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I cleaned the stove out and took a few pics.
Don't know if you can tell anything, though.

This is the bricks looking to the front This is the bricks looking to the back This the grate. I didn't notice any cracks or damage to the bricks.
The lumpy stuff was stuck on the bricks and wouldn't come off with a light wire brushing.

Is there anything else I should be checking for safe operation?

In case I haven't done this in a while, thanks for all your generous information

looks like your bricks and grate are OK look for signs of smoke leaks where the ash door and top join the barrel and where the loading door fits the top.

if you can check the very bottom of the barrel for signs of rot or rust thru.

are you going to do wood in it ? you will need an MPD in the single wall pipe and very very sparing with the primary air if you do. too much draft will make a road flare out of that little stove on wood.

steve

Thanks for continuing to stay with me on this, Steve.

I had hoped to burn, primarily coal.
My building probably has air changes/minute instead of hour.
I'm going to try to tighten it up a little but it may be tough to get it very tight.

Couple more questions, please.

Could this stove be set on wood if I had a heat shield under it?
I have brick but my construction job would be easier with wood.

Moving this thing.
As you know, it's heavy..
I assume I would want to take the bricks out so they don't fall over and break.
Do they just pull out?

Any other ways to lighten?

Larry,

you could just level out your dirt floor real well where you want to set the stove, lay down your bricks in a square like pavers then build a wooden frame around the bricks. then pour and sweep sand into the voids. make the square 4x4 and good to go.

if you want to get the bricks out you will need to really brush the edges where they come together and possibly run a thin piece of metal into the grooves some if you can. it will be best to remove the whole top of the stove to work in there. it's impossible to get them out otherwise and you might as well have the room to start with.

to get them out you have to carefully bring the verticle bricks up out of the right and left sides then carefully bring out the corner bricks toward the center. then you will be able to get the front and back vert. bricks out then the lowers.

you will see how once you start. try not to force or pry on the bricks too hard. it would be good to have help so you can hold the bricks IN the stove while laying down the ones coming out. if you drop and break them you'll have to piece them together as they go back in, get new ones or do the cutting you've seen. after the bricks are out the grate and support ring lift right out.

once you have the innerds out you can pick that barrel up and carry it anywhere you want on your own, all the weight is in the bricks and grates.

if you are going with coal for short fires in that stove i would just pour the corner bricks full of coal and run about 9 inches of coal in the center. that's still going to last longer than you are likely to be there.

hopefully the others who have and have used the 617 will offer operation tips.

steve

Thanks for all that detail.
How is the top fastened on?

Also, you mentioned 4' of brick.
Would 3' feet be adequate?

I've seen some say they get 60 hours or some such out of a fill.
I wouldn't care if it smoldered that long and stoke it up when I need it

When I moved my Warm Morning 400's I packed the inside of the stove with old bedspreads and blankets, figuring it would help hold the bricks in place and because I did't want to remove the bricks taking a chance of breaking them. Worked well for me as none came loose or broke in transportation. On thing though is I did not lay the stove on it's side but at most a 45* angle with a appliance dolly.

Thanks for that suggestion.
Is the 400 as heavy as the 617?

larryfoster wrote: ↑

Wed. Oct. 04, 2017 8:45 pm

Thanks for all that detail.
How is the top fastened on?

Also, you mentioned 4' of brick.
Would 3' feet be adequate?

I've seen some say they get 60 hours or some such out of a fill.
I wouldn't care if it smoldered that long and stoke it up when I need it

you could do 3 ft. if that's what you have.

you are going to have a new learning curve on running that stove. once you get it down you'll like it but i think you are still going to be tending it daily.

the 400 is MUCH bigger than the 617 holds 100+ #'s of coal and has a Cabinet around it and a circulation fan.

look around the perimeter of the top casting along the edge, you'll see a row of small screws these need to come out and the whole thing lifts straight off.

if you have an appliance dolly and help you'd have no trouble taking it up a set of stairs and out to where ever, it would save time and chances of creating any unfortunate problems.

Thanks, Steve.
I have a few days until I get ready to move but, with your advice, as well as others, I am better prepared to move, install and use.

I remember 60+ years ago this stove heating our house.
At that time, the house was 3 rooms and a bath.

It was supplemented by those old, open ceramic floor mounted gas space heaters

Finally, my workshop and weather are getting to the point I need to pay attention to this.

I did a cursory look at the bolts that hold the top on and they look like a square screw head?

If not, does anyone know what to use to take off without destroying anything?
Not sure I should use Blaster to loosen.

Thanks

Shoot!!!

I was hovering a little closer and found one cracked brick (so far)

Bottom one in the back.
Hope that's all.
I should know tonight

I should know tonight

Well, that was a prediction that fell through.
Been trying most of the afternoon, into this evening, trying to get the 4 bolts out around the perimeter to get the top off without damaging anything.
Ended up using a Dremel and lots of cut off wheels and time.
Since it didn't budge, I'm wondering if I need to take 4 more out holding the chimney attachment flange.

The screw heads just rounded off and the nuts wouldn't twist off, either, which is why we used the Dremel.

Is there a better way to get these out?

Yes, the chimney flange, and check behind the loading door upper corners.

I found it easiest to just drill out the bolts and replace them with 10-24 x 3/4" machine screws on the way back. If they are slotted head screws I used an angle grinder to flatten them enough the drill wouldn't "walk". If I recall correctly it was a 3/16" drill bit. The bit would just go through the screw head and pop off the shank.

Thanks for that info, LBrookm.

We first tried to drill but couldn't get through.
(My son did it, so I can't say what happened)

I'll try again in a bit.
No pun intended.

I guess my 26 YO son didn't understand the concept of drilling out screws.

Here are the bricks.
The top one is along the bottom in the back and the lower one is on the bottom left side

To take the bricks out, is there a correct sequence to removing them?