Bringing new life to my new Gem Dockash stove

Wanted to start a new thread now that the cleaning process has begun. My goal with this stove at this point in time is to get it back in good/safe operation, not complete restoration. The stove is in good shape so it really just needs a good cleaning, some polish and paint. I am about half done with that process now. I am waiting for the mica glass, rope gasket & stove pipe. I finished putting installing the refractory in the fire pot today. I took some pictures today showing the process so far. I was hoping to get it up and running this weekend because I took Thursday and Friday off work. However, they are not even shipping the stove pipe out until the 25th. I may have to do more research to see if I can get it locally.

Looking forward to that first fire!
Randy

Why did you get rope gasket. I will destroy the stove.

If you have any doubts about doing something to the stove, please ask before you do it. The main things are to make sure the seams are sealed up and that the doors fit tight all around. This goes for the dampers as well.

wsherrick wrote:If you have any doubts about doing something to the stove, please ask before you do it. The main things are to make sure the seams are sealed up and that the doors fit tight all around. This goes for the dampers as well.

Thank you William for your recent post. You can rest assured that I am not doing anything to this stove that will hurt it. I respect the history and memories of this stove too much to do anything to it that would be irreparable. I just saw recent posts asking why I ordered rope gaskets...the bottom of the top door and the top of the bottom door have a groove where they meet and close together. However, the seal is not great between the two doors, they seal great around the stove body but not where the two meet at the middle seam. I bought a very thin rope gasket that will fit in that groove between the two doors. I will not put gasket against the stove body as those seem to be fine. During my refurbishing, not restoration, I am doing a lot of cleaning of parts...lots of cleaning. I am doing only Williams stove polish on the cast iron and paint where the chrome would be. I think it is turning out very nice but I will wait to see what you think about my work. The only thing I am not sure how to proceed with is the final on top. The original is very flimsy, and extremely caked with tarnish and 100 years of crud...the base metal seems to be either copper or brass...copper my guess. I spent over an hour so far on it and it will require much more time I am sure. Tomorrow I am going work on the main stove and get it cleaned and William Stove Polished. After that, I am about ready to have a fire to set the refractory in the fire pot.
Randy

stovehospital wrote:Why did you get rope gasket. I will destroy the stove.

My intent is certainly not to destroy the stove. I ordered a very thin rope gasket that would fit in the grove between where the two doors meet, the seal there has a gap where I thought it could use some help. I am not attaching rope gasket to the body of the stove where it would "Destroy the stove". I have a great deal of respect for history and memories and I certainly hope I have said nor done anything that would be counter to that.
Randy

After much cleaning, polishing and painting, I brought the stove in the house today. Have not hooked it up yet but should be up and running tomorrow or Saturday. The nickel was in such bad shape I decided to just paint with silver high temp paint. Does not look too bad but it is not chrome! As promised I am going to upload some photos.

close up of the name plate and the base. Originally the base was nickel but I thought it was a bit too much for my taste.

These are the skirt pieces.

Detail of the top

Here she sits all cleaned up and waiting to be warmed up.

Wow looks great, nice job

Now that looks great. Sorry about barking about the rope but I have had quite a few rope repairs lately that did major damage to the stove. That stove will heat your home for another generation or two with no complaints.

Now that looks great. Sorry about barking about the rope but I have had quite a few rope repairs lately that did major damage to the stove. That stove will heat your home for another generation or two with no complaints.

Now that looks great. Sorry about barking about the rope but I have had quite a few rope repairs lately that did major damage to the stove. That stove will heat your home for another generation or two with no complaints.

Hey stovehospital, so what you saying is it looks great.