It takes two hands to operate my stove door

That tells me that either the stove you were looking at is wrong, or Kimberley's stove is wrong.
I'll take door #2.
So much for the response she got from ESW, eh?

 

Yep, you are right. I did not realize the stove had a cast iron door. I have had steel stoves for so long now that I do not even think about any wood stove door being made of anything else but of course it is a very common way to do it. And you are right about the mold; they cast them from a pattern, and it would not be reasonable to expect them to make a new pattern for one door.

I personally would not recommend welding cast iron anyway; it can be done and I have done it but it is often a flawed, weak weld due to the nature of trapped materials in teh original casting and the fact that one has to use a different material (nickle) to weld it. Cast iron CAN be readily brazed or silver soldered but again, it would take cutting off the hinge ears, machining everything flat and square, or at least a nice job by hand, and a lot of torch to heat a piece of iron that large to braze it. Possible but not practical.

I think your idea is probably good one for a practical, time efficient fix. The next one I would try would be a rod riding above the rod currently in the stove, attached by welding or even bolts down from the top but that again would take more equipment, time and skill than your solution so all things considered, without actually seeing the stove (Internet diagnosis and repair is really tough).

Again, sorry to hear about this and best of luck finding a simple but workable and permanent solution.

Brian

 

Yeah, I have a mental image of you standing in the store, pulling the rod for two minutes and that is funny, so you probably did look funny.

Brian

 

Was it my Madison 02 model; the larger one, and not the 01? Easy to tell, one, the size, two, welded hinges, three, ash pan is in the front and not the side.

 

And don't worry about that dent in your new car sitting on the lot; just beat it out and drive it after all. It this was a used stove I brought off Craig's List, then all these suggestions about grinding here and bending that and so forth would be perfectly fine.

 

Then just why are you posting all this if you don't want help or solutions?

Are you hinting for another stove?

 

Well, you drove it off the lot, she ain't new no mo...and the manufacturer seems to have told you to pound salt...so at this point you can bellyache about it, or fix it...

 

And that's what I like about bending the tip of the rod...quick and easy to do...and its not difficult or expensive to bend back or replace with new if you want to go back...

 

We've offered some relatively simple fixes, some more so than others. If the retailer or maker won't make it right, it doesn't matter where it came from.

If it were mine,
1) I'd see if there were room to drill another hole 1/2" higher.
2)If the lever needs to rotate, determine how much. If it needs to rotate 90°, I'd slide a pipe onto it and bend it 1/2" up and on a 45° angle so when rotated the opposite way, it would still be on a 45. At least with a bend on it you'd know what position the rod was in at a glance

 

Dam. You guys are harsh

 

Tough love...

 

I have bought and use two Englander products and have dealt with their service department for somewhat major issues on the first stove (incomplete welds) along with a few minor cosmetic issues and the second product also had a few minor cosmetic issues.

They were contacted and remedied all problems in a most proficient manner and very short time frame. The poor welds were proven by pics and sub-contracted out to a local weld shop with the completion showing the results of the local shop's work. Immediately refunded for that cost.


The minor cosmetic flaws were also addressed although it was fixed by sending repairs/replacements through the mail/ups/etc.

The service department was very professional and accommodating along with being helpful and pointed out what I was doing wrong and right.

I would buy form them again in a heartbeat with 100% confidence.

 

Meh...from-form, feet-feed...

 

And all these years i thought it was frum.

 

Actually, I probably will need to take the stove to a local shop that can repair it properly; not me grinding and bending things. I have already stated that I don't have welding skills. The top hinge will need to be removed and then welded back on in the proper place. Proper repairs, not some jerry-rig that still won't be correct. Either do it right or don't do it at all.

Years ago I built a deck for my sister; I got one of the corners off and did not notice until I went to attach the stairs and they would not align properly. The guy I got to help me with the job wanted to just jerry-rigged it. I said no, we have to tear out the section that is wrong and make it right. He got upset and walked off the job. Fine with me. I made it right and then attach the stairs. That is the way I do things.

 

Fixed it

 

Exactly, and that is what I am going to have to do. I have already sent the photos of the hinges to ESW and I am sure they will help me to make it right.