I thought so. I guess my mind ain't completely shot.
Is the water line actually connected - to anything?

I think it is just encased and isn't lined into anything....The bottom log heats the top log and I think that the top log gets filled with water.....nto sure if it is steam or what.

It could be described as an unvented gas flame which heats a cast iron water tank which looks like a log. Above that, behind a brick facade, is a cast iron steam radiator. The brick box/fireplace surround which houses the radiator has a low opening for an air inlet, and a high one for an outlet. Room air circulates through them, picks up heat from the radiator, and circs it to the room. The brick front face, which the radiator is mounted to the back of, would also warm up and radiate heat.

I forgot that I have a VFW Aux. meeting at 6:30. They usually last about an hour. We could come over after, or TT could come over alone.

The tank has a threaded fitting and plug in the top. Looks like a fill port, and you'd fill it up to the level of the plug. Everything above that is steam. No pressure water supply.

Think of it as a boiler/steam radiator setup.

Yes come over afterward. I will be ready for a drink by then. I'm sure.

Thank you Smitty and Terry......I love it!

The pleasure was ours.

Did you two leave her smilin'?

Well somebody had to do it....

So what the heck is it? A vent-free gas fired log with a water line running thru it?

When we got through, the unit was fired up, filled to capacity, and purring like a kitten.

It is a gas fireplace insert.....about 1920's.....one log for burning....one for water.....the bottom burning log heats the top water log and pushes steam heat out the vents...off the brick...and out the front logs.....I love it....and it gets really warm.

Try to keep up; the Plumbing Masters are too busy satisfying women's wildest and deepest desires to explain things twice. See my posts here, starting with #934272.

Obviously Yetta was pleased with your ability to lay pipe.

"Obviously Yetta was pleased with your ability to lay pipe."

Just keep burying one length at a time until you're ready to start everything flowing; easy as pie! Yetta's right;by the time we were done, everybody was quite warm!

is the water line closed loop?

Were there parts of this:

"It's only a closed tank, which is heated to make steam; there's no pressure water supply."

and this:

"The tank has a threaded fitting and plug in the top. Looks like a fill port, and you'd fill it up to the level of the plug. Everything above that is steam. No pressure water supply.

Think of it as a boiler/steam radiator setup."

that you didn't understand?

I believe that it is closed yes.....and the water log was still full from all those years.

Pressure water supply is what comes into your house (or from the pump, on a boat); I stated twice that it had none; I can't state it any more clearly or simply.

I stated that it had a fill port. Why would it have a supply line if it has a fill port?

It's a water boiler/steamradiator; of course it's closed loop. Something so compact and simple as a 1929s fireplace heater is hardly likely to require an automatic resupply valve.

Truth be known, Lusi's not that obtuse; he was just trying to get me exasperated.

LOL, it worked, and now I do need that drink; see ya in 45 or so. You should be so lucky, Lusi.

It's truly a thing of compact, simple, beautifully elegant utility, Lusi; c'mon to the brunch and take a look. It makes me want to bang my head on the wall when I think of how many were probably thrown out at the advent of central heat. I wouldn't be surprised if Yetta's the only person in town who has one.

I don't understand why the line filled with water that is heated doesn't blow the line wide open when it gets really hot.

I bet it is a neat unit. I'd love to have one. But to show up to look at it, well, I don't think I'd make it out of the house except maybe on a stretcher...