Town & Country stoves

[ajshall.hall]

Hello,

I'm new here so please forgive if this question has already been answered but I couldn't find the answer so here goes...

Does anyone have any experience of Town & Country wood burning stoves? We are going to fit a stove and had settled on a 4.5kw Clearview but our local fitter sells Town & Country and they are considerably cheaper than the equivalent sized Clearview. T & C are British-made and seem to be very well made with nothing apparently flimsy about their construction so do look promising. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find any reviews of them. There are plenty of reviews, almost entirely favourable, of Clearview stoves so we know that is a safe option and the fitter is happy to get and fit one for us but we'd like to have a Town & Country, if possible, as its shape will fit our fireplace better than the Clearview model.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Mark

[jim]

if your T&C has firebricks inside (and is likely therefore to be made of (poss. some) steel rather than all cast iron) I would personally avoid it and look for a completely "cast iron" one - cast iron performs and lasts better than steel plate in such applications.

cheers jim

[ajshall.hall]

Thanks for the advice, Jim. The T&C certainly has firebricks inside and, from the brochure, appears to be 30+kg lighter than the equivalent Clearview so can't be made of such strong materials. It's looking like we'll be choosing a Clearview...

Thanks again

Mark

[jim]

you're welcome - NB there are countless other brands that offer some (or all) "all cast iron" stoves:- Euroheat aka Effel, Franco Belge I have personal experience of - tho if you're looking for british made then they wouldn't do - Dunsley are in Yorkshire, er... struggling now

- anyone else think of some British cast iron stove manufacturers?

Jim

[The Natural Philosopher]

Really? I have an open fire..it was literally burning the bricks away at the back, so I shoved in a cast iron fireback., Which cracked.

Steel may warp at red heat plus, but it doesn't crack.

[Gordon Henderson]

I have 2 steel stoves with firebricks inside. Well, they're mostly steel.

And there are plenty of British makers if that's your concern. Ours are Stovax - made in Exeter, Devon... And from their brochure:

However, in the 21st Century modern manufacturing technology also permits the use of heavy gauge steel for the body of the stove to be complemented by cast iron doors and firebox components.

Accordingly, the Stovax Stockton range combines the advantage of both materials to offer superb performance and value for money.

Personally, I think there's a certain "snob" value in going for all cast-iron, but maybe that's just me :)

Our stoves are modern, affordable and if they wear out in 25 years time, then we'll replace them. (Although I don't expect them to)

Gordon

[jim]

mmm......they don't say.....also much cheaper to weld it up out of steel plate, stick some bricks in to protect that steel cos it *can't* cope with the heat by itself, bolt some twiddly bits on and shift 'em

- I expect

also for a given size (OP has space to fit in) steel & firebrick stoves offer less space for the fire - due to the essential firebrick lining so less heat output per ft3.....

also firebricks are consumable items - how much are the replacements for Stovax etc??

Anyone owning up to having a warped steel stove or indeed a cracked cast iron one (just for the OP's interest you understand;>)

Jim

[Gordon Henderson]

If you say so.

I'm losing about 20mm each side with the firebricks installed. Hardly significant in volume terms.

About 14 quid each, so I need 4 for the big one, and 2 for the little one. How often? I've no idea, but having just given the big one a good spring clean out, it's not showing any signs of wear or deterioration, but maybe I'll treat it to new door ropes before next winter. (but you'd be doing that on a cast iron one anyway)

Our livingroom one is 8.5Kw output and it's been good and hot more than once (not quite glowing though!) it's in it's 4th year now.

My office one is a 3.5Kw one - only a few months old though.

Gordon

[jim]

I have and so have others. Are you a shareholder?

every little helps. doesn't it have them at the back too? if not what does it have there?

got a weblink? ISTR for some models they are oddly shaped and are (naturally) more expensive....

new door ropes? hope not a slight warp around the opening :>)

NB never needed anything yet on either of my CI ones (5 and 3 yrs on) ;>)

cheers jim

[ajshall.hall]

...

Thanks for all the thoughts, chaps. We've decided to go with the Clearview which is welded steel. Time will tell how good it is but, we've lived with a small open fire for 20 years and all the woodburners we've seen seem to chuck out a lot more heat than that ever did so I think we'll be happy. Not if it warps or cracks in five years though!

All the best and thanks again for your help and advice.

Mark

[Gordon Henderson]

Where? Certinaly not in this thread..

No. Just a happy owner.

The stoves have a rating, and we bought them to that rating (8.5KW and

3.5KW) and not to their internal volume - and while I've never measured it (which is probably had to do in a domestic environment), they perform as I expected them to perform in the rooms they're in. (Actually, they perform a bit too well, but I'm not complaining about that)

No, they're not at the back. They have an air intake system there, but I won't go into the details. Look it up yourself if you are intersted.

I don't think a rectangle is oddly shaped, and you know how to use google, don't you? If you don't belive me, look it up yourself, or call Stoxax directly - their website is

They are cast iron doors with pyrex glass - you tell me if they're going to warp...

Well done. Door rope is a consumable as far as I'm concerned. Just part of the on-going care and maintenance. Their needing replacing isn't something I'm overly concerned about.

Gordon

[jim]

use google and look it up yerself...........

indeed sadly there's only you and me bothering in this thread anymore :>)

yeah yeah yeah I meant for *some* other makes and/or *some* other models i.e. a watch out tip for the OP - not just for flaming you.....calm down for f's sake!

well exactly - that's only the door - I said "warp around the opening"

- not the door itself...never mind

anyhow the OP has made his choice and paid his money

enough now said

cheers Jim

[ajshall.hall]

It was the door on the Clearview that persuaded my wife that it seemed much netter made and stronger than the Town & Country model. She said that as soon as she opened the Clearview, she could tell it was much heavier duty so we'll have to see whether it lives up to expectations.

Yes and thanks again for the help. I've got to get busy with the chainsaw now.... Mark