Insert Identification - need help!

[cabotb]

Hello everyone-

Just moved into a new house a few months ago, and the owners left their insert. Unfortunately I'm unable to identify the manufacturer of this unit. I forgot to have my chimney sweep look when he pulled the unit out to clean/inspect the fireplace, and due to an injury I'm unable to slide this unit out for several months. I've had the blowers out to clean/lubricate but didn't notice any ID marks in those locations. The insert works fine...I'd just like to know what it is and where I could order replacement parts should I ever need to. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I've already learned so much from this forum it's amazing!

I took these photos with my phone, sorry if they appear a bit stretched.

 

[cabotb]

Can anyone offer any help on identifying this insert?

 

[BrotherBart]

With one that old IDing it probably isn't going to happen. There were so many places making them back in the seventies and eighties. And this one is for sure that old. As to replacement parts other than generic gaskets, firebrick and possibly matching up motors for the blower you aren't going to find anything either.

 

[Jags]

If it is burning well for you - keep kick'in it. At the point in time that pieces parts (and parts are parts) need to be replaced, you may want to move over to an EPA cert stove. Truth be told - if you do that - you will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner. Many of those old school stoves were built like tanks and would run trouble free for years.

Sorry for the lack of ID - but back in the 70's - everybody was making stoves. Heck, I even welded together 3 of them. :lol: Jags Stoveworks version 1.0 - 1.1 and 1.2. Version 1.2 is still in use.

 

[tickbitty]

It's not a Buck, but it's similar to the old Buck stove inserts. It probably has a big rectangular slot in the top back that opens directly into your fireplace, that's what they call a "slammer" around here and was the common way that the inserts were done back then. It doesn't look abused or anything and if your chimney etc is in good shape it might be just fine for you for a while.

 

[cabotb]

Yes, it has a "slammer" just as you described. It is in good shape, but I have to purchase my own wood and am trying to figure out if I would be better off running it until it quits or upgrading to a newer, more efficient model. So far it's done a good job throwing out heat but I wish I could get a longer burn time. Since we've just moved to the house this year and didn't have a usable supply of firewood to start I'm using firewood that isn't seasoned as well as I would like. By next year I'll have a good supply of seasoned wood which will help. I regularly get the temp to 350-450 with the blowers on (so probably 450-550 without blowers), but a full load will only last me approximately 4-6 hours with reducing the fresh air intake knobs and closing the damper a bit.

 

[Jags]

A new stove with a chimney liner (for draft purposes) and you will consume ~50% less wood than you will be burning in that thing. Just sayin'.

 

[cabotb]

I just saw on the door that it is manufactured by Vestal Manufacturing in TN. Can't believe I didn't see that mark sooner. Thanks to all for trying to help!

 

[BrotherBart]

Vestal is still going strong. Making fireplace equipment and accessories. No stoves anymore since the EPA regs arrived.

 

[Stump_Branch]

wish i would have seen this sooner. My folks had one nearly identical. I was way to young to have remembered the name but im sure they could have told me.

With regards to the "slammer" style set up of exhausting right into the fireplace, why did they get rid of this? My guesses woudl be poor draft, leaky surrounds, downdraft issues, and maybe to much heat before the flue tiles. but when i installed my liner my dad was telling me about this set up and couldnt believe that now you have to have a continous stainless liner. (although he agrees with it)

 

[BrotherBart]

A huge problem with slammer installed inserts is the creosote accumulation in the large smoke chamber prior the the gases getting into the chimney. Especially on cold starts where all of that cold brick area just collects creosote like a magnet. And the smoke shelf designed into the back of fireplaces doesn't help. Creosote gets stacked up on the shelf and gets missed by many a homeowner cleaning their own chimney and a lot of "professional" sweeps too. Several of my wood burning friends have had monster chimney fires with slammer installed inserts even though they had their chimneys cleaned every year. The sweeps missed cleaning the stuff off of and out of the area of the smoke shelf. And when it lit off it was a lot of fuel.