VT Casting umbrella widens

[Flamestead]

The Kentucky-based parent company of Vermont Castings has taken on the VT name. It doesn't sound like a change in business, but I'd expect there will be more products down the road that will carry the name...

(broken link removed to http://www.timesargus.com/article/20130113/BUSINESS03/701139878/1006/BUSINESS)

 

[raybonz]

New name will be Kentucky Fried Castings aka KFC

Ray

 

[colin.p]

KFC? Thanks, now I have the overwhelming desire to lick chicken grease off my stove.

 

[Flamestead]

As the text in this link suggests, the saga continues...
(broken link removed to http://www.wcax.com/story/28477610/vermont-castings-may-leave-state)

{edit: more backstory... http://www.vnews.com/news/townbytow...p-paid-622-million-for-vermont-castings-group }

 

[bholler]

Are they going to finally drop that useless down draft design and start making real stoves again? I dont get it they have made some truly wonderful stoves through the years and still have fantastic castings but the stove design has gone to crap Hopefully the new ownership changes that but i doubt it

 

[brad wilton]

might be stupid question but how does down draft work ? forget it i'll start a thread

 

[Ashful]

might be stupid question but how does down draft work ? forget it i'll start a thread

Answered here: https://www.hearth.com/talk/index.php?threads/down-draft-tech.142474/

 

[Ashful]

Are they going to finally drop that useless down draft design and start making real stoves again? I dont get it they have made some truly wonderful stoves through the years and still have fantastic castings but the stove design has gone to crap Hopefully the new ownership changes that but i doubt it

I have not seen many complaints on the performance of the current VC 2-in-1's. Quality complaints, yes. Durability of the ceramic refractory fire back, yes. But, in terms of the technology, they seem to actually work very well for those running them. Perhaps if they stopped trying to cut costs on materials and quality, they'd have their best line of stoves in the modern era. They certainly are pretty, too.

 

[bholler]

I have not seen many complaints on the performance of the current VC 2-in-1's. Quality complaints, yes. Durability of the ceramic refractory fire back, yes. But, in terms of the technology, they seem to actually work very well for those running them. Perhaps if they stopped trying to cut costs on materials and quality, they'd have their best line of stoves in the modern era. They certainly are pretty, too.

Really i rarely find a satisfied customer with any of the recent vc products

 

[webby3650]

I spent the day yesterday rebuilding a non-cat Encore. I had a huge pile of useless parts all around me, stuff that has no business in a Woodstove in my opinion. The combustion box was totally blown out, the upper fire back was fractured and fell apart during the process. It was only 6 years old.

Sure, it burns clean. Big frickin deal! So do dozens of other stove designs. VC could a fabulous company again if they would design a new stove, ditch that rear combustion design and start over!

 

[Grisu]

As the text in this link suggests, the saga continues...
(broken link removed to http://www.wcax.com/story/28477610/vermont-castings-may-leave-state)

{edit: more backstory... http://www.vnews.com/news/townbytow...p-paid-622-million-for-vermont-castings-group }

That will be interesting as Vermont has pretty strict standards as to when a company can use "Vermont" in their product marketing. (broken link removed to http://ago.vermont.gov/assets/files/Vermont%20Origin%20Rule%20FAQ.pdf)
It's possible that they may need to drop the "Vermont Castings" name when they move out of the state.

 

[Ashful]

I spent the day yesterday rebuilding a non-cat Encore. I had a huge pile of useless parts all around me, stuff that has no business in a Woodstove in my opinion. The combustion box was totally blown out, the upper fire back was fractured and fell apart during the process. It was only 6 years old.

Is that the current 2-in-1 hybrid, or its predecessor?

 

[webby3650]

Is that the current 2-in-1 hybrid, or its predecessor?

It's predecessor. The 2n1 still has the same vulnerable cardboard crap behind that refractory cement panel! Like the Lopi Leyden and Harmon stove that were so problematic.

 

[Ashful]

Yep. That's what I was referring to in my post. It seems to work much better than its predecessor, but unfortunately there have been several reports of them being very easily damaged.

 

[webby3650]

Most people don't know there even have a failing combustion package. They only call someone once it's completely stopped working. So I'm not surprised that there haven't been reports of failed boxes yet.

 

[bholler]

Yep. That's what I was referring to in my post. It seems to work much better than its predecessor, but unfortunately there have been several reports of them being very easily damaged.

And a night mare to work on we charge 50% more for a cleaning on a vc or harman because it takes so much time to tear apart the guts to clean them.

 

[webby3650]

And a night mare to work on we charge 50% more for a cleaning on a vc or harman because it takes so much time to tear apart the guts to clean them.

And there is always the likelihood of parts falling apart once you touch them.

 

[bholler]

And there is always the likelihood of parts falling apart once you touch them.

Yes i know I really hate working on them

 

[Dieselhead]

I saw the "how it's made" episode at vt castings. Nice to see them on the show.

 

[Simonkenton]

"An Iowa-based fireplace manufacturer, HNI Corporation, bought Vermont Castings last fall and said the plan for the 200 Vermont jobs was "status quo."

But now, HNI says it may be shifting jobs from Bethel to Randolph or to facilities in Kentucky or Pennsylvania, or HNI says it could close all facilities in Vermont."

Good Lord. I am an old-time and big-time Vermont Castings fan since the seventies, and I owned a 1988 Resolute for 6 years. What a great stove, and good looking too.
All this chaos at VC makes me sick. Hard to imagine how they ruined a once-great company.
I will be buying a big new wood stove this summer and it surely will not be a Vermont Castings. If a newby read this site for 30 minutes he would never buy a Vermont Castings.

I hope this company can get re orgainzed and begin making quality products again, I will avidly keep up with them from a distance.
Just like in the seventies, people said I was a traitor and un American when I bought a Jap car, said I needed to be a loyal American and buy a GM. Sadly, the once great automaker was making crap cars in that decade, with built in obsolence, while the Japs were making good cars with great gas mileage.
Detroit lost me in that decade and I have stayed lost, now I drive a Nissan pickup, and an Infiniti I 30.

Once-great American companies that begin to produce crap can kiss my ass.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Glad I didn't read this forum before I pulled the trigger on my medium sized insert that fits my needs perfectly and looks exceptionally well..... Also glad I didn't buy the poor quality items that they must have sold in the past..... BUT, they must be doing something right......

 

[Simonkenton]

You are in the "Ignorance is Bliss" school.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Me? No.... I bought a quality product and I enjoy it...

 

[begreen]

The Montpelier appears to have a more conventional construction. That would avoid a lot of past pitfalls with refractory issues that one would encounter on the freestanding stoves.

 

[drobbins]

ok, I'm a newbie and you're scarin me
I'm thinking of buying a Dutchwest 2461 in the near future
Not sure what the deal is with who manufactures them
I know VC did in the past but they seem to have the "Majestic" name on them now
Do all the "not so nice" things people are saying about VC apply to this stove?

Dave