Life expectency of a vogelzang box wood stove

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GaryS

GaryS

Member
Nov 21, 2008
83
Central MO
the local Lowe's has one 50% off. I want to put something small, simple and cheap in my work shop. It's a fairly new metal building, well insulated, 24X32. I need something to take the chill off when it's 10 degrees outside. I was just wondering how many years I'd get out of a $94 stove.
 
I would take your money and look for a better stove. I wouldn't leave a VZ unattended in a shop or a hen house for any amount of time. I am sure you will hear from someone who has used one for 20 years with no problems, but when playing with fire I would error on the side of safety and get a better made stove. See if they have an Englander on closeout.
 
I bought one - $89 at harborfreight tools. It was cheaply casted - 2 of the legs didn't hit the floor. Could see multiple seams when air could enter. 36" clearance. At best, I see this stove eating 2 cords a month. Runaways every other day seem quite possible. I decided I'd use it only if I didn't care about the structure it was in. I'd apply that $94 to an Englander 12 or 13 - at Lowes, also.
 
Your looking at a non-epa, wood eating, rickity built, hazardous, boat anchor. Sorry, them little VZ's aren't worth their weight in scrap. VZ does have a couple of epa cert stoves, but I don't have any history with them.

Apply them bucks towards a decent stove.

Note: decent does not mean it has to be big bucks. Look at clearance stoves.
 
Local stores around here don't carry much even though wood burning is second nature in these parts. Not sure where to start looking.
 
I have one in our cabin at deer camp. it was used when I got it years ago. It will put out good heat but I have to re-cement the seams every couple of years. It is basically a runaway at all times and pretty hard to control but does heat the cabin well. It is not the instant death sentence some folks who have not owned one would have you believe but it is a wood eating low end stove best used intermittently and I would not put one in any permanently occupied dwelling. JMHO as an owner.
 
I agree with Polaris on this. A box stove is a box stove, and isn't made to be a permanent heater. I still consider it better than a kero heater. For 80 bucks, you can't go too far wrong. If it "eats 2 cords a month" then you're using it way too often.
 
Like with most cheap stuff, there is no way we can tell how long it will last. If it overfires and cracks, maybe a season. If a leg falls off, maybe less. If they got the pieces right on your lucky model, then maybe it will last for years. If you put it in the garden as a planter it should last at least that long. Lots of ifs because of the unknowns. Personally, I would get an old smoke dragon with some integrity left in it before getting one of these stoves, but that's just my pov.

Start looking on craigslist. There are many old solid Fishers, Schraders and Orleys posted locally every week around here.
 
BeGreen said:
Like with most cheap stuff, there is no way we can tell how long it will last. If it overfires and cracks, maybe a season. If a leg falls off, maybe less. If they got the pieces right on your lucky model, then maybe it will last for years. If you put it in the garden as a planter it should last at least that long. Lots of ifs because of the unknowns. Personally, I would get an old smoke dragon with some integrity left in it before getting one of these stoves, but that's just my pov.

Start looking on craigslist. There are many old solid Fishers, Schraders and Orleys posted locally every week around here.
Click to expand...
I can attest to the fact that they are almost in a constant state of over-fire. Mine spends a lot of time emitting a dull red glow. I must have gotten a good one because it has had water spilled on it a number of times while glowing and no cracks yet. It is what it is. If you know what you are buying and your expectation's are realistic you will probably be OK. If you are expecting anything like the performance of the stoves we run in our homes you may be sorely disappointed. Again, just one long term owners opinion.
Joe
 
BeGreen said:
Start looking on craigslist. There are many old solid Fishers, Schraders and Orleys posted locally every week around here.
Click to expand...

Just to add: That would beat the holy snot out of that little VZ stove if compared to one another.
 
Another option is a barrel stove kit. They have been heating tens of thousands of shops and barns since before anyone reading this was around.
 
Thought about a barrel stove kit but I'm not sure I want something that big. I like the size of the boxwood. I've used stoves like these before and I know how they work. My dad used an old one in his woodworking shop for years. Great for getting rid of hardwood scraps. My shop if easy to heat. I just want to throw in some scrap, get the iron hot and take the chill off. I was just wondering if this brand would fall apart in a year or two. I don't have a flue so that will cost me more than the stove. I'll have to check craigslist tonight.
 
If your shop is metal than all you need is single wall pipe and a pass through ring.
Joe
 
GaryS said:
the local Lowe's has one 50% off. I want to put something small, simple and cheap in my work shop. It's a fairly new metal building, well insulated, 24X32. I need something to take the chill off when it's 10 degrees outside. I was just wondering how many years I'd get out of a $94 stove.
Click to expand...

When dealing with that stove the question to ask is how long will I or the place I put the stove last.

Another problem with a non-EPA stove, especially one with one nicknamed "The Vogelzang Death Box", I not sure your insurance would even cover you if you installed it. I would go with either a barrel stove or a small Drolet or Englander. Though the Drolet or Englander may cost a little extra the heat output, wood savings and control ability of those will pay for the difference.

But, if you do decide on the death box, give it plenlty of room so when the stove overfires and a poorly welded casting fails the results wouldn't be disasterous.
 
So your thinking an insurance co. would look more favorably on a home made barrel stove than a Vogelzang? my ins. co. wouldn't know a boxstove from a soap stone and I really doubt it would be an issue in a metal out building anyway. It wasn't for me but who knows.
joe
 
Mish said:
GaryS said:
the local Lowe's has one 50% off. I want to put something small, simple and cheap in my work shop. It's a fairly new metal building, well insulated, 24X32. I need something to take the chill off when it's 10 degrees outside. I was just wondering how many years I'd get out of a $94 stove.
Click to expand...

When dealing with that stove the question to ask is how long will I or the place I put the stove last.

Another problem with a non-EPA stove, especially one with one nicknamed "The Vogelzang Death Box", I not sure your insurance would even cover you if you installed it. I would go with either a barrel stove or a small Drolet or Englander. Though the Drolet or Englander may cost a little extra the heat output, wood savings and control ability of those will pay for the difference.

But, if you do decide on the death box, give it plenlty of room so when the stove overfires and a poorly welded casting fails the results wouldn't be disasterous.
Click to expand...
Mish, did the welds fail in your "death box" right away, after a couple of years? How long did you own/run it before the meltdown? Just curious as you seem to have a good bit of insight and experience regarding said stove.
Joe
 
polaris said:
So your thinking an insurance co. would look more favorably on a home made barrel stove than a Vogelzang? my ins. co. wouldn't know a boxstove from a soap stone and I really doubt it would be an issue in a metal out building anyway. It wasn't for me but who knows.
joe
Click to expand...

Actually depending on the insurance company, they might. Heck, the insurance company I have wasn't gonna cover me because I didn't have stairs attached to a door that was not accessable, there reason someone might fall out of the house. So depending on the insurance company and what there computer screen says, it is possible. Which is why I brought it up as something someone would need to consider.
 
My insurance agent didn't bat an eye when I told them about my wood stove in the house. They never inspected it.

I passed on the stove. I got looking at different flue options while at Lowes and decided to design the flue first. I may use concrete flue blocks on the exterior or go metal through the roof. I'll worry about the stove later.
 
polaris said:
Mish said:
But, if you do decide on the death box, give it plenlty of room so when the stove overfire and a poorly welded casting fails the results wouldn't be disastrous.
Click to expand...
Mish, did the welds fail in your "death box" right away, after a couple of years? How long did you own/run it before the meltdown? Just curious as you seem to have a good bit of insight and experience regarding said stove.
Joe
Click to expand...

I am sorry if I offended you in some way but, my comments were based on 3 separate sources:
1) When I was looking at stoves at a big box store around 2-3 years ago (can't remember if it was Lowes or Fleet Farm) I did look at one of those as a possible option for the heating of an outdoor shed for one of my relatives, the stove that they had on the floor had some poor welds on it. I am by no means a welding expert but the work done on it was not as professional as it could have been. I could also see a some light through one of the side castings. (In retrospect this could of been the main reason why it was a floor model)
2) About 1 year ago 3 separate stove dealers even 1 who sells Vogelzang reported problems with there castings and multiple overfire problems and would not recommend. (Though they may have wanted to sell me something more expensive so there opinion might have been biased, but still worth mentioning especially if someone is asking for opinions on the stove)
3) The death box came from when I originally was doing research on stoves I found quite a few comments referring to the Vogelzang box wood stove as a "Death Box" and the cause of fires due to failed castings and overfires. (Which could be the main reason why this stove now has a statement attached to it stating "May NOT be installed in mobile homes, manufactured homes, trailers or tents. (NO Exceptions)" and it has to be 36" to combustibles)

This stove may be an perfect fit for this person, but since this is a forum where people give other people advise, I shared my 2 cents worth of information on this stove based upon the above sources.

Polaris, how old is your Vogelzang?
 
CZARCAR said:
MishMouse said:
polaris said:
Mish said:
But, if you do decide on the death box, give it plenlty of room so when the stove overfire and a poorly welded casting fails the results wouldn't be disastrous.
Click to expand...
Mish, did the welds fail in your "death box" right away, after a couple of years? How long did you own/run it before the meltdown? Just curious as you seem to have a good bit of insight and experience regarding said stove.
Joe
Click to expand...

I am sorry if I offended you in some way but, my comments were based on 3 separate sources:
1) When I was looking at stoves at a big box store around 2-3 years ago (can't remember if it was Lowes or Fleet Farm) I did look at one of those as a possible option for the heating of an outdoor shed for one of my relatives, the stove that they had on the floor had some poor welds on it. I am by no means a welding expert but the work done on it was not as professional as it could have been. I could also see a some light through one of the side castings. (In retrospect this could of been the main reason why it was a floor model)
2) About 1 year ago 3 separate stove dealers even 1 who sells Vogelzang reported problems with there castings and multiple overfire problems and would not recommend. (Though they may have wanted to sell me something more expensive so there opinion might have been biased, but still worth mentioning especially if someone is asking for opinions on the stove)
3) The death box came from when I originally was doing research on stoves I found quite a few comments referring to the Vogelzang box wood stove as a "Death Box" and the cause of fires due to failed castings and overfires. (Which could be the main reason why this stove now has a statement attached to it stating "May NOT be installed in mobile homes, manufactured homes, trailers or tents. (NO Exceptions)" and it has to be 36" to combustibles)

This stove may be an perfect fit for this person, but since this is a forum where people give other people advise, I shared my 2 cents worth of information on this stove based upon the above sources.

Polaris, how old is your Vogelzang?
Click to expand...
woha! castings welded? noone welds cast iron i thinx
Click to expand...
Cast iron can be welded, it's just not easy. I've welded some thick cast iron and it worked pretty well. Not pretty, but it worked.
 
Vogelzang may have gave box stoves a bad reputation, but not all box stoves are runaways or death boxes. The northwoods are full of box stoves, some are over a century old. They were hauled, packed and boated into logging camps, fishing and hunting cabins, trappers cabins, line cabins and etc. There are so many in the northcountry they affect compass readings...ha,ha,ha.

Years ago I learned from the U. S. Forest service how to tame the stoves, attach a back draft system. What you need is a stove tee with a tee cap that flips open and closed, elbow, length of stove pipe. Remove the tee cap that flips open and closed and install it in the bottom of the length of pipe. attach an elbow to the tee and attach the length of pipe making sure the end is about 3 inches from the floor.

With a good bed of coals, load up the stove, get the fire heating, open the back draft pipe cap, and close slide draft, close stove pipe damper above the stove or 45 degrees depending on draft conditions. The stove should burn a slow, steady fire without the danger of the wood converting to hot, combustible charcoal that leads to an overheated stove.

Jackpine
 
i could be wrong, and i apologize ahead of time if i am...but, i dont believe the boxwood stove is welded. i think they are 4 separate sides with a door, a top, and bottom all connected with either 4 or 6 long bolts.my dad has an old(ancient) school house stove shaped like this , and there are no welds. the 4 sides lock in together and set on the base, the top sets on , and then the bolts run down thru all.then the legs bolt on bottom.

i looked at the small boxwood stoves at a local hardware store and at least thats how theirs was assembled.there are no welds...if i am wrong, i stand corrected ahead of time.

mike
 
Mike I agree with you, I think (and it's my opinion) a 55 gallon drum would be a better investment. Work on the chimney system through the inside of your shop for better results.
 
a 24x32 shop thats marginaly insulated on a 10 degree would not be too comfortable (or safe) to work in if using a vogel-scrap chinatown stove
lowes has the englander NC13 on sale in alot of areas for 50% thats a 400$ epa approved modern stove with excellent reputation has the secondary burn tubes ceramic boards it airtight and has adjustable damper control ,it heats and starts super easy and burns very hot for its size (i just bought one myself for my 24x24) run a box fan behind it wit hsome dry oak splits and you will heat that shop in no time to a comfortable 60-70 degrees and it will burn a fourth of the wood compared ot a leaky barrel stove plus it makes a third of smoke and is very safe sturdy and welded tight made in USA ..prior to my recent purchase i had used a medium sized welded barrel stove kit in my shop ,took forever to get lower air under the coals to start it ,it needed constant attention (like having a toddler running around in the shop)or the fire would die out .it ate armloads of wood like nothing and the heat wasnt anything to write home about .I was finding that i was spending more time messing with it, than i was the actual project i came out to work on.save yourself the aggrevation and spend a few hundred while the good quality stoves are currently on clearance prices ,it was one of the better investments i made and can easily be sold on craigslist if times get tough down the road
 
i agree with lexy on this one.

mike


btw...i went to the vogelzang web site and the boxwood is as i described.dont waste your money on that stove...put a little more with it and but a stove that will last you a long time...jmho
 
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