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How do I restore a cast iron wood burning stove
 "Jacobs Manufacturing" stove
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 "Brand Stove Co."
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Hi,
Me and my brother in law are trying to restore an old cast iron wood burning stove and have no idea on how to do it. The whole piece is completely covered in rust. So any info on how to restore this piece would be appreciated.
Heather P [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Hartford, Michigan
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Ahh yes wood stoves. This is how I started in the metal finishing business. Sure wish I had a sandblaster then because that is the best way to knock off the old rust and get to parent metal. We use to use wire wheels on drills, brutal, and should have worn better dust masks. This a "pot belly" or a cook stove?
Be careful of some of the old cook stoves (really not the so old ones) as they had asbestos insulation. A lot of the pot bellies had a sheet metal jacket, usually corrodes away and has to be replaced, best to drill out the old rivets.
Most important if you are going to use it is the condition of the grates and the fire box. Cast iron is a son of a gun to weld well. Some of the trim may have been nickel plated and it can be hard in this day and age to find a job shop that can or will polish and nickel plate the parts (not chrome) and that is how I ended up in the plating business -- good young man's sport.
Jon Quirt- Fridley, Minnesota
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This conversation is interesting to me because I also am trying to restore cast irons stoves -- all 3 of them that belonged to my grandmother. Have received a little bit of information from a couple iron workers and am working with a sandblaster for the most badly rusted pieces, but otherwise just going about it rather blindly. I am surprised that there is so little information on the Web about how to do this.
Any feedback that anyone could provide would be appreciated.
Charol A [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Doylestown, Pennsylvania
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I am attempting to restore a old wood stove that has rust from dampness all over it. Started with steel wool to get it off but don't know if there is a easier, faster way since it is inside and out and in so many small places?
Robbie C [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Grants Pass, Oregon
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I'm really interested in what y'all are saying. I too am trying to restore a wood stove that I found in an abandoned shanty. It is a big one, a Glenwood and is really dirty. The entire thing was one gigantic mouse nest when I found it. I have disassembled it partially and am stuck as to what to do next. Perhaps clean out the rest of the mouse nest... My goal is to get it into working condition but that doesn't seem very plausible as there is petrified mouse poop stuck all over the inside. Any ideas as to how to get the poop out? I would greatly appreciate it. My next step is to go and talk to some antique dealers in the area to figure out how to go about taking apart the pieces. Does anyone know what it means to burn the bolts? I saw that mentioned and tried to look it up but couldn't get a definitive answer. Good luck with all your projects. Alice H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Fairlee, Vermont |
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Hello, Alice. "Burning the bolts" probably refers to cutting them with an acetylene torch because they are too rusted to unscrew. Good luck
+++ I clean cast iron skillets by soaking them in lye water but if a piece is too large to get into a bucket, I use oven cleaner. Dorthea B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Cheyenne, Wyoming +++ Please do it carefully, with goggles [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] on I hope, recognizing that one drop of lye in your eye will blind you.
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I am responding to "Alice H" question on how to clean of the mouse poop from her stove. I don't know how big this stove is but why don't your place the stove outside in a clear and safe spot away from anything that will burn and light a small fire in the stove. This would heat the stove to the point were it would burn off anything stuck on.
....Just a thought..
Cliff C [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
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In response to inquiries about restoring old wood burning stoves I will share the following process. I have over the years restored several stoves in fact I am working on one now. The process is straight forward and anyone can do most of it. Some steps you will need to get help with but your cost will be greatly reduced if you do all you can yourself. #1 Disassemble the stove. Remove the rivets with a air chisel [Adv. air chisel [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]]. Plating - Orem, Utah |
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Why don't folks electrolytically convert the rust? Drop the rusty bit in some water with washing soda [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] (in a plastic tub). Plug in your automotive battery charger [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] and attach the positive to some re-bar in the same water, the negative to the item that needs to be de-rusted. Just don't let the re-bar and the rusty piece of metal touch. Go read a good book and come back a few hours later. The rust wipes off with no trouble at all and non-rusty metal is completely unaffected. It will remove paint. I'm de-rusting and re-enameling an 80 year old stove this way and it's effortless. You don't have to work so hard!
Heidi D [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]self-employed - Bay Area, California
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I, too, am in the process of refinishing an old wood burning cookstove. I was advised to have all of the parts sandblasted, and then paint everything with Stove Paint [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]. It comes in a spray can, or brush on. I'm wondering if it might work best to use a bit of each. Has anyone got any advice for me? Mary H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Saxtons River, Vermont ++++ I am currently looking to clean up our cast iron wood stove. It seems to be in pretty good shape almost everywhere. The problem is that we just redid our kitchen and our stove is now in the corner of it. During the demolition and construction, the stove accumulated a lot of dust, a little rust, and a couple specks of paint on the top of it. How can I clean that up? Is it as easy as wire brushing it and repainting? Hollie W [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Danville, Kentucky +++++ Hi. I just came across your stove restoration questions, many of which were my own, and then discovered this link to an article from washing soda [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] called "Wood-burner Restoration." Maybe it will help:
- Kansas City, Missouri Ed. note, June '07: Sorry, that link is no longer functional. +++++ Hi there. Homeowner - Tarrytown, New York |
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Hello all:
I'm looking into placing a pot belly stove outside on my deck under a gazebo.
How do they weather? I live in Ontario.
Anything special I need to do to prolong the life of it.
If a pot belly stove is not a good idea any suggestions?
Thanks,
vancouver - Canada
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WELL I HAVE READ MOST OF THE letterS (E-MAIL) AND HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT EVERYONE IS MAD. FIRST OF ALL THE MOST DIRECT APPROACH IS TO ACCESS THE STOVE AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. IF IT IS RUSTY, SO WHAT? IT WILL BURN OFF WITH A GOOD HOT FIRE. IF BOLTS ARE IN BAD CONDITION, REPLACE THEM. NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM IS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF GETTING DIRTY AND TAKING THE DIRT BY THE HORNS. I HAVE RESTORED STOVES THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY SHOULD BE SOLD FOR SCRAP..........ANSWER.... HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE. GOOD LUCK AND QUIT WHINING!
Gary V [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Ashland, Ohio
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In a response to Sam S from Utah I like how you cut right through. a simple 1-2-3 works just fine with most people. did the same. my uncle has a antique business of his own and basically has the same formula.
Loralee K [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Chico, California
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I bought a home with a wood burning stove, which I intend to use as a heat source. Upon firing the stove, I realized that the unit had been painted with non-heat resistant enamel. The smell was terrible and the paint curled and peeled in some places. Is removing the stove and sand blasting the only option for me?
Donna H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Cumberland, Maryland
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I have 3 wood stoves in my cabin, 2 for heat and 1 is a kitchen stove. all of my stoves were made in the 1800 and were pretty rusted when I bought them. with each "refinishing" job I used 000 steel wool [linked by editor to product info at Rockler] because the rust does not have to be "blasted off" I then wiped my stoves down with good old soap and water and let them dry. my next step was stove polish for black cast iron stoves... brand name is "Rutland Stove Polish [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]"... rub this on... NOT TOO THICK let it dry and use 000 steel wool [linked by editor to product info at Rockler] to polish... fire the stove good and hot...this bakes the polish in...it will smoke just a little, and walla it is done... (this took me less than a day to do)
Oh and by the way blasting the bolts is referring to using a blasting agent... "PB Blaster [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]"... you spray this on and it eats away the rust that has froze up just about any bolt... however do not use this as a rust remover for it is very greasy
My newest stove is a 1901 Loth's liberty cook stove I use this daily and the polish is fantastic! this thing sat outside for years, and had a solid rust surface throughout... I did I as I described and now own a beautiful antique stove that I am proud of!
- Salem, Virginia
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No sense in going overboard if your stove isn't in real bad shape. Taking the whole thing apart and sand-blasting it takes a lot more time and money, not too mention its messy (which means you can either get sand all over your house, or you can lug that heavy stove into the yard...a real pain either way). A drastic overhaul is only really necessary if: a) The stove is completely covered in thick rust and looks like it was sitting in saltwater for the last 10 years, or b) You get your advice from someone who is in the business of reconditioning stoves and wants your money.
If it just needs some basic refinishing, don't spend all that time and money! You just need 3 things:
1) steel wool [linked by editor to product info at Rockler] (start coarse if needed, then go with more fine wool)
2) High temp paint (One brand has already been recommended in this thread)
3) Good old fashioned ELBOW GREASE (the rust isn't just going to come off like magic, you've got to work at it and show it who's boss. Accept that fact and deal with it).
- Madison, Wisconsin
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Most of us like the magic answers. Good to hear the ones with experience. I myself was given a Glacier Bay wood stove that is not really bad with rust. Just want to clean it up, and protect it so I get many years of use. Plan on trying the steel wool, & Rutland Stove Polish [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]. Makes the most sense for the level of rust I'm dealing with.
Kevin T [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Baltimore, Maryland
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Regarding finishing old cast-iron stoves, most of the general information herein is correct. From personal trial and error, I can say what has worked well for me and what hasn't.
I live in the Ohio Valley, very humid summers, damp winters. The stoves I have worked on have had moderate to severe rust, from surface rust that is powdery to deep, scale-type rust. Steel wool works best, if you have time and want a long term project. Sandblasting is cost prohibitive, in my opinion, unless you have the equipment and time. I have found that an angle-grinder mounted wire brush or drill-mounted wire brush is best. Go with stiff and first over entire area of the stove, and then go with a more flexible wire brush (Can be bought at Home Depot,for ex). Then, quick rub down with steel wool. I am a fan of old fashion stove polish (black) that uses waxes and pigments to cure and seal the surface. I guess you can use high-temp paint, but I never have on cast iron. I have used high-temp paint on pot-metal stoves, but I think they smell really bad when first lit in the winter, and they tend to smell for several burnings. The classic finish that one is used to seeing on cast iron comes from black stove polish or paste (Rutland seems to make a good product). Fire the stove after applying polish and the stove will cure itself ( a little smell, but it's non-toxic per label). Any steel bolts or nuts can be used to replace worn ones. Non-stainless stove pipe rusts easily too, so check your stove pipes frequently for holes, weak joints, etc. The next important restoration or maintenance issue is the firebox, the seals, and air controls. Make sure inside is relatively free of rust scale (not necessary, but looks better), and check firebricks for cracks. Don't overfire any stove, and burn only what's meant to be burned (i.e. don't burn coal in a wood stove). Only burn wood that is cured and has a low moisture content. Good luck.
- Prospect, Kentucky
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