people call looking for cookware. I have lots of it but I like to have it around and I rarely sell any of it. We have a friend called The Maine Pan Man who has an inventory of several thousand pieces at any one time. If you are looking for any cast iron, either the usual, or the very rare, I would try the Pan Man. LorenShuck (1-207-713-8123) or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
What’s Coming Soon?
Here is a photo of the back of my truck as of May 10, 2011. We can see that everyone will want to abandon oil as a heat source this coming winter and are laying in a supply of stoves that we believe folks will need. This is one day's worth. We will continue to buy as many as we can buy reasonably while the weather is warm. I think this fall we will simply be out straight and unable to leave to get stoves. In this load are a perfect #16 Railway King, a Perfect #18 cannon heater, a Cherub Glenwood wood parlor, and a superb Grand Glenwood Parlor stove.
Welding Cast iron stoves
The welding rod that we use for cast iron is 99% nickel and runs around $77.00 per pound. I am hearing from some folks that you can use regular 6011 rod to weld cast iron. It cost a dollar or two per pound. I agree that you can do this and the welds look good. However, The cheap rod expands differently than cast iron and once the stove is used a few times a new crack will develop next to the weld and follow the path of the old crack. We have several here for repair because of this. We will continue to use the expensive rod as we have had no problems with it and have been called on to repair many welds made by the cheaper rod. When looking for a restorer this is one of the invisible things that can make a huge difference down the road.
Base heaters
Base heaters came in around 1905 and were produced by several firms in Taunton, Mass. The smoke travels up the main body, down the back pipe,under the ashpit, back up the back pipe , then out of the stove. It may travel 10 to 12 feet inside the stove so that a maximum amount of heat is transferred to the room. These represent the peak of coal burning technology and are serious heaters. They may burn coal or wood as desired. They also have lots of nickel trim and are impressive from any angle. I have models from Glenwood, Wing's Best, Crawford, Tessier, and Herald. They start at $2800 and up depending on model and size.