Dutchwest 2460

[Matt Ruggeri]

What did you use to remove the old gasket cement?

Soaked the remaining gasket in Denatured Alcohol while I ran to the Hearth Store, about 40 mins round trip. Started with a 5-in-1 painters scraper, moved on to a small chisel, then to a round file, then smoothed it off with some 100 grit sandpaper. Cleaned the Gasket seats with Denatured, and let it thoroughly dry. Then just followed the directions on the tube of Cement. I used Rutland Gasket Cement. I probably have pictures somewhere, if I do, i'll post them.. This wasn't the first repair I had done to this stove! When it comes to maintenance/repair/rebuilds, it's like a Chinese Jigsaw Puzzle, which is the reason I would NEVER buy one!

 

[Mryank9]

Soaked the remaining gasket in Denatured Alcohol while I ran to the Hearth Store, about 40 mins round trip. Started with a 5-in-1 painters scraper, moved on to a small chisel, then to a round file, then smoothed it off with some 100 grit sandpaper. Cleaned the Gasket seats with Denatured, and let it thoroughly dry. Then just followed the directions on the tube of Cement. I used Rutland Gasket Cement. I probably have pictures somewhere, if I do, i'll post them.. This wasn't the first repair I had done to this stove! When it comes to maintenance/repair/rebuilds, it's like a Chinese Jigsaw Puzzle, which is the reason I would NEVER buy one!

Sounds like a project haha..I have ordered all new gaskets for the doors, glass, and damper and it comes with the cement..Did you have to remove the doors? Did you also do the damper gasket?

 

[Matt Ruggeri]

Did you have to remove the doors? Did you also do the damper gasket?

I did remove the Ashpan, and side doors, I figured I could adjust them easier if I started with a clean slate. The front door was pretty easy so I did it in place. There was no removing the clips that held the Front glass though, so i had to gently pry out the old stuff with a nylon soldering probe, wet the gasket with water and cement, then quickly set it in place. That took more time than all 3 doors combined. I also replaced the gasket around the Flue Collar last year and opened a can o' worms, but ended up patching it up. See this post here, if you're interested - https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/vc-dw2461-troubles.100704/

 

[Mryank9]

I did remove the Ashpan, and side doors, I figured I could adjust them easier if I started with a clean slate. The front door was pretty easy so I did it in place. There was no removing the clips that held the Front glass though, so i had to gently pry out the old stuff with a nylon soldering probe, wet the gasket with water and cement, then quickly set it in place. That took more time than all 3 doors combined. I also replaced the gasket around the Flue Collar last year and opened a can o' worms, but ended up patching it up. See this post here, if you're interested - https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/vc-dw2461-troubles.100704/

Thanks for your replies Matt, they will definitely help. My glass gasket looks good still, its the door gaskets that need to be done, and the one around the damper. That one is loose

 

[Mryank9]

Ok so replaced the 3 door gaskets..now I need to replace the damper one..looks like I need to remove the damper in order to do this..is that correct?

 

[Bostontom]

Ok so replaced the 3 door gaskets..now I need to replace the damper one..looks like I need to remove the damper in order to do this..is that correct?




Yes it is. Take off the top 4 bolts. When you remove the damper i learned the hard way stuff some rags into the back corners if the stove. Because when you pry the retaining washer off it can fly off and fall back there. And trust me its extremely difficult to hold the stove upside down and shake it out. Other than that very easy to do. All new gaskets and a new coat of paint cuz she was all apart anyways, burnin and lookin better than ever

 

[Mryank9]

Thanks Bostontom..I'm actually in the process of replacing the inner top web because when I removed the gasket and removed the web to scrape out the old cement, it wouldn't go back in flushly and tight..did you have any issues with that?

 

[Matt Ruggeri]

Yes it is. Take off the top 4 bolts. When you remove the damper i learned the hard way stuff some rags into the back corners if the stove. Because when you pry the retaining washer off it can fly off and fall back there. And trust me its extremely difficult to hold the stove upside down and shake it out. Other than that very easy to do. All new gaskets and a new coat of paint cuz she was all apart anyways, burnin and lookin better than ever

Just saw this, was gonna suggest the same! Also, remember to put the damper rod back into the right slots. Last time I adjusted mine, i put it together backwards, so the handle works in reverse!

 

[Kool_hand_Looke]

I run the 2462 and it too I'd finicky. Were going stove shopping this weekend I might add. Ive never been able to get my stove over 600. But...I've never tried that hard either. I know if I start shutting mine down too quickly or too much it'll back puff big time. I have to shut mine down slowly. That seems to be common with these.

 

[Hardrockmaple]

I run the 2462 and it too I'd finicky. Were going stove shopping this weekend I might add. Ive never been able to get my stove over 600. But...I've never tried that hard either. I know if I start shutting mine down too quickly or too much it'll back puff big time. I have to shut mine down slowly. That seems to be common with these.

Shutting the primary air down slowly/in increments is common to all stoves, seemingly more so for all EPA stoves.

 

[Kool_hand_Looke]

Shutting the primary air down slowly/in increments is common to all stoves, seemingly more so for all EPA stoves.

Going to go look for a 13+ hr stove. Something that's still hot when I get home from work.

 

[Bostontom]

No issue with the spider here sounds like a warped part to Me

 

[Byrdhouse9]

Puffing problems were driving me crazy with my non-cat large Dutchwest 2479. I also occasionally had similar problems with the cat stove I had before. Then I found out it is very important to start the fire in the front in this stove. The air inlets are at the top of the glass, so incoming air flows down the glass to keep it clean. If you have coals in the lower back of the stove (or put your paper and kindling there to start a fire), then add logs on top, you get a fire in the back and smoking logs in the front. This makes an unstable fire - smoke and flammable gases mix with incoming air and explode when they get back to the fire. The manual is no help since it never mentions this. I have been using wood stoves for 40 years and the instructions sounded good, typical advice like start a small fire with kindling, then open the door and add logs. Bad advice! Unless everything is perfect (great draft, dry wood, etc) you will smell smoke when you open the door or you will get puffing. Much better to build the fire "upside down". I read an article on this and thought it was crazy but tried it out of desperation and it works great....especially for a stove that feeds incoming air from the top. Now I put the heaviest log in the lower back, add two or three smaller ones leaving a space at the front, put paper, kindling and a smaller piece in the front, light it and do not open the door till it is burned down to glowing coals. When re-firing, I use a small log to push most of the glowing coals to the front, then put my bigger logs toward the back so small ones in the front flare up first.

 

[jatoxico]

When re-firing, I use a small log to push most of the glowing coals to the front, then put my bigger logs toward the back so small ones in the front flare up first.

What you hit on yourself is commonly given advice here and from other sources, rake the coals forward on reload. Can also help to promote a "cigar" burn so the whole load doesn't go up at once. Get a longer, cleaner burn with more even heat output. I guess great minds think alike, welcome aboard.

 

[Byrdhouse9]

What you hit on yourself is commonly given advice here and from other sources, rake the coals forward on reload. Can also help to promote a "cigar" burn so the whole load doesn't go up at once. Get a longer, cleaner burn with more even heat output. I guess great minds think alike, welcome aboard.

Thanks for the feedback. I had seen the part about raking the coals forward on other posts, but took a while to realize this made a huge difference with the puffing problem. Starting the fire in the front made the difference between an expensive stove that almost went to the scrap heap every time it smoked up the house to one that is working great. I wonder how many of the complaints about these stoves would have been solved if the manufacture explained the importance of this in the instructions. I know I complained to my dealer but got questions about my chimney and wood instead of a solution.