Value of a 7 year old Woodstock Fireview?
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fire_man
Minister of Fire
I think you mean "Fireview". If it's in good shape, (no sign of overheating or warped cast iron parts) $700 does not seem bad for a 7 year old WS FV in good shape. Especially if it was not used 24x7.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
I'm assuming the "deflector" mentioned is the older cast combustor scoop? I think that part can be warped without a lot of other parts being damaged but you'll have to look closely. Check the bypass frame, as a lot of heat goes through that area when getting the stove up to temp. If there are some air leaks where cement is missing or loose in the seams (indicated by white lines along the seams where creosote is burned away,) that can be fixed without too much trouble. If it's in decent shape, definitely worth $700. Woodstock parts are some of the most reasonably-priced that you'll find. The Fireview is a great heater! 
Have you burned wood before? How large an area are you trying to heat, open layout, central stove location, venting into a fireplace or going through the roof with class A chimney? How tall is the chimney? Have you got wood that's been split, stacked and drying for a couple years? Modern stoves need dry wood to perform well. About the only woods you have time to get dry by next fall would be Tulip Poplar, soft Maple, and maybe Cherry...
Have you burned wood before? How large an area are you trying to heat, open layout, central stove location, venting into a fireplace or going through the roof with class A chimney? How tall is the chimney? Have you got wood that's been split, stacked and drying for a couple years? Modern stoves need dry wood to perform well. About the only woods you have time to get dry by next fall would be Tulip Poplar, soft Maple, and maybe Cherry...
At $275 one could do a lot of refurbishing as all parts are available. $1500 seems a bit high if for a 7 year old used stove but its supposed to be a high end stove and new price is $2600. I checked the cost of parts and would need about $200 plus shipping and then any stripping and refinishing. Lots of thinking on this one. I have and do burn some wood. Mostly in older Warm Morning and Atlanta stove works shop heater. No Cat stoves. My wood after cutting goes into a metal grain bin to season. Bin gets heated to over 100 everyday in summer and has a natural ventilation system that gets the wood to almost explosive low moisture.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
It won't last long at that price, I don't think. If it fits your heating needs, it's hard to beat that stove. It's easy to run, and Woodstock customer service is second to none.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
They are asking $1500? If you can get it for $700, great. I might go $900-1000 if I had to. Probably needs new gaskets, too, but the complete kit is only about $40. Gaskets, cat, they're maintenance items, that's why you get a used stove for a lot cheaper.
I was replying to 3650 on a stove price of $1500. The CL poster wants $700 because they cant continue burning wood due to allergies. I see a lot of mold etc on wood that people try to season in the shade of the woods.
I paid $202.50 for my older FV 201 in great condition on EBay. I apologized to the seller and slipped him an extra forty for loading it on my truck with straps and tractor bucket. Deals like that are rare.
I put the money down on the stove. Now to see about getting it home. How hard is-are the stoves to take down? needs a total cleaning and couple parts and a new cat. Would like to install all new gaskets too. Anyone know what it takes. Blast and repaint of exterior metal too. 6 months to heating season again.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Get the gasket kit from Woodstock: http://store.woodstove.com/product.php?productid=16702&cat=276&page=1. I've never tore one down, just patched air leaks in seams and replaced gaskets in my SIL's Fv, but if you do it you can make the stove just about like new. I would think the toughest part would be the timing/logistics of getting the parts back together as you apply the cement to the seams. I also think you need to let the cement dry for a few weeks, but fire the stove to cure the cement within a month. I made the mistake of firing the stove too soon after I patched the seams. The "gasket cement/stove sealer" I used was thinner than "furnace cement," wasn't dry yet and boiled, leaving air bubbles in the cement.
http://woodstove.com/building-a-fireview. Of course, you can call Woodstock with any questions. If you tear it down I'd love to hear how it goes. Pics are always good, too. 
Looking at the list of gaskets and they seem very reasonable and I have lots of gasket adhesive. Don't think steel wool and a tube of cement is worth 20 that's in the kit. Yes I am tight, just like a good stove should be. Will need to order new Cat, andirons and bypass plate. Everything else seems good but the paint on the iron and will blast everything and prime and paint that. Will end up with about 950 into the stove without labor and should be almost as new.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Wow, that is cheap. I guess that kit cost includes all the separate packaging, labeling, instructions etc. I think with the latest steel cat, you don't need the interam gasket either; Doesn't use the cast iron cat frame like the older cats.
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I don't have the stove home yet but when I made my assessment it looked like it had a hole in it. The deflector and bypass are only $20
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Seven years of fire. Not a very thick piece. I would have made it a lot thicker considering where it's sits on top of the fire. Cheap part so probably considered a consumable.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Never heard of a hole in the bypass door. The only high heat it could be subject to is when you're ramping up the stove temp from a cold start. Even then, the door is open and the heat is just going past it. There's more heat hitting the bypass frame, I'd think. Once the bypass is closed, most of the heat is headed through the front/combustor scoop area. Just out of curiosity, if you call or email Woodstock, ask them how common it is. I bet was a bad casting, and not something that happens very often.
I agree with Woody.....I heated with my Fireview for 7 years before switching to a PH, and the stove could be fired up and used today without any maintenance. Unless this was a defective casting, I would be concerned that stove has been seriously overfired a lot.....Hope you checked the rest of the cast carefully. I'd sure be on the phone to Woodstock to see if they have ever heard of this happening in the absence of major overfire issues. Surprised the bypass frame is OK.
I checked everything over pretty well. Its not like a pellet stove that has electronics and all parts are very reasonably priced if need to be replaced after a total tear down.
That's good to hear. I too will be interested in how the rebuild progresses. Would love to see photos of the work in progress. And will look forward to hearing your experience with the stove once you start heating with it next season. Have fun with this project. I'm sue you'll have a sense of satisfaction at the end of the project, and enjoy the stove even more for the work you put in it.
The Fireviews are a delight to have heating your home.
The Fireviews are a delight to have heating your home.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
It's a sweet stove; Bring it along unless you're moving to Florida, if it's the right size for your new place. Just strap it to the top of the car with a couple bungees.
You'll likely fall in love with the Fv, as many others have. And it's a cat, well-suited for the extended shoulder seasons you'll find further south.- Status
