It’s been raining, so work is inevitably progressing at a slower pace than I’d like given the urgency in getting the yurt dried out. A couple of days’ work now has the stove stripped down, rust removed, corroded and sheared bolts replaced, and reassembled and tested.
It goes! With no leaks.
This is a lovely little old cast iron Danish woodburner manufactured by L Lange & Co of Svendborg that’s been sitting in my garden shed since I took it out of our previous home. The garden shed has played host to the River Tweed several times in the last 5 years, so the stove was pretty rusty. When we first got it, it had been out in all Scottish weathers in a friend’s garden for several years, so this is the second time I’ve stripped it right down and put it back to rights.
I would love to know more about these stoves. I haven’t been able to find much information on the internet, so if anyone out there knows anything interesting about them, please post here. In particular I’d like to know if they’re designed to take fire bricks. From the looks of the interior, the extent of the flanges on the stove floor, the absence of fixing points, etc, it doesn’t look much like it, and there were none when we got the stove, but I’d like to know for sure.
More rain expected tomorrow, so don’t know yet when I’ll be able to get the stove installed – it involves taking the crown cover off the yurt which is not a good idea if it’s raining.
Meanwhile, this is my temporary home at Quinta das Abelhas.
michelle December 20, 2009
are you sure you haven’t just bought this new?Joke…you have done a great job with it Wendy.
dave December 29, 2009
hi there, from south wales u.k!! have just acquired a lange stove myself, seems very similiar to yours and also flued from the back… one distinct difference with my stove is the window in the front door instead of the bird on yours… having looked inside the burn chamber i agree that the stoves never had fire bricks fitted.. Hope this helps… good luck with fitting the stove!!
Quinta do Vale January 10, 2010
Thanks Dave. That’s good to know. I’ve now got the stove installed and running and have noticed, with a good burn going, when I blow out the candles at night the back of the stove glows red hot. I think I might try and source some of that lightweight firebrick which can be cut to size and see if I can fit some at the back of the burn chamber at least. Just thinking about its longevity …
rachel November 7, 2011
Hi there – we have just been given an l.lange stove – it has no baffle at the back and we’re thinking quite a lot of heat is going up the chimney – did you put in firebricks, and did it help?
Quinta do Vale November 7, 2011
Mine has a baffle pushing heat forwards before it can pass up under the top plate and exit through the rear flueway. Yes I did put firebricks in. I couldn’t get the lightweight ones here in Portugal, so I just used a couple standard firebricks at the back of the burn chamber to keep direct heat off the back of the stove, which is what I was most concerned about. It doesn’t glow red hot at the back any more and runs fine, though the size of the burn chamber is reduced by the firebricks.
Geoff November 27, 2011
Hi, I have just discovered an identical stove to that shown. When found it had no fire bricks and the design intrigued me so it has become a small/slow renovation project.
I assumed it is a wood burning stove but I am intrigued as how the ash is emptied as there does not seem to be any removable ash pit or tray!!
Does anyone know the age of the Stove? I would love to know more.
Quinta do Vale November 27, 2011
Hi Geoff. Yes it’s a woodburner. The lack of grate is a giveaway since wood burns happily on a solid surface while coal, etc, needs a flow of air underneath. And as for emptying, you just scoop the ash out after it’s built up a way. It’s a great little stove and chucks out a good heat. I have no complaints at all about mine.
Geoff November 28, 2011
Many thanks Wendy. I will continue with the renovation and look forward to using the stove. I already have a multi-fuel ‘Clear View’ which I use almost continually. I tend to watch the flames rather than the TV.
Also I seem to have made logging a hobby which I enjoy very much. Gives me exercise and also is productive in this day and age of high fuel costs.
Regards Geoff
Quinta do Vale November 28, 2011
There’s no doubt it’s nice to watch the flames and you can’t do that with this stove unless you leave the door open, but going into our 3rd winter with it now I have to say I love its simplicity. When I first put it back together, I was comparing it with other small stoves like the Mørso Squirrel, Stovax Brunel (which I’d fitted in our living room) and Clearview Pioneer 400 and had difficulty getting my head around the lack of grate, ashpan, riddling mechanism, etc, etc, and thought it a rather inferior animal for that.
I was wrong. It’s nothing of the sort. It lights quickly and easily with no fuss and has the place warm inside 15 minutes. In fact we have to be careful how we run it as it can get the yurt up to 35°C without much difficulty which, even on a cold winter’s night, is just too warm. And the lack of ash pan means you can be much more relaxed about emptying it. I’ve let the ash build up to the bottom of the door before now and it makes no difference to how the stove runs. It lights faster on a reasonable bed of ash – the insulating qualities of wood ash mean there’s usually some warmth still in there even 18 hours after the fire burns out.
We don’t try to keep it in overnight. I suspect I’d probably need hardwood and a longer flue to do that, but in any case it warms the place so quickly there’s no need. We have a large saucepan on the stovetop which is our hot water supply, and it also acts as a radiator overnight. Even when it’s a few degrees minus outside, it’s never been below freezing in here.
Rob. Meadows December 10, 2012
Hello – My late in-laws had a similar stove, nicknamed ‘Langy’. It was a favourite in their bungalow on the edge of the Devil’s Punchbowl, Surrey. Their ‘bird stove’ had a lovely reddish/purple enamel finish. It made the living room really warm. Definitely a log-burner hence no riddling grate. Cannot recall if it originally had fire bricks or not; later it definitely did not. Perhaps it never had bricks as logs give a gentler heat than coals and firebricks would have further reduced the small firebox. ‘Langy’ was very well behaved and so easy to light and tend. Sadly it was thrown out recently before it could be rescued for renovation; so very wasteful! Have chosen a ‘Hobbit’ multi-fuel stove that seems about the same size, perhaps a tad taller because of its bottom ash pan door. Nice to see a stove fire but ‘Langy’ had no glass to clean, just extra cast iron to radiate and retain heat. Langy’s gorgeous coloured enamel was warm to look whether or not the stove was lit. Keep warm! Rob.
Quinta do Vale December 11, 2012
How lovely! I haven’t seen an enamelled one but I can imagine how good it looked. I’m persevering with the firebricks as without them the back of the stove glows red hot … and that’s just with pine! But with this being our fourth winter using the stove now, I wouldn’t swap it for any other. It’s perfect!
Rob. Meadows December 11, 2012
Hi – Lange were evidently known for their porcelain enamel finish stoves. We have a tomato red porcelain enamel Stanley ‘Shire’ multi-fuel here. Good performer but its mild steel ‘window hinges’ secured by small set screws have proved inadequate for the weight of the single door; robust cast-iron hinges seem best. Agree about the delightful simplicity and efficiency of the little Lange stove. When brother-in-law returns from hols’ he might recall whether ‘Langy’ originally had firebricks. The Shire has them but the Hobbit on order has cast-iron ‘bricks’. The Lange stood in a tiled hearth with its rear flue fed into the blanked off fireplace, this may have better dispersed heat at the rear of the stove. The Shire turns a rich deep cherry red when hot before slowly returning to its native tomato red as it cools. The turbo on our old classic Saab also glowed cherry red after long night drives! :) Lovely views from your yurt! Rob.
Ben January 31, 2014
Hi Wendy,
I’ve just bought a brown L. Lange stove the same as yours, I’m picking it up next week. I believe they were made in Denmark and production ceased in 1984. I think these stoves have much more character than new ones available today. Regards, Ben.
Christine May 22, 2014
Hi Wendy, I am thinking about buying a restored Lange 6304RA stove for my 800 sq’ home in central Maine. Interested to know how yours is doing. The dealer says this is a coal stove that will also burn wood.
Quinta do Vale May 22, 2014
It’s a fantastic little stove Christine. It has the yurt warm inside 15 minutes and it’s kept me cosy all winter for 4 winters now. I don’t know the model you’re talking about but mine’s very definitely a wood stove, not coal.
Mark Grable October 21, 2014
Just bought a small oval Lange that’s been in the neighboorhood (Ararat Hill, Windsor Co. VT) for a long time judging by the brochure – which I don’t have at hand – looks like font from the ’20’s.
I’ve been told cooking on an enamle finish can damage it, which I wouldn’t want to do, it’s a nice green. The comments are so positive though, I’m thinking more about maybe pouring in a 3cm thin wall of refractory cement with a ledge for thin firebrick baffle paralell to the top (or at slight angle).
Snow time from soon till ides of april – usually. So (memo to self) must decide soon.
Love your site!
Andrew May 22, 2015
I’ve just bought this exact model! I am just building a garden office, and it looks like I will be toasty warm, even in a north Northumberland (UK) Winter. I was doubtful about the lack of ash grate, etc, but I am quite reassured now, reading these entries. I will bear in mind to maybe getting some firebricks for the rear. It’d be nice to know a little more about this model (name, date of manufacture, designer, etc)
Andrew July 30, 2015
Hello again. I’ve bought some flue to chimney this up, but find that at the rear of this model is a 5″ stub of pipe, exactly the same as the 5″ pipe I want (and therefore cannot) connect it to. Do I need an adaptor! Can I see the rear of your please? My stub of pile has two immovable screws poking out.
Quinta do Vale July 30, 2015
Hi Andrew. I put an adaptor on mine because it didn’t fit the metric flue sizes over here and I wanted to downsize the flue to 110mm to increase draught on a short run. There were no screws. The adaptor I used was like this one –
Tony February 18, 2016
Hi, ive just bought this exact model so would like any links or technical info about it, I paid £70 in uk so thought it wasn’t a bad price to pay would also like to know an approx age remembering the previous poster saying the company ceased in 1984, looking forward to renovating it but to be quite honest though obviously used appears to be excellent condition and just needs re blackening/cleaning looking forward to any replys, regards Tony.
Quinta do Vale February 18, 2016 — Post author
Hi Tony. I have no data on this stove at all I’m afraid. I think most of us commenting here have found much the same absence of online resources, hence people landing up here. Good luck with the renovation. It’s a great little stove.
Tony February 18, 2016
Hi, Quinta do vale thanks for your reply and for the positive comments on this stove looking forward to getting it up and running when I do I’ll pop back and comment also still doing my research so should hopefully have a bit more to say, regards Tony.
leelaa November 5, 2016
Hello
I have just bought on Ebay the exact same stove, brown enamel – i just fell in love with the design and have now stumbled on your discussion and am totally reassured that I have made the right purchase.
I shall let you know how I get on installatiing it and am happy to know advice is on hand if needed.
from chilly Cumbria
leelaa
Stewart August 18, 2021
Hi. Went down to my local scrap hard near Ashington Northumberland and guess what! yes, a L,Lange stove standing not in the best condition offered him £25 for the stove and he took it, so I get it home and cleaned it down came up like new, this little stove has a small window in the door and the floor has like raised runners to let air in under the wood logs to get them burning, I,m putting it in my garage workshop will let you know how I get on installing it.
Colin Campbell December 2, 2022
Hello , I’ve just cleaned up my stove , exactly the one in the top picture. It was given to me by a neighbour about 15 years ago, I did some research at the time and seem to remember it dated back to 1923 . It’s sat in our fireplace ever since and only used a couple of times but now with energy costs so high I’ve taken it out so the chimney could be swept and will reinstall at the weekend. I just had the rear flue pipe , which I slightly ovalised , stuck up the chimney flue . I’ve just bought some slime proof wagging ( for pizza ovens) which I intend to seal the sides of the pipe with.
Encouraged by the posts on here that it will be a success.
Wendy Howard December 7, 2022 — Post author
Hi Colin
No reason why not! The stove has been running 13 years now and is still going strong, though the cast iron internal baffle burnt out a year ago. At the moment I’m running it without, but will look at replacing it with something home made after the winter.
Nick Churchill April 25, 2023
Hi Wendy, I bought the very same model of stove today, without much of an idea what I was getting. My subsequent googling took me to your wonderful site and awesome permaculture project. I must find a way to come and visit with my son during his gap year, after his A-levels this summer.
I wonder if the back of your stove was getting too hot because of the modification you made to the pipe width? Faster airflow = faster and hotter burn? I would have thought that if these stoves are of the quality everyone says they are, they would have been designed not to overheat, with no need for firebricks.
Good luck with everything, Nick