I have used a friend’s Vermont Castings stove for a number of years and really liked it with one exception.  THere is only one ‘handle’ that has to be inserted into each control (damper, air, catalytic, front door, etc.) on demand.  I recently purchased a DutchWest non-cat and just like the VC (no suprise), it only came with the one handle for all the controls.

I find that REALLY inconvenient for general use and am wondering if there is a way to purchase more of those little handles and permanently attach them to the frequently-used controls (air inlet, re-burn chamber control), leaving one free-floater for the rest of the controls that I wont use often.  I’m sure I can get the additional handles online or from the stove store, but not sure what the best/safest way to attach them is.  Most fasteners I would use for non-stove use (glue, expoxy, etc) I am leary about because of the temps involved (both for them to produce airborn toxins or just to simply break down under the heat).

Any suggestions?  I dont have any kids or other concerns like that.

BurningIsLove - 04 January 2006 02:36 PM

I have used a friend’s Vermont Castings stove for a number of years and really liked it with one exception.  THere is only one ‘handle’ that has to be inserted into each control (damper, air, catalytic, front door, etc.) on demand.  I recently purchased a DutchWest non-cat and just like the VC (no suprise), it only came with the one handle for all the controls.

I find that REALLY inconvenient for general use and am wondering if there is a way to purchase more of those little handles and permanently attach them to the frequently-used controls (air inlet, re-burn chamber control), leaving one free-floater for the rest of the controls that I wont use often.  I’m sure I can get the additional handles online or from the stove store, but not sure what the best/safest way to attach them is.  Most fasteners I would use for non-stove use (glue, expoxy, etc) I am leary about because of the temps involved (both for them to produce airborn toxins or just to simply break down under the heat).

Any suggestions?  I dont have any kids or other concerns like that.

I believe they do this for safety and control when kids are around plus you may find they just plain get in your way at times and look unsightly.
If you get more handles you could use hi-temp silicone that is used to seal stoves
they are good up to 600+ degrees

Thanks….it did seem apparent that the decision to have them be non-fixed was done to appease the lawyers, not because of any functional reason.  I think the handles themselves are attractive (they are a hi-theft item in every store I visited), it’s just annoying to use them each time I drop them and it inevitably rolls under the stove (Murphy’s Law, ya know the rest).

Thanks for the suggestion.

Actually just unscrew the paul off the end of the handle then screw the handle in.  You can purchase extra handles believe they’re around 7.50 ea.  I do this with many of the stoves on our floor I got tired of breaking them all the time and it wasn’t a great selling point pulling out a busted handle

Oh geez….I feel like a retard for not realizing that part unscrewed…..works perfectly.

thanks Shane.