Will I be disappointed replacing an old Vermont Castings with a new stove?

[begreen]

Very long burn times are possible when very little heat is required from the stove. A cat stove burns the smoke in the convertor so it can have a low smoldering fire for a long time. When heating in winter and the stove is required to put out high heat, many people report burn times matching the equivalent sized non-cat stove. Ashful's situation is somewhat unique as he is running 2 stoves to supplement the oil heat and reduce the oil bill.

 

[Cast Iron]

Sidebar: many of us in the chilled Northeast have heated with many many wood stoves over the years . Many also have used wood as a primary source of heat for decades often without any central heat or AC.
Some of us have a bias both for the original VC and Scandinavian brands ( Lange, Morso, Jotul ) that we have used hard for 100% , 24/7 heating. We know a variety of stoves having used them. nm
And the later VC owners have screwed up the name and brand. Sooooooo.......................
Possibility thet the latest VC (HHT) MAY have resolved the quality problem. Few really know.
BK MAY be the best....or one of the best.

 

[bholler]

Sidebar: many of us in the chilled Northeast have heated with many many wood stoves over the years . Many also have used wood as a primary source of heat for decades often without any central heat or AC.
Some of us have a bias both for the original VC and Scandinavian brands ( Lange, Morso, Jotul ) that we have used hard for 100% , 24/7 heating. We know a variety of stoves having used them. nm
And the later VC owners have screwed up the name and brand. Sooooooo.......................
Possibility thet the latest VC (HHT) MAY have resolved the quality problem. Few really know.
BK MAY be the best....or one of the best.

There is nothing unique to new england about that. The same can be said about many reigions.

 

[Blazingembers7749]

They sure do make a good looking stove

 

[begreen]

Best is what is best for one's taste and application. It's all relative. Best for long burns and steady heat BK is excellent, but that is only one criteria and not everyone needs that. Best for strong radiant heat for example it is not. Best for folks on a budget? It's hard to beat Englander and Drolet there. Best looks, best castings - that probably goes to VC and Jotul. Lowest maintenance? Some non-cats win that category.

 

[bholler]

They sure do make a good looking stove

Yeah without question they look great. If all that matters is looks i would recomend vc to many people. But most people want reliability to lol.

And i know we just got lectured on stuff like that sorry bg.

 

[begreen]

I agree with you wholeheartedly. But to be fair in this case the op came here asking about bk stoves.

Yes, and maybe I have overreacted and I apologize if I seemed touchy. Things got a bit stressful at home here. We thought our old cat was a goner. He suddenly disappeared and we thought a coyote or eagle got him. Things were pretty blue for awhile. I'm happy to say he just showed up a few hours ago like nothing ever happened. Cats...

That said, when one says "superior" design, it was pushing things, especially after the OP has expressed interest in a lower cost but excellent stove. Superior and best are often in the eyes of the beholder. Different homes and stove owners have different needs. No one stove or stove company is the best for all situations. Just like trucks.

 

[bholler]

Yes, and maybe I have overreacted and I apologize if I seemed touchy. Things got a bit stressful at home here. We thought our old cat was a goner. He suddenly disappeared and we thought a coyote or eagle got him. Things were pretty blue for awhile. I'm happy to say he just showed up a few hours ago like nothing ever happened. Cats...

That said, when one says "superior" design, it was pushing things, especially after the OP has expressed interest in a lower cost but excellent stove. Superior and best are often in the eyes of the beholder. Different homes and stove owners have different needs. No one stove or stove company is the best for all situations. Just like trucks.

I agree completly. And glad your cat made it home

 

[Cast Iron]

If BK had a what the boss wanted/needed/ordered for a replacement to the broken old Oslo we would have done it. Maybe Woodstock's PH.
But (please excuse us Chris ):
No top load.
No nice enamel color like blue/black.
$100. of bucks more than other stoves.
Small ash pan.
Front load only.

 

[Ashful]

Glad the cat is okay, begreen. We had a hawk take one of the kids chickens almost right in front of me a few weeks back, and it took me almost an entire afternoon to track down the rest of the scattered flock in their hiding places. They can hide very well, when prompted.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

We've covered a lot of ground on this post! Let me jump in and try to hit a few of the many points that have been brought up.

Replacing a VC
I retired an old 1979 VC Defiant in late Winter/early Spring and replaced it with an Oslo. Very pleased with it. Have not heated with it in really cold temps, so have to reserve judgement until I get a full year of burning in. If the OP has any questions that I could help with - please PM me.

The Review Section
The first thing I read when I joined the forum was the reviews - super helpful. A great way to get started. I will review my Oslo next January after I have some cold weather burning under my belt. I'd love to review it now, because I am really so happy with it, but it would be a partial review and therefor not that helpful.

Thru Our Own Lens
This might be sort of a summary of what Begreen and others have been discussing. One of the things that struck me as soon as I started on the forum is that we all have such different needs and different likes and dislikes! I was shocked. I've been burning wood as the sole heat source for almost 30 years in this house ... you would think I'd know something about heating with wood. Well I learned right away that I truly was an expert on heating with wood ... in this house, the way I like to burn, on my schedule for loading, and the list goes on and on. Everyone has their own needs for their lifestyle, their house, their wants - by definition there can be no perfect stove! If we all had the same heating needs, the same taste in the looks of a stove, needed to load from the same side/top/front, etc. then there could be a perfect stove!

I think if we keep in mind that our opinions and ideas (and to some extent, even our "facts") are all colored by our needs and our experiences we could be a bit less "down" on certain stoves and a bit less "up" on the stove that we are burning and that works for us. There's a part of me that wants to become an Oslo zealot! I love the stove, it works great for me, but I know it will only be the "right" stove for someone that uses it like me and has the same taste in looks - for others it would be the totally "wrong" stove.

What We Chose to Share
Sometimes Less is More! Experience with heating, running the stove, ash removal, etc should probably always be shared - that's important stuff. What you think about the looks of a stove maybe should never be shared. That is something that a new person can figure out for themselves - do they like or dislike the look of a stove??? That's not something that anyone on the forum can help them with!

Well there's my 2 cents. This is a great forum. Really the best forum I have ever been a member of. I have learned so much here - the members truly helped me to figure out that the Oslo would be a really great stove for me - I'm so grateful for that. And I've learned so much from The Wood Shed! All of my new wood stacks are single stacks for better drying (I used to do double rows right next to each other) and I am a Cover Your Wood convert! I can see the difference in wood that I CSS and covered early this Spring compare to wood that I didn't cover.

 

[Cast Iron]

Oslo facts from 16 years of burning it, now replaced. Jake will concur.
Don't use the front door since ashes pile up against it and will make a mess when opening.
Gasket checks are mandatory on the ash door first.
Don't use the ash door cracked for ANYTHING except emptying.
The front 'glass' will move off center, check.
Get a plain cook top if you have the enamel.
Thermometer on one of the top corners.
If the air control sticks, open it up ( "doghouse" )and put graphite on the slide.
Simple and reliable if you don't abuse the thing.

 

[georgepds]

Starting a fire is easy enough, especially with a small propane or MAPP torch. I wouldn't worry about an auto start feature. It seems like they made it for people who have wives that want to be able to push a button.

Then there are those of us,the few, the lucky few, you know who you are, whose wives are firebugs.

Mine won't let me stack in the spring... says I'm too messy. She's started cleaning the chimney too

 

[Rickb]

Then there are those of us,the few, the lucky few, you know who you are, whose wives are firebugs.

Mine won't let me stack in the spring... says I'm too messy. She's started cleaning the chimney too

Is there some sort of elixir or maybe a injection to accomplish this??????? You could make a killing!

 

[georgepds]

Is there some sort of elixir or maybe a injection to accomplish this??????? You could make a killing!

Basic rule of thumb, do everything half a$$ed. Let a stack or two tumble into the drive. Forget to put a bag to catch the ash when you sweep the chimney.

A little extreme for effect.. but along those lines. But at heart, she loves to burn things, that's what helps the most

 

[Graycenphil]

Update: I got the Ideal Steel from Woodstock Soapstone. Drove to West Lebanon Wednesday, took out the old stove yesterday and put in the new one today. The folks at the factory/store were great, price was very fair and a $100 discount for picking it up. I probably won’t fire it up till Monday, and probably won’t really know how well it’s working till it gets cold, but it looks good.

Thanks again for all the help and advice. Great forum.

 

[begreen]

Congratulations, that should get the job done. The first time you get the stove hot, open up nearby window and maybe put a fan blowing out of it. It'll stink a bit until the paint gets baked in.

 

[Graycenphil]

Thanks. I’ll do it on a warm day, so I can open all the windows.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

Your timing on getting it installed is about perfect. You can get those first break-in fires done during the mild weather of Fall when you can open up the house while burning to exhaust any paint fumes. Then when it's time to really burn it, you are ready.

I did something similar when I replaced my old 1979 Defiant - I purchased my Oslo in January, but didn't pick it up until March/April. Then I did my break-in fires and even had a chance to heat with it a bit due to such a late Spring here in WI. I'm so excited to be going into the heating season with the new stove and will be excited to be hearing about your experience with your Ideal Steel after using the old Defiant.

One thing I think you'll have fun with is running outside, looking at the chimney, and saying, "Oh my goodness, no smoke!"

 

[Graycenphil]

Thanks XmasTree. Will it really be that much smelly smoke - more than one firing? I’ve actually never owned a new woodstove; they’ve always been second hand.

That will be fun seeing no smoke. And thinking abouit all that heat staying in the house.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

Thanks XmasTree. Will it really be that much smelly smoke - more than one firing? I’ve actually never owned a new woodstove; they’ve always been second hand.

That will be fun seeing no smoke. And thinking abouit all that heat staying in the house.

Not really sure. Never owned a steel stove and not sure what your break-in fire process is for the Ideal Steel. Basically, every time the stove hits a new high temp, the paint will cure a bit more and you will get smoke (or at least a smell). Some folks are more sensitive to it than others. In my case, if my wife smells anything that smells remotely "toxic" she's got to get out of the house.

 

[fire_man]

I am a Cover Your Wood convert! I can see the difference in wood that I CSS and covered early this Spring compare to wood that I didn't cover.

Glad to see we have a convert! It just amazes me especially in moist climates that more folks don't see top covering as beneficial.

 

[Graycenphil]

Well, it’s been a few months now and I have to say I am quite satisfied with the Ideal Steel. It burns very hot and heats the house quickly when needed, and it burns slow and warm once the house is warm. The ash tray is large and very easy to deal with.

It is big, and holds a lot of wood. The house stays warmer overnight, with lots of coals for easy restarting in the morning. We went away one day at 9:30 in the morning, came home the next day at 5:00 PM, the house was still fairly warm and we had embers in the stove. Throw in a few logs and stoke a new fire. We’re saving on matches too.

I’m not sure I’m burning less wood, but the house is definitely warmer, so that’s really the same thing. I have plenty of wood. My wood is all seasoned less than a year, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue. I got a moisture meter, and numbers are mostly in the low 20’s. It is all covered and split.

I did install the outside air intake, and it seems to work fine. It is amazing how cool - cold actually - the metal is on the bottom of the stove by the air supply.

The only disadvantage is that it is not nearly as good for cooking on. My old stove top got really hot; the Ideal Steel is surface is somewhat removed from the flame. Boiling a pot of water takes a long time. This is hardly a complaint.

The old Vermont Castings is in the basement, cleaned and polished and connected to a separate flue. It looks great and can be used to warm the basement, or I suppose to supplement the new stove in a real cold spell.

So overall a happy customer and a recommendation for the Ideal Steel for anyone in a similar situation. No regrets at all. And yet again, thanks to all on here for helpful, solid and friendly advice.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

Nothing like having a few months of burning under your belt with things going well to make a guy relax about his stove choice! And this is all helpful information to others considering an Ideal Steel.

Liked your comment on how you are saving on matches!! LOL!

 

[SpaceBus]

We should start a club! My wife and I recently moved into a house in Downeast Maine that came with a 1975 Defiant with a cracked Fireback. We went with a Morso 2B Classic and have no regrets. I plan on restoring the Defiant and using it for heating our planned shop. We are using 30-50% less wood and getting more heat. The cracked Fireback obviously caused a lot of issues with how well it heated, but it would have been way too big for our small house anyway.

Enjoy your new stove to both of you who replaced your defiant!