Coalpail.com Forum

Well, by now you know I am looking to purchase a coal stove that can also burn wood...and having had many comments in favor of the Hitzer as well as Mark I,II,III and TLC 2000, I still keep my eyes out for a bargain on the internet.

Question then is, at what point is a used stove not a good deal? I passed up a Mark III back in the beginning when I bid up to $900 and it sold for $1175. I have bid on the large Consolidated Dutchwest FA264CCL up to $380, only for it to go to the hightest bidder at $455.00. Fact is, I am thinking of going into the USED STOVE business, as it seems there are those who will pay more for a used stove than a new one. Go figure..

Please click on the following link and respond ASAP to tell me if this older 20 year old Harman Wood/Coal stove is worth bidding on. It is currently at $370.00, and though I was willing to bid up to $900 a few months ago on a 4 year old Harman III, have really no idea what a stove is worth with depreciation and all.

If you would like, PM me and maybe we can chat on the phone or something about the value. I am otherwise set to wait until Spring and pick up a deal on a NEW stove, complete with WARRANTY and a customer service line.

Thanks! it's cold out tonight....but I know you coal burners are laughing in the face of the utility companies....and hope to share a laugh myself soon enough.

John

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I do not know why you would wait til spring. The stoves do not drop in price when the season is over. I waited like that last year. In face they went up.

I don't know the values of a used stove, but what you need to look out for is a stove that has been overfired. If your looking to buy a used stove you should check for gaps, warpage, cracks and color. You could find you pay top dollar for a used stove that needs rebuilt, or worse its no good at all. Anything can burn stuff in it, but will it operate efficiently?

Harman makes a pretty rigid stove....if you are interested in it..have the seller send you pics of the grates...sides and rear.....just to see if stove has not been overfired..and the grates warped...cracked...

fom the pic on the auction it looks good...but not enoght info on it...looks like a paint and a regasket will need to be done...

but email the seller and get all the info..

thats a good price for that stove..6-700 is good price if stove is sound....

ask if shaker is working...also...any cracks...

AL

I work in Bethlehem, should of made mention of this unit earlier in the week.

I sold a Mark III on ebay for $810. Same vintage as the one you see now. 3 piece glass on the front. The more recent models, ( not sure when ) went to a single piece of glass. This unit is a Mark II, is probably 15 yrs old but does have the optional brass trim. I could see this unit fetching $450-$500. If the seller cleaned and painted the unit, offered a few more quality images, it could go higher, but he didn't.

If you are really serious, go buy a newer unit or get a stoker. The hand fired units work well but you really have to attend to it at least 2x a day. And not just for 5 minutes but up to 30 mins to bring a cold fire back to life. Every morning before I leave and every evening when I get home and again before I go to bed. It can be a chore. But you can burn hardwood or coal, something a stoker cannot do.

By the way, I've seen a nice Harman stoker , maybe a TLC 2000? on Ebay for $1000 in Warminster, PA. Closer for you than Bethlehem and a much better & newer unit. IMHO!

Thanks Cap for your mention of the TLC 2000. I had been in touch with the seller a few months back when they had the same stove listed at $1150. Whereas no one bid on it, they retracted the bid in hopes to sell it privately for no less. Seems they just posted it back on Ebay for $1000, and more recently lowered it to $900 with a $35.00 delivery within a 75 mile radius.

In the case of the Harman II stove I mentioned above, the bid is already at $430.00 and though the owner is not able to add aditional photos, he did say that it was being used recently, and had no cracks in the glass. He mentioned in an email back to me that the bricks were fine as well as the grates.

I think I'll pass however and wait for the time that I can purchase either a new stove, or one no older than 3-4 years such as the TLC 2000. Interestingly, the Hitzer stove company sells their stoves direct for hundreds less than a few dealers I called, and they only charge 9% of the total to ship it to a local freight company for pickup which in my case would only be about 25 miles away. Definetly something to consider

If anyone knows of someone selling either a Hitzer or Harman II or III, please let me know.

Thanks again!

John

Might want to check out your local classified paper. I live in the Western Md. Wv panhandle area And we have a paper called "Your Bulletin Board" and there are always quuite a few used stoves for sale in it. I bought my Harman II ( in very good shape ) for $300 out of that paper.

Good idea. Seems the obvious has been overlooked, though in this part of NJ, the majority of people either heat with oil, propane or wood. In most recent years, pellets have been added, but I know for a fact that there are no local coal suppliers, which lead me to believe that there are not too many coal burners either.

Regarding that stove I included the link to that was at least 15 years old, the sale ended on Ebay at $883.00! Again, a reason to consider going into the USED stove business since there are the many thousands of people out there that view used items as treasure.

Just got back to a cold house this morning, having spent the better part of the weekend in South Jersey, and having to drive up early this morning to take care of some family needs. The pellets were finished up and the house like a refrigerator. At 6am I was starting a wood fire to take the edge off the morning, and went into my bedroom and turned on the electric heat. Expensive alternative, but at least readily available without a second thought to turning it on so I could go back to sleep.

And so, that is my biggest challenge unless I choose a stoker...which I am not inclined to do...at least not in the beginning. I am out of town at least 2 times a month, and whatever fire I have going will likely need restarting on a Sunday afternoon or night. I imagine I will be quite proficient at starting fires once I am forced to start them so frequently.

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend!