Help! can I replace the single door on my old resolute?

[jane karras]

I inherited an older (early 80's) VC resolute stove when I bought my house last year,
and it works great, I used it to keep nice and toasty this winter. The door is a single drop down
one, with a fan style grate on the front, with a piece of iron bolted on behind it. If that iron piece
wasn't there, you'd see the fire through the grate, which is what I'm hoping somehow to
do....so can I......
1. replace the iron behind the grate with a glass insert somehow or
2. replace the whole door with one that's partially glass, like from a slightly different
model or whatever?

I know the reliant III has double doors, and I heard a rumor of a conversion kit to make a single
door resolute into a double door one, is there any truth to that existing? The double doors have glass
in them that let you see the fire, so that would accomplish my aim.

The brass latch that holds the door up is broken as well, so I'm wondering about how to go about
replacing that, if I don't end up with a workable way to alter or replace the whole door.
The Vermont Castings website is not at all geared to the older stoves so I'm not getting much help there.
I'd appreciate any information, leads, opinions, hearsay, gossip, true confessions, or just pointers
on how to take good care of my resolute as well. She's a good old stove!

Thanks!

 

[Harley]

Hi, Janie, and welcome.

I had a Resolute about the same age as yours - you are right.... they are/were a pretty good heater. As far as the glass and refitting the door... To be honest, I don't think you'll be getting the results you are looking for. I think the glass would get dirty really fast, as I believe those did not have any sort of airwash system to keep the glass clean. You would probably, at best only get a slight "glow". If you open up the door, and look at the back of the plate in that opening, I'm sure its pretty dirty/sooty. That's how the glass will look if you were to change it.

As far as the broken latch.... I'm a little confused at the brass part.... I'm not sure which part you might mean.

EDIT:
Is it the pawl assembly? I don't remember it being brass..... part # 37 on the diagram:
(broken link removed to http://www.discountstove.com/0043.html)
(I know this is the new double door, but the diagram of the 1980 & prior stoves did not show that part.)

 

[webbie]

There is a glass kit to replace that plate - as Harley says it might get dirty....but it's probably better than nothing.
A manual for that stove can be found in our Wiki - do a search there on vermont castings - there is a two part PDF

You can get some parts at woodmans - maybe glass:
https://www.hearth.com/partsplace.html

and, you can also get some parts and info at other sources there as well as:
(broken link removed to http://blackswanhome.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=7_8_210)

You cannot convert it to double doors without replacing the entire front casting - too much work and money, even if you could find the parts.

Hope that helps.

 

[elkimmeg]

Think of it this way the only means for cast in place hinges is for the drop down door It is possible to retro fit the side doors if you are willing r to completely rebuild the stove the top would come off the front removed then the front installed that has the two side door hinge locations. In reality once you remove the top and front all refractory seams/ joints will need to be re done which = a total rebuilding It can be done but by the time you buy the front cast piece and the two doors . You would be better off buying a more modern Resolute acclaim used or left over stock.

They did make glass pannels for the drop down door starting in 1985 that will probably fit some had stainless steel clips. The problem has been mentioned the glas would require cleaning every day to get any view there is no air wash system to keep it clean