Weir Stove Co.

 
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deepwoods
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Post by deepwoods » Sun. Oct. 25, 2015 11:33 pm

In case any of the Glenwood owners are interested in where those stoves were made. Most of the complex was demolished in 2009 but someone was thoughtful enough to document the site in later years before the demolition took place. The photos are rather sad to see, but that's progress :(
http://historicdoc.com/pdf/taunton-report.pdf


 
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Photog200
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Post by Photog200 » Mon. Oct. 26, 2015 8:33 am

Dick, thanks for posting that PDF, it was very interesting. I could visualize that warehouse right full of Glenwood stoves!

Randy

 
PJT
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Post by PJT » Mon. Oct. 26, 2015 9:18 am

Wow. Look at those pics and think how busy that place must have been. Times sure change.

Thanks for posting!

 
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Smokeyja
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Post by Smokeyja » Mon. Oct. 26, 2015 9:47 am

Thanks for the post! I am going to print out a decent copy to have with my Glenwood 6 !

 
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Post by stovehospital » Sun. Nov. 01, 2015 9:39 pm

How things change over time. About 5 years ago I bought a really nice Glenwood range from the man who built it. He had spent his whole life working for Glenwood and thought it would last forever. Now it is an empty lot along with O. G. Thomas, White Warner,Leonard and Baker, and Taunton Iron Works. What a sad end to the area that supplied stoves to the whole country. How fast things can change.

 
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Post by jubileejerry » Sun. Nov. 01, 2015 10:08 pm

Thanks for posting those pics! I don't know that place, but looking at the pics made me a little sad and kind of leaves an empty spot inside. We've lost so much in this country. I can't help thinking some day the younger generation will realize something incredible is gone and have a "WTF JUST HAPPENED?" moment.

 
PJT
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Post by PJT » Sun. Nov. 01, 2015 11:29 pm

stovehospital wrote:How things change over time. About 5 years ago I bought a really nice Glenwood range from the man who built it. He had spent his whole life working for Glenwood and thought it would last forever. Now it is an empty lot along with O. G. Thomas, White Warner,Leonard and Baker, and Taunton Iron Works. What a sad end to the area that supplied stoves to the whole country. How fast things can change.
How old must he have been? When did they close Glenwood down?


 
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stovepipemike
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Post by stovepipemike » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 8:07 am

What a wonderful posting. Thank You. It hurts to see these magnificent monuments to mans productivity categorized as obsolete for any modern usage and left to the elements and vandals. I feel the same sadness when riding thru Philadelphia, once called the "Workshop Of The World". These gigantic muscles of industry will never return to the likes of what we see here. The brick and mortise and tenon construction we see so beautifully captured on film here is so labor intensive it cannot possibly fit in the modern price driven world, so glad we at least have pictures. MIke

 
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deepwoods
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Post by deepwoods » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 9:56 am

Exactly :( That is the reason we no longer have the factories. Coal is a niche market for homeowners unlike 100 years ago. Same goes for todays coal stoves. Dont get me wrong I sure am glad coal stoves are still being made but plasma cutters, robotic welding machines, cad-cam and other modern techniques too numerous to mention have taken the place of the skilled hands that once built the fine old Glenwoods. Now days if you're lucky enough to find a Glenwood in restored condition it will set you back at least $3,500. What would a brand new duplicate of any Glenwood model cost?? Just like the mortise & tenon joints in that old building. Today pre-assembled roof trusses made with steel gussetts & glue would be used. A magnificent era has passed. Anybody know what was the last year Glenwood was in business?

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 10:34 am

Some of the old trades have found ways to survive.

We see many examples just on this site of foundries that remake parts for antique stoves. Plating shops that still plate nickel. Plus cast iron welders, machinists, mold making, and cold mold casting.

Kid who worked for me went on to form his own company restoring old barns and converting them into rustic homes. He uses many antique tools and the techniques that were used to originally build the barn.
And he's not alone in that field. Another local salvages the planking and timbers from old barns and sells it contractors throughout the northeast to be reused in rustic-look decorating of homes and businesses.

The demand for antique auto restoration has saved many of the dozens of old trades, plus a lot of the tools and equipment used to originally build and maintain them. Same for the ever growing antique boat restoration industry.

Not all the old skills are lost or only to be seen in a few museums. ;)

Paul

 
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Post by stovehospital » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 8:07 pm

Take a look at the prices of restored old stoves. I restore stoves and sat down one day and compared the prices we charge today with what the stoves cost when new. I was quite surprised to find that the original price and the restored value are almost identical when you price the stoves in gold. A Glenwood E around 1915 cost 2 and a half ounces of gold and a restored one today is about the same.. The stoves and the gold have not changed but our money is in the dumpster.

 
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Post by ddahlgren » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 8:57 pm

The measure of value is not gold or money it is about hours weeks day months that a person lives and trades to gain the item. I have a very small specialty shop and 1 burned circuit board in one machine is a week of work at close to 100 an hour. So forget money and gold think how much of a persons life to own something and you might get a lot closer to real value.

 
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Smokeyja
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Post by Smokeyja » Wed. Nov. 04, 2015 11:53 am

ddahlgren wrote:The measure of value is not gold or money it is about hours weeks day months that a person lives and trades to gain the item. I have a very small specialty shop and 1 burned circuit board in one machine is a week of work at close to 100 an hour. So forget money and gold think how much of a persons life to own something and you might get a lot closer to real value.
I agree with that 100% . It really makes you re-evaluate your life and the amount of time you spend working it away from someone else . The accumulations of stuff is the worst drug of all that I and most others are addicted to. People these days just don't understand what it takes to do anything anymore because most everything is made in a country far far away.

 
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deepwoods
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Other Heating: Ruud propane forced air system

Post by deepwoods » Wed. Nov. 04, 2015 5:13 pm

Now, if only someone could come up with an old photo of one of those production floors full of workers and stoves in various stages of assembly :D I would bet such a photo exists "somewhere".

 
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Post by ddahlgren » Wed. Nov. 04, 2015 5:53 pm

The level of effort in those buildings is amazing from the very high quality staircases and railing to the effort to spread the loads out on joists. Are they still standing or long gone?


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