Defiant Encore ?1450? (non-cat) repair?

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The Isle Royale is the same 3 cu ft size as the Jotul F600. The 1450 is a smaller stove than either. IIRC it is something like 2.3 cu ft., but I'm not positive about that.
 
Was going by strictly what the VC/QuadraFire dealer told me... when I was in the showroom, they literally had an Isle Royale sitting to the right of an Encore (and to the left, a Defiant, which he first directed me at, but I said "no way"). Was mentioning the problems w/ the Encore, and dealer said the Isle Royale would give me a little more heat, but not significantly more than the Encore. This dealer also pushed me in the direction of a steel stove, given my usage pattern (used principally overnight/weekends because nobody is home during the day, both my gf and I work days so nobody is home from 7a-4/5p, just leave the oil heat on 40 when we're not home). Their steel offerings were Napoleon, and I just can't get over the pellet-stove look of a steel stove.

Since I'm buying a new stove anyway, I might as well get something with more heating capacity, because since I bought the house I made structural changes (opened up some walls and added about 800 sq ft of living space)... Although, to be honest, I find the entire process of stove selection confusing as hell when it comes to which stove will best serve my purposes and usage... The Jotul dealer (Middleboro, MA) was much more helpful.... and why I'm leaning towards the F55, because it offers the "usage pattern" benefit I'm told I need while giving me the classic look of cast iron.

Sticking my rough-sawn mockup of the cape cod on my hearth, I'm about 3" shy of clearance on the front edges to the floor, and about 4" shy clearance in the front, assuming the distances from the back stove corner is measured to the combustible wall surface itself, and not the tiled surface.... which is a real bummer, because I do like that stove.
 
Steel stoves don't need to be on pedestals. Many come with leg options. The dealer was blowing a bit of smoke. The Isle Royale is a big, serious heater. That said, folks like the F50 and F55. I don't think you would do wrong with this stove. Since PE came out with the Alderlea, more companies have come out with cast clad steel. It's a good look and works well.

PS: I should note that the first cast clad steel stoves are the Quad Yosemite and Cumberland Gap and the Napoleon cast stoves.
 
I found these re-build instructions. It seems to be the same project your taking on. Hope it helps.
 

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Update and question for the saga....

After much consideration, I opted to purchase the Jotul F55. I now have the stove sitting outside on my patio where I am going through the "break in" procedure outside, as the dealer indicated (and recommended I do it outside if I had the option) it is not unusual for the stoves to smoke considerably when first fired up, especially towards the end of the break-in procedure where you're firing to 400+ degrees and the paint will really cure. Unfortunately, the Boston area has been plagued with a heatwave, and my neighbors think I am a little nuts sitting out there firing a wood stove in the middle of 90 degree weather. I shrug and tell them "I'm cold". Two more burns to go -- today I will get it up to 400 degrees for an hour, and then tomorrow, weather permitting, I will fire it up "full bore" to really give the paint a chance to cure.
The dealer also recommended that I may want to purchase a in-line pipe damper. I have a Selkirk metalbestos chimney w/ Selkirk stove pipe... The dealer doesn't sell this brand stove pipe, so of course they're willing to replace all my pipe for me, but I'd prefer to attempt to reuse as much as possible as I already have... So, the question is... The in-line damper component is 6" tall... how far off the flue do I need to come before I install the damper piece (right now, I have one large 3' section as my 'first' piece, so I'm going to have to purchase some smaller pieces to replace the 3' section, i.e. a 6" piece, the 6" damper piece, and then a 2' piece.)

BTW: Loving the F55 thusfar :)
 
Why is the dealer recommending the inline damper? Unless you have a particularly tall flue I would try running the stove without it first. The stove could run fine without it. If you do need one, it should be installed within the first 18" of the stove if possible.
 
Why is the dealer recommending the inline damper?

They indicated while it isn't necessary, some customers feel more comfortable with it, especially those of us who have had stoves with dampers.

I have to replace several pieces of my stove pipe anyway, the new stove is taller and with closer wall clearances sits further back on the hearth, so I need to replace sections of pipe to get the stove to line up correctly with the Metalbestos chimey connector on the wall anyway, I may go ahead and buy one, its only $20.
 
No problem. I did the same. Found it completely unnecessary, an obstruction for cleaning and gave it to a friend.
 
Bought house 6... 7 years ago. Built around 1738. Previous owner was 80 y/o woman who lived here 50 years w/ her husband, who passed in 2000. House is now haunted by him.... he used to use a cane to get around, two different unrelated friends of ours whom have never met have commented to us that they have seen an old man with a cane walking through our yard.

Severe disrepair as she couldn't keep up w/ the maintenance. I've slowly been working on the house these past years. Thusfar I'm into it for about $75k. Tons of pictures of different projects at https://picasaweb.google.com/thisoldfarmhouse/
 
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(pretend I intended to accidentally leave the tape measure under the stove :) )
 
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