Does anyone know what this is? Is it worth looking at?
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My guess an old dutch west Federal made in China, well before VC bought Dutchwest out.
If I'm right not a very well made stove..
If I'm right not a very well made stove..
Looks like an older Consolidated Dutchwest. Wouldn't be my first choice, though it's hard to recommend anything until we have the specs for the install location. Has that been settled on?
FWIW, I recommend you stop looking at bottom of the barrel stoves if you're serious. This is going in your house and will burning HOT. You want something you can walk away from and know you are safe. You want something that when you make a mistake, like leaving a damper or ashpan door ajar or open, is going to stand up to the heat and stay under control. Get something of low quality and you will never have peace of mind. That's worth quite a bit in my book.
FWIW, I recommend you stop looking at bottom of the barrel stoves if you're serious. This is going in your house and will burning HOT. You want something you can walk away from and know you are safe. You want something that when you make a mistake, like leaving a damper or ashpan door ajar or open, is going to stand up to the heat and stay under control. Get something of low quality and you will never have peace of mind. That's worth quite a bit in my book.
They're both correct, its an older Dutchwest stove from before Vermont Castings.
I don't want to start another argument, but these stoves aren't that bad. This is one of the later Dutchwest stoves, right before the buy out. Its finicky and it will be difficult to get the combustor to light off and stay operational on anything but a very good to excellent stack. Replacement parts will be hard to find, there is no airwash on the glass, the windows are small. Just trying to think of other negatives for you.
I would agree with Begreen though, that you probably should start looking at least a little bit above the bottom line of used stoves. Where are you from? Maybe we can help you find some safer but equally low priced alternatives.
I don't want to start another argument, but these stoves aren't that bad. This is one of the later Dutchwest stoves, right before the buy out. Its finicky and it will be difficult to get the combustor to light off and stay operational on anything but a very good to excellent stack. Replacement parts will be hard to find, there is no airwash on the glass, the windows are small. Just trying to think of other negatives for you.
I would agree with Begreen though, that you probably should start looking at least a little bit above the bottom line of used stoves. Where are you from? Maybe we can help you find some safer but equally low priced alternatives.
Once again, thanks for the input. Notwithstanding the "Scandia" acquisition, I promise I am proceeding slowly and cautiously. Not that I expect anyone to really believe that at this point.
I had wanted to check here first but we were at a yard sale, it cost a whopping $45.00 and DH was under the impression that it was something along the lines of a stove that his grandfather used. Of course, that may well have been a Jotul.
I haven't set out with the intention of buying a cheap stove but rather an inexpensive one that may represent good value for the money. When I see a name and model I recognize I do the research that I can and then come back here for additional info. When all I have is a picture, I start here first.
Thanks to another member here I do have a lead on something promising, I hesitate to give specifics since it may create a stampede along the lines of the Hearthstone Phoenix that went almost as soon as it was listed.
Again, I'm not really in a hurry. So please don't lose patience with me. Keep in mind that ultimately anything we do has to go through a committee of two. I'd say the Scandia was a notable exception but for $45.00 I decided to go with the flow and build a little bit of good will, or at least that was the hope.
~Cath
I had wanted to check here first but we were at a yard sale, it cost a whopping $45.00 and DH was under the impression that it was something along the lines of a stove that his grandfather used. Of course, that may well have been a Jotul.
I haven't set out with the intention of buying a cheap stove but rather an inexpensive one that may represent good value for the money. When I see a name and model I recognize I do the research that I can and then come back here for additional info. When all I have is a picture, I start here first.
Thanks to another member here I do have a lead on something promising, I hesitate to give specifics since it may create a stampede along the lines of the Hearthstone Phoenix that went almost as soon as it was listed.
Again, I'm not really in a hurry. So please don't lose patience with me. Keep in mind that ultimately anything we do has to go through a committee of two. I'd say the Scandia was a notable exception but for $45.00 I decided to go with the flow and build a little bit of good will, or at least that was the hope.
~Cath
Cath if you are yard sale shopping and looking at aged smoke dragons My suggestion is to save up your money and use it towards your other priorities.
This is not where you should be looking as there are real safety issues with stoves of that age.
especially when really not knowing the history or the keen eye to make that judgement
I told you about a 2 year old Encore that they claim the only thing wrong is one broken leg asking price $750 want advertiser but may be negioated for less.
It id far better spending $200 more then wasting $200 on a piece of junk.
the real story is VC paid way too much money for Dutchwest their worst corperate decision So bad the oiriginal owner had to sell his company and left witha few pennies in his pocket
that decision led to VC's down fall. They discovered that what they bought was mostly smoke and mirrors and crap stoves with little substance.
Nothing close to the money paid with a lot of problems from cheaply made crap stoves.Finally the new owners were so dissatisfied with the Tiawanese production Vc severed all opperations and statred casting and manufctureing the stoves here If purchasing a Dutchwest target the ones made here in Vermont. Again maybe not all manufactured were junk some worked out ok for their owners. Again parts support for the pre VC Dutch west stoves will be hard to find I know VC is not suppling them. Even the newer Cat versions were retrofits that did not work that well.
This is not where you should be looking as there are real safety issues with stoves of that age.
especially when really not knowing the history or the keen eye to make that judgement
I told you about a 2 year old Encore that they claim the only thing wrong is one broken leg asking price $750 want advertiser but may be negioated for less.
It id far better spending $200 more then wasting $200 on a piece of junk.
the real story is VC paid way too much money for Dutchwest their worst corperate decision So bad the oiriginal owner had to sell his company and left witha few pennies in his pocket
that decision led to VC's down fall. They discovered that what they bought was mostly smoke and mirrors and crap stoves with little substance.
Nothing close to the money paid with a lot of problems from cheaply made crap stoves.Finally the new owners were so dissatisfied with the Tiawanese production Vc severed all opperations and statred casting and manufctureing the stoves here If purchasing a Dutchwest target the ones made here in Vermont. Again maybe not all manufactured were junk some worked out ok for their owners. Again parts support for the pre VC Dutch west stoves will be hard to find I know VC is not suppling them. Even the newer Cat versions were retrofits that did not work that well.
Elk,
Thanks again for the input. All I can say is I agree, but I can't completely disregard DH in this quest so there is a delicate balance. Keep in mind that I usually defer to him when it comes to construction, mechanics, etc. although I'm sure he doesn't see it that way since I'm pretty analytical so there's usually a lot of discussion first. So I think he's a little taken aback at my approach here.
I am PM'ing you on a specific stove I would appreciate your input on.
~Cath
Thanks again for the input. All I can say is I agree, but I can't completely disregard DH in this quest so there is a delicate balance. Keep in mind that I usually defer to him when it comes to construction, mechanics, etc. although I'm sure he doesn't see it that way since I'm pretty analytical so there's usually a lot of discussion first. So I think he's a little taken aback at my approach here.
I am PM'ing you on a specific stove I would appreciate your input on.
~Cath
Buying an old POS is a sure way for DH to create a self-fufilling prophesy. If you want success, start with a solid foundation on which to build it. A decent used stove is going to cost probably $500. Installation is the second step and one where you definitely don't want to cut corners. If you self-install, money can be saved, but $500-$1000 for a decent flue system is not out of the ordinary.
Put hubby online and let him ask questions. We're here to help and will tell it straight. If he is a DIY kinda guy, we can steer him towards the most cost effective, safe installation method.
Put hubby online and let him ask questions. We're here to help and will tell it straight. If he is a DIY kinda guy, we can steer him towards the most cost effective, safe installation method.
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