coldinnj said:
The issues brought up here have mostly been with Harman pellet stoves. Which do in fact have many mechanical/moving parts as well as circuit boards.
Getting started on a budget; buying a used stove
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The issues brought up here have mostly been with Harman pellet stoves. Which do in fact have many mechanical/moving parts as well as circuit boards.
VC did have a bad run in the 90's. I have a friend that had her 1991 non-cat Resolute professionally rebuilt 3 times. It would fail again in about 3 yrs of 24/7 burning. I finally told her there was no point in rebuilding the stove, lemon design. I think this stove and maybe a few others (Winter Warm?) are what brought down the VC name. But that doesn't mean that they haven't recovered or that all their line has problems. I owned one of the early Resolutes and loved that stove. Have another friend running an Intrepid II and he's really happy with it. My brother is running an old Vigilant and it won't quit. CDW reports here have been very positive. Seeing the changes in VC management and attitude, if I could have made an Encore work I would have installed one. I like top loaders and really like the thermostatic damper.
One other option for a low cost chainsaw, though not the best quality is to look in Harbor Freight, or possibly some of the other "discount tools" type catalogs. They frequently offer "Factory Reconditioned" consumer grade saws such as the Poulan Woodsman for around $100 or so. These are not great saws along the line of a commercial grade Husky or Stihl, but they will get you through a few seasons until you can afford to upgrade.
Gooserider
Gooserider
Gooserider said:
Lol, we are well-acquainted with Harbor Freight in this house. I bought from them the 2 blue-flames we're heating it with right now. Great price and they work just fine.
BeGreen said:
I'd love to, because I thin k a Castine would work very well for us. I've made the trip from here to NYC (where I used to live) several times and it is approx. 17 hours, looks from map like Rome is even farther. Most of the used Jotuls I've seen have been on the east coast, though I could buy a new one here in town if I had the money. Old Fishers and Timberlines from the 80's seem to be our local specialty as far as used stoves go. They really look like great workhorse classics to me, but they generally run about $500 and are not EPA certified.
Some thoughts on a budget:
I admit it - I have a Homelite chainsaw
And it has served me fine through 4 cords last year, 4 cords this year, along with a cord or two of misc. cutting when I was renting a place before this house was built. I'm sure it'll crap out one of these years, but it's still running fine - I just sharpen the chain after each 1-2 tanks of gas. There are a lot of chainsaw snobs and I'm sure someday I'll be one too but I wouldn't hestitate to get a cheap saw to start.
Your class-A chimney won't be too bad in cost. For reference, we paid $1800 for a more complex chimney. This included $500 of labor, and the run was from roof peak, through attic with a small offset (those add big $) and then through a chase in the second floor and terminating just below the first floor ceiling. Your run will be a lot shorter it sounds like; if you can avoid offsets, it'll really help you out, and you'll be well under $1K for parts. Oh those are NY prices too - I'm guessing midwest will be less.
We also built our woodshed out of rough timber on our land following a simple design circulated on this site. Just strapped crossbeam tree to post trees using galvanized metal straps, hoisted the assembly with a pickup and pulley, and then cross braced the hell out of it and roofed it. Cost me $250 total most of which was cedar shingles for roof. Looks very rustic. Friends dropped ~$800 to do nearly identical design out of pressure treated lumber.
Sounds like you should have about $1K to spend on a stove - Dutchwest seems like a good option.
-Colin
I admit it - I have a Homelite chainsaw
And it has served me fine through 4 cords last year, 4 cords this year, along with a cord or two of misc. cutting when I was renting a place before this house was built. I'm sure it'll crap out one of these years, but it's still running fine - I just sharpen the chain after each 1-2 tanks of gas. There are a lot of chainsaw snobs and I'm sure someday I'll be one too but I wouldn't hestitate to get a cheap saw to start.
Your class-A chimney won't be too bad in cost. For reference, we paid $1800 for a more complex chimney. This included $500 of labor, and the run was from roof peak, through attic with a small offset (those add big $) and then through a chase in the second floor and terminating just below the first floor ceiling. Your run will be a lot shorter it sounds like; if you can avoid offsets, it'll really help you out, and you'll be well under $1K for parts. Oh those are NY prices too - I'm guessing midwest will be less.
We also built our woodshed out of rough timber on our land following a simple design circulated on this site. Just strapped crossbeam tree to post trees using galvanized metal straps, hoisted the assembly with a pickup and pulley, and then cross braced the hell out of it and roofed it. Cost me $250 total most of which was cedar shingles for roof. Looks very rustic. Friends dropped ~$800 to do nearly identical design out of pressure treated lumber.
Sounds like you should have about $1K to spend on a stove - Dutchwest seems like a good option.
-Colin
ps - you said it before yourself - go with an EPA stove. Free wood is still a hell of a lot of labor
NY Soapstone said:ps - you said it before yourself - go with an EPA stove. Free wood is still a hell of a lot of labor
Agreed. And that is one beautiful stove in your picture!
(which reminds me, check out this beaut I stumbled across accidentally on ebay UK earlier:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Art-Deco-Azur...ryZ20564QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It looks to me like it might start walking around and extending martinis with robotic arms...
I have done a little more research and have some specific questions about a few of the suggestions you guys have given. Sorry, these are kind of random:
1. The folks who are suggesting I look at CDW's, are you suggesting the Everburners? I read that thread... it's slightly intimidating. I think a new one would be a little outside my price range unless I find a deal in late winter or something-- really need to keep the stove under a grand.
2. Were the old catalytic Dutchwests with the thermometer in the top made by VC or were they simply bought out by the same company that VC was? I have heard good things about these stoves, but figure I'd probably need to figure in the cost of a replacement combustor if I got a used one, about $120 if I'm looking at the right part.
3. The more I look at some of the steel stoves, the more I like them (their simplicity is really growing on me). Do the Englanders have a heavier grade of steel than the Centurys? I have to say the idea of picking up a deal in early spring at a local home improvement or farm store on a brand new stove is really starting to appeal after all the fruitless searching I've done on ebay and elsewhere. My biggest reservation at this point about going with a steel stove is waking up to a cold house; this house is very leaky and would probably cost more to insulate properly than we paid for it.
4. Damn it, I really want a Jotul
guess that's not a question. It's just what I keep circling back around to.
It might not look like I'm making any progress figuring this out, but I think I am, you guys ahave been a huge helop so far eventually it'll all shake out and I'll know wha to do.
1. The folks who are suggesting I look at CDW's, are you suggesting the Everburners? I read that thread... it's slightly intimidating. I think a new one would be a little outside my price range unless I find a deal in late winter or something-- really need to keep the stove under a grand.
2. Were the old catalytic Dutchwests with the thermometer in the top made by VC or were they simply bought out by the same company that VC was? I have heard good things about these stoves, but figure I'd probably need to figure in the cost of a replacement combustor if I got a used one, about $120 if I'm looking at the right part.
3. The more I look at some of the steel stoves, the more I like them (their simplicity is really growing on me). Do the Englanders have a heavier grade of steel than the Centurys? I have to say the idea of picking up a deal in early spring at a local home improvement or farm store on a brand new stove is really starting to appeal after all the fruitless searching I've done on ebay and elsewhere. My biggest reservation at this point about going with a steel stove is waking up to a cold house; this house is very leaky and would probably cost more to insulate properly than we paid for it.
4. Damn it, I really want a Jotul
guess that's not a question. It's just what I keep circling back around to.It might not look like I'm making any progress figuring this out, but I think I am, you guys ahave been a huge helop so far eventually it'll all shake out and I'll know wha to do.
BeGreen said:
I have not, because I believe Rome is about a 17 hour drive from here. Unfortunately I can't help very much with driving, so husband would have to do almost all of it, and that's a helluva trip for (mostly) one person. About a 20 hour round trip is the most I want to try to do.
Agreed that would be a long trip. Best to stay overnight before heading back. Google Maps shows Indianapolis to Rome at 12 hrs. Maybe a mid-point meeting could be arranged?
BeGreen said:
oops, you are right. I just checked it and google says 13.5 (I'm in Bloominton). maybe I should consider this then. I was basing it on having done here-NYC, and that was around 17 hours. It was also at Christmas, during bad weather when the highways in Pennsylvania seemed to be covered with dead deer. Maybe that had something to do with it. I will contact him.
I will probably get slammed for the following since am new and still learning...
Purchased a Napoleon 1400. Did have existing venting so that was a plus. I found this ugly wood stove online (ask if interested where), saved $240 as it was on sale hence paid approx $900 for it, with glass door. I couldn't be happier. Was burning mediocre wood until I located some oak and fir (Colorado) recently. It is 10 degrees out, we live in a Victorian house built in 1907, 1800 sq ft, insulated but not exactly stellar, and with decent wood, I am constantly damping the thing down to its minimum so we can maintain 78-82 degrees. Otherwise we'd bake... well, not really, I just use far less wood that I was using before with an older stove. Earlier today my missus said, when the snow was flying and it was 20 degrees outside, that she was baking. What amazed me about the stove was how long it maintained heat when the wood had burned down to coals. Easily kept the house warm for 3-4 hours after the wood had burned down to coals. I don't think this stove is that ugly myself... the glass door allows one to view the dancing flames. What I like is everyone in this area is paying $300-$400, some more, a month for utilities just to heat their home, and we are paying $25, mostly for the water heater, or freezing. I love this particular stove, and find it's performance and maintenance, for the low price, dandy. There are so many great stoves out there of course. I just happen to have landed with this one and it has been excellent.
Purchased a Napoleon 1400. Did have existing venting so that was a plus. I found this ugly wood stove online (ask if interested where), saved $240 as it was on sale hence paid approx $900 for it, with glass door. I couldn't be happier. Was burning mediocre wood until I located some oak and fir (Colorado) recently. It is 10 degrees out, we live in a Victorian house built in 1907, 1800 sq ft, insulated but not exactly stellar, and with decent wood, I am constantly damping the thing down to its minimum so we can maintain 78-82 degrees. Otherwise we'd bake... well, not really, I just use far less wood that I was using before with an older stove. Earlier today my missus said, when the snow was flying and it was 20 degrees outside, that she was baking. What amazed me about the stove was how long it maintained heat when the wood had burned down to coals. Easily kept the house warm for 3-4 hours after the wood had burned down to coals. I don't think this stove is that ugly myself... the glass door allows one to view the dancing flames. What I like is everyone in this area is paying $300-$400, some more, a month for utilities just to heat their home, and we are paying $25, mostly for the water heater, or freezing. I love this particular stove, and find it's performance and maintenance, for the low price, dandy. There are so many great stoves out there of course. I just happen to have landed with this one and it has been excellent.
squngel said:
We had a Ford red Ranger truck (named Fred) that the previous owner's daughter had slid into a ditch and dented the bed pretty badly. But it only had 70K on it and I paid. $700. I straightened out the bed with a sledge and a crowbar. Fred was absolutely manual, the only accessory was a kicking aftermarket stereo. Banged up, flat vinyl seats, manual steering, faded red paint all contributed to what some might call a ugly truck. But Fred ran like a top and was a real workhorse. I ended up loving that truck. It was simple, like the trucks in the 60's, got great gas mileage and I never worried about rocks and gravel scratching up the bed. Like a woodstove, a finely functioning machine has its own beauty.
I've heard only good things about the Napoleon 1400. It's a nice value. With the leg kit, it doesn't look bad at all to me. When it's -10 and blowing sideways outside, yet 70 inside, that stove has to look even more beautiful.
http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Webshare/wood/wood stoves/1100PL_1400PL.html
I've heard only good things about the Napoleon 1400. It's a nice value. With the leg kit, it doesn't look bad at all to me. When it's -10 and blowing sideways outside, yet 70 inside, that stove has to look even more beautiful.
http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Webshare/wood/wood stoves/1100PL_1400PL.html
There's an older, large Dutchwest 288 CCL on eBay right now, so far at $300. Located in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Doesn't look too bad. Ends today in 9 hrs.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Federal-Dutchwe...5QQihZ009QQcategoryZ41987QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This is a big stove. 26" logs. Make sure you have the clearances if you like it.
http://www.vermontcastings.com/catalog/elements/files/Dutchwest_Pre_90.pdf
http://cgi.ebay.com/Federal-Dutchwe...5QQihZ009QQcategoryZ41987QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This is a big stove. 26" logs. Make sure you have the clearances if you like it.
http://www.vermontcastings.com/catalog/elements/files/Dutchwest_Pre_90.pdf
BeGreen said:
Actually I have been looking at that one long enough to see that most of the guy's previous purchases have been pornos, lol. Also since we are installing an entirely new stack I need t o go read up quickly on whether we can cinch this down to a 6" and expect it to draft at all. I don't want to run the whole thing in 8" if our next stove is going to take 6". If there is a sticky post somewehre around about draft and flue sizes, I can't find it.
squngel said:
I wouldn't give that old stove a second look. It is one of the Taiwan era Dutchwest CCL stoves. They were cat stoves so going into a six inch flue shouldn't be consided, I don't think. That and not being able to get an expert to examine it before you buy it just is not a good idea.
I almost bought one just like it new in 1985 and have been eternally thankful that I did not given the problems people have had with them over the years because of quality issues.
For everybody that has heard the stories about the Consolidated Dutchwest stove that almost sank Vermont Castings. There it is in all its glory.
Squngel,
What is it about your house that will make it so costly to insulate? Keeping your heat in is usualy more effecent than producing more heat.
Garett
What is it about your house that will make it so costly to insulate? Keeping your heat in is usualy more effecent than producing more heat.
Garett
G-rott said:
It is a 1910 plaster and lathe with vinyl siding on the outside. Built onto multiple times, all one storey and very complicated roofline. Some parts of the attic are really hard to get into. I know it would be complicated and expensive, and if we wanted to do walls we would have to either put in all new drywall or remove all the siding and then... I could be wrong, there may be some easy or practical way to do it. I will admit to having done very little research into it, because what research I did do when we first bought the house was so discouraging I just gave up. The end of the house that we rent out to a tenant (and which would not be heated with the wood stove) is actually newer and insulated to the gills; that is about 550 of the total 1750 or so sq footage. Actually I want to post a little floor plan of the house for you guys to see; it has a horrible layout and almost appears to have been designed to NOT be heated with wood. I don't know how to do this except draw one on paper, take a pic, and post it. Guess I'll go get busy.
Growing up my parents bought a second home on Prince Edward Island Canada (think cold, long winters). The home was built around 1890. Ballooned framed, beautiful trim, hardwood floors, etc. A very nice home, astetically speaking. Insulation was pitiful. Since they lived in a historical district they could not change the front of the house at all. However, all other windows got changed out with more efficient units. Also, they had someone come in and blow insulation into the walls. This was done by cutting a 2 or 3 inch hole top and bottom of the wall, then the blown in insulation was forced into the cavity using a machine. It made a HUGE difference having the exterior walls insulated and they did not have to tear apart all the old plaster walls either.
-Kevin
-Kevin
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