How to dismantle a solid fuel aga?

[Adam32]

I am looking to acquire a solid fuel aga as I have a free supply of wood and the stye would really fit my home. You can pick them up quite cheap second hand, but any idea how to dismantle them for moving? There are quite a few video tutorials for dismantling the oil ones, such as this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDxx0xyWw1M

It looks pretty straightforward, but I can't find anything regarding the solid fuel ones. Is it exactly the same?

[LooneyTunes]

I’d assume the bulk of it would be pretty much the same but depending on what access is like (and what size you’re going for) you might be able to get it out/in without dismantling: certainly we did with one that I have currently sat on a pallet* and that I’ve been trying to give away.

Admittedly it wasn’t the lightest but if you’ve got 3 or 4 blokes and some rollers available it can be done.

• ivory, two oven, converted (I think) to electric, untested, chrome now needs some attention, getting weighed in as soon as I get round to it (which seems like a waste but I need rid of it).

[Paul Drawmer]

First off, an AGA solid fuel is not designed to burn wood. Basically the airflow for the solid fuel is designed to burn phurnacite which needs more air than wood to burn efficiently.

I haven't done one for many years. We've had 3 altogether. One of them was solid fuel, which we converted to LPG after a few years The hot plates come off first, then the top, then start scooping out the insulation. Early ones used crushed coral (pink sandy stuff) later ones used vermiculite.

Once you get that out, it's just mechanical stuff. Heavy castings. The fire barrel lifts out, unless there's a boiler which will be a water jacket strapped to the fire barrel.

If there's crushed coral, it used to be worth saving as it was a better insulator than the later materials.

I haven't been inside an AGA for 40+ years, so maybe someone will correct any errors.

[DonkeyApple]

Adam32 said:

I am looking to acquire a solid fuel aga as I have a free supply of wood and the stye would really fit my home. You can pick them up quite cheap second hand, but any idea how to dismantle them for moving? There are quite a few video tutorials for dismantling the oil ones, such as this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDxx0xyWw1M

It looks pretty straightforward, but I can't find anything regarding the solid fuel ones. Is it exactly the same?

1: You'll need a range cooker designed to burn wood, Agas aren't.

2: You'll need to add night staff to the estate as the staff keeping it fuelled during daylight hours demand being allowed to have some sleep these days.

They're a pain in the arse unless you never go anywhere and never need to do anything else and love unpaid labouring.

Just get stoves and enjoy burning the wood via them.

[hidetheelephants]

The neighbours when I was a child had a rayburn that they burnt wood in because he had a job which gave him access to infinite free wood which he split and stacked in a manner likely to induce jealousy on the "got wood?" thread; it had a back boiler and sort-of heated the house and hot water, but it looked like a lot of work lighting it every morning and stoking it.

[AndyTR]

I'd be looking at a dedicated wood burning range. As others have posted an aga is not designed to burn wood and with the airflow you're likely to have various issues. La Nordica, Esse and Thermorossi do some really nice looking stoves, designed to burn wood only. It's probably worth having a look at this review of a small oven - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxzku-vOFRQ

Edited by AndyTR on Sunday 23 November 08:53

[RGG]

We had one a few decades ago

They need a slow burning smokeless coal based fuel to function such as phurnacite topped up twice a day if I remember correctly

Nothing else will work

Transporting, we hired a 7.5 tonne lorry with a tail lift and moved it ‘whole’ on ‘scaffold’ rollers

Turning corners wasn’t easy ! Not to be recommended plus it was the 4 oven version, duck egg blue and cost £75 secondhand - loved it when it was working but it had a tendency to go out if not riddled regularly
It took a while to get it restarted and I recall forgetting part of the roast being regularly left in one of the 4 ovens - happy days before air fryers came along

Lovely to come home to at the end of the day

[Adam32]

Paul Drawmer said:

First off, an AGA solid fuel is not designed to burn wood. Basically the airflow for the solid fuel is designed to burn phurnacite which needs more air than wood to burn efficiently.

Thanks for the info I did not know that. But doing some more research I see that there were a number of Rayburns designed to burn wood. So I guess I would be looking at one of those.

[Adam32]

AndyTR said:

I'd be looking at a dedicated wood burning range. As others have posted an aga is not designed to burn wood and with the airflow you're likely to have various issues. La Nordica, Essex and Thermorossi do some really nice looking stoves, designed to burn wood only. It's probably worth having a look at this review of a small oven - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxzku-vOFRQ

Thanks stove looks nice, but if I am honest I like the ascetics of the older stuff. I guess I could go for a Rayburn as there are a few designed to burn wood.

[Adam32]

RGG said:

Transporting, we hired a 7.5 tonne lorry with a tail lift and moved it whole on scaffold rollers

That was brave as everything I have read indicates they are not really designed to be moved whole, as it can stress the frame etc. Also if you watch that video, it does look a fairly easy job to take apart, definitely something that could be done in a few hours even with stubborn fasteners.

Edited by Adam32 on Saturday 22 November 11:19

[RGG]

Adam32 said:

RGG said:

Transporting, we hired a 7.5 tonne lorry with a tail lift and moved it whole on scaffold rollers

That was brave as everything I have read indicates they are not really designed to be moved whole, as it can stress the frame etc. Also if you watch that video, it does not looks a fairly easy job to take apart, definitely something that could be done in a few hours even with stubborn fasteners.

? no bravery just stupidity - and brute force

If you are looking for alternatives, secondhand, it s the fire box that needs to be in best possible condition I would suggest

Edited by RGG on Saturday 22 November 11:23

Edited by RGG on Saturday 22 November 11:24

[craigthecoupe]

These are beautiful. Probably a nightmare to cook reliably on, but a lovely thing to have in a nice old kitchen.
https://www.esse.com/wood-fired-cook-stoves/ironhe...

[Aluminati]

I have taken a Rayburn apart and got it into the back of an X5.

Once you get the plate off,it’s all pretty simple.

[Adam32]

Aluminati said:

I have taken a Rayburn apart and got it into the back of an X5.

Once you get the plate off,it s all pretty simple.

So once the top plate is off, do the sides and front unbolt and pack flat for transport?

[AlvinSultana]

craigthecoupe said:

These are beautiful. Probably a nightmare to cook reliably on, but a lovely thing to have in a nice old kitchen.
https://www.esse.com/wood-fired-cook-stoves/ironhe...

We have had one for the last 11 years, splendid thing.

The currant Mrs Sultana wont countenance her beef cobbler in any new fangled electricery.

However as we dont light the bugger in summer one finds the incessant salads tiresome.

[w1bbles]

You can buy e-books on dismantling them...

https://www.ebooks-on-howto.com/store/index.php?ma...

[Aluminati]

Adam32 said:

So once the top plate is off, do the sides and front unbolt and pack flat for transport?

Pretty much. All the fixings reveal themselves. Boiler needs to stay in one piece though .