Often coined the ‘heart of the home’ a local Blayney welder is restoring old cast iron stoves back to their former glory.
For generations the stove has been called the ‘heart of the home.’ It’s a place of warmth and sustenance, a gathering point for family and friends. Smell the sweet, chocolatey sensation of freshly baked cookies emanating from within or listen to the whistle of a kettle on its top as it boils away.
When it comes to the humble stove what’s old is new again as people scout clearing sales and online auctions for cast iron stoves. Blayney welder Justin Press’s man cave is full of them. What started as a hobby has now become a very successful side hustle, where he’s now referred to as the ‘Wood Stove Guy’. He’s part of a local farming family based in central western, New South Wales.
For the past five years he’s been travelling the countryside in search of old antique wood stoves to bring back to their former glory. He restored his first stove as a personal project. But now he has a waitlist well into next year.
“I’m a welder/fabricator by trade and I started about four years ago as a bit of a hobby and someone wanted to buy it right or wrong and then I did another and it just went from there. It’s quite unbelievable how it’s taken off.”
He said he’s had a lot more requests since the pandemic. “Since covid i think people were outside sitting around the fire and thinking let's get a wood stove.”
A qualified tradesman with 35 years experience in welding and fabrication, Mr Press said he has a large personal collection to help find parts or if he can’t get something he’ll make it.
“I can usually find a part if I need and if not then I just have to make them. It's a labour of love, some stoves I might put 80 hours worth of work into.”
He said people have quickly realised the value in them.
“I have some lovely stories, some people bring me their great grandmother’s stoves and tell stories about the sentimental value.”
And it’s just not about aesthetics, Mr Press will restore the stove back to full working order for you.
“I bring them back to near new condition so they’re right for another 100 years. Some can be over 100 years old. So many just got chucked out when electricity and gas came in. It's nice to see them get another life.”