How's this used Woodstock Fireview Look?

[KennyK]

I found a used Fireview 205 about an hour and a half from me for just $350. I’ve been and touch with the owner who seems like a very nice guy, and it’s clearly a great price, but I want to make sure there aren’t any major problems and would love any thoughts from all the knowledgeable people here. The owner said the stove is about ten years old and has worked well for him but is undersized for his home, which he said is about 3000 sq. feet. He actually switched back to an old smoke dragon as he likes the serious heat and being able to throw in two foot logs. He also said he’d have to get up at night to load the Fireview if he wanted to keep the temp up in his home. I asked him the temps he ran the stove at and he said he started with a stovetop thermometer when he first burned it but after some years just ran it by feel. He said it needs a new cat and that he’s had two since he’s had the stove. All of this makes me a little concerned that maybe he over fired it, but I’m not sure what damage this could have caused (if in fact he did over fire it) that’s not manageable to repair without too much work, as I know Woodstock sells all the parts for their stoves. It would be great to get this stove for this price, buy a new cat, rear heat shield, perhaps some new gaskets and be good to go, but at the end of the day I suppose it’s not worth it if it’s been misused and has major problems (not sure if that’s the case). I also have limited time to get into a huge project if that’s what it will end up being. Here are the pics he sent me. The one that concerns me is the photo of the cat as the area around it looks like it might be warped, but that may just be how they look - hard to tell as once a stove’s been burned in and is ashy it all looks pretty ugly! I’d love any thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[webby3650]

It looks ok to me from what I can see in the pictures. It’s missing an andiron, gasket kit is $55, cat is $150.
The bolts are missing from the cat housing, I assume he has taken it loose and has the bolts.

 

[KennyK]

It looks ok to me from what I can see in the pictures. It’s missing an andiron, gasket kit is $55, cat is $150.
The bolts are missing from the cat housing, I assume he has taken it loose and has the bolts.

Thanks Webby3650. Do you think there’s an issue with the whole area around the cat (I think it’s called the bypass cover and door)? Looks warped to me in this photo:



As opposed to what I think one is supposed to look like in this photo (not from this stove):



If this is warped I believe I can fairly easily swap it out, but how much might this be a sign of deeper underlying problems?

 

[webby3650]

I’d hope it’s an optical illusion. It would be hard to warp all that iron. Guess it’s possible?

 

[begreen]

Yes, the shadows are deceptive. Need a better shot with flatter lighting.

 

[Woody Stover]

Yes, it's hard to say for sure from just pictures but it appears to me that the bypass frame and door may be warped. The cat frame is warped, but that happens fairly easily, and the steel cats they sell now don't even use that cast cat frame.
I could be wrong but it looks like the stove has been burned hot many times. For it to be right, it probably needs to be completely torn down and rebuilt, replacing warped parts, re-cementing all the seams etc. I'd avoid it unless you want a project. If you like the style and the stove is the output you need, you could ask Woodstock what they would charge to rebuild it. Then again, in your neck of the woods used Woodstocks can probably be found with some regularity, and you might even score a great deal if you're in the right place at the right time.

 

[begreen]

If the owner was using the stove to heat a space about twice the size it was designed for there is a good chance the stove spent most of its life with the pedal to the metal. I would pass unless the damages are local, repairable and affordable.

I've lightened up the shadows here to make some of the issues easier to see.

 

[webby3650]

If the owner was using the stove to heat a space about twice the size it was designed for there is a good chance the stove spent most of its life with the pedal to the metal. I would pass unless the damages are local, repairable and affordable.

I've lightened up the shadows here to make some of the issues easier to see.

View attachment 232629

I don’t know, I don’t typically see big pieces of iron like this one warped but not cracked. It’s still hard to tell. The cat housing doesn’t look warped to me, the bolts aren’t securing it so it’s sitting crooked.

 

[begreen]

You could be right. I don't have any experience with this stove. Missed one several years back and haven't seen a good condition one since. They are not that common on the west coast probably due to shipping costs.

 

[webby3650]

You could be right. I don't have any experience with this stove. Missed one several years back and haven't seen a good condition one since. They are not that common on the west coast probably due to shipping costs.

It very well could be warped. It’s just so hard to tell. I can post a pic of mine as a comparison in the daylight.

 

[KennyK]

I really appreciate all the replies and input. I spoke with the owner and he said that the part is warped and that there appears to be a small hole in it, but he doesn't know if that was supposed to be there or not as he never looked at it when it was new. There is a replacement part, and I called Woodstock and they said that everything on these stoves is fixable or replaceable. I guess the questions is just how much time, effort, and money it will take, and that's hard to know until I see and inspect the stove - I'm also no pro and don't know what I might miss on my inspection. The owner did say there was no cracked soapstone (he seems very honest and right away said the part was warped when I asked, though who knows how thoroughly he's gone over the stove). I also asked Woodstock about their refurb work, and while they do that, they said they wouldn't get to it for months and they generally do that work over the spring and summer. Any further thoughts?

One other question. If I do pick this up, I plan to rent a open air trailer to hitch onto my car. The owner has a lift and can get it onto a pallet and into the trailer easily. However, when I get back to my place, I have four wooden steps to go up to get it into my house. Can I do that with just me, or perhaps me an one other person with just an appliance dolly, perhaps putting a ramp on the stairs, or perhaps just a lot of muscle? I'm a bit intimidated by the weight of the stove!

 

[begreen]

I would have two people on board to help move it into the house. If you pad the stove, then ratchet strap it to the appliance dolly, it will act as one unit with wheels. That makes it much easier to work with. With one person on the handles and two people pushing it you should be able to get it up the stairs pretty quickly. Our stove weighs about 125# more and 3 of us got it in the house without a problem. And we are no spring chickens.

 

[moresnow]

Have you checked with Woodstock on replacement Cat availability? Just a thought. Believe they had a hiccup in that dept. recently?

 

[KennyK]

Have you checked with Woodstock on replacement Cat availability? Just a thought. Believe they had a hiccup in that dept. recently?

Yes, I called them today about this, and they did have a hiccup in this department and are still waiting on the company that makes their cats, as they are currently out of stock for the Fireview. They should have them within a month or so. I asked if there were other companies that have cats that work with the Fireview and they gave me a company where you can purchase a ceramic cat for the stove; they advised me to be careful to make sure to get the correct one, but they are happy to help with that. It’s unfortunate they had this hiccup, especially as so many folks are working hard to dispel the myth that cat stoves are difficult (which they are not), but as anyone who has dealt with them knows, Woodstock is an exceptional company, and it should be resolved shortly.

 

[KennyK]

I would have two people on board to help move it into the house. If you pad the stove, then ratchet strap it to the appliance dolly, it will act as one unit with wheels. That makes it much easier to work with. With one person on the handles and two people pushing it you should be able to get it up the stairs pretty quickly. Our stove weighs about 125# more and 3 of us got it in the house without a problem. And we are no spring chickens.

Great to know, and even better because I just picked up an appliance dolly on Craigslist today for $20. It ain’t pretty, but it’s built like a tank! When you say to pad the stove, do you mean to wrap it in moving blankets?

 

[begreen]

When you say to pad the stove, do you mean to wrap it in moving blankets?

Yes, exactly. One blanket should be more than enough. If no blankets then use cardboard.

 

[toddnic]

For $350 it's probably worth it. You might have to replace the gaskets and the piece by the Cat but Woodstock could probably walk you through that process. It does look like it has been run hard, but, they are made to be run hard.

 

[KennyK]

For $350 it's probably worth it. You might have to replace the gaskets and the piece by the Cat but Woodstock could probably walk you through that process. It does look like it has been run hard, but, they are made to be run hard.

Thanks Toddnic! When you say these are meant to be run hard, do you think beyond replacing the gaskets and piece around the cat, the seemingly very hard level at which this stove has been run (seemingly by the fact that it significantly warped the piece around the cat) doesn't potentially mean that this stove could have deeper, more permanent/significant and less repairable damage?

 

[begreen]

It's built with a series of bolt ins. It doesn't look like the cat combustor pan (W-160) is warped, but you could call Woodstock and ask what the cost is for replacing.
(broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/images/Fireview/Manual/Parts-Blow-ups-FV205-Interior-161004.pdf)

 

[toddnic]

Thanks Toddnic! When you say these are meant to be run hard, do you think beyond replacing the gaskets and piece around the cat, the seemingly very hard level at which this stove has been run (seemingly by the fact that it significantly warped the piece around the cat) doesn't potentially mean that this stove could have deeper, more permanent/significant and less repairable damage?

I would do what begreen said....give Woodstock Soapstone Co. a call and ask them. If all you have to replace are gaskets and the warped piece around the Cat, $350 is a good price. Also, it if is assembled similar to my Progress Hybrid, it should not be too difficult to disassemble and put back together. FYI, Woodstock is probably the most helpful wood stove company out there. They will help you through the process.

 

[Woody Stover]

Sorry I didn't get back to this thread real quick..

The bolts are missing from the cat housing, I assume he has taken it loose and has the bolts.

You don't need those bolts with the cast frame/ceramic cat since that assembly is heavy and gravity is enough to hold it fairly tight against the gasket, if the gasket is clean. The bolts were used to keep the cat from flying around inside the stove during shipping. But the steel cat "can" has a couple ears that the bolts pass through, so you can snug the lighter steel cat against the gasket a little more firmly. Don't overdo it though, you just bend the ears.
@KennyK, who did they suggest for ordering the ceramic cat? That cat frame doesn't look too badly warped. As long as the frame isn't warped longitudinally, I think the interam gasket (which expands and seals gaps when heated) should seal gaps up to about 1/8". Even if you have to buy a cast frame, they aren't too expensive. Or you can just go to the steel cat and you don't need the frame. I wouldn't shy away from a ceramic cat at all, though. I have the original ceramic that came with my Keystone as well as a steel cat, and I switch back and forth between the two, both work well.

level at which this stove has been run (seemingly by the fact that it significantly warped the piece around the cat) doesn't potentially mean that this stove could have deeper, more permanent/significant and less repairable damage?

It's built with a series of bolt ins. It doesn't look like the cat combustor pan (W-160) is warped, but you could call Woodstock and ask what the cost is for replacing.
(broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/images/Fireview/Manual/Parts-Blow-ups-FV205-Interior-161004.pdf)

The stove might have been run too hot bringing it up to cat light-off temp (bypass open.) That would warp the bypass frame since that's where the flames would be concentrated in that case. If the stove were run too hot with the bypass closed, the combustor pan (W-164) would probably be protected somewhat by the old cast iron combustor scoop, which I can't see from the angle of the firebox pic. The cast iron cat scoop was warped on the used Fireview my SIL bought, and I just replaced it with the new stainless scoop. The bypass frame and combustor pan weren't warped on hers. I had to re-cement some interior seams between soapstone pieces that were leaking air, and the furnace cement that Woodstock makes worked well for that..very stringy and tacky. Inside the box, you will see light-colored strips next to the seam if an air leak is occurring there; It will burn off the creosote. You can also tell by observing the burn; If conditions are right in the firebox, smoke will ignite near where air is coming in.
You may have to fix a few things but like toddnic said, hard to go wrong for $350. That combustor pan might be a bit more work to put in though, if you need it.
I'd like to hear a little more about the space you'd like to heat, chimney setup, etc.
Here's some misc. info..
(broken link removed to http://woodstove.com/images/editorial_support/PDFs/fvcatalyticman.pdf)
(broken link removed to https://www.woodstove.com/videos)
(broken link removed to https://www.woodstove.com/building-a-fireview)

 

[KennyK]

Thanks @Woody Stover! I can’t remember the company that Woodstock told me for the ceramic cat, but there was one specific one that they suggested but, again, warned me to be careful to get the right model. If I were to order one before Woodstock gets new ones in, I would call them again as they would help make sure I didn’t order the wrong one.

I'd like to hear a little more about the space you'd like to heat, chimney setup, etc

So, full deal on my situation is I got an Ideal Steel in the spring, and have been running it for the past month and a half or so. The stove is incredible, but we’re struggling with how big it is for our stove room (in terms of physical size) and aesthetic. We have it in front of our fireplace, which is in a centrally located dining room on our first floor, with a rear flue to 25 foot insulated liner inside masonry chimney. We can’t really use the dining room for a dining room anymore because the stove is just so big and comes into the room a good deal (so far this is just a physical space thing, not overheating the stove room). It doesn’t really fit the aesthetic of our 1890s Boston home - I thought I’d like the contrast, but it seems pretty out of place. I have Woodstock’s return guarantee until the end of 2018, so have been thinking about returning the IS and going for a Fireview. As Fireviews come up used from time to time within a few hours of me, I’ve been on the lookout. Our home is a bit under 2000 square feet, with a first floor of about 900 square feet and a second floor a little more than that (we also have a finished third floor of about 450 square feet or so, but not worried about heating that). I know (think) the Fireview alone is not likely to heat our first and second floor in the real cold weather, but after living with the IS I’m thinking that the trade off for something that fits our home’s look better, doesn’t take up so much room, and perhaps just heats our first floor and gets some heat to our second floor, supplementing our heating bill, might be the way to go. (we have natural gas, so relatively speaking the heating bills are big but could be worse). With the size difference and less front hearth pad requirement of the side loading FV, I can get about 18 inches back in our dining room, plus aesthetics that go with our home better. A few other details of our home is we have original 1890s windows (in pretty good shape, but a bit drafty) and so-so storm windows, we got blown in insulation in all the walls a few years ago, and insulation in the attic and basement. Overall the home has so-so insulation at best. We don’t have an open floor plan, but the stove room opens to the living room with a double wide open door and both rooms have open doorways to an open stairwell to the second floor. With the IS, heat seems to be moving around the first two floors pretty well with the help of a ceiling fan in the stove room and couple small fans on the floors blowing cold air towards the stove room from other parts of the house. For example, this morning after having the stove running on the lowest setting all night, it was mid 40s outside, 76 in the stove room, 73 and 72 in the two rooms off the stove room, and 69 in our bedroom, which is the furthest from the stove of the spaces we’re heating. Still hard to know how things will be when the real cold weather hits, and would love your thoughts. I have until the end of the year to return the IS, but as you know have been looking seriously at the Fireview.

Woodstock is a truly outstanding company. I called them Friday to talk about returning my stove, and discussed very frankly with Tom (who’s been with the company for 40 years) my reasons and the possibility of exchanging my IS for a new Fireview or getting the used one in question. To my surprise he was very supportive of the possibility of me returning my IS and buying a used Fireview and even looked at pics I sent him of the used stove. He looked them over and said it did seem it was burned hard and looked to him like there were possibly some hairline cracks in the top soapstone pieces, but said that basically everything is repairable/replaceable and that he thought for the price, I should go look at the stove in person. I’m still debating if I want to get into a project, but am once again truly amazed with Woodstock - I can’t imagine any other company or dealer offering anything close to their return policy and then being so incredibly supportive when considering taking them up on it, and so honest as to go as far as to help me out with a used stove from their company - wow, just wow!

Here attached is a pic of my IS in action. I’d love your overall thoughts on the swap for a Fireview (be it used or new).

Thanks!

-KK

 

[weatherguy]

What about trading your IS for a new fire view from Woodstock?

 

[KennyK]

What about trading your IS for a new fire view from Woodstock?

That’s a possibility. Woodstock pays the return shipping on a returned stove within the guarantee, but I talked with them about brining the IS back in person and picking up a Fireview in one fell swoop. I would come pretty close to breaking even, even though the FV is more expensive. They might even apply some of what the return shipping would cost them towards the cost of a new FV if I brought it to them for an exchange.

 

[begreen]

You're making the right call. I agree that the IS does not go with the house aesthetic. It looks out of place there.