Replacing my very short rear exit woodstove - 25" to top of collar. Out of ideas

Hi, I'm new here but have been "lurking" for a while reading all the great info on here.

I've got a Vermont Castings Resolute which appears to have been manufactured during the Precambian period, give or take a few thousand years. It really needs replacing, which I would like to do. My problem is that it is a really short stove - only 25" to the top of the rear exit flue collar. Apparently there aren't that many stoves made this low.

If height weren't an issue, I'd love to get a Jotul F45 or Castine. Simple is better in my book. I'd even consider a cat stove such as a Woodstock, but even that is 3/4" too tall.

A little info about my setup:

- Highly insulated solar home of ~1,100 SF
- Burn about 70% hardwoods and 30% popple (aspen, poplar, wherever you are from)
- All wood seasoned at least 12 months in full sun.
- Wood stove provides all my heat (do have backup but prefer not to use it since we like quiet)
- Longer burn time preferred. If I go to bed late and wake up early with my current setup, I'll still have coals.

So anyone have an idea on what stoves would actually fit? It would need to be something 25" to the rear flue collar or lower. I don't want to go below my current box size of 1.7 cu. ft. because waking up with feet that don't freeze to the stone floor in the bathroom is an awesome thing.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Chris

mellow said:

You might shoot woodstock an email and ask about the new stove, it will have adjustable legs and might work if you have looked at the others and found they are to tall.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the quick replies

Did talk to the folks at Woodstock and they said one *could* cut the legs but it didn't seem like they recommended it. They said adjustment in the legs would not fix my height problem by 3/4"

The VC is just a free-standing stove on a stone pad. It vents back into a 2-story interior steel-lined brick chimney covered in decorative ston.

Thanks again!

Wow - thanks for the wealth of information. I've got a lot to research now.

My first choice right now is the Jotul F3, but the smaller firebox without the option of top loading (like my VC) makes me wonder if this would make a lot more work for me in terms of more frequent loading. I don't think we would be too cold with the F3 but it seems like a lot more work.

On the coldest night of this past winter season it was -18F and we ended up sleeping with a couple small windows open in the bedroom. (This was my fault)

Got a guy coming over in the next hour to see if we can raise the crock (that's a new word for me!) without damaging the existing stone work. Hopefully it will be quick and easy.

I'm going to now check out all the links you wonderful folks left for me to explore. Thanks!

begreen said:

You will not get more than about 4 hr burns with the F3CBs small firebox. Overnight coals would be a struggle. If Jotul then the Castine would be better sized. It's firebox is roughly the same size as the Resolute.

Click to expand...

I would love to have a Castine. It looks like the top of the flue is 26-1/4" with the short leg kit. Does someone make legs, even re-welded for specific heights? My guess is that it might not leave enough clearance underneath for everyone to be comfortable (?)

begreen said:

Yes, that's why I asked Chris what the hearth construction is.

Click to expand...

Just figuring out how to post a picture. This is what I'm working with. It's just a finished chimney with this plumbed in. Used to have a big old wood stove in the basement but it's capped off now. With 10' of capped tube beneath the Tee I could probably wait every decade to empty it, but I check it twice a year.

Hopefully this picture works:

mellow said:

Is the picture making it look like that crock is lower than the stove exhaust?

Click to expand...

Yup - it is dead level. It just looks like wrong-direction incline because of the awkward angle at which I took the picture. The chimney drafts really well, even in warmer weather.