Saved from the scrap yard, worth saving?

[diggerdirect]

Hi all, I was at a fallen down old farm where there were a couple fellas loading pick ups with metal, ect. thats laying all over. Looking around I seen this old 'stove?'. Heard there was a blacksmith setup here in the old days and wondered if this was anything to it? Didn't know if it was worth saving but I did anyhow just to ID what it is (was). Has grates in the bottom and a door that opens up in the top.

Any thoughts welcome!

[diggerdirect]

One more photo

[John Newman, Jr.]

I've had experience with these before. It is a water heater. My grandparents (dad's side) & parents both had one in the basement. Gramma's had long ago been disconnected from the tank and all other parts were gone, but the flue was still connected and it heated up the basement nicely on cold winter days. The one in my parent's basement was funtional and we actually used it when our gas water heater went out one time. Dad had left the tank for this hooked up to 'pre-heat' water before it got to the gas heater because the tank was right next to the furnace and that part of the basement was always nice & warm.
The top dome is double walled with a water jacket inside. There should be another pipe connection on the back for the water inlet and the outlet is shown in your pictures 4 & 5.
I don't know how common the term was, but dad called it a "Monkey Stove"

[diggerdirect]

Thanks for the information John, the upper part is double walled and another connection on the backside, as you said.
One 'mystery' find is solved!

Guess I'll have to poke around more to find the blacksmith area!

[OTTO-Sawyer]

Interesting FIND !

Would make a neat addition to a workshop with it hooked up radiant heating in the floor.

[Case441]

Yes it is a water heater, we had one in the cellar of the old farm house we bought in 59'. My friends and me took it out of the cellar around 61' and put it in our tree house for heat. It worked great even in the winter.

Brad

[JeffK]

Here on Long Island I think they are called a [shovel a day] heater. My old friend who grew up with one says you just stoke it with a shovel of coal and its good all day.

[KidDynamo]

I'd have picked it up in a New York minute! Its got my name on it!

[sqm1]

They work great had one hook up in our old hunting camp for heat and hot water. Just feed it coal a little pain to drain down but kept it cozy. Still have the stove but not the camp.
Nice find
Joe

[diggerdirect]

would anyone have a drawing or information on hooking one of these up? I have a camp that could use it, there is currently a well/pump, plumbing, water system in place but only when the generator is running. Would this work as an add on to a normal pressurized system or as a stand alone gravity fed system?

I guess I'm just not following how this stove/heater works.

[John Newman, Jr.]

In operation, it would be very similar to a tank cooled engine with no water pump - The water would circulate through the heater by thermo syphon. You then need a way to bring cold water in and draw the hot water off. My memory is not the greatest, but I think the diagram below would work....
Don't forget to include a way to drain it down so it doesn't freeze when not in use.

[sqm1]

Don't forget a pressure relief valve

Joe

[Windables]

got one here sitting in my cellar they were common here in pennsy twas called a bucket a day some had all brass jackets on top the cute one is the one with the two flat round lids and stak at the top back my 2 cents