New Old Crane 404 Stove

McGiever wrote:Maybe there were artificial flames with lights and such suspended in there.

Ha... and wonder why the coil made no HOT water.

OMG I think you got it Larry!!! This stove was never used (never burned anything!)... so your theory is spot on... they suspended xmass lights or some shyt on that wire to hold them up in line with the glass of the top door!
I knew someone would get it , well done mate, another Nepa Riddle solved!

Great news ashpan on the welding... now you can feel safe... knock out the bottom studs, screw the panels back on, put the grate back in and start the install!!! (if you have nice quality new top screws for the side panels that bite good than you really don't even need to use the bottom ones if you don't want).

Oppps.... almost forgot, take out the stupid xmass light wire and plug those holes with some of that 2000 degree cement... when your ready to install and have questions regarding air, install, mpd, etc... feel free to post your threads in the handfired stove section or chimney section and the best in the world are here to help

Thanks Doug (and the others) for your responses to my questions regarding this stove. For general stove information questions I'll hit up the other part of the forum.

When the installation is complete I'll make sure to post pictures and put an end conclusion to this thread. I hope this will help others out in the future if/when they come across this stove.

Because my stove does not have legs nor the heat deflector can I just stick some 3" CMU's under it direct to the bottom of the stove? Will the heat crack/brake the CMU's under high heat? Or should I put some bricks or something similar directly under the "nubs" that the heat deflector was attached too?

I'd like to install direct to the bottom of the stove leaving the "nubs" free floating.

Once I figure that out I will make the final connection and wait for the cold weather.... oh and pick up some coal!!!!

I REALLY gotta be getting old---what the hell is a CMU?

Oh crap, I shoulda know that---thanx Richard

I would not smear cement onto the bottom of the stove...regardless if it would hold or not (this defeats the purpose your looking for to radiate heat into living space), the important part of the deflector shield is actually the "air" space in between the bottom of the stove and the shield. I don't think I would worry to much about it looking where your stove is going (you will gain more by setting the stove up off the floor as much as reasonably and safely possible, some nice solid flat 8x8x4" thick bricks of some sort would be great!).

Your basement looks like a freeeekin' warehouse Your house must be huge have you got some funky wide angle lens? Its very clear someone did some VERY extensive work their in regards to your foundation and concrete work (this is a very good sign about the bones and previous owner and hopefully is a tell tail that your house got its "shyt together" so to speak!)

Its a perfect basement to "dry lock" as it sits! Someone took the time to raise, lower, pour, re-point with hydraulic cement, etc... the work has been done so its advisable to take the final step to dry lock it all (You can use a nice beige dry lock on the walls and use a nice epoxy on the floor w/ speckle's if you like! ) ... It would cost little, your basement is currently clear and empty currently and it would make your basement last forever, any money it cost would be saved very fast by the dehumidifier not running and it would honestly look incredible!!!

AD, I'm trying to figure why you have such a long horizontal run there--just my thoughts but, I'd get it much closer to the wall & put up a metal/steel deflector sheet (6' by6' or there abouts) --right up to the lower edge of the thimble-- on that outside wall with some sort of spacers (1" or so--fencing ceramic) between the plate & the wall & you'd have much more heat radiation going for you.(cut out for those clean out doors or whatever they are) Just an old farmers thoughts:) Also---I'd put that MPD in the vertical pipe.

freetown fred wrote:I REALLY gotta be getting old---what the hell is a CMU?

Ff....a CMU
...Coalstove Modifying Unit...LOL

I'd have to see a pix of that one Rigar---kinda like a couple of brick legs??? maybe 4 on each corner & a sheet of metal/steel 2 up off the floor for the radiant concept????

Thanks for the replies!

CMU = Concrete Masonry Unit

So maybe I can ask again... Actually better yet - look at the picture where you see my freezer in the background, its propped up on concrete blocks. I was wondering if I can stick lay two of those under the stove direct to the bottom of the stove. There would still be air gaps between the bottom of the stove and concrete floor but the blocks wouldn't necessary be on the "nubbies". Can I do that?

Fred, I was trying to get the stove far enough away from the wall while not taking up to much space. The stove is 3.5' away from the french drain with the MPD at 2.5' horizontally. Do you see any real serious problems with the damper on the horizontal? All my pipe is cut and and I'd probably have to get another 2' section to change it. If I made a super rookie mistake I'll fix it, but if not, I'll try it out first and see how it works. I need to one clean out for the fireplace and one for this coal stove. Maybe in the future I could take a more "reflective approach" but since this is my first season I really just want to make sure I know how to operate it.

Doug, the owner of the home before me took the time to do everything right. All of the floor joists are actual size timbers along with all the wood beams holding the home up. He dug the basement down and also jacked up the foundation. My basement is shaped like the letter "Z" so I'm hoping to push the air around the corners with fans and hopefully get some radiant heat to rise up thru the floor in the cooler parts of the house. He had installed a gravity french drain system that leaches out to the back yard which is at a lower elevation. I have my dehumidifier running constantly which eats up a lot of electricity. Its my number one electrical consumption in the house. The walls breath in a couple places and let water in. Thankfully the drain catches most of it... Maybe in the future I'll get around to it... Its not on the radar screen now!

Nope, you're fine with what ya got there--I'd try & get a lil upward slope on that horizontal pipe--I think I read that was already mentioned, just putting some thoughts out here. You can put whatever/ where-ever you want block wise under the stove, just so she's stable--just getting her up some/quite a bit, will give you easier access. We all pretty much spend our 1st season in the experimental stage-- I'm sure you'll do fine getting what you need out of the old girl-- and if you come up with improvements, write em down--there's always another season a-comin ---hell, if a realtor can do it, damn near anybody can. Couldn't help that one Doug

Fred's trying to help you on the MPD because he never used a stove that has a removable baffle that can come out anytime to clean anything with ease that might get held up at the point of MPD, heck.... I even take mine out during use with some welders gloves if I need because it hooks on and off so easy Fred's just not used to those kind of luxuries

Yep, Doug's right. I NEVER have to take the HITZER apart in any way mid season to clean anything--I might just pull the cap off the bottom of the "T" coming out the back which rarely has anything in it. Keeps me out of the bars Damn it, I'm missing out on them thar luxuries I guess. MPD positioning probably just comes from burning wood for 30+ yrs. Just another old habit:)

Ok we'll she's 100% installed. Now I just need to get some 2000* cement caulking around the collar. Other than that she is solid and not moving!

I had to use some metal washers as shims because the floor was a little out of level. Other than that all I need is some coal!

Not the sexiest stove pipe install but here she is...