bennington home heater

[mrbrb]

Thanks for the wood stove recommendations. I ended up stumbling on a couple of these 'bennington home heater' stoves for 100$ each. The smaller one has a bunch of fins welded on it and looks like a sculpture. The larger one weighs 600 lbs. H1 and H2. The larger one, H2, has about 5 cubic feet of firebox and takes 25" wood. Apparently it is an older version of their H2 model, made in 1980. It has a baffle plate that creates about 3" of air space below the top surface. There is also a large internal damper that can be closed with a push/pull handle. I don't quite understand the purpose of the design (why the big baffle plate on the top interior?) 
But I have been testing it. It seems to work best when I get a good hot fire going, load it to capacity with wood, then push the damper handle in and close the flue. The stove itself then increases in temperature, while the flue temperature goes way down. The stove stays around 450 deg for several hours, while the flue is at about 200.
I believe it is really designed as a coal stove. In any case, it is very rugged. I am going to keep messing around and will let you know how it ends up working.



  

  

 

[coxy]

those fins must be an add on from the last owner  :-\    and I like your crane truck  8) 8) what is it  ;D

[Bruno of NH]

Nice stoves .
More pics of the crane truck please :)
Bruno

[thecfarm]

I wonder how all that extra metal helps. I can undersatnd the theory behind it. I like the way it is bent on the bottom to catch the cool air.

[mrbrb]

here are some pictures of the crane, it is a broderson roadrunner MC50.


  

  

  

 

[Holmes]

Sounds like the plate 3" down is giving the stove a gassifying chamber.  That would explain the low stack temp and high stove temp.  You may have ended up with a great stove.  All the metal makes more surface area , the stove will give off more heat.   In baseboard heating systems a 3/4" copper pipe will give off 35 btu's per lineal ft. When the fins are added it will put off 600 btu's per lineal ft, more surface area.

[Bruno of NH]

Love the crane
Bruno

[mrbrb]

actually there is one of those cranes in new hampshire:
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=10666465&dlr=1

[Brokermike]

these are made in my home town by L&G fabricators. Good people. If you need parts just google them up, Leo is a nice guy and can fix anything.

You are correct that many were made with coal grates. Most people burn wood in them and then coal them up at night to get them glowing

[jaygtree]

the baffle, when open, may increase draft on start up.  jg