Another MCC Gibraltar Restoration

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projectanavita
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 11:22 am
Hand Fed Coal Stove: MCC Gibraltar
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by projectanavita » Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 11:58 am

Hello!

My wife and I recently moved and bought a house built in 1880. In the fieldstone basement we found an MCC Gibraltar coal stove in a pretty poor state of repair. Our goal is to restore / repair it so we can use it as a backup source of heat. The good news is it would appear the chimney is lined with clay all the way up to the top ... but it has no cap on it yet.

I have started a photo album on one of my flickr accounts for those interested. https://www.flickr.com/photos/71805301@N05/albums ... 0703971498 I have added notes to each image to highlight items.

What I have done so far:
1) Opened the clean-out of the chimney the stove is attached to and removed about 1ft of ash :o ... the door was nearly rusted shut and required some CorrosionX to open.
2) Removed some bigger debris from the main stove
3) General visual inspection of stoves condition
4) Downloaded the manuals provided here and read through them several times :D

What I know is broken or in need of repair
1) Pipe leading from stove to the chimney is rusted through
2) Glass on front of unit is cracked
3) Missing retaining bar at back of stove for fire brick
4) Baffle plat seems to be sagging a little ... likely warped
5) Rust ... inside / outside you name it ... but nothing looks rusted through
6) Rope seal might not be good and will likely need replaced

What is still left to do
1) Clean all the debris / ash out of the stove (currently in process)
2) Remove rust and repaint
3) Replace glass (not looking forward to this as the screws will likely need to be tapped and removed)
4) Replace missing firebrick retainer bar in back if it is required to run safely
5) Inspect shaker and ensure it is working as expected
6) Re-pipe from the stove to the chimney opening
7) Inspect working condition of attached blower and repair / replace as required
8 ) Install cap on chimney


I have been looking around the forum for a couple weeks now to gather information on this stove and what I will have to do to get it into working condition and figured I would share progress when I started to take action.

Seasoned advice is more than welcome.

 
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keegs
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Joined: Sat. Dec. 24, 2016 7:38 pm
Location: Bridgewater, ME
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby (main floor)
Coal Size/Type: nut

Post by keegs » Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 1:48 pm

Welcome projectanavita, You'll likely find many members here who can help you with your restoration questions. Congratulations on the purchase of you new home. Many older homes are charming but can be expensive to heat so having a coal stove to supplement the primary heating system can help keep you comfortable and maybe save some money as well. I'll add my two cents about locating the stove. Having it in the basement can be a less than optimal location for a stove. There are many discussion/ threads about this within the forum and they typically provide pointers on how you can address getting the warm are up to where it may be needed most. Have fun with the restore and keep the pictures coming. It's alway nice to see an old or neglected stove be brought back to life.

 
Den034071
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Posts: 907
Joined: Sat. Jun. 25, 2011 4:30 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer, 3095

Post by Den034071 » Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 2:36 pm

Big item Are The Basement Walls Insulated .If not the wallabsort an Rob A Lot Of Heat .jack

 
projectanavita
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 11:22 am
Hand Fed Coal Stove: MCC Gibraltar
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by projectanavita » Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 3:46 pm

Den034071 wrote:
Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 2:36 pm
Big item Are The Basement Walls Insulated .If not the wallabsort an Rob A Lot Of Heat .jack
We have spray foam on all but one wall in the basement. The wall without it had some leaking issues which we have nearly resolved. Over that wall the previous owner erected a 2x4 stud wall just off the masonry wall and put 2" blue foam behind that and in some places fiberglass insulation. It seems to work well right now but we haven't been here for a winter yet.

Keegs,
Our other chimney has two (I think) flues but one is used by a wood fireplace and doesn't have any liner and the other by a oil boiler and is sealed up from what I can tell.

The chimney next to the coal stove in the basement does travel through the kitchen area but the only place it code go there would be where some kitchen appliances are located. The next floor up likely wouldn't work well either. I imagine if we have to relocate it we would have to line the normal fire place flue with clay and put it there.


 
CapeCoaler
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Posts: 6515
Joined: Sun. Feb. 10, 2008 3:48 pm
Location: Cape Cod, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: want AA130
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine BS#4, Harman MKII, Hitzer 503,...
Coal Size/Type: Pea/Nut/Stove

Post by CapeCoaler » Fri. Sep. 06, 2019 10:31 am

Soak the retaining screws with lots of penetrating oil...
Seafoam deep creep a fav of mine...
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNTEGWiYF ... p1A76EdkHA
Heat and cool a few times with more deep creep

 
Hoytman
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Posts: 5997
Joined: Wed. Jan. 18, 2017 11:30 pm
Location: swOH near a little town where the homes are mobile and the cars aren’t
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 354
Coal Size/Type: nut coal
Other Heating: electric, wood, oil

Post by Hoytman » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 12:08 am

Ever use any Kroil? Advertised to creep into 1 millionth of an inch. I love it, but ran out.

 
ratherbeflying
Member
Posts: 378
Joined: Wed. Oct. 24, 2018 3:41 pm
Location: north jersey
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibraltar MCC
Coal Size/Type: stove, nut, pea
Other Heating: electric baseboard- breakers OFF!!

Post by ratherbeflying » Thu. Sep. 12, 2019 11:30 am

i have this stove... i love it, seriously a beast!! i would like information of what blower i need if you or anyone can help me!!

 
projectanavita
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Posts: 4
Joined: Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 11:22 am
Hand Fed Coal Stove: MCC Gibraltar
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by projectanavita » Thu. Sep. 19, 2019 9:00 pm

I updated the photo album linked above with some pictures of the process today.

I had a chance to go through and remove most of the debris and extract everything. It would appear the two side fire brick retainers are warped ... they are clearly not straight anymore.

Half the bricks were cracked and those had ash behind them. The back bar is missing (will have to confirm with numbers but I believe this is the case ... could be sitting around in the basement somewhere idk yet). The coal banking plate might be warped ... I haven't brought a straight edge up to it yet.

The grates / shakers all seem to work ... everything is covered in ash dust, something that looks like melted coal, and rust. I spent today scraping most of the "dust" off to see what was under it all ... I think I am going to try something unconventional before I go out and get a sand blaster to do this the "right way."

The baffle for sure is warped and there was some thin piece of metal that doesn't seem to be any part of the stove I can find in the manual. It was on the right side under the grate shakers. I think it might have been there to make sure the ash fell in the pan? idk. I only found one which was odd.


 
ratherbeflying
Member
Posts: 378
Joined: Wed. Oct. 24, 2018 3:41 pm
Location: north jersey
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibraltar MCC
Coal Size/Type: stove, nut, pea
Other Heating: electric baseboard- breakers OFF!!

Post by ratherbeflying » Fri. Sep. 20, 2019 8:09 am

projectanavita wrote:
Thu. Sep. 19, 2019 9:00 pm
I updated the photo album linked above with some pictures of the process today.

I had a chance to go through and remove most of the debris and extract everything. It would appear the two side fire brick retainers are warped ... they are clearly not straight anymore.

Half the bricks were cracked and those had ash behind them. The back bar is missing (will have to confirm with numbers but I believe this is the case ... could be sitting around in the basement somewhere idk yet). The coal banking plate might be warped ... I haven't brought a straight edge up to it yet.

The grates / shakers all seem to work ... everything is covered in ash dust, something that looks like melted coal, and rust. I spent today scraping most of the "dust" off to see what was under it all ... I think I am going to try something unconventional before I go out and get a sand blaster to do this the "right way."

The baffle for sure is warped and there was some thin piece of metal that doesn't seem to be any part of the stove I can find in the manual. It was on the right side under the grate shakers. I think it might have been there to make sure the ash fell in the pan? idk. I only found one which was odd.
thats exactly what its for. there should be 2 one on each side... im pretty sure they are welded in place.. i can send pictures of mine and measure to show you where they go

 
projectanavita
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu. Sep. 05, 2019 11:22 am
Hand Fed Coal Stove: MCC Gibraltar
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by projectanavita » Fri. Sep. 20, 2019 1:00 pm

ratherbeflying wrote:
Fri. Sep. 20, 2019 8:09 am
thats exactly what its for. there should be 2 one on each side... im pretty sure they are welded in place.. i can send pictures of mine and measure to show you where they go
Makes sense.
I have a feeling the other is MIA for good ...

My bigger concern is what needs to be replaced.
1) Can the retaining brick bars be warped or missing without causing future issues.
2) Can the previously welded item I mentioned not be there without causing issues.
3) Can the baffle be warped like a taco if it remains in place.
4) Can the front plate be warped.
5) etc.

I know I must replace the glass since it is cracked but thinking of having to replace all the items where they are warped is making me second guess this stove.

 
nut
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Joined: Wed. Aug. 28, 2019 1:54 pm
Location: NEPA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Glacier Bay
Coal Size/Type: nut
Other Heating: electric

Post by nut » Fri. Sep. 20, 2019 1:33 pm

My Glacier Bay stove doesn't have the fire brick retaining angle irons anymore and my bricks stay in place. The coal/ash holds them up pretty well. Also, my banking plate is split down the middle and bowed in. Still holds back the coal. The pieces that direct the ash into the pan are not needed either . After removing the ash pan, simply shovel out any ash that didn't make it in. I have been burning mine for years without a exhaust baffle and it works fine. As long as your fire bricks are intact and your grates are in good shape, you are good to go. Glacier Bay/Gibraltar stoves are work horses.

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