VC Encore project

[mnowaczyk]

I knew it was missing the flue connector but figured I could fabricate or have my friend fabricate something for me. The price was only $120, and I see people out there trying to sell individual pieces for $100+ like doors and door glass etc. I was less than a half hour away. So I figured I’d just pick it up. Seeing these VC Encore seems to be all over, I figured they must not be hard to obtain or unload.

When I got there I realized why the guy couldn’t give me the model number. The rear heat shield is gone. Lots of bolts are removed, and pieces are literally falling out of this thing as if someone took it apart to move it out of the house (a house his daughter bought but didn’t want the stove). I am not afraid of a project. In fact, I burry myself in them. I was debating whether to build a fireplace around one of the inserts I already own or to put a wood stove up against the chimney that currently has a 4.5” hole in it, but is now rebuilt and ready to be lined with up to an 8” SS liner.

As I sit here with this pretty wood stove in the back of my truck, I think about how I may have gone the wrong way, and perhaps building a fireplace brick by brick might have been smarter.

Anyway, I will learn a new wood stove. I think I didn’t give the VC fireplace insert I owned a good enough shot before I dumped it. The guy who bought it from me loved it. I stuck with my Vermont Stove Company Shelburne insert(s). Maybe it’s time for me to simply try something new and not stay so married to that dumb old insert.

The VC Encore is a pretty unit which is one reason I liked the VSC Shelburne.

There’s no urgency around this project I’ve obtained, but I would like to learn more about it, maybe identify the model, maybe based on some casting numbers or stamping.

I hope to learn that this stove isn’t missing critical pieces, like:
- back heat shield
- duct connector piece
- blower?
- intake air duct. It appears to take a ~4” duct for intake air in the back bottom.
- irreplaceable back firebrick with the shell pattern on it. That doesn’t look like a cheap replacement item. But at least this stove is common. I hope to learn that most encore models are the same.

My model is a creme color one and it seems every time a look at it another flake falls off. The light color is pretty, but sure doesn’t look good when the paint comes off. I wonder if I will be able to find stove paint in this color. I guess there’s a reason they stopped making this color.

 

[mnowaczyk]

Here’s me trying to find the casting stamp numbers. 3470 or 3476

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And then just going over the stove.

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[mnowaczyk]

In researching the Encore I found this video that I thought was helpful, stating that it is available in white (whenever that video was made). Also helpful was that you can get webbed or unweaned glass and that it can be configured for a rear or top vent. I think a rear vent is going g to be the least expensive for me to buy since there’s one on eBay right now.

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I also saw that another listing for a used one has the side shelves.

I figure there’s a good chance that I will end up purchasing a second one of these in the future to maybe install in my basement when I upgrade my heater, maybe even put one in my fireplace if it turns out it would fit. Then again, perhaps before I get too deep into this model (as I’ve read that older stoves can require tons of maintenance), maybe I should consider different options and see what members here proposed to me.

I am married to this one stove for the moment. So I will keep learning.

I don’t know when the Encore was first introduced. But since VC was apparently founded in 1976, I believe I can assume this one is no older than that. I hope to learn the approximate build date from the 3470/3476 numbers found in the top video above.

A Dealer Perspective on Vermont Castings History

The entire Vermont Castings story is very interesting, both from a dealer and a customer perspective. The initial designs (Defiant - Vigilant) were actually pretty bad for many applications....unless you were heating a large farmhouse in VT - which a lot of people WERE. The castings and...

www.hearth.com

 

[mnowaczyk]

Now I can also see from this video how the catalyst versions of this stove work and clearly see that mine without the catalyst is WAY different looking on the inside.

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Edit: rather than making this thread several pages long, this marketing video shows an Ash-pan-carrying-cover that appears to provide a way to possibly carry hot ashes, which I see as a huge potential benefit. Also, it does say there’s a thermostatic control which I am glad to learn of if actually true. I hope mine actually has it.

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And this one is cool seeing the actual person using his stove and even top-loading during a burn. That’s cool to see you can do, not to mention cooking breakfast on the stove. Love it!

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EDIT:
So it appears the eBay seller has accepted my offer and shipped the rear attachment that I will clearly need in order to use this wood stove. I am trying to figure out if the item is reversible or if I am purchasing one that only works for rear venting. I should be ok with either option, but I just measured my fireplace and at ~26” high, I’ve got about 28-29” of brick floor before the hardwood. I am going to guess that is basically not sufficient space before combustible material to install this stove inside my fireplace. The ash-pan would swing out over top of wood flooring which would clearly be a terrible ideal whether legal or not (and I’m sure it’s not). So this can end any perception that this stove could fit inside my fireplace, perhaps mostly due to the combustible floor issue.

 

[begreen]

Need to know the model number, there are several Encore versions. This sounds like it may be the NC version, aka the VC neverburn. Based on past history, there are some that would have passed on that stove even if in showroom condition. Rebuild parts will be about $1K or more depending on the internal condition and warping.

 

[mnowaczyk]

Need to know the model number, there are several Encore versions. This sounds like it may be the NC version, aka the VC neverburn. Based on past history, there are some that would have passed on that stove even if in showroom condition. Rebuild parts will be about $1K or more depending on the internal condition and warping.

Thank you. As I learn about this model, it sounds like people need to repeatedly rebuild them. That's lame. It's a pretty stove, but I guess if I want a good stove, then I should keep shopping and maybe sell this junker for parts like I see so many people doing. I cracked one of the legs trying to get it onto a roller dolly and now see the stoves are all over the place for $150-1000, but there are no legs out there for sale. It stands, and my friend says he can weld cast. So, I guess I might have him weld it up.

All this gets me thinking more about keeping my VSC Shelburne stove(s) that has kept me pretty happy all these years. With a proper liner connection, maybe it will be even better. I think a wood stove would kick more heat though. Then again, I'm only looking to heat about 800 sq ft of garage space on rare occasions. Maybe the VC Encore will be just fine. I've got a lot to learn.

As far as telling the different Encore stoves apart, the only thing I notice (besides cat or not) is that some say "Defiant Encore" on the side while others (like mine) just say Encore. I wonder if that helps pinpoint the version I have. Too bad there aren't any others for sale closer to me or I might be able to learn them by seeing several.

Here's a guy discussing his rebuild:

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[begreen]

If it's a non-cat, then I suspect it may be a Model 1450 but this needs to be verified. If so, the rebuild is different.

 

[mnowaczyk]

If it's a non-cat, then I suspect it may be a Model 1450 but this needs to be verified. If so, the rebuild is different.

I found this site with Bing that appears to list out all the VC models and it has 6 hits on encore:

DEFIANT ENCORE 0028 VERMONT​

DEFIANT ENCORE 2140 VERMONT​

DEFIANT ENCORE 2190 VERMONT​

ENCORE 1450 VERMONT CASTINGS​

ENCORE 2550 VERMONT CASTINGS​

ENCORE 2N1 (0002040 -​

Since I don't think it says "Defiant" on it, I assume it's one of the last 3, probably a 1450 as you say. I will see if I can get a video / pictures of it with the junk out of the inside.

I picked up 20' of smooth-wall 8" liner and chimney cap for $200 and 2 hours of driving this morning bc I want to get a liner in before my mason removes his scaffolding. I think I can also get 16' of 6" from a local chimney sweep too. That is another $150 I think. After seeing that this VC model may be junk, I'm considering using my fireplace insert(s) that specify 8" liner. My VSC Shelburne insert(s) is welded plate steel and seems REALLY solid in comparison (if not as pretty as this VC Encore). Building a fireplace in the garage sounds like fun too. So... I don't know where this is really heading honestly.

 

[mnowaczyk]

So I picked up a rusty 1986 with catalyst, ash pan cover/carrier, and a screen to run it like an open fireplace. It most likely had been under these folks porch for decades, and it was upside down on a dolly cart. When I went to get it. They needed a bunch of help clearing out their house for their settlement tomorrow.

I know. I’m a glutton for punishment.

 

[begreen]

Well, the bright side is that if one owns a boat, there's lots of anchor material.