Heavy built box stoves...Gibraltar/Glacier Bay...others

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 12:17 am

What box stove is considered the most ruggedly built?

Can anyone share information about Gibraltor and Glacier Bay stoves? Pictures and models made?

Also, pro’s and cons would be nice.

If anyone has other box stoves in mind they think are built as heavy and rugged as these, by all means let’s talk about them.

I’m thinking I would like to have one of these stoves as a project stove along with a Harmon. I’d particularly be fond of a nice Gibraltar radiant or blower model.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 6:46 am

Surprised ya left out HITZER???????????????? You're on your own as far as researching goes.

stovepipemike · Post by **stovepipemike** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 8:29 am

Somewhere I recently read an ad for the glacier bay stoves and it did mention that was one of their attributes , heavy build. Gibraltar was also mentioned in that same ad but not sure of the connection. I have personally never seen neither one up close so I cannot help much with any comparison.

Den034071 · Post by **Den034071** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 8:32 am

Definitely Gibraltar .There are 5 grates 17 pound each .The M C C model weighs approx. 550 pounds .A heat monster holds 95 pounds of nut more when banked .jack

ratherbeflying · Post by **ratherbeflying** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 3:59 pm

i have the Gibraltar MCC i love it ill never get another stove. seriously over kill. i can pack in 100lbs of nut, the grates never warped on me ever and i fell asleep with the ash door open and woke up to a glowing stove, didnt warp anything grates are still straight as an arrow. truly a monster, it heated my entire 2 story home during -15* temp 3 days straight. my downstairs was 80* up stairs was 70* and i could have cranked her up even hotter if i needed to. only source of heat in the house. ( i keep the breakers to the electric heat off)

KingCoal · Post by **KingCoal** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 6:46 pm

ratherbeflying wrote: ↑
Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 3:59 pm
i have the Gibraltar MCC i love it ill never get another stove. seriously over kill. i can pack in 100lbs of nut, the grates never warped on me ever and i fell asleep with the ash door open and woke up to a glowing stove, didnt warp anything grates are still straight as an arrow. truly a monster, it heated my entire 2 story home during -15* temp 3 days straight. my downstairs was 80* up stairs was 70* and i could have cranked her up even hotter if i needed to. only source of heat in the house. ( i keep the breakers to the electric heat off)

i would like to see pics and hear more about the MCC myself, just because i love over kill.

this kind of stove reminds me of a '72 Jag XKE V12 manual that an employer allowed me to use at will back in the day. amazing rolling 70+ mph with about 1/4" of throttle peddle travel open. torque baby, never forget, HP is TORQUE times RPM.

same with stoves, sq. inches of grate area times fuel load times combustion air equals HEAT OUTPUT. the right stove design in the correct volume of area and you can literally IDLE thru most weather and barely crack it open for the worst.

oh how i love coal !!

steve

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 10:50 pm

freetown fred wrote: ↑
Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 6:46 am
Surprised ya left out HITZER???????????????? You're on your own as far as researching goes.

Sort of thought that was given, Fred. Lol! Especially since I just bought one. They too are heavy built, but the grates in the GB&G stoves are much heavier. Realize Hitzer is still in business and parts are available and fairly cheap. I was thinking of it as more of something to rebuild and put back. A project for me and the boy. Gotta keep him interested in the hobby.

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 10:52 pm

Den034071 wrote: ↑
Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 8:32 am
Definitely Gibraltar .There are 5 grates 17 pound each .The M C C model weighs approx. 550 pounds .A heat monster holds 95 pounds of nut more when banked .jack

...and Jack comes through again. Appreciate the reply Jack!

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 11:02 pm

Thanks for the reply gang. Steve, me and you are thinking alike with regard to your reply.

Sort of makes me wonder why these companies went out of business. I too am a person that likes over engineering. That’s what lead me to asking about these stoves here. I realize the designs are slightly different, but the grates are majorly super heavy.

I’d like to know more about the differences in models if anyone has info. I’ve done limited research here about them.

I’d like to find one or ten in good condition. Then I’d have plenty to choose from...all of them. Lol!

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 11:04 pm

Were these two companies and they merged, or did they just change names?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 11:13 pm

.JPG | 86.3KB | DSC02164.jpg

.JPG | 74.5KB | DSC02170.jpg

.PDF | 4.9MB | Gibraltar_Manual[1].pdf

.PDF | 1.1MB | GibraltarManual[1][1].pdf

And don't forget the Russo:

.PDF | 11.4MB | RUSSO Manual.pdf

.PDF | 369.4KB | RUSSO INSERT.pdf

Hoytman · Post by **Hoytman** » Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 11:18 pm

Thanks for the pdf’s Larry. Appreciate that. Plenty of reading for tomorrow.

That looks like an insert. Is it? If it’s not an insert it’s one wide stove, for sure. Wow!

Steve, as a side note, did you get to look at the two looker stoves I sent you in the link to via pm? Just wondering...and wondering what you thought of them. Would love one of them, but the timing is wrong for me.

ratherbeflying · Post by **ratherbeflying** » Wed. Sep. 11, 2019 8:27 am

KingCoal wrote: ↑
Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 6:46 pm
i would like to see pics and hear more about the MCC myself, just because i love over kill.

steve

newbie questions, Gibraltar reviews???? that thread was the majority of my newbie learning experience. has pictures of my stove and some of my "performance numbers" which improved greatly as i realized my mistakes.

MAYDAY MAYDAY

thats a short thread of a very important piece in the stove (bar that connects all the grates so they shake together) finally break after who knows how many decades of abuse. easy fix, last post explains somewhat.
ive completely disasembled the entire stove, its very simple yet over engineered. there are 2 modifications i would like to perform when i get the time money and balls, i want to add a "secondary air" adjustment which you will read about in that first thread, and i would like to add a bimetallic primary air control... both i know exactly what needs to be done, havnt done it yet...
BI METALLIC PRIMARY AIR CONTROL?!
that thread has some in there about the bimetallic and the secondary air.

if you have any questions let me know, i love this thing and the only stove i would maybe want instead would be the gibraltar LCC which is the MCC's bigger brother, has 2 loading doors and can hold 110 lbs easy. i just think for my size home it wouldnt be as efficient because i definitely dont need it any more powerful hahaha

KingCoal · Post by **KingCoal** » Wed. Sep. 11, 2019 10:34 am

COOL thanks, I love reading thru user reports like that.

steve

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Sep. 11, 2019 11:29 am

Indeed H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beats the hell out of him starin at his cell phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

Hoytman wrote: ↑
Tue. Sep. 10, 2019 10:50 pm
Sort of thought that was given, Fred. Lol! Especially since I just bought one. They too are heavy built, but the grates in the GB&G stoves are much heavier. Realize Hitzer is still in business and parts are available and fairly cheap. I was thinking of it as more of something to rebuild and put back. A project for me and the boy. Gotta keep him interested in the hobby.