Family Memories in a Blizzard With a Crane 44

It was long ago in the early 80s, when I was but a wee lad, that my family and I were snowed into our New England home with no power. My siblings and I were gathered together yesterday reminiscing about that event.
My father was cooking a pot of peas on the Crane 44 full well knowing none of the kids would ever eat peas. As the hours passed and the blizzard raged on, the dark house and our family kept warm by the stove.
That very same stove has been passed down to me. It now resides in the center of my house where my family still gathers. All of the siblings and now the next generation sit to hear the lore of the blizzard and the Crane 44.

A heart warming story! Your dad was a smart man, and he planned in advance. Imagine how it was in the homes where such planning did not occur.

Nice to hear that you still have the stove, and that you are keeping the tradition (as well as the planning) alive.

RedCrane,Welcome to the forum. You mention that the same stove resides in the center of your house ......does this mean that the chimney is also in the center,& that you still are burning coal in this stove ?? You don't have it sitting there,just looking pretty ,do you ? A coal stove must have coal burning in it every winter or it just becomes a cold hunk of steel.

Nice story RC. It always makes me wonder how we mortals tend to add special dimension to "things" depending on circumstance. The most critical situations demand that the most character traits come forth from "things". Steady heat regardless of circumstance is one for sure. Things like a 57 Chevy, a small pocket adjustable wrench constantly carried, an old Zippo lighter have all provided me with a way out of danger when things were desperate. I can tell a similar story to yours involving a Sears Wherle "Dauntless" parlor heater so I appreciate your tale. There is plenty of information on this forum about the 44, a truly wonderful little stove. Does your's have the stainless steel ring at the base of the refractory by any chance? Mike

Mike, if it is a serrated ring then yes. I would assume it is stainless as anything else would have vaporized by now. We are on the second shaker grate in the life of this stove.

RC, I have never actually seen a picture of the original ring. Apparently they distorted, were removed and just not replaced. It is rather amazing you have one in place. Any chance you could post a picture of it if the stove is ever "down" ? When I get the new refractory bricks installed I would like to put in a ring of some sort to help with the erosion of the lowest part of the refractory liner. I really enjoy these little Cranes. Thanks for posting. Mike

Sure, I am only burning wood in it right now... Waiting on the coal delivery. I will have to clean the ash out tomorrow and will try and get a photo then. I am not sure how good the photo will be as it is a cramped space to try and take a photo. I can try and get a caliper on the edge to get a gauge of the material.

Wow.

Anyone remember the blackout of what year, 1964? I thought the Martians were coming. Was Hilary born that year ?

Here are the photos of the elusive stainless base ring. It appears to be more beat up than I thought. It is .03" thick and 2" wide. It fits in perfectly without any gap.

I think everyone now understands my earlier comment on it being serrated. The beat to hell side goes up in the stove. Makes it interesting trying to get the grate back in.

RC , Thanks for posting that picture. I can see why there is no recovery and reuse of that piece at the time of refractory replacement. With it being only .003 and having wild edges it might be a good idea to check for update tetnus shots, keep some iodine and band aids handy when handling it in tight places. I am guessing at an original dimension of about 1 1/2 inches high. You might want to put that item on a nail high up in the shop because you might have the only one left in the Country. Nice. Mike

Sorry I misread the numbers, My mind is corrected. Mike

There are portions of it that are not trashed, that is where I took the measurements from. When I first typed it in and submitted I did put .003, but corrected my typo. It would be simple enough to have the local shop by me make a new one on their sheet roller.

That is what I was thinking, plus I am thinking about the idea from Doug C. whereby a metal tab could be welded to the angle refractory support brackets to keep the grate in it's assigned position and not wander out into the firebrick as it rotates back and forth. Mike