New Woodstock Fireview--Very Happy!

Hello Everyone,

A few months ago, I posted some pics of my old consolidated dutchwest (large) and asked some help on establishing a fair selling price. Well a lot has happened since then--wood stove wise. I sold my 20 year old dutchwest for my asking price (it was in great condition for 20 years!).

My wife and I went to the woodstock stove factory in NH and picked out a fireview--great tour of the facility and wonderful people. The stove was shipped to a loading terminal 30 minutes away in massachusetts--I live in rhode island. Arranged for my chimney cleaning people to install the fireview and load the dutchwest onto the truck of the new owner--everything went very smoothly, good workers! Even had my chimney cleaned (had 6" inserts installed 2 years ago).

Told my wife that it was going to be a cool evening and I should/need/want to "season" the new fireview stove. Did about four small "seasoning" fires in 3 days! Oh well my wife is very understanding of me. Also, got a chance to engage the combustor and burn during the night.

My first impressions are very, very positive! The fireview is so easy to get going and the controls are great! Soapstone does really store the heat, again I am very happy with this purchase--used my dutchwest for 20 years. My wife and I really enjoy watching the flames jump around--never really got into that with my old stove. My neighbors must really think I enjoy burning wood, especially in May!

This evening will not be as cool, so won't be starting a fire--but still enjoy just looking at it. My wife keeps asking me why I'm always staring at the stove--oh well!

Thanks for all the help these past months--oh I cut and split wood today, but that is another story.

John

Hello and thanks for all the kind words!

I called the installers and told them their work received much praise.

John

Hello everyone,

Yes, I feel very positive about my purchase of the woodstock fireview (can you tell)! Thanks again for all the kind comments and help when I first started looking at the woodstock stove. My entire experience with this purchase from beginning to end has been perfect. I even get a bonus, my son goes to graduate school in hanover--about 2 miles from the woodstock factory. So, I get to see my son and his wife and then a visit to the "candy/toy" store. ;-P I want to add the ash bin/holder that woodstock sells.

John, I agree that your install looks great. As for the stove, you’ve just began to enjoy it. When you will really enjoy it is next winter when the north wind is howling or it is snowing outdoors and you are sitting there enjoying the view and the heat. Congratulations on a good buy and a great install.

btw, something comes up on this forum from time to time about this stove being complicated to operate. With you just starting with the Fireview, do you find it complicated to operate or more complicated than your old stove? After all, there are two controls!

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Dennis, you asked me about operating the fireview (2 controls) which is my 2nd wood stove. My prior stove (sold it) was the consolidated dutchwest which I had for 20 years and used this past season.

I found the dutchwest much more challenging to tweak as far as controlling the heat output. Either it was too much or not enough. Tweaking the 3 air controls plus the combustor was definitely more challenging for me, anyway. I found the fireview very easy to operate and the instructions/manual that comes with the stove--great! The manual is very informative and fun reading--it answered all my questions. The fireview was easy to get a fire going, even in this mild weather--the draft even seemed better. Every fire started easily (I made 5 fires) and the one air control is great for controlling and tweaking the fire. The combustor also worked great! I hope I don't sound like a broken record, but I am so pleased with this purchase--I'll stop!

Yes, Dennis you are right! I don't and won't wish my time away (too precisous), but fall and especially winter with some snow falling and the wind howling --perfect for enjoying a wood stove!

John (from little Rhode Island)

John, that ash bin/holder is a perfect fit for that Fireview. Push it up to the fire door and it is the perfect height to slide the ashes in. We do that and then leave it outdoors for a couple days before emptying it into some big plastic barrels. Then in the spring we empty the barrels into the vegetable garden as poor man’s lime. Just make sure you spread the ashes else it is too concentrated and nothing will grow there that year. As long as the ashes are spread though, it works great and the soil loves it.

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Thanks Dennis for the info on the ash bin/holder. This will be a definite purchase for me when my wife and I visit my son in hanover, nh.

Tis a pretty install indeed! That belongs in a catalog shot. Minor question, I’m wondering why there is only one andiron showing instead of two?

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Thanks BeGreen--I posted another photo, shows more detail and the "missing" andiron better.

John

What color is that one? My wife and I are still undecided on color for ours.

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Hi Steve,

The color is blue and the best with your new purchase. You are in for a wonderful experience!

John