Please help me choose a stove?

[Dave M]

What stove does she want to get, you ask? Well naturally, one of the most expensive and nicest looking......the woodstock hybrid. I should have known better than to show it to her, its all my fault! She didnt like the steel look of any stove, even the osburn and napoleon. I like the woodstock too, I just needed to get passed the price. So I called them, but they are back ordered until mid november. Trying to decide if we can wait that long, 2 months is a loooong time when its cold. We might use our old stove along with a kerosene heater for awhile.

One issue I have with this woodstock stove is that it has a 6" flue, but I confirmed that I do have 8" pipe. My neighbor/installer says it will be ok to run a reducer, from 8" down to 6" so it fits. Do you guys know if thats ok? I know you steered me towards the 8" stoves earlier, because I said I had 8" pipe. Would reducing that that be a safety issue, or an efficiency conflict? Or, would that be ok to do?

 

[HollowHill]

Your wife has very good taste It's worth the wait!

 

[begreen]

Looking back at the picture supplied it looks like you have a big Consolidated Dutchwest stove. Do you know if this stove is catalytic? Get the model number off of the UL tag in the back and we can tell from that.

If your wood supply for this year is well seasoned, maybe we can help you with this stove. The cat versions heated pretty well.

 

[Waulie]

The Hybrid will serve you well should you go that way.

I would try it with your 8" pipe (assuming it is in good condition and safe) and see how it works. Woodstock lists the maximum chimney cross-section as something like 80 square inches IIRC. I run mine on a 7X7 and it works great, but I do have a tall chimney. My dad runs his on a 7 X 11 with no issues (also a tall chimney).

If you do end up with draft issues, I don't see why you'd have to replace the whole chimney. Couldn't you just throw a 6 inch flex liner down the existing 8" chimney? That would be relatively inexpensive and a quick and easy fix.

Like BeGreen mentioned above, maybe you can get your existing stove working better and just keep it. Any option is going to require better firewood.

 

[teutonicking]

I ordered my stove last Summer and had to wait until late December to get it. Although at the time the wait almost killed me, now I'm really glad that I waited. I love my Progress stove, and I really do think its worth the money. I can't wait to start using it again this Fall.

Another option regarding the 8" pipe might be to try the Vermont Castings Defiant (see link: http://vermontcastings.com/family/Stoves/Convertible/Defiant-Two-In-One/

it is a very nice looking stove and comes in some amazing colors. It also converts from cat to non-cat. I have never owned it, but it was on my short list when I was buying stoves. I believe that company is on the upswing again, although there are folks on this site who know far more about it than I do.

 

[Dave M]

Thanks again all, the people at Woodstock said the same thing based on my description....install it and see how it runs. I may have to extend the chimney because its only about 11 feet. The pipe is 8" and is in good condition. Now that I am at the site, I see the part that sticks out the roof is stainless steel. I like the vermont castings defiant too, but it was all over when my wife saw the picture of the progress hybrid. So we are on the waiting list, they say mid november.

It does get real cold up here, sometimes even in october. So I may do something with my stove if I can get parts and they arent terribly expensive. What I have here is just as you guys said, a dutchwest. The tag says "Dutchwest India" FA288CLL burns coal and wood. It does have a cat but I dont know how bad it is. The main problem is that the front glass cracked because my wife over fired it( fed it too much cardboard). The parts on the door that hold the glass in place have been damaged(also over heated), so I need more than just new glass. My neighbor told me this, and he has repaired this stove several times. If anyone thinks pictures might help, I can post some.

 

[charly]

Honestly, take a trip to Woodstocks open house, if you can wait. Once you see their stoves in person, you'll more then ;likely come home with one. Their attention to detail will blow you away. Plus maybe their new stove they haven't unveiled yet will be just what you were looking for,,,,,honestly.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like you could get it running ok with a little work. For parts try:
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood-and-Coal-Stove-Manufacturers-Cross-Reference.html

 

[Dave M]

Thanks guys but somehow woodmans doesnt list dutchwest as a parts stove. Charly, I did buy the woodstock, I'm just waiting for it.....but its gonna be awhile!

 

[begreen]

Yes it does, look under Consolidated Dutchwest. The 288CCL is listed there.

 

[Dave M]

Ah, consolidated! Thanks begreen!