older vermont casting vigilant

[ad356]

going to look for a better stove for my barn sunday. its an older vermont casting vigilant and apparently its in good condition. the guy is asking $350 for it. i have a friend that suggested this stove that he found online, he tells me that he believes they are top notch, the price is certainly right. he also said they are good sealed stove not like the peice of junk us stove co logwood that i have now. i already realize that logwood stove tends to leak smoke into the room, burns an excessive amount of wood, and is only a fair heater. i looked on ebay and similar stoves are going for $1,500. is $350 a good deal, does it compare favorably to my current stove and are the generally a good unit. seems like they are very simple in construction.

 

[webby3650]

Hold out for an EPA approved stove. That old VC will likely be better than the Logwood! But you can do better!

 

[BrowningBAR]

I owned a Vigilant. Bring a flashlight and some thin paper or dollar bills.

Check the firebox. Look for cracks, especially the fireback.
Make sure the castings overlap properly and seal tightly.
Make sure the doors are not warped and close tightly.
Test it with a dollar bill or thin paper to be sure the door create a seal.

Offer $250-300.

If it is in good shape and you purchase it, replace the gaskets on the top load griddle, the flue collar, and on the double doors.

Keeps an inch or two or ash at the bottom of the stove's firebox at all times. This gives you a better burn and prevents the bottom casting from cracking.

Put a thermometer on the top griddle.

With dry wood, this stove comes up to temp quickly and will produce a lot of heat. It will burn hot for 4-6 hours. 8 hour burn for the most part is max.

 

[ad356]

its actually a resolute, I don't know if its any better of a model. $350 is half price of a EPA stove

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/grd/4150994558.html

I really am not that happy with the logwood, while it does provide some heat its not consistant and it leaks smoke into the room, I think its poorly constructed. if I could sell it and get what I paid for its; $60 I would be happy. even if I lost $20 I would just want to part ways with it. when I bought the stove I paid $120 for the chimney install PLUS the stove so I don't think I did too bad.

 

[webby3650]

Thats a small stove! How many square feet are you heating?

 

[BrowningBAR]

its actually a resolute, I don't know if its any better of a model. $350 is half price of a EPA stove

Pass on the resolute.

The Vig is worth it just because of the size and it's ability to be a heat bomb. The Resolute is smaller and, depending upon the model, could have more maintenance needs.

 

[webby3650]

1/2 the price, twice the wood, twice the maintenance! It's all relative.

 

[BrowningBAR]

1/2 the price, twice the wood, twice the maintenance! It's all relative.

Eh, kind of. If I would have spent twice as much on my first stove instead of buying the Vigilant for $400 I would have screwed up badly. I would have ended up with a smaller stove, less heat, and more frustration. Probably would have given up on wood burning if that would have been my first experience.

 

[webby3650]

Eh, kind of. If I would have spent twice as much on my first stove instead of buying the Vigilant for $400 I would have screwed up badly. I would have ended up with a smaller stove, less heat, and more frustration. Probably would have given up on wood burning if that would have been my first experience.

Sorry, I meant I would pass on the Resolute. Instead go for an EPA stove.

 

[ad356]

so the resolute is not really a good stove or a good heater?

 

[BrowningBAR]

so the resolute is not really a good stove or a good heater?

It's smaller, less heat, shorter burn times, and depending upon which generation it is, it could have a lot of maintenance needs.

 

[begreen]

The first generation Resolute was a great stove, but much smaller than the Vigilant. This was the first real stove that I bought new. It was very well made and behaved. The stove would be good for heating up to about 1500 sq ft if the space was reasonably well insulated. When the stove became the Resolute Acclaim to make it cleaner burning, it went downhill. The original refractory would need replacing every few years. The made improvements in the later 90's but it never was as reliable as the original models.

 

[ad356]

is there any way to determine the build date? would i be OK with a resolute from the 70's-80's? i think this stove is an older model and the guy said it is in exceptional condition. when did it become the acclaim, because if it's an acclaim i dont think i want anything to do with it. if it is an original older model resolute should i consider it, or do i really need to forget about it and spend the $$ on a new stove

 

[begreen]

The original Resolute came out in 1979 I think. It will have that date cast in the side. There should also be a UL plate on the stove that lists the model. The Resolute Acclaim came out in the late 80s? I think but I am stretching the neurons thin here.

If this is an original Resolute and if it is in truly excellent condition then the price is good. But it is going to take a close eye to go through the stove and make sure the bypass mechanism is working well and the bypass plate not warped. Look for any signs of cracking or light grey paint. It will heat a 1000 sq ft area well and can achieve an overnight burn with good hardwood and judicious loading.