used stove

MikeFLN · Post by **MikeFLN** » Wed. Jan. 16, 2019 2:53 pm

Hi my name is Mike. I have been reading this board for 2 years and looking forward to getting into coal burning. I plan on being in my current house for another 8 years then moving to a more country setting once my son is done with school, (I love Pittsburgh PA, but not the taxes). I did use the search function but did not find satisfactory information.

With all that said I am in the market for a used Pot Belly (probably Chubby) stove. I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for to make sure the stove is in enough condition to buy. Obviously I want to avoid cracks, but what else should I be looking at? I see all the amazing Pauliwog transformations and they are wonderful but I don't see what he stays away from vs buys. Is it really as simple as just staying away from cracks? or is there more to it?

keegs · Post by **keegs** » Wed. Jan. 16, 2019 7:02 pm

Hi Mike,

The Chubby is pretty basic. Approx 1/4" rolled steel drum with cast doors, top and feet. The firepot is also cast. A cast grate sits on the base of the firepot resting on tabs. A shaker handle hooks onto a loop on the grate. The newer firepot was improved to include a grate support bar and center pin. The center bar and pin makes shaking the grate easier. Some Chubbies vent out the back, others vent out the top. One or the other may be more suitable for your application.

Make sure the manual damper, the doors, primary air control (within the ash door) and the shaker are in working condition. Inspect the firepot and the grate with a flashlight. These take the most wear and are somewhat expensive to replace.

The Chubby is a great stove and Larry Trainer is very helpful with answering your questions.

Best of luck and welcome.

Pauliewog · Post by **Pauliewog** » Wed. Jan. 16, 2019 8:27 pm

Welcome Mike, and thanks for the kind words.

To answer your question, there is no real pattern to the type of stoves I purchase as long as they are coal fired and priced right.

Boilers, cook stoves, pot bellies, stokers, oak stoves, fireplace inserts, and of course base burners.

I would say my favorites are the square mica baseburners and the Baltimore /Latrobe style fireplace inserts.

Missing parts are a bigger deal breaker than cracked parts. I don't shy away from either because if the price is right I'll pick them up for parts.

The Chubby is a great choice. I recently took a nice rear vent Chubby in on trade from one of our members when I delivered and helped him install his Glenwood #6.
If you are interested, send me a PM.

Paulie

MikeFLN · Post by **MikeFLN** » Thu. Jan. 17, 2019 11:07 am

Thank you both for your reply's. I look forward to this new journey. It probably won't happen this season but over summer I hope to procure one and refurbish it to working condition.

biggerpatterson · Post by **biggerpatterson** » Fri. Jan. 18, 2019 4:48 pm

If you want a Chubby and don't want to do a serious road trip to get one, start looking now. Since I'm retired , I look for stoves every day just to see what's out there and what people are asking for them. It's going to be unusual to find a Chubby for sale anywhere near Pittsburg .

As far as I know , Paulie has the closest one to you for sale . Quite a few advertised in the New England area. Good luck. Bruce

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Fri. Jan. 18, 2019 6:20 pm

LOL...
I drove to Watkins Glenn for my 503...
From The Cape...
I was a nice escape from the kids for 2 days...
Hit the Vineyards in the area...
House is 74* now...
3 sick kids...
Not burning 100 gallons of oil per month...
Well worth the trip...

BostonBob · Post by **BostonBob** » Fri. Jan. 18, 2019 9:49 pm

MikeFLN wrote: ↑
Wed. Jan. 16, 2019 2:53 pm
Hi my name is Mike. I have been reading this board for 2 years and looking forward to getting into coal burning. I plan on being in my current house for another 8 years then moving to a more country setting once my son is done with school, (I love Pittsburgh PA, but not the taxes). I did use the search function but did not find satisfactory information.

With all that said I am in the market for a used Pot Belly (probably Chubby) stove. I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for to make sure the stove is in enough condition to buy. Obviously I want to avoid cracks, but what else should I be looking at? I see all the amazing Pauliwog transformations and they are wonderful but I don't see what he stays away from vs buys. Is it really as simple as just staying away from cracks? or is there more to it?

FYI I see a chubby for sale in Saratoga Springs NY on Facebook Market place