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Here's my story: bought an old house back in 2000. To my surprise I found a Chambers model B highback, unfortunatly not in the house, but in old dilapidated garden shed with an open face on the front side. Sadly, this beauty has been sitting out there for unknown years, guessing at least 5 by the time i saw it. It was out of the rain but not from the humidity which has taken a considerable toll on the interior surfaces and burners. I've since brought it in to a workshop i've built and pondered it's future. A few years ago my wife and i thought we would try to renovate it for our kitchen. Before you wince at the thought, i've many years in repairing all sorts of things. kinda jack of all trades, but of course master of none. I've certainly never worked on an antique stove before, so i was naturally intrigued. I removed the outer surfaces with the idea i'd get it to a point to be cleaned up and possibly refinished. The porcelain surfaces are alright but everything else is rusted to a large degree, not so brittled that it's fatiguing but good and rusty. I realized i had a Mount Everest of renovation in front of me. I wasn't even really interested in a thorough reno for reselling it as much as just having a cool old stove for the house...well, let's just say i've stayed at base camp this whole time, deciding i'd better get some advise and research about finishes, gas lines, etc.. Then life got in the way, so i've had it wrapped up for quite a while. I've recently had a chance to work on it again, only now the house plans do not include it anymore and i'm stuck a half disassembled nightmare. I don't know of any alternative to an expensive re-enameling the interior surfaces. The gas lines, valves, fittings, etc. no doubt need an intensive overhaul. Chrome on the stove top will be predictably expensive. It would be nice to do a nice renovation on it but the money and motivation isn't there anymore.
So what should i do, put it back together and try to get what i can for it, or leave unassembled and sell it as is? I'm sure some parts are salvageable. If someone were to renovate it I would 've saved them a least a few days of work. I simply don't know what to think anymore. I hindsight i should've left it untouched, sorry collectors, but this is the situation now, so please let me know what are some options, not just for resale but for renovation on the cheap. It's just a shame the previous owner was so thoughtless.It would've been great to experience what you have written about oyur stoves.
sincerely sad, Will
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Where are you at Will? Perhaps I can come over and take that poor dinosaur off your hands? What color is it?
Gasseous
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Read the old threads on this board. Renovating these stoves is not expensive. I had my chrome top redone at a local chrome shop for $100, to a mirror finish. Gigi's Hollydale Appliance does awesome reporcelain work on the burners grates and drip pans for a song. Re-greasing the valves is a simple task and very cheap. Cleaning and/or replacing the gas lines is also quite cheap.
The big expense is your time.
