1800s Octopus System

Janna Bailey

I am looking for an image of a coal fired octopus furnace from the 1800s. It is for use in an orientation video about Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum in Rockford, Illinois. The production will be used at the museum and in classrooms. If anyone knows where we could find such an image (drawing or photograph, it doesn't matter), I would be very happy to hear from you! Thank you!

Sincerely,
Janna Bailey

Steamhead

If you mean an old gravity hot-air furnace

try Bud at www.thesheetmetalshop.com . He is as much a hot-air historian as several of us on the Wall are with hot water and steam.

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Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Embarassed

to say so, but I still have one in my basement. It's not 1800's by any means, though. More like 1940's.

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Steamhead

Make Sure

you take some pics and send them to Ms. Janna before we put in your new steam system ;-)

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Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Talk to

"she who must be obeyed"; she likes the old gravity heat and makes it clear that she wants no changes made. I've almost given up.

My wife is 5'2", 95# and can be as intimidating as a female rhinoceros with her cubs (brood, progeny; you know what I mean).

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Bud_14

Whats this? WARM AIR and a little bit o water - 1898 Octopus.

Big Ed

Octopus

Heres a more modern version

ScottMP

I LOVE IT

The california radiant man has hot air

Talk about the cobblers children Llololo.

Alan what kind of a salesman are you that you can't convince the wife, lolol ?

Thats worse than HB having a new Viessmann in the garge still in the box.

Scott

PS: Don't get mad Alan, I really am laughing with you.

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Bud_14

You're not embarrased you have it because its great and dependable. I bet there are many of you wetheads with a (gravity maybe not), but forced air system. I know this because you guys are smart and thats a smart thing to have. Lets see a show of hands...

Now it's time to come out of the "basement" wit the truth.

Bud

thesheetmetalshop.com

Steamhead

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Steamhead

Nope

converted gravity hot water system here! Love the big old radiators- they'll only be removed over my cold, dead body.

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jim lockard

Sunbeam

Looks like an Amer. Standard Sunbeam from the late 40's early 50's
J.Lockard

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Bud's right

It's dependable; if you let gravity do the work for you, there's very little that can go wrong.

It's a pretty amazing system; there are only 4 outlets in our 1,700 [] house; it's there original heating system (over 60 years old now) and I haven't touched the thing in the 22 years we've been living there.

I will eventually replace it with hydronic radiators because it's a drafty house and has some cold spots, on very cold days (in the 30°'s), it can't keep up and I want a reset system that will track outdoor temperature to make the house more comfortable.

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Dale

AGA

The AGA or American Gas Association has what you need.

Mark Eatherton1

Alan...

try slipping a little radiant floor heat into the bathroom and I'll bet she changes her mind...

Once you try it, you'll never go back!

I haven't had forced air in my house since Dennis Bellanti sold me panel radiators at below his cost! Now, I can speak from experience about living with the comforts of radiant.

Thanks Dennis! If it weren't for him, I'd probably still be suffering with the farced error system I used to have.

ME

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