Potbelly stove repair

[backroad]

Not quite sure where to post this but please don't flame me it's my first post.

I've acquired this nice old potbelly cast iron stove, but it's broke all the way around the bottom about 2-3 inches up the 8" bell.. I'm not even going to try welding the cast iron. I'm looking at drilling about 5-6 pairs of holes around the circumference and add some steel straps and bolts and then hopefully braise the entire broken area. That being said I'd like to find a product to pour or trowel into the bottom to help reinforce the break and stabilize the heat in that area. Maybe even find some useable thin firebrick to shed the heat a strengthen. Any ideas or thoughts. I already have a nice little Osburn wood stove but wouldn't mind using the antique. I'm only heating 1,000 sq ft. THANX......

[crashdive123]

Sounds like a cool project. I was thinking that a coating of refractory cement on the inside over the repaired area might make it safer to run after repairs.

[randyt]

I would try "furnace cement" it's available at most hardware's in a tub. Brazing is a good way to repair cast. I use the coated rod but also dip it in borax as I'm brazing.

[backroad]

How thick can the "cement" be applied. I would also add some "fire brick" on top.

[randyt]

I've applied it a half inch thick. Putting fire brick on top should be no problem.

[sofasurfer]

I used to repair old pot bellys. Use furnace cement or retort cement. Harder than a rock and seals it up real nice. I once had a stove with a 4 inch hole in the cast iron atthe bottom of the burner. Filled it in a ground it to shape with a high speed grinder. The grinder took forever to do the job cause it was so hard.

[hunter63]

Would be interesting to see pic's of the fix-in-process.
Patched a of box stove with flat pieces of steel plate, one on each side of the burned out seam, bolted together.

Never tried brazing anything that big......but the furnace cement is really handy stuff.

[1stimestar]

Oh so interesting. I too would love to see pictures. I love the stuff I learn on this site!

[backroad]

I'll probably pick the stove up next week when I get over the crud. I will take pictures of the progress and will probably need some advice along the way.

[randyt]

I have a lot of cast misc repaired with straps and bolts. I have a old cast box wood stove that I repaired with braze rod. I had to make up a missing piece. I use it to smoke deer hides.

[1stimestar]

I'll probably pick the stove up next week when I get over the crud. I will take pictures of the progress and will probably need some advice along the way.

Great thanks. Oh hope you get over the crud soon. Around here Blaze Kings are big sellers. I don't know why they are so popular as they are as plain and ugly as all get out, just a square box. Must be their catalytic converters... Once I buy my own place, I will have a cute, pretty, or at least interesting stove one way or another. And that way may end up restoring an old broken one.

[backroad]

001.jpg002.jpg

Got to thinking that I had taken a couple of bad pictures of the potbelly already and also of a cookstove we recently picked up.

OLD STOVE 002.jpg

[crashdive123]

Cool looking stoves.

[randyt]

nice stoves!!

[Rick]

Jim Dandies! I like old things getting a new life.

[hunter63]

Very cool.....will be watching progress....Thanks for the pic's.

[backroad]

I just hope I'm not in over my head on either. Parts are basically not avalable and I'll have to fabricate anything else needed, which of course doesn't matter all that much since they are to be users and not a restoraton project. the part that concerns me on both the potbelly and the cookstove is adapting parts for the flue and stack.

[1stimestar]

Oh I love both of them but especially the pot belly. It's gorgeous! Can't wait to see the progress on it. Hope you can fix it to be usable.

[Rick]

I don't know if this is a resource for you or not but thought I'd post it.

http://stovehospital.com/

[hunter63]

These boys are high buck........but might be a starting point.....