Earlier this year, when I cleaned my 8 yo VC Resolute Acclaim, I had a broken right arch brick, and behind it the combustion package was badly deteriorated. I posted on it then. The rest of the stove looked intact. I decided to rebuild it.
The best prices I could find were on eBay, $235 for the combustion package, and $240 for a set of arch bricks and sealing plates.
It's hard to find rebuilding instructions in one place, but from searching this forum, and others, I found the upper fireback had to come out to replace the combustion package which just sits on the stove back and is held in place by the fireback. People had mentioned the fireback was prone to warping, but mine looked good.
I purchased a gasket kit for $33 from eBay, and replaced all the gaskets as I went along. It came up about a foot short on the 5/16” for the flue cover, but the seller quickly sent me the extra at no charge.
With the fresh gaskets I needed a drift to line up the bolt holes on the fireback and sealing plates. I stuffed some used gasket in the small gaps between the sealing plates and the combustion package. Incidentally, the new sealing plates were unnecessary because the old ones looked good. They are held in place by Phillips head screws, rather than bolts, and might be a problem removing if the slots accumulate creosote.
I've always had a problem opening and closing the damper, especially by mid-season, so I smoothed the damper ears and fireback hinges, and coated them with graphite. The damper tabs have a “V” shape, and I installed them with the point against the ear to prevent any slop in the rotation. I adjusted the damper ramp to make up for the new gasket. Time will tell how this works!
I troweled in furnace cement in the front corner seams, and anywhere else that looked like it needed it, then installed the new arch bricks and old side bricks. I rehung the front door and adjusted the latch for the new gasket.
I considered giving the stove a new coat of Stove Bright, but being so close to the burning season, I didn't want to smell up the house. It can wait till next spring.
The best prices I could find were on eBay, $235 for the combustion package, and $240 for a set of arch bricks and sealing plates.
It's hard to find rebuilding instructions in one place, but from searching this forum, and others, I found the upper fireback had to come out to replace the combustion package which just sits on the stove back and is held in place by the fireback. People had mentioned the fireback was prone to warping, but mine looked good.
I purchased a gasket kit for $33 from eBay, and replaced all the gaskets as I went along. It came up about a foot short on the 5/16” for the flue cover, but the seller quickly sent me the extra at no charge.
With the fresh gaskets I needed a drift to line up the bolt holes on the fireback and sealing plates. I stuffed some used gasket in the small gaps between the sealing plates and the combustion package. Incidentally, the new sealing plates were unnecessary because the old ones looked good. They are held in place by Phillips head screws, rather than bolts, and might be a problem removing if the slots accumulate creosote.
I've always had a problem opening and closing the damper, especially by mid-season, so I smoothed the damper ears and fireback hinges, and coated them with graphite. The damper tabs have a “V” shape, and I installed them with the point against the ear to prevent any slop in the rotation. I adjusted the damper ramp to make up for the new gasket. Time will tell how this works!
I troweled in furnace cement in the front corner seams, and anywhere else that looked like it needed it, then installed the new arch bricks and old side bricks. I rehung the front door and adjusted the latch for the new gasket.
I considered giving the stove a new coat of Stove Bright, but being so close to the burning season, I didn't want to smell up the house. It can wait till next spring.
