Rebuilding an old wood cookstove neeed advice

It is easier to a person that has never welded to get started welding with a Cobra Torch set. It uses such low pressure you need a good set of gauges that will dial down to a steady 4 PSI.
Real welding experience gets in the way when learning to use the Cobra.

The DVD that comes with the set shows how simple it is.

With the nickle rod welding it you must do a good per-heat the a very slow cool down.
Much less heating is needed with the Cobra because it doesn't shock the iron like the other welding does.

Pardon my ignorance. but what makes that any different than a regular torch head?

Less heat and stress plus a lot less gas used.
Did you watch the whole video?
There are a lot more of them on YouTube showing welding and cutting other metals.

I can adjust my torch head for whatever heat I want, as it seems, by looking at the vid one can with it too. Yes I watched the whole vid. What do they cost?

Okay looks like I am going to tackle the repair of the wood stove myself thanks to all I got on the tractor in the cold today and moved it from its resting place and down to the shop. Actually outside the shop until I can clear out a space I had to put it on a pallet and move it with the tractor. It was too dark to take a picture but the old girl is sitting under the shed and I will post some pictures this week.

Anyone know of a source for an operating manual? I downloaded the cook book and once I get it sealed up and play with it outside to get the hang of it I will move it in the house.

I did figure out the patching for the stove the shell over the oven it is rusted with a small seam so I am trying out using a sheet of copper to cover the area where the smoke and heat travels over the top of the stove and see how that works. I had some sheets of copper donated for the cause. I am having a heck of a time getting the sections of cast iron off the top right now but I sprayed it down with penetrating oil in places and have to see if it helps loosed up some rusted screws if not I will take them off and replace them with new ones during the rebuild. If it was just a little warmer I think I could handle this job better.

Also any ideas about the firebox outer wall all the old insulation is gone I know it will need something to replace the original insulation. Thanks again to all

I wouldn't know of a operation manual, but since ive never heard of the name of your stove, I cant understand d how anyone could provide a manual.

Computers don't have operators manuals, why should a simple woodstove?

To use the stove you have, after making repairs as needed, use dry wood. We used pine. The folks considered oak to burn too hot and damage the stove. Stovewood was split and piled randomly which gave good air circulation and after it was dry was stacked in a wood shed.

Stoves like that have air controls at the front. Air intake is reduced after the wood is burning good. Don't use a huge load of wood, just enough to do a proper job of cooking. I suspect your stove had fires that were too hot in it, causing the cracking in the top. There is usually a damper on the stove pipe to reduce air flow(and heat) up the chimney. Ours at home had a long run of stovepipe which needed cleaning out yearly due to incomplete combustion.

Your stove has an oven. There is a space around part of the oven so that heat can circulate Soot will collect in this space, especially on the top, which will need cleaning out occasionally.

Just be sure your stove is not leaking fire and you should be fine.

COWS

Thanks it is a Home Comfort wood cook stove cannot read data plate or serial number. I thank you but I am not starting from scratch I was looking for a parts list to see what is missing. but yes thanks for all replies I will get some current pictures up but weather was rainy today did not even get out other than feed animals.

This is not my stove but just to give an idea on what stove I have.

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Sorry had these questions: There a 2 drafts on the rear of the stove and 1 above the warming area. Any idea on which ones should be open or closed. I have the stove partially torn down and just repairing and cleaning at the moment.

On the right side of the stove there is an open compartment I am thinking it is a hot water heating space.

Also on the left side door there is a an extended bolt it is seized up but I will check it this week to see if anything will move after a few days of penetrating oil works loose anything.

That is about all I need so thanks I had not put the name of the stove in there.

Cows, Most IF not all wood ranges came with a operators or buyers manual to tell how to get the most out of the new stove. Ive seen a few.

That is a newer model of Home Comfort cook stove than the one I used to have. The one I had was 1895.
The Majestic I still have is 1885.

I paid $259 for mine.

The damper on top of the stove, just slide it to the left, after the fire is burning good. This makes the oven heat up. If you remove the cap or (eye), to the back of the stove, you should be able to see the damper. If it is shut, there is no opening. If it is open, the fire burns hotter.

Many old wood cookstoves have major problems. Missing or warped grates and the sections that form the firebox. Most have sheet metal around the oven and the back. That rusts through and to replace it requires dismantling the whole stove. Add to that cracked stovepipe castings, damper door frame cracked or missing pieces. Even when completely perfect, most old wood cookstoves won't hold a fire for over two hours and a lot of heat goes up the stack because they aren't air tight, so hard to regulate. Good old wood cookstoves are cheap. I'd never repair one.


A gas wood combination cookstove sell cheap and would save space over two cook stoves.

I can't remember the model number, but that was a very common stove in North Carolina..........very seldom one ain't on Craigslist...........I think the it's a model 1864 not the year...that stove came in in the 30's or early 40's

I don't know about cheap. ive got 2, a cheap one and a S&R one. Ive gotten $500 for the cheap one, and Can easily get $500 for the Sears one.

I'm in the same boat with my cook stove, except I have full access to a fabrication shop, all the tools, and knowledge to weld anything that needs welding. My fire box is totally burnt out! The plan is to totally remove and replace it with stainless steel. I'm excited to tackle the project and practice my skills with the tig welder! I don't have the cracked cook top, so that is a blessing, but I am not afraid of welding cast Iron now days. We have an old stick welder that does beautiful work on heavy steel and cast iron. It is so old we don't even know what brand it is - if it is even a real brand after all the times it has been rebuilt. It is part generator and part welder and runs on some ole 2 piston internal combustion engine. My dad bought it as his first welder at a farm auction back in the early 70's, it was old then, but you just can't beat the old experienced equipment that never says die.

For those of you out there that want to learn to weld, but are so intimidated by it, Don't be! There is only one thing to really remember about welding - you are melting two pieces of metal together with electrical current that causes high heat. It is really that simple. Where it gets complicated it the method, material, and technique you choose and what works best for each kind of metal. If you can frost a cake, you can be a good welder!

I don't know why, but if one is using a stick welder, stainless steel rods seem to weld cast iron the easiest.

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Moving to that big black hole in the night satellite photo. (also the hole in cell phone coverage )

Here is a picture of the stove as well as 2 of the many repairs. I wish I had started on this at the start of fall. I did learn from a local retired welder that he would help me fix this in his shop but not all at once. I also was advised a nickel rod might work on the cracks depending on the size.

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