People are turning to antique wood stoves to help them achieve these goals.In the modern age, many people are attracted by the thought of becoming more independent, getting off of the power grid, and becoming more mindful of how how heat and cooking sources can affect the environment. To this end, many these days are going back to a traditional source of heating and cooking – wood, and the antique wood stoves that made it all possible. Having the independent ability to cook and heat one’s home without relying on an electrical company; turning towards a renewable resource such as wood in consideration of the environment; these are just some of the reasons people are buying antique wood stoves in droves.
{One of the reasons for the growing popularity of antique wood stoves is simply the fact that modern wood burning stoves are quite expensive, often running 2000 dollars or more.} It is often cheaper simply to find one in the back of a barn somewhere and pay to have it restored, or refurbish it on ones own.It can be a great deal less expensive to simply buy an antique, restore it yourself, and be done with it. Modern wood cooking stoves are indeed available, but since so few companies make them, the cost is often very high – upwards of $2,000.00.
A lot of people simply enjoy antiques, and buy wood stoves with no intention of ever actually burning something in them.These old stoves aren’t just for cooking or heating though. You will often find them in tourist stops, restaurants and bars, hotels, museums, and other places where the public congregates. The fact is, these stoves are often quite beautiful, and add an aesthetic dimension to wherever they happen to be located.
But most of us in the market for an antique wood stove do actually intend to use them for the purpose they were made. We wish to cook our meals with them as well as heat our homes. This relates to a very old tradition in this country. For over 200 years, people used wood cook stoves to both cook their meals and warm there homes; this is why the phrase “hearth and home” came to be such a popular one. The stove was often the center attraction in any home, where people gathered to get warm and socialize.
It isn’t surprising that antique wood stoves are coming back into common use. Once you have chopped your own wood, seasoned it, then used it to heat your home as well as cook with, there really isn’t any going back to modern appliances. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes with doing these things yourself is hard to find elsewhere. And the old cast iron of these stoves is the perfect medium to do these things; the heat simply lasts for hours, and the consistent temperature produced makes it a great surface to cook on as well.
The old stove tops had either four or six burner plates directly over the firebox; technically those with 6 burners are termed a range rather than a wood stove, but this old distinction isn’t made very much any more, except amongst aficionados of antique wood stoves.
Another feature you will find on many antique wood stoves include doors on both sides of the stove, for baking and roasting. Having doors on both sides came in very useful, as the stove often stood in the middle of a room so as to better heat the house. Having doors on both sides of the stove meant greater ease of use and accessibility; it also allowed 2 people to be using the stove at the same time.
Many of these old wood stoves have warming ovens, consisting of either shelves or a roll top unit on the top of the stove. The smoke pipe would go through this separate area, making it just the right temperature for either keeping food warm or for warming up left-overs – very convenient, as the rest of the meal was cooking just below.
The finial is another feature you can find on some antique wood stoves, but my no means all. The finial is a false top to the stove, meant to give a decorative appearance, but more often than not this was discarded or lost, as it simply got in the way of cooking. For collectors, however, or those interested in maintaining an authentic history, the finial may be of some importance. If purchasing from a private party, you may wish to inquire about the finial if it isn’t attached to the stove; they will often have it tucked away in a corner of the garage or basement.
Once you have determined that antique wood stoves are the way to go for you, you’ll need to make a decision: Should you purchase an original, or buy a replica instead? When you purchase an original, chances are you may end up doing some refurbishing work, so take that into consideration. For originals, replacement parts can be pretty hard to come by, unless you purchase one of the more widely available models. When you buy a replica, you don’t have to think about these issues, as replacement parts are readily available – but you won’t get the investment value or sense of history that comes with owning authentic antique wood stoves either.
If you’re thinking about buy an antique wood stove take a look at Bruno Antique Stoves. You might also need antique stoves parts for a stove you own like antique stove handles.