2018/19 VC Owners Thread

[Dobish]

Welcome All to a New Season of being a Vermont Castings Owner....

Hopefully it will be cold enough to start burning soon!

(previous thread here: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/2017-2018-vc-owners-thread.162678)

 

[Diabel]

Had my first VC fire of the season last night. I will have another one this eve I think.

 

[jharkin]

Hey these threads are no fun without some grumbling about shared suffering.

We should take a poll to see who has the first nuclear meltdown or something ...



Anyway, as usual this time of yer, no burning for me yet. We had 90F+ less than 2 weeks ago. I did get all this summers new wood split and stacked at least. Next up I need to find some time to change a few gaskets this year....

 

[ajayabb]

Third fire of the new season for me

 

[Diabel]

We should take a poll to see who has the first nuclear meltdown or something ...

I like this! Or who can reach 2000*F first...

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Well I’m about to pick up a new chimney and double wall stove pipe as well as a new support box. My current setup is an old 8” class A chimney. The support box is showing signs of rust and even leaks during hurricane force rain and when there is a lot of snow on the roof. I’m switching over to an excel 6” system because the old encore will not be my forever stove. I need a new cat and refractory box and also need to regasket the damper plate. So there you go @jharkin, the first struggles of the 18/19 thread. Hopefully it all goes well and I’m ready to burn in a couple weeks.

 

[Diabel]

Well I’m about to pick up a new chimney and double wall stove pipe as well as a new support box. My current setup is an old 8” class A chimney. The support box is showing signs of rust and even leaks during hurricane force rain and when there is a lot of snow on the roof. I’m switching over to an excel 6” system because the old encore will not be my forever stove. I need a new cat and refractory box and also need to regasket the damper plate. So there you go @jharkin, the first struggles of the 18/19 thread. Hopefully it all goes well and I’m ready to burn in a couple weeks.

This sounds like a lot of work. You better get get....

 

[RandyBoBandy]

This sounds like a lot of work. You better get get....

Yes indeed. Hopefully the chimney install is only an afternoons worth of time. The hole is already cut so hopefully it’s as simple as gutting the old and installing the new.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

For those who have done a damper plate gasket job... can it be done by removing the flue collar or should I remove the upper fireback? And what kind of time frame am I looking at?

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Good afternoon to all... I'm looking forward to my first burn of the season.. last year my first burn was mid oct so im thinking around the same time this year. Were moving up some wood to the house this weekend if the weather is good

 

[bilvihur]

For those who have done a damper plate gasket job... can it be done by removing the flue collar or should I remove the upper fireback? And what kind of time frame am I looking at?

I did it a few years ago through the flue cover (without removing the collar), but you have to feel your way around even with plenty of light. It took a few hours. This year I removed the upper fireback (see Rebuild thread https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/rebuilding-vc-resolute-acclaim.169932/ ). Much easier!

 

[Diabel]

Randy

What makes you thinh that gasket needs replacing?
Does it fail the $ bill test?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Randy

What makes you thinh that gasket needs replacing?
Does it fail the $ bill test?

It’s just kinda loosely sitting in the groove. This will be my 4th year burning the stove and the guy I bought it from rebuilt it 2 years before I bought it. It passes the dollar test in some spots and not so much in others.

 

[jharkin]

I did it a few years ago through the flue cover (without removing the collar), but you have to feel your way around even with plenty of light. It took a few hours. This year I removed the upper fireback (see Rebuild thread). Much easier!

I also did mine when I had the upper fireback out for the partial rebuild - be warned however its no small feat to get that out and back in (about half way to rebuilding the entire stove). See the rebuild link in my signature.

If everything else is good, I would give it a go working from the flue collar. You don't have much to loose, worst that happens is it turned into a big job and you end up taking the upper fireback out anyway...

 

[RandyBoBandy]

So I have my 6” chimney and 6” double wall pipe. All excel. I also bought a 6” round flue collar from woodland direct. My problem now is the flue collar does not fit quite right. The bottom does not meet the gasket channel the way it should. I didn’t put any bolts to it but it doesn’t seem to compress the gasket at all. Oddly the model number on the stove is 2250 but it seems identical to the 2550. Not sure what to do. Excel doesn’t make an oval to round 6”. Any suggestions?

 

[jharkin]

Some progress.. I got the pipe swept this morning and cleaned out the stove... Very little junk in the pipe this time, but then again I didn't burn a lot last year, probably less than a cord.


The stove is in good shape except for the gasket on the fireback fell out when I pulled it to clean out the cat. Have to re-gasket that.

 

[Mr.K]

A bit chilly here this weekend, but still holding out on the first burn

 

[ajayabb]

I’m gonna burn for a few weeks and then run my Soot Eater up the stack. I had good results with it last year Bought 2 kits on Amazon. Works pretty well for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Im like a kid in a candy store.. i couldnt wait to burn. Friday night i opened up the windows saturday morning it was 62 in the house.. lite the stove for the first fire of the season.. i ran it long enough to birn the stink off it and make sure all was good. This morningi lite the stove again. Only for an hour and a half and let it go out. The temps are favorable for having a fire here and tjere this week

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Had my first overnight burn last night and reload this morning. It’s 32 outside on its way up to mid 50’s today.

Installed new chimney, stove pipe, new flue collar, and new cat two weeks ago, also replaced lower fireback gasket. I need to order a new refractory box so I’m going to wait to do the damper gasket until I do the box. This new cat is very active. Twice I had to open the damper last night and cool it off.

Forecast is looking like I will be lighting the stove daily. Happy burning everyone.

 

[Diabel]

Had my first overnight burn last night and reload this morning. It’s 32 outside on its way up to mid 50’s today.

Installed new chimney, stove pipe, new flue collar, and new cat two weeks ago, also replaced lower fireback gasket. I need to order a new refractory box so I’m going to wait to do the damper gasket until I do the box. This new cat is very active. Twice I had to open the damper last night and cool it off.

Forecast is looking like I will be lighting the stove daily. Happy burning everyone.

Had my first overnight burn last night and reload this morning. It’s 32 outside on its way up to mid 50’s today.

Installed new chimney, stove pipe, new flue collar, and new cat two weeks ago, also replaced lower fireback gasket. I need to order a new refractory box so I’m going to wait to do the damper gasket until I do the box. This new cat is very active. Twice I had to open the damper last night and cool it off.

Forecast is looking like I will be lighting the stove daily. Happy burning everyone.

How did you make out with the flue collar? Did it fit right after all.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

How did you make out with the flue collar? Did it fit right after all.

No. Luckily a dealer close to my job site had one in the shop. Sold it to me for 40 bucks. That’s less than half what woodmans sold me a piece of junk for. Only thing I need to do now is patch the ceiling around the support box.

 

[ajayabb]

Swept the Encore today and fired her up this evening

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Your alcove looks awesome. Nice setup.

 

[kennyp2339]

@SonOfEru