Hello everyone -
I've been reading these boards for a while and thought I'd finally join. Basically, I have a place in Colorado and a place in Rhode Island. In Colorado, I run a 2008 VC Intrepid II 1990 in a very small space for supplemental heating. In Rhode Island, I'd like to start looking for a stove as the house is NC and has nothing - however I'm on a tight budget and brand new may be out of the question. (At least for now).
A couple of questions on used stoves:
There's a lot I like about my Intrepid. Small, compact, top load, good-looking, etc. I can get pretty high burn times if I pack it with the right wood. However, when reading about used VC stoves, all I see are warnings. Spotty QC, overly-complex mechanical designs, and unpredictable behavior. I've had mine all apart on occasion for serious cleanings and can see that the design of the damper assembly is certainly irritating to say the least. Firebacks warping seem to be another common complaint. I recently found a used Resolute Acclaim on craigslist, another stove users have warned against. But for supplemental or occasional burning, would it be as problematic? Should I perhaps look for a used Intrepid instead?
I really like the look of Jotul stoves but have never used one. There are, however, a few things I've picked on that I don't like so much, namely the lack of top loading. I also notice with the Oslo (through pictures/videos) that wood tends to fall forward as it burns, mashing up against the glass. I would think that this would make loading through the front a bit tricky during hot burns, given the lack of a grate or andirons. The last thing about Jotul that I have noticed, merely through looking at classifieds of used stoves, is the constant tendency for panels to crack. I've never seen this with a VC stove, at least to the extend that I see it with Jotul.
To recap: looking for a used stove, and leaning towards VC given experience. Warped firebacks, though a b**ch to remove, seem preferable to cracked side panels or grates. Again, I have little experience with Jotul, so I could be talking out my rear. Let me know what you think!
I've been reading these boards for a while and thought I'd finally join. Basically, I have a place in Colorado and a place in Rhode Island. In Colorado, I run a 2008 VC Intrepid II 1990 in a very small space for supplemental heating. In Rhode Island, I'd like to start looking for a stove as the house is NC and has nothing - however I'm on a tight budget and brand new may be out of the question. (At least for now).
A couple of questions on used stoves:
There's a lot I like about my Intrepid. Small, compact, top load, good-looking, etc. I can get pretty high burn times if I pack it with the right wood. However, when reading about used VC stoves, all I see are warnings. Spotty QC, overly-complex mechanical designs, and unpredictable behavior. I've had mine all apart on occasion for serious cleanings and can see that the design of the damper assembly is certainly irritating to say the least. Firebacks warping seem to be another common complaint. I recently found a used Resolute Acclaim on craigslist, another stove users have warned against. But for supplemental or occasional burning, would it be as problematic? Should I perhaps look for a used Intrepid instead?
I really like the look of Jotul stoves but have never used one. There are, however, a few things I've picked on that I don't like so much, namely the lack of top loading. I also notice with the Oslo (through pictures/videos) that wood tends to fall forward as it burns, mashing up against the glass. I would think that this would make loading through the front a bit tricky during hot burns, given the lack of a grate or andirons. The last thing about Jotul that I have noticed, merely through looking at classifieds of used stoves, is the constant tendency for panels to crack. I've never seen this with a VC stove, at least to the extend that I see it with Jotul.
To recap: looking for a used stove, and leaning towards VC given experience. Warped firebacks, though a b**ch to remove, seem preferable to cracked side panels or grates. Again, I have little experience with Jotul, so I could be talking out my rear. Let me know what you think!
