I am thinking of buy a Vermont Casting Woodstove

[BrowningBAR]

Hello, new to the forum and was hoping to get some information when it comes to choosing a wood stove. Like most people, oil prices are forcing us to find ways to cut our oil costs and I am hoping to install two wood stoves.

Due to wood stoves running all the way up to $4500 for a new stove plus installation I have decided to go the used route for the larger stove in the living room fireplace and buy new for the smaller stove in the kitchen fireplace to limit the total cost of getting everything up and running.

So, someone near me is selling a Vermont Casting "1977 Vigilant". The photos are attached.

It appears to be in very good shape, but I was wondering if there is anything I should be aware of before buying. Are there any problems areas I should look for? I have seen it in person and it appears to be very clean and well kept, but I wanted to be sure this was a wise purchase and not a potential waste of money.

Also, if the stove needs repairs down the road, would it be possible to find someone to work on the stove.

I appreciate any help or suggestions any of you may have.

 

[dustytools]

I just bought a used one myself. I havent found a source for parts yet but it seems like a well built stove. Here is a link to the thread I started. http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=71566

 

[BrowningBAR]

I just bought a used one myself. I havent found a source for parts yet but it seems like a well built stove. Here is a link to the thread I started. http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=71566

Dusty, thanks for the reply. Your thread was the reason I posted here in the first place. I wasn't sure if I should have just added on to the thread or not.

Have you had it installed, yet? If so, how much were the price quotes?

 

[dustytools]

No, I havent installed it yet. Ill be doing the work myself with the help of a co-worker.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Did Vermont Castings stop making the Defiant? I owned one of those years ago, and that was a whale of as stove--swallowed 24" logs just like my big Federal Airtight 288 does today. Mine had solid doors and kicked out heat like a $2 pistol.

 

[aussieblake]

Not sure if you are aware of this or not, but VC filed bankruptcy and I believe it is being auctioned off. Rumor has it the name will still be around, but parts may be difficult to come by. Supposedly parts for VC stoves have increased significantly (anywhere from 200-400%) in the last 12 months. This information is from another forum, I do not own a VC stove and have not priced part for a VC stove. Just passing on what I have read.

 

[hornett224]

same here.

I've heard bad things about VC for a few years now.

i looked at several that were cracked before i bought the Fisher.

someone posted at Hearth.com that they just filed bankruptcy.

 

[dustytools]

I've heard bad things about VC for a few years now.

About the older stuff or newer?

 

[yukiginger]

Used stove

That stove looks to be in good shape, but it is old. I recommend an ad in your local Craigslist - items wanted section. Ask for a wood stove with glass in the front (this gets you away from the really old stuff). There are still people out there who are getting away from wood, or did so a while ago and the stove is sitting in the house, garage, or barn. Ask for brand names like Lopi, Quadrafire, Regency, Pacific Energy, Vermont Castings, Hearthstone, etc. This way if you get a response you could research the model number. You can find more modern, EPA rated stoves out there for not too much money. My local Craigslist has a Quadrafire 3000 stove, which Quad has replaced with the 3100, but the stove probably is not over 10 years old, comes with a chimney kit, etc., for $600.

You can also call some chimeny sweeps and ask if they have or know of any used stoves.

MarkG

 

[urhstry]

My feeling is that with oil prices like they are, it really doesn't matter what you have to burn wood in. A 55 gallon drum can be used if necessary. I noticed you are in PA.... maybe you want to hold off and find a stove that can burn coal too.

 

[BrowningBAR]

My feeling is that with oil prices like they are, it really doesn't matter what you have to burn wood in. A 55 gallon drum can be used if necessary. I noticed you are in PA.... maybe you want to hold off and find a stove that can burn coal too.

I agree with the oil issue. It is the main reason we are going with the wood stoves. I do live in PA, but I do not have a basement or a garage which leaves me with no place to store the coal.

I am hearing that speculators feel the oil has peaked and will move down. It's nice to hear, but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Did Vermont Castings stop making the Defiant? I owned one of those years ago, and that was a whale of as stove--swallowed 24" logs just like my big Federal Airtight 288 does today. Mine had solid doors and kicked out heat like a $2 pistol.

Nope, Vermont still makes a model called the Defiant. Not sure if it is the same design as the one you had, though.

 

[BrowningBAR]

That stove looks to be in good shape, but it is old. I recommend an ad in your local Craigslist - items wanted section. Ask for a wood stove with glass in the front (this gets you away from the really old stuff). There are still people out there who are getting away from wood, or did so a while ago and the stove is sitting in the house, garage, or barn. Ask for brand names like Lopi, Quadrafire, Regency, Pacific Energy, Vermont Castings, Hearthstone, etc. This way if you get a response you could research the model number. You can find more modern, EPA rated stoves out there for not too much money. My local Craigslist has a Quadrafire 3000 stove, which Quad has replaced with the 3100, but the stove probably is not over 10 years old, comes with a chimney kit, etc., for $600.

You can also call some chimeny sweeps and ask if they have or know of any used stoves.

MarkG

That's a hell of a price for the stove and chimney kit. I have been going through CraigsList for several months and this has been the cleanest used stove that wasn't priced beyond reason. Too many times I have seen listings for used stoves less than 10 years old and still asking for near the price of a new stove.

 

[dustytools]

That's a hell of a price for the stove and chimney kit. I have been going through CraigsList for several months and this has been the cleanest used stove that wasn't priced beyond reason. Too many times I have seen listings for used stoves less than 10 years old and still asking for near the price of a new stove.

Did you buy it?

 

[BrowningBAR]

Did you buy it?

Yep, I finally made the decision this evening. I stop by tomorrow and pick it up.

Now I just need to figure out how to catch up on the lack of seasoned wood that I should already have.

In august or September I plan on buying a wood stove insert for the kitchen which will heat the kitchen, the bedroom above it and maybe even the dining room if we can find a way to work the heat into that room.

This will be my third winter in this house and I am looking forward to actually having a couple of warm rooms to hang out in. I work from home and keep the heat set between 55-60 degrees during the day and 60-65 during the evening to minimize the oil use as our oil bill has doubled every year since we have moved in. And now this year to properly heat the house and a comfortable temperature (68-72 degrees) it will run us 7 grand (4.80 a gallon).

I've been looking into Geothermal heating and cooling, but if I do it, it will be a 3-5 years from now as the price is a bit more than I can handle right now.

 

[dustytools]

Congratulations! I hope that it works out well for you. Itll be about a month or so before I get mine hooked up but Ill post some pics of it when its done. Im gonna furr out the corner that it will be sitting in with metal studs, 5/8 drywall and a layer of du-rock over that to accept some cultured stone in the future.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Congratulations! I hope that it works out well for you. Itll be about a month or so before I get mine hooked up but Ill post some pics of it when its done. Im gonna furr out the corner that it will be sitting in with metal studs, 5/8 drywall and a layer of du-rock over that to accept some cultured stone in the future.

I will be putting mine into a walk-in fireplace (see attached photo). Hopefully we don't run into anything...odd...during installation. You can never tell what surprises you may fine in an old home.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Nope, Vermont still makes a model called the Defiant. Not sure if it is the same design as the one you had, though.

Based on what I see on the Internet, there is no comparison to the Defiant that I bought in 1976-77 to the one being sold today. That's realy sad.

Vermont Castings had a winner back then. I dropped about $1,000 when I bought it, and I loved that beautiful cast iron woodstove.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

I will be putting mine into a walk-in fireplace (see attached photo). Hopefully we don't run into anything...odd...during installation. You can never tell what surprises you may fine in an old home.

possibly the one thing you could run into is an unlined chimney or loose bricks/mortar ( experience-- live in 'the money pit')

be safe.. the last thing we need is more fodder for the libs to 'regulate' us wood burners out of burning wood
there are tons of sites and so called data that is out there saying the burning wood is bad lik this
http://www.burningissues.org/lukebiomass.html
and these are the things the libs cling too
I grew up always burning wood and before we moved to DE we lived in OH and burned coal ... I haven't noticed any health problems but they seem to think that light one piece of wood and you will die of cancer.......
sorry I got off topic