Woodbutchers 109 Breathes flame!

[doug hodder]

Some others had asked where I was on this project so....here's the stove that Steve so graciously sent me in Nov. It's a Prentiss Wabers model 109 circa 1928-32. I'd like to personally say that it was a great gift that he bestowed upon me, thanks so much Steve. Since it came from another forum member and due to it's age...I'm taking extra pains to make sure it's just as perfect as I can do. Here's the before pic.



Right now, it has been degreased, stripped, blasted, tank cleaned, straightening on the sheetmetal as best as can be done, many of the parts polished and repainted. Fabbed my own new cup for the pump I had some acrylic enamel custom mixed to match the color. Still need to paint up the box. I haven't touched the fuel tank yet, until I have the copy stencil situation squared away, which is being worked on by another forum member.

The plan is to really "deluxe" it. The higher end stoves had the cast iron grate on them, and since it's going to be more of a toy and a demonstrator as opposed to a user, I'm going to dress it up with some nickel acorn nuts on the leg and fuel tank attachments. Not exactly kosher, but it's not a big deal to swap them out with a regular screw. I had to drill out some rivits to get the legs off so they need to be replaced. Plan is to bush them with some nylon washers so that it doesn't mark up the finish when completed. This stove along with the 2E and the AGM 4 will be the "flagships" of my collection. Pre War stuff is the best, as are the forum members here! Doug

[Wolffarmer]

Nice looking stove Doug. Looking forward to seeing the finale results.

Randy

[Mark72]

lookin' good Doug! I would be interested in a copy of that stencil!

Mark

[Zollinger]

Wow! Looks great.

[Woodbutcher]

Looks like you are doing a first class job. I'm glad your enjoying the project. It makes me happy the stove will be appreciated. I know I would not do it justice. I look forward to seeing it all done!

[doug hodder]

Here's where it is as of tonight. I still need to do up the fuel tank on it, but am waiting till I have a stencil for the copy before I strip/paint the tank. Where I drilled the rivits for the legs I capped a screw with a brass acorn nut for a little bling.

Partway through the painting, I found that the acrylic enamel wasn't going to do the job, at least out of a rattle can, so I redid it all with an alkyd enamel with a hardener and sprayed it with the detail gun. Good gloss on it, but it's impossible to get every little wrinkle out of a thin sheet metal box like this, at least it is for me and I wasn't going to put any bondo into it since there could be heat/cool cycles on it.

What's cool I think is that it is entirely possible that this stove, being new at the time, maybe had people cooking on it and discussing the antics of Bonnie and Clyde or John Dillinger/Capone especially since it came from Chicago.

It's a real sweatheart of a stove! Doug

[cherokeegeorge]

WOW, nicely done

[Wolffarmer]

Looking good Doug

It also could have been used during and after WWII. A bit of relaxation for the folks at home and camping trips/picnics with returning vets.

My dad is almost 86 and the past month he has started to talk more about his experiences in the Pacific theater. He was one of the soldiers that liberated the Civilian Internment Camp at Santo Thomas University in Manila. He was later seriously wounded. I found out yesterday that in a fight while clearing a building in Manila a bullet grazed him across the chest leaving a scratch. He also admitted that they didn't take prisoners.

Randy

[PresTx82]

Looks to sweet to even cook on..............

[Woodbutcher]

To quote....... "Frank Barone " HOLY CRAP!.....That thing looks amazing. Doug, you have really done a fantastic job!

[doug hodder]

I just sprayed the copy on the fuel tank tonight.

A major big THANKS goes out to CaseyDog for all his work in doing up the font file to get the stencil cut. Without his efforts, this wouldn't have happened. The thing is, and the difficult part was...this original font wasn't available. CD took a modern font, massaged it into a re-creation of what was originally there based on some photos and dimensions, and yet made it a cut-able file for a modern day vinyl machine, that could do it in the thicker stencil material. Those little letters are 1/4" high! My attempt was to make a re-usable stencil. It's all a learning experience.

Right now, it needs to have a maybe 1500 grit sand on it to clean up some of the edges and a polish with some glazing compound. I wanted a bit of a fuzzy edge...just not as much as I do have. Some of this stuff is a real learning process as you go. I'll get it right, it's just not where I want it right now. Some would call me (anal) among other words. It's all in my paint process that needs the fine tuning.

I'm really happy with it, it was a beautiful stove in design to start with, and was in great shape for it's nearly 80 years of age, thanks again Steve for making it available to me. I really tried my best to make it an ultimate stove.

I'll get a fire built in it maybe this weekend....we'll see. I've learned so much on the last 2 stoves, that I may go back and re-do the 1929 Coleman 2E. Doug

[Wolffarmer]

Fantastic Doug.

Another masterpiece.

Randy

[PresTx82]

You brought tears to my eyes. Damn! How do you find these good old finds and refurbish them...?

Thumbs up to you! I'm still on the look out for one of these old stoves........... I'll find one one day.

Keep the pictures of the builds coming to motivate the rest of us.

[doug hodder]

Thanks Mark...but you find some pretty tasty stuff yourself, MR. IR lamp!!!!...Woodbutcher was more than kind in parting with it and with that in mind, I did, or will do whatever it takes to make one as perfect as I can given my abilities/ tools/ materials and resources and other forum members willing to help. It took others on the forum to really complete this specific build. That's what makes this forum so great!

Any stove or lantern that is bestowed upon me from another forum member gets the ultimate treatment. If it's a "collection" piece, I'll keep it...I'd not sell it, without splitting any profits with the donating member.

I've just received my ultimate "challenge" from Dave A this last Tuesday....it's in a thread/ story that hasn't been created yet....but whoooooeeee....it's a challenge for sure...a Pre-Way 3 burner with a cast iron grate on it...verrrrrry roughhhh and it's got a real circuitous path to my ownership....was only .75 miles from me originally, and I had a shot at it, but let it slide at the time, I didn't have any extra cash at the Dam
Gathering.

Dave A, 9 months later, recognized my need to do something and laid it on me. He basically threw down a gauntlet....hope I can do it up right...He even hauled it over to me on Tues. I walked into the store after getting a Subway and he was there with it! We had some PMs over the weekend and there he was! Thanks so much Dave....I really appreciate you for doing that! A lot of people don't know Dave..he runs under the radar...but has a great dry/quiet sarcastic sense of humor, wears a skunk skin hat among other critter chapeau's....must be why I like him.....Doug

[PresTx82]

Great.

I got the IR off Craigslist................. I just was lucky. You got me thinking ; there's Preway in my area for $45.00..... Too much, but I asked if he'd bring it down to $35.00............... Still waiting.!