Hearth and Home purchases Vermont Casting.

[BKVP]

Oh but owning one could be fun. Especially if we can have the company meetings there.

Imagine if you paid all employees in poker chips! Now that could be profitable!

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah, I wouldn't try paying anybody in Atlantic City casino chips right now.

Craig, you finance it and I am on it in a heartbeat.

 

[Flamestead]

A September video from VC...
http://www.vnews.com/home/13534978-95/htk-htkly-htk

This paper covers that part of the state, and might have some news about this in the next few days.

 

[begreen]

Thanks for sharing. I was lucky enough to get a tour of Nucor steel's foundry a few weeks back and will ever forget that experience. When those huge carbon arc rods hit the steel the whole building shakes. It's pyrotechnics on steroids.

 

[BrotherBart]

Great video. Thanks.

 

[Parallax]

As someone new to wood stoves, I can only say I hope they turn it around. Some of their stove designs are real good looking. Would love to see them become a domestic turn around success story like Harley Davidson.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Yea, so we can all wear black pirate clothes and operate chrome plated wood stoves......

 

[begreen]

VC has some of the nicest looking cast iron stoves on the market. Their foundry is top notch. But they need some serious improvement in the R&D and testing. Woodstock has shown it can be done. VC needs to change with the times but keep the beauty intact and bring their stoves up to the reliable standard they once had. Not exactly easy without some good backing. I hope HNI provides that.

 

[DougA]

As someone new to wood stoves, I can only say I hope they turn it around. Some of their stove designs are real good looking. Would love to see them become a domestic turn around success story like Harley Davidson.

I've owned a VC for 30 years and they were great in their day but new designs, new technology and new laws are separating the innovators from the 'old guys'. You only use grama's old stove if you want to heat the neighborhood.
Seems to me Harley is now making electric bikes too 'Live Wire'. Maybe they will add an electronically created 'roar and rumble' sound. Harley is not doing so well either: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatsp...ight-not-mean-that-it-is-past-its-glory-days/

 

[Parallax]

Well if BK can finally build a nice looking stove, I see no reason VC can't make a well engineered one.

 

[BrotherBart]

We always here about the folks that cook the iron or market the stoves. We hear nothing about the folks that design the darn things.

 

[DougA]

Well if BK can finally build a nice looking stove, I see no reason VC can't make a well engineered one.

As I understand it, designing a cast iron stove to meet all the standards is extremely costly. That's why so many are now steel. Much easier to weld a few plates, test it, then go back to the drawing board.

 

[begreen]

It is a challenge when working with castings. A cast-iron-clad steel VC stove could be a good way to start recovery.

 

[jharkin]

And here we go again...

Things is, if you start over and start fresh... ditch the downdraft and start making them in steel..... Then you almost might as well just call it a new brand as there will be no connection to either the foundry or even the looks of the old ones.

Sure they are a pain to operate (I live with an cat Encore and grew up with a '79 Resolute) but what has basically defined them from the beginning is the top loading and the Federal style cast iron design esthetic. If you get rid of the downdraft you cant do the top loading - or at least not easily. Switch to steel and they will never look like hte originals either.

If Im gonna buy a burn tube steel box, Im gonna buy it from one of the dozen other stove companies with a proven track record building such. I wouldn't take a chance on VC coming out with an untested one.



At this point all I care about is can I still get parts if I need them until such time as I can justify replacing the Encore altogether.

 

[begreen]

Jotul didn't call it a new brand when Maine introduced the Rangeley. Now there are 2 other steel stoves in their corral. VC needs to let go of the top-loading is special mantra. My first real stove was the same '79 Resolute and I loved that stove. But this is 35 years later. Time moves on and so should stove development.

 

[BrotherBart]

Somewhere Bob Fisher is reading this on celestial Wifi and grinning.

 

[jharkin]

Jotul didn't call it a new brand when Maine introduced the Rangeley.

I know, but Jotul still has it reputation intact. VC's is long gone sadly (I hate to say it as I have nothing but fond memories growing up with it)..... Im just wondering aloud if they might be better off just starting over altogether.

 

[begreen]

The brand is strong still, even in your mind. They need a winning stove to pull them ahead. An interesting start would be to make a deal with Woodstock and put a handsome jacket on the Ideal Steel.

 

[DougA]

The brand is strong still, even in your mind. They need a winning stove to pull them ahead. An interesting start would be to make a deal with Woodstock and put a handsome jacket on the Ideal Steel.

You think the IS is not handsome Compared to your avatar it is.

 

[begreen]

I didn't say the IS is handsome. I said VC could be the one's to put a handsome jacket on the IS.

 

[fire_man]

The brand is strong still, even in your mind. They need a winning stove to pull them ahead. An interesting start would be to make a deal with Woodstock and put a handsome jacket on the Ideal Steel.

Interesting idea, but I think Woodstock is way too smart to get involved with a company with such an unstable background.

 

[Jags]

Interesting idea, but I think Woodstock is way too smart to get involved with a company with such an unstable background.

Maybe - maybe not. Gotta remember that VC is already producing cast parts for other MFGs.

 

[Tenn Dave]

The brand is strong still, even in your mind. They need a winning stove to pull them ahead. An interesting start would be to make a deal with Woodstock and put a handsome jacket on the Ideal Steel.

An even better choice would be the BK Princess. Here you have an ugly duckling stove with excellent technology.

 

[Parallax]

An even better choice would be the BK Princess. Here you have an ugly duckling stove with excellent technology.

A VC cast-iron shrouded Princess -- now THAT would be something to behold!

 

[jharkin]

Actually yes now I am interested.