Weld old Resolute Fireback?

[PaulF]

I have an old Vermont Castings Resolute II model 0043, made about 1983. It stopped working in secondary combusition mode. I took the inner castings out and found the right insert had a burned away plate. This part is still available. I also found the fireback has two hairline cracks that run about 6 inches each. The fireback can be purchased, but its design changed to an upper and lower fireback rather than the original single unit. The fireback needs to ship via truck at about $150 for shipping alone. The total for the fireback with shipping would run about $275. I do not want to put this much money in the old stove.

Is welding of the cracks an alternative?

PaulF

 

[kregars]

Is it possible your local reseller of the VC stoves would be able to order the parts you need and have the shipping be cheaper (since they would be getting more than a single piece to defer the cost)?

It's my understanding that the welded area although possible to be a good weld and provide more years of service might lead to a headache should there be a disaster and it be found that the stove was in a known crippled state with continued use.

Just my $0.02...I'm sure someone else will be able to more affimatively answer the question and provide you with advise to facilitate your decision.

 

[Shane]

I'd weld it once it's welded it's functional again. Why exactly can the piece not be shipped UPS? That piece can't be too big or heavy right?

 

[Corey]

Don't know too much about the VC's but the way you talk about shipping a single piece I wonder if this is just a piece of metal in the stove itself...like a baffle? If it is just a baffle I wouldn't even bother with welding it. If the pannel is actually separating the firebox from the house, it might be worth a closer look. Although cast iron is notoriously hard to weld and you'd have to do some prep work...we've posted before about drilling out the crack tips and V-ing the crack itself.

Corey

 

[PaulF]

I called another parts dealer and was told the 2-piece fireback with damper kit could be shipped via UPS. He said the other dealer must have looked up the shipping for a kit to convert a Resolute Acclaim. That kit weighs about 200 pounds. I ordered the parts and will see if my old Resolute will burn efficiently again.

PaulF