Royal Stewart 171 Stove Questions

Hi Guys - Well, I've been busy the past few weeks. I'm on the look-out locally for Oaks and Base Burners, with in-direct back pipes. I have a line on a Royal Stewart 171 stove, which I've been discussing with the owner. I've gotten him to agree on $225 for the price.

It's a very plain model, with the nice cast in-direct back pipe and it's complete, except the finial is missing one side loop. Also, there is a small hole in the bottom of the fire box.

The pyramid grates are complete, and it's seems to be in good condition overall. The City Glenwood 14 I picked-up last month suffered from bad damp storage - but it was still worth the effort, especially since it's an indirect model, in my opinion.

It's a very plain stove, so I'm assuming it's one of Fuller & Warren's later stoves. Their stoves seem to be highly regarded, along with Glenwood, Crawford, Herald and Smith Anthony. (all eastern Mass companies- what a shame they're long gone) I'm focusing on those makes in my quiet quest to pick up a few good examples.

I've actually had the antique stove bug for many years, but got away from them because I didn't understand how advanced they actually are.

My first antique stove was a cracked Rathbone & Sard parlor I bought in the South End of Boston circa 1981. That was an abortive attempt on my part! Since then I've held off, but now the juices are flowing, but I've got to hold-up after I pickup this stove (if I get it - I haven't seen it in person).

My wife is furious.

Please tell me what you think about this stove.

Also, I picked up a Cabinet Glenwood 8 base unit for $125 last week, it's basically a parts stove, but it was so forlorn looking, I couldn't resist. I like that model for it's simplicity and the fact that it's front loading.

Of course, I'm still making payments on the Glenwood Oak 40 I've got on layaway!

I'm in trouble!

Regards - Chris

PS _ I've just noticed what appears to be a crack at the right front corner of the ash door opening. Obviously this stove needs complete restoration - Is it a worthy candidate???

I would describe this stove as an Oak, with indirect back pipe..
A Baseburner or Baseheater will have a double floor under the ashpan floor or around the ashpan..
This passageway for the exhaust gasses under or around the ashpan, HEAT THE BASE of the stove
Therefore the term: BaseHeater.

With an Oak stove with the indirect back pipe, the pipe is the added surface heated by the exhaust
gasses, Instead of the base of the stove. Either method adds more heated stove surface, therefore
more heat into the room, and less heat going up the chimney.

The hole in the base of this stove appears to be where the back corner of the ashpan hit the base..
I suspect the stove base got weak from corrosion, then the ashpan was jammed into the base ,
hard enough to break out the hole in the base..

Obviously, this hole MUST be repaired and completely sealed or the stove's heat and combustion
rate would be uncontrollable.

Greg L

damb Greg... not to be kissing butt or anything but is it possible for one human to know more about such a broad spectrum of solid fuel heating devices

anyways... this looks just like A barn find, talk about a total rip on design are both of these made for Bit? or are the internals and draft reg's totally different?

I seriously want that barn find, so im trying to learn of other similar products (for which their are seemingly very few )

Of course, I'm still making payments on the Glenwood Oak 40 I've got on layaway!

I'm in trouble!

I recognize the ailment, a lot of other posters have it as do I. I have searched the internet for two years looking for a cure and the bad news is there isn't one. I hope the wife backs off or you will have to choose between a woman and a stove. A clue here, there are plenty of women out there but stoves like yours are rare.

Dcrane: thanks for the compliment, but there are many folks on the forum with MUCH more experience and knowledge about these stoves..
I'm able to write fairly clear and concisely, so i SOUND like I know a lot, but most of my 'knowledge' is just repeated info
from William, Steve, and many many other forum members..

I was totally mystified by the base burners and base heaters, then found an Art Garland and my Keystone 11. Now baseheaters make total sense to me,, the suspended-pot base burners are still a bit strange to me, I need to look at one closely..

That bit-burning Radiant Home Air Blast #264 stove on the other thread with the slotted firepot is a real head scratcher too.. I need to actually walk around that stove and see it in the 'broad picture' to understand it..

Coalnewbie, be careful about trading a woman for a stove.. the stoves don't get alimony or take your house in the
divorce !!!

Greg L

coalnewbie wrote:

Of course, I'm still making payments on the Glenwood Oak 40 I've got on layaway!

I'm in trouble!

I recognize the ailment, a lot of other posters have it as do I. I have searched the internet for two years looking for a cure and the bad news is there isn't one. I hope the wife backs off or you will have to choose between a woman and a stove. A clue here, there are plenty of women out there but stoves like yours are rare.

The addiction to "Antique Stoves" is a bad one. BUT the silver lining is this addiction is also practical and has the potential to be profitable. I became a addict the moment I found this forum and asked the question "what is the difference between a parlor stove and a baseheater". It was downhill from there. Hours of searching online. Researching, learning. Several visits to look at potential stoves to buy. And even a few sleepless nights.

Then LIGHTENING struck. A antique stove presented itself and the price was right as well as the condition. I was prepared to spend up to $2500 and walked away with the stove for under $400.00. Now I figure since I was ready to spend $2500 and only spent $400 that leaves me $2100 to find another stove or two!!!

I am lucky in a sense. The Mrs. understands somewhat and appreciates the fact that we don't spend much money heating the house. Less than $100.00 last year. My advice for what it is worth is take your time looking for a antique stove. Don't rush the process and wind up buying something that is going to turn into a nightmare to get up a running. The right stove will present itself if you look.

Which leads to me to something else that I have noticed since I started burning coal. I like the house a little cooler now than when we used firewood. I think it is because with coal the heat is very constant. None of the ups and down you have with wood. That is my story anyway and I am sticking to it.

Don't let me give the impression that I am a mans man and my wife has to toe the line as nothing could be further than the truth. She is a smart lady and realizes that the maths coming out of her $4 Walmart calculator show that my silly little hobby is saving the family tens of thousands in heating costs over the years so far. So I am given the freedom to play with stoves. There aren't many other freedoms I enjoy.

OneDollar - Thanks for the excellent observations.

Just so you know, I too made the pilgrimage to Steve Nolan's little basement shop. I was very interested in the Crawford you bought, but Steve said it was on hold - damn! Anyway, I bought the City Glenwood 12 he had, and went upstairs to admire his other Modern Glenwoods, etc. - we never talked price about those (I've got to watch my pennies, like everyone else).

Steve is a very nice guy - we've been talking a little bit since then. He told me he sold all the remaining stoves to Emery. I asked him if he planned to keep restoring stoves, but haven't heard back yet.

I decided to pursue City Glenwood Oak type stoves based on Emery's very strong recommendation.

Regards - Chris

chrisbuick wrote: I was very interested in the Crawford you bought, but Steve said it was on hold - damn! Anyway, I bought the City Glenwood 12 he had

Chris
Steve was nice enough to hold the stove for me after I couldn't make it down to Avon. Steve is a great guy and I will forever be thankfull that he had enough faith in me to hold the stove. I was halfway out the door to go look at it/buy it and it felt like the everything that could happen to stop me from going happend. So I called Steve and told him what was going on and he offered to hold the stove for me. I did not expect him to do that. One week later and one blizzard later I went down, Larry Trainer met me there and the rest is history. I couldn't believe the shape the stove was in.

The City you bought is a nice stove as well. I almost bought one from a guy down in Plymouth but that little voice in my head said no. Not that there was anything wrong with the stove it just seemed to be a little small and I really wanted a baseheater as well.

The Glenwoods he had (past tense) had my jaw on the floor and that HUGE Army Cannon Heater was another site to behold as well. I would have loved to have bought one of the Glenwoods but that size of a stove is just not practicle in this house.

Also, I picked up a Cabinet Glenwood 8 base unit for $125 last week, it's basically a parts stove, but it was so forlorn looking, I couldn't resist.

Ding, ding, ding.... hopeless addiction alert... a warning to the board.

Geez, let me clue you, once you start humanizing an inanimate object you have entered a zone that even antidepressants can't cure. There is no cure and no hope for you, my sympathies.

The way parts are found for these antique stoves is to occasionally purchase a parts stove. I figured someone could use some of the Cabinet Glenwood parts, if I don't. They're not real common, from what I've determined.

Thanks for the ideas and opinions - Chris