Vermont Castings Winterwarm - worth rebuilding?

[Brae09]

Hi All,

First time posting here. This forum has been so helpful. We have a Vermont Castings Winterwarm 1280 wood insert which is about 20 years old. It was over fired and damaged before we inherited it. I've done some research and the parts that need to be replaced will cost at least $600/700 (bar grate, ash grate, damper/upper fireback assembly, catalytic converter, possibly the lower fireback and throat pieces) I wonder what people's thoughts and experiences are on rebuilding a 20 year old cast iron stove. Is it worth it? Or should I just get a new one? The pros I've talked to seem to think that it is not worth it. Other parts may start to fail also. I do like the look of the Winterwarm if the insert can be restored to its proper function. I can post some pictures if it is helpful.

Thanks.

 

[firefighterjake]

Just my opinion . . . I would take that $600 and apply it to a newer insert that doesn't have 20 years worth of hard use and abuse. For me personally, the time alone that it would take to rebuild would be the major deciding factor . . . not to mention the concern I would have about whether or not I will get another $600 worth of use out of the rebuild. I'm a cheap guy . . . but for me personally . . . sometimes it is worth ponying up the extra money and having less to worry about.

 

[Fsappo]

Unless you are excited about the idea of working on a "classic", have some nostalgic connection to the stove or are otherwise bound to it I would take Jakes advice. I've rebuilt a few of them and they are not easy to work on. Off the shelf cast iron parts sometimes don't fit in a 20 year old stove and need to be ground down, lots of reaching around corners to turn screws, etc.

Personally, I would love to do it as a spare time project. My motivation would be nostalgia. In fact, the more time I spend on these forums the past few days, the more I am inclined to start a "drop your old stove off at my garage and I'll refurb it for you" business.

 

[DougA]

I got a rough estimate to refurb (strip down & re-cement) our old VC Resolute and it was going to be the same price as your quote but that was just labor only. I'll sell it on cl once I have my new stove going.

 

[Fsappo]

I got a rough estimate to refurb (strip down & re-cement) our old VC Resolute and it was going to be the same price as your quote but that was just labor only. I'll sell it on cl once I have my new stove going.

Back in the late 80s early 90s I think I was charging $300 labor plus parts. This is when VC had all the fireback issues. I still have nightmares of me looking at a stack of Defiant fireback kits and wondering "ok, is it the 1a1 or 1ab or 2ab and oh crap that's the wrong air tube!" But people would get their Defiants, Vigilants, etc back good as new for $500-600 total if I recall. I'm trying to remember what a new Defiant cost back then..It seems like it as about double, so $1200ish maybe?

This was all pre EPA, not sure there is going to be much of that going on when you can get a mid sized EPA stove for $1500

 

[Brae09]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I think my trouble is that I don't like to throw things away, especially that nicely designed cast iron front. And I do get satisfaction fixing things. But in this case, it is questionable how long that satisfaction will last before it turns into another challenge or headache. Plus, being an amateur, I would not have all the tools required. It sounds like there may be too many unforeseen issues that I will run into. Yea. I think I will go with a new one and sell the VC for parts or repair. Perhaps someone can rebuild it.