Just brought this home.. Now what??!!

[cmonSTART]

It came home with me from a job today - an old VC Vigilant. The fireback and thermostat are in a good shape but it's clearly been burned a bit hot. Should I make a meat smoker ala BB? Cool backyard wood stove? That's actually not a bad idea.

Anyone need one?

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

Cool stove. I would first repaint it. You could use it to heat your house but there are better units out there that are more efficient. It's hard to tell if that has the Energy Extender add on with the catalytic converter but even if it does, I would use a more efficient stove for heating. Would be great as a backyard stove, though.

 

[Todd]

Clean it up and sell it in the Fall.

 

[BrotherBart]

Make a smoker, use it in the backyard for ambiance or anything but don't scrap it. I broke down a cast iron stove two weeks ago and sold it for scrap. 443 pounds and it brought $24 dollars. Should have used the parts for flood control down at the bridge.

 

[cmonSTART]

I'm angling towards the back yard stove at this point. I should have enough spare parts around to make a good 10 foot stack for it.

Hmm.. The possibilities....

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah I was out back of the wood pile in a lawn chair with a cold one watching Old Brownie eat wood last night.

 

[madrone]

I'm angling towards the back yard stove at this point. I should have enough spare parts around to make a good 10 foot stack for it.

Hmm.. The possibilities....

hells yeah. Been dreaming of this myself. Grillin' a steak right on the top...

 

[cmonSTART]

I like it!

 

[CJ-SR4ever]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Especially this time of year its always a good time to bbq, throw down a few brews, and sit around the fire with the guys.

 

[Fsappo]

Thats a great outdoor fireplace stove. Flip the flue color so its going vertical, 10' of pipe or so and go go go. I've played with tons of old VC stoves in the past and used a lot as outdoor cookers/firepits. As an outdoor cooker, I would sometimes add a small wood grate in there. Made for more "fun" fires. Also, you got that groovy griddle on top for cookin.

If you can afford not to sell it, have a great time playing with it outside. Post some pics!

 

[peakbagger]

Usually a $400 dollar stove in Uncle Henrys.

 

[begreen]

If everything is still intact, not warped and the bypass mechanism is working well. I would take a compressor and blow out the secondary passages. Do a light test on it for any seam leaks. If all is ok, clean it up, paint it and sell in fall.

 

[cmonSTART]

I feel I (and the business) would assume too much liability selling this stove. This is a chimney fire waiting to happen.

I've unloaded it next to it's summer home. Now I just need to throw down a platform and hook it up.

 

[remkel]

I feel I (and the business) would assume too much liability selling this stove. This is a chimney fire waiting to happen.

I've unloaded it next to it's summer home. Now I just need to throw down a platform and hook it up.

That overfire pattern looks awfully familiar.....my Vigilant is older than the one pictured, byt I saw the same pattern- seems to occur right where air comes into the front of the firebox. Very interesting to see this.

Anyhow, this coming Thursday the old girl will be taken out of the basement and my new mistress will be arriving- the F600 will be in the house!