Help Me Choose Next Stove

Hello Coal Comrades,
I am in transition between stoves, sort of. I have someone coming to look at my Glenwood next week. I hate to get rid of her, she is just too big for my livingroom. I can control the fire very well but even with a stove temp at under 200 and pipe temp not even registering on my thermometer, my small livingroom is 80-85 depending on the temp outside. The rest of the house hovers in the high 60s to 70s. My house is segragated but small (1200sq ft).
So here are my options ( I hope I do not start a war between antique/modern burners) but I do want educated opinions on both sides, so give it to me.
Option 1---My sister bought with my help a Chrystal Crawford (not sure of model, but heres a pic) and wants to sell it to me. It is an indirect draft and is in very good shape. I will have a new barrel and back pipe made just cuz I will be tearing it down. It needs new nickle and the top burner plate has been replaced with a peice of steel someone cut ( I probably will have a new one cast). Other than that what a cute stove.

Option 2--- I have been looking a buying a new (reconditioned) Cubby (large blower model) with ash catcher front and fire view doors as well as to flu. I have not check availability yet.
I want to know what type of performance I can expect from both, burn time,up keep, coal consumption ect ect... Thanks in advance, Jason...
P.S. the pic sucks I know, I used my phone...

I had a Chubby SR non-blower. It was a good little stove in the fall but when the temp dropped it couldn't keep up.

BUT, while my home is the same size as yours 1200 square foot it at the time was not well insulated. So that was a large contributing factor in the performance of the Chubby. I'm not entirely sure how your insulation is. The Chubby is a very neat stove; if I had room for another stove I'd definitely consider another Chubby.

I like the nice big ash pit on the Crawford and the internal fire pot. I think it would be the more efficient stove. What are the grates?

franco b wrote:I like the nice big ash pit on the Crawford and the internal fire pot. I think it would be the more efficient stove. What are the grates?

Hi Franco. What do you mean by: internal fire pot?

g13, do you know the fire pot size of the Crawford? And do you have the fire pot size of the Chubby?

Here is a thread about one of our Forum members who bought a Crystal Crawford and loved it. He had the opposite problem, he needed a bigger stove so he got a Glenwood 116 Modern Oak with a back pipe. Read about his Crawford here. I really like Crawford stoves as does Emery at The Antique Stove Hospital. I (of course) would recommend the Crawford. You have all of the design elements there in a smaller size just like your Glenwood. Oh, and make sure your Glenwood goes to a worthy home.

http://nepacrossroads.com/about22157.html

William that thread is who my sister and I bought the stove from. Its the same stove. I just hope it is big enough, our glenwoods are big ladys who will keep a man warm at night (too warm) in my case. Chrystal is a petite little girl, I hope she is up for the task..

g13nw00d-man wrote:William that thread is who my sister and I bought the stove from. Its the same stove. I just hope it is big enough, our glenwoods are big ladys who will keep a man warm at night (too warm) in my case. Chrystal is a petite little girl, I hope she is up for the task..

It should do the job nicely. Let your sister lend it to you to see if it is big enough. If it's not then I would recommend a Glenwood 111 or similar base heater with a 12 inch fire pot.

nortcan wrote:

franco b wrote:I like the nice big ash pit on the Crawford and the internal fire pot. I think it would be the more efficient stove. What are the grates?

Hi Franco. What do you mean by: internal fire pot?

No part of the fire pot is visible from the outside. It is suspended inside rather than being part of the structure. When done that way there is less heat loss from the fire box than if its sides were exposed. Your Vig is that way and you made it even better with the addition of fire brick to insulate it further.

Hi Jason,

Yep that's Eddies old stove and a nice one too boot! It is the same size as my Star Herald which would make it a 10" fire pot I believe. I would really give it a go after you rebuild it. I have a feeling that it will do the trick for you. My Herald heated allot of my old house on the coast (2500sqft+). I did use the cookstove in the kitchen also for much of the season, but during the more temperate times, just the Herald did the trick. We did have a mildish winter compared to some but the Herald could hang all the way to low teens/single digits before it ran out of juice. When you rebuild the Crawford, just be sure that everythings sealed up as well as possible and especially below the grates. That way you have good control. I've got to think that it would cvertainly be the equal to a Chubby Sr. but maybe some owners can chime in with the pot size on those. That style of stove (Crawford, Herald) have very deep pots also so you can get in more nut than you'd think. It has the round dump style grates with a round grate and dump fork with handle for shaking. You'll find these very different to your prismatics on the #6. It take allot more shaking (a poker helps too) but the upside is that it will burn the coal to powder and does not waste much at all. I'd give it a go!


I only wish you'd told me a week earlier (than you did) that you were selling the #6 , I'd just bought the 116 and committed to that. No worries, I know I'll be pleased with it.
Best of luck and if you need any help or advise with the refurb, just ask and check out the Modern Oak 116 restoration if you haven't for inspiration.

franco b wrote:

nortcan wrote:

franco b wrote:I like the nice big ash pit on the Crawford and the internal fire pot. I think it would be the more efficient stove. What are the grates?

Hi Franco. What do you mean by: internal fire pot?

No part of the fire pot is visible from the outside. It is suspended inside rather than being part of the structure. When done that way there is less heat loss from the fire box than if its sides were exposed. Your Vig is that way and you made it even better with the addition of fire brick to insulate it further.

Thanks Franco for the informations on fire pot differences.

Well the Glenwood is gone ... I still am not sure what I will do next. Crystal Crawford or Chubby???

g13nw00d-man wrote:Well the Glenwood is gone ... I still am not sure what I will do next. Crystal Crawford or Chubby???

Yep sad Day I'm sure Jason. Fabulous stove but hope it's gone to a good home. Maybe you can try the Crawford and get a feel for it. You've got to think that its going to be half or less of the Glenwood's output. Do you know the size of the Chubby Sr. firepot? That would help.

I know that a member (Ashburnham55) had a Glenwood Modern Oak 114 for sale. It's a size down from nine and your #6. Plus he has the pot lined so it's about a 12" usuable pot (from the original 14") It's a divided back pipe model too. I don't know if he still has it but it was a really nice stove and in great shape. He was asking a fair price for it too.

A friend of mine heats his house with a large Chubby stove. It probably isn't as efficient as a Glenwood, but it is still a very nice stove. Parts are readily available for the Chubby, and they are VERY airtight and easy to control.

Rob R. wrote:A friend of mine heats his house with a large Chubby stove. It probably isn't as efficient as a Glenwood, but it is still a very nice stove. Parts are readily available for the Chubby, and they are VERY airtight and easy to control.

They are pretty reasonably priced too and you can get the large one with a blower option. Any idea of the pot size Rob?