Bomb proof cast iron stove?

[kentuckydiesel]

Over the past year or so I've been looking for the right wood stove for our two story 3200sqft house. I just can't justify the cost of the new large cast iron stove models (and I'm not sure anyone makes what I want) so I'm specifically looking for used. I know there are some decent deals on steel stoves, but I grew up in a Vermont Castings family and I just can't bring myself to like the steel options.

For the past 12ish years we had a Defiant Encore that we bought used, I rebuilt, and it was the main heat source in our little old farm house. We loved that little stove, though I hated the fragile refractory material that housed the cat...and I wasn't terribly fond of the fragility of the cat either.

What I would love to have would be an all cast defiant with well designed secondaries and no fragile refractory materials. Unfortunately, that doesn't exist.

I have been searching high and low for the right deal on a Jotul F600 or a Quadra-fire Isle Royale as they seem pretty close to what I want, but I've had no luck. They always either just sold or the seller is trying to retire off of the sale proceeds. I'm starting to consider giving up that search and going to something older.

I basically have an unlimited supply of wood. The amount of standing dead ash, oak, and maple that I need to clean up on our property has us pretty well set. We also live in a rural county and don't have any neighbors close by so wood smoke is a non-issue.

Since I can't seem to find any more modern stoves that fit what I want, I've started looking for an old Defiant II or III. It sounds like they have good heat output and burn times (possibly due to sheer firebox size). A Defiant III would fit pretty well as I love top load stoves, but I know my wife would be disappointed with the lack of glass in the doors.

Am I going down the right path for my needs? I don't think 10-15% less efficiency is going to bother me much, I don't mind some extra wood smoke, I'm fully capable of cleaning the chimney as often as is needed, and it would actually be nice to be a little less picky about wood quality as I have so many dead trees to clean up.

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[bigealta]

Well the jotuls certainly have the high quality built into them. At least the versions up to a couple years ago. My f400 is a tough stove that can take pushing heavy splits into the secondary burners and sides and back wall without an issue. The jotul 3 was the same (it did not have secondaries or even a top baffle plate), and the old 118 stoves they were tough to but were susceptible to the side walls developing a crack about midway. I think the jotul f55 is/was a good stove?

 

[bigealta]

There is an older 2 door f600 for sale here in NJ for $1,000

here is a link (if it is allowed?)

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[kentuckydiesel]

There is an older 2 door f600 for sale here in NJ for $1,000

here is a link (if it is allowed?)

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I actually have seen some up in the northeast. I'd just hate to drive all that way to find out a stove was badly overfired or something.

Unfortunately the big things in Kentucky and surrounding states are big steel box stoves. It can be difficult to find much else.

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

I actually have seen some up in the northeast. I'd just hate to drive all that way to find out a stove was badly overfired or something.

Unfortunately the big things in Kentucky and surrounding states are big steel box stoves. It can be difficult to find much else.

Thanks,
Phillip

It would be a little easier to help if we knew where you're located? Doesn't have to be real specific, just a general area.

There are a few older cast stoves available in my area, but I don't know if that helps or not. There was a nice soapstone stove as well.

If you want to get burning quickly, find a steel stove and get the chimney and everything all set so that when you find the stove you want, you can swap it in.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

It would be a little easier to help if we knew where you're located? Doesn't have to be real specific, just a general area.

There are a few older cast stoves available in my area, but I don't know if that helps or not. There was a nice soapstone stove as well.

If you want to get burning quickly, find a steel stove and get the chimney and everything all set so that when you find the stove you want, you can swap it in.

Sorry, thought I had my location on here. I'm between Louisville, KY and Cincinatti, OH.

I would normally just get a temporary stove like you suggest, but I'll be removing the existing zero clearance fireplace and rebuilding the hearth area along with either lining the existing air cooled chimney or replacing it all together depending on whether the stove I end up with needs a 6" or 8" flue. Kind of want to build everything out to fit a stove I plan to keep around long term.

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[all night moe]

Your heating requirements will determine what sized stove you need and ultimately what size chimney is required with that stove. Most home are fine with 6'' flue stoves. Very few are in need of an 8''.

Sq footage of home, layout, and intend use are deciding factors. Casual burners will almost always be okay with 6'' flue stoves. They're not burning as a main source of heat.

Look at all the new stoves available. Blaze King have steel stoves that are cast iron jacketed. I believe Pacific Energy has the same.

Anyway, determine the size stove you need. You will then know what flue size to look for and proceed from there.

For a full time burner, get well ahead on your wood supply. Cut, split, and stacked.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Your heating requirements will determine what sized stove you need and ultimately what size chimney is required with that stove. Most home are fine with 6'' flue stoves. Very few are in need of an 8''.

Sq footage of home, layout, and intend use are deciding factors. Casual burners will almost always be okay with 6'' flue stoves. They're not burning as a main source of heat.

Look at all the new stoves available. Blaze King have steel stoves that are cast iron jacketed. I believe Pacific Energy has the same.

Anyway, determine the size stove you need. You will then know what flue size to look for and proceed from there.

For a full time burner, get well ahead on your wood supply. Cut, split, and stacked.

The stove size I need is the biggest. 3200sqft of house with tall ceilings on a windy hill will take what I can give it. The flue size I use will come down to the specific model stove I end up with. If I find an old Defiant III that works for me, I will need an 8". If I break down and get one of the new Defiant flex burns, I will only need a 6". My question isn't really about flue sizes...I'm just pondering the idea of full-time burning with one of the original defiant II or III models given my "endless" supply of wood right out my back door.

I think back to growing up, my grandparents burned full time with an early Vigilant and everyone loved that stove. It's still being used by the current owners of their house that they sold some 25 years ago.

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[all night moe]

The stove size I need is the biggest. 3200sqft of house with tall ceilings on a windy hill will take what I can give it.

My stove in my signature is rated for 2800sq ft without the blower if I remember correctly. It's similar to a Fisher, and has a 6'' flue.
It would heat your house depending on stove placement and layout. Fuel quality and species also matters. Another note, 8'' chimney systems are much more expensive than 6''.

You will come out ahead investing in tightening up the envelope of your house. Eliminate drafts, and insulate where needed.

 

[begreen]

The new VC stoves all have a refractory engine and cat. They are complicated stoves and expensive to rebuild. Unfortunately, the class of simple, highly radiant cat iron stoves you want is no longer sold here. You could get a professionally rebuilt Defiant. The Vigilant is good but a smaller firebox. Another stove to look for, if in excellent condition, is a Quadrafire (Dovre) Isle Royale. That was a real workhorse and a 3 cu ft heat machine.

There are steel stoves in this sizing, but heating any 3200 sq ft home with a single stove is bound to be a challenge. Particularly with single digit outdoor temps. It's really 2 stove territory in very cold weather for that amount of space or a wood furnace.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

The new VC stoves all have a refractory engine and cat. They are complicated stoves and expensive to rebuild. Unfortunately, the class of simple, highly radiant cat iron stoves you want is no longer sold here. You could get a professionally rebuilt Defiant. The Vigilant is good but a smaller firebox. Another stove to look for, if in excellent condition, is a Quadrafire (Dovre) Isle Royale. That was a real workhorse and a 3 cu ft heat machine.

There are steel stoves in this sizing, but heating any 3200 sq ft home with a single stove is bound to be a challenge. Particularly with single digit outdoor temps. It's really 2 stove territory in very cold weather for that amount of space or a wood furnace.

Yea, I have been looking hard for an isle royale with no luck. They always want more than a new stove or they sold yesterday.

I don't mind rebuilding whatever I find. I've rebuilt every stove I've ever owned. Just finished this little stove for my shop a month or two ago.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Yea, I have been looking hard for an isle royale with no luck. They always want more than a new stove or they sold yesterday.

I don't mind rebuilding whatever I find. I've rebuilt every stove I've ever owned. Just finished this little stove for my shop a month or two ago.

that's a cool stove. Nice rebuild. What was that originally built for? A Parlor stove or something more specialized? I saw a Boston & Maine Railroad Caboose stove for sale up this way not too long ago. I just checked and it's not listed anymore.

There are two Woodstock stoves and one Hearthstone stoves for sale. between 1200 and 2500

 

[kentuckydiesel]

that's a cool stove. Nice rebuild. What was that originally built for? A Parlor stove or something more specialized? I saw a Boston & Maine Railroad Caboose stove for sale up this way not too long ago. I just checked and it's not listed anymore.

There are two Woodstock stoves and one Hearthstone stoves for sale. between 1200 and 2500

Thanks! I have no idea what it was for. Something big. It's about 5' tall. It was made by Fischer Leaf and Co in Louisville sometime between 1854 and 1925 if I remember right.

 

[EbS-P]

I don't mind rebuilding whatever I find. I've rebuilt every stove I've ever owned.

Have you done a complete rebuild on a Jotul?

I’d be looking at a pacific energy T6, or and Ashford 30.

 

[begreen]

Have you done a complete rebuild on a Jotul?

I’d be looking at a pacific energy T6, or and Ashford 30.

Yes, they have about a 25% larger firebox. However, these are convective stoves and I suspect the OP wants a highly radiant stove. The best bet for a large radiant firebox is the all steel, Englander BlueRidge 500 stove (ESW0012 model) or a Drolet Austral III used. That said, two stoves may be the best solution.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Have you done a complete rebuild on a Jotul?

I’d be looking at a pacific energy T6, or and Ashford 30.

Have yet to own a Jotul. Also have yet to find a piece of equipment I couldn't rebuild. 😉

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Yes, they have about a 25% larger firebox. However, these are convective stoves and I suspect the OP wants a highly radiant stove.

Yep...definitely after a highly radiant stove.

 

[begreen]

In Jotul, that would be an F600. Rebuilding is not a trivial matter. @D. Hermit may have a rebuilt one.

 

[EbS-P]

Have yet to own a Jotul. Also have yet to find a piece of equipment I couldn't rebuild. 😉

I wouldn’t want a Firelight. F600s probably look better than they run. F500 to small.

 

[begreen]

I wouldn’t want a Firelight. F600s probably look better than they run. F500 to small.

In good tune they run fine. The F600 should not be confused with the F12 Firelight that preceded it.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

In Jotul, that would be an F600. Rebuilding is not a trivial matter. @D. Hermit may have a rebuilt one.

I've been on the fence about the F600s. I don't like that they rely on cement as much as they do, but I've heard alot of good about them.