< $1500 Alternatives to Hitzer 55

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JRLearned
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Post by JRLearned » Thu. Jul. 23, 2015 11:49 am

I'm evaluating the purchase of a Hitzer 55. It looks like a great, no frills hand-fired stove with a price tag that is palatable. 1/4" plate steel, big cast iron grates, deep capacity, bimetal thermostat, 60K BTU output. I haven't found much else in the economy, $1400-$1500, range that is comparable. Does anyone have any alternatives in this price range I should evaluate?

 
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Post by confedsailor » Thu. Jul. 23, 2015 1:05 pm

Wilson coal in NJ just sold my co-worker a DS Machine #1500 Circulator w/the warming shelf for 1500 and some change. Its a 96K BTU stove. They also gave him 240lbs of coal on the house. The Circulator model comes in 2 sizes smaller a 50K and 80K as well. DS Machine doesn't have a much of a website as they are Amish.

http://www.wilsoncoal.com/stoves/ds_stoves.html

 
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Post by warminmn » Thu. Jul. 23, 2015 2:11 pm

The 55 doesnt have that thick of steel. Its maybe 22 or 24 gauge on the sides, unless they recently changed. The critical areas are thicker.

 
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Post by franco b » Thu. Jul. 23, 2015 2:32 pm

The best deal is if KingCoal comes up with something, combining the best of old and new.


 
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Post by KingCoal » Thu. Jul. 23, 2015 9:35 pm

franco b wrote:The best deal is if KingCoal comes up with something, combining the best of old and new.
thank you very much, I appreciate the vote of confidence.

i can currently supply a very limited number of original design Locke 120 stoves, it will take me a yr. to produce more along with a limited number of Warm Morning Model 524 B, 3 flue stoves.

there is considerable recasting on each and they may not be as inexpensive as hoped.

there will be a few configuration options for both and I fully expect them to thoroughly rival the best of the period stoves.

steve

 
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Post by JRLearned » Sat. Jul. 25, 2015 1:04 pm

warminmn wrote:The 55 doesnt have that thick of steel. Its maybe 22 or 24 gauge on the sides, unless they recently changed. The critical areas are thicker.
Are you saying the 55 has walls so thin you could cut it with tin snips??! That would be a major drawback.

Think I saw the 1/4" on the 254 model brochure, not the 55. I've never seen a 55 in person, cause nobody stocks them, special order only.

Can anyone here confirm the actual steel thickness on the 55?

 
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Post by warminmn » Sat. Jul. 25, 2015 1:41 pm

It isnt very thick but I don't know the gauge for sure. It is made thin to transfer more heat, and it has a downdraft built inside to force the heat along the sides of the stove. The doors, top, grate, etc are all thick but not the outer wall. I'm not saying its bad, but they are thin. You may have to call Hitzer and ask what gauge. For whatever its worth, I still think its a good stove. My Dad has one.

 
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Post by KingCoal » Sat. Jul. 25, 2015 2:46 pm

i'm certain the outer heat transfer walls are not "structural" on the 55.

many of the 1900"s era stoves had rolled barrels of 20ish g. steel that lasted A LONG time.


 
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Post by McGiever » Sat. Jul. 25, 2015 5:33 pm

Unfortunately a model 55 has no rolled cylinder body. :)

Just a guess, flat steel sides maybe in and around the range of 9 gauge, plus or minus. :?: :?: :?:

 
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Post by coalder » Sat. Jul. 25, 2015 6:33 pm

99.9% sure 16 GA on the 55 &82 which equates to 1/16 inch. However wouldn't scare me a bit as fire box is totally brick lined; so no coal in direct contact with steel.
Jim.
PS: 3/16 on other models.

 
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Post by SWPaDon » Sat. Jul. 25, 2015 11:14 pm

coalder wrote:99.9% sure 16 GA on the 55 &82 which equates to 1/16 inch. However wouldn't scare me a bit as fire box is totally brick lined; so no coal in direct contact with steel.
Jim.
PS: 3/16 on other models.
Is this on the firebox, or the outer shell?

I personally can't see it on the firebox................but I was wrong once.............I think

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jul. 26, 2015 8:34 am

The firebox is brick lined and has a support frame made out of rugged steel. I had a model 82 that was made the same way, big heat for short $.

 
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Post by KingCoal » Sun. Jul. 26, 2015 8:55 am

i finally looked up the #55 stove so I could see how it's built.

you have nothing to fear with the construction of that stove. it's another pretty good variant of the original Riteway #37 design.

on both stoves, the outer shell is the same gauge steel top to bottom. in the lower area of the side walls the outer shell is also the backer and in direct contact with the brick in the fire pot. each of those stoves also have HUGE radiant area above the fire pot, so the fire pot is directly radiant thru the skin and the skin is one piece so it gets the heat thru the bricks at the bottom and the heat from the exhaust over the whole of the upper stove. simple, brilliant.

the #37 is a BEAST heater fired on coal, with far more potential heat delivery than is claimed. when I ran mine, I kept the bi metal turned completely down to zero and a dime under the tip of the intake flap so it couldn't run over idle and it kept a 1300 s.f. 2 story uninsulated ( as in NONE anywhere ) house with old single hung wood sash windows 72* to 80* depending on how windy it was.

the 55 actually looks to me alot like the DSM New Style Champion stoves which isn't too surprizing either.

when run low and slow enough to meet the comfort level of an appropriately sized and laid out area it will provide decent fuel economy too.

in it's class and price range I don't think there are many current contenders.

steve

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