10-yr. old lopi woodstove

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We have the chance to buy a 10 year-old Lopi, lg.,step-top model stove, double-door w/ cracked glass (etched, hummingbird design,) one teapot stain on top, otherwise seeming good condition, maybe a few missing or broken firebricks(?)inside, $350.00. Is this a good buy? Can you advise what to look and look out for? Thank you.

-- mary from cent. ca. (mobc@neteze.com), March 18, 2002

Answers

Find out the glass replacement cost before you decide if its a good deal.

-- Gary in Ohio (gws@columbus.rr.com), March 18, 2002.

If what you mean by "cracked glass" is just a single hairline crack across the window, I would not worry about it. If anything, all it will do is allow a litle more air into the firebox....smoke or flames will not exit a hairline crack.

A new large model Lopi will cost over $1000, maybe even close to $1500. IMHO, you have found a good deal. There isn't much that could go wrong with this type of woodstove. It is essentially a metal box with secondary combustion tubes along the top of the firebox. Just make sure all of the tubes are there and not bent or crushed.

Lopi stoves are still manufactured so you shouldn't have a problem getting any parts.

-- Cabin Fever (cabinfeverMN@yahoo.com), March 18, 2002.

Sounds like a great deal to me Mary. I'd suggest buffing off the stain with some fine sandpaper as well as the rest of the stove and giving it a paintjob with some high temp stove paint. It'll cost you under 10 bucks and the stove will look like new. I would replace the glass. If it's cracked , it's been stressed and will likely deteriorate more. the glass is not that expensive and relatively easy to replace. soak the screws holding the glass in with penetrant before removing them and there will be less chance of twisting one off. Be sure to use a new gasket when reinstalling the new glass. check the gasket on the door by closing the door on a dollar bill.(or a 100 if you have it) If it pulls out easily with the door closed, its time to replace the gasket. Chip out the old gasket cement and replace it with the correct diameter rope gasket for your stove. The secondary air tubes in the firebox really help achieve a clean burn so if any of them are damaged they should be replaced. They are inexpensive, about 3 or 4 bucks each. A push pin on the end is all that holds them in. Pull the pin , slide the tube to the side and out they come. After wire brushing the inside of the firebox, look for warpage or cracks. Unlikely with a Lopi but possible if it was overfired. We just installed our 3rd Lopi about three weeks ago and the cats are as pleased as we are with it.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), March 18, 2002.

Thanks for the great input. I will do as you suggest, check out those things that need checking and look forward to gettin' toasty. Thanks again, and God bless.

-- mary (mobc@neteze.com), March 19, 2002.

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