Woodstock, BlazeKing, Vermont Castings...who to go with?!

[RandyBoBandy]

Under the right conditions almost any cat stove can do 12 hours if it’s over 2 cubic feet.

And for the record I’m not suggesting the OP get a VC. I don’t think I would buy a new one when the time comes either.

 

[ddddddden]

Re: the light colored metallic gray, I’ve been back and forth over it. Still didn’t order yet because the very few pics I have seen look almost brilliant white to me. I don’t think that would look good in that space. I’m considering metallic brown even though I’m not in love with that look I bet once it was all setup and running it would grow on me.

I know the feeling. This probably won't help, but for a few extra $, Woodstock will paint it any Stove Bright color you like, as long as they can get the paint.

(broken link removed to http://forrestpaint.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SBCC2017.pdf)

I went with "charcoal" for the FV. ~ the color of a new iron pan. The light gray looks neat, but it's a whole different look when the iron frame is a lighter color than the stone. It does look almost white to my eye, which has sort of a negative-space effect on the frame of the stove.

 

[Farenheit 451]

Mine hasn’t changed, looks the same as the day I painted it. I think it’s the best color for the stone hands down!

Hmm that does look pretty slick actually I like that. You painted that yourself? Just grabbed some high heat paint from somewhere? Thanks for sharing the pic.

 

[Woody Stover]

Hmm that does look pretty slick actually I like that. You painted that yourself? Just grabbed some high heat paint from somewhere? Thanks for sharing the pic.

I think he used Stove-Brite, but like I said, the factory paint mellows down to a medium gray after the stove is broken in. That pic with the fresh paint looks a little bluer..

 

[Woody Stover]

I'll try to get a good pic of mine, but I don't know if I have true enough light to do it.

 

[ddddddden]

It's very tricky to get an accurate pic of these colors. Most of them are 'metallic' and the appearance can vary a lot with different lighting, especially when the paint is new & shiny. If you ask Woodstock, they will send you a Stove Bright sample card.

https://www.woodstove.com/index.php/standard-stove-colors

https://www.woodstove.com/index.php/stove-gallery

 

[Commodorefirst]

Our new Woodstock, worked very well, We have had several 8 hour burns loaded about 2/3 full, and a mix of higher starts, then dialing it down.

We heated about 2000’ for two days with outside air temps near 5. Very happy, and customization is what ever you want, we designed our stove, both retired music teachers, https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/ideal-steel-install-completed-first-burn-cure.173917/

Our heat pump was set at 66, and temps ranged between 69-72 in main areas of the house, with a a small fan blowing the heat to assist.

 

[Commodorefirst]

More details on our IS, our first small paint/stove cure with about a 1/3 load, good mix of 4-5 year seasoned oak, elm, hickory, maple. We have been stockpiling wood for years so we have a fair number of cords seasoned for 3-8 years. Dry wood is sure nice, we have a shed that is dedicated for wood storage and the occasional farm implement. The next 3 burns were about half loads, stt around 400-500, cat engaged at 300 outside pipe flue temp, it is almost to easy. Throw cat, leave fully open for 5 minutes, close down air to about half, for another 15 minutes, let stove come up to temp, then crank her down to 1/4 or less, stove temps come up, chimney temps drop from over 320 to about 250-280. Getting about 5-6 hours of heat with a few coals left on small break n loads. We just did our first 2/3 to 3/4 loose loads, stacked both NS and EW loosely, solid 8-10 hours of heat with the stove still at 250 stt with coals at the end of the burn. The soapstones held heat for another couple of hours. We did a second 3/4 loose load burn, same thing.

FYI, we run a ERV whole house ventilation system, and we have it set to provide a + air pressure on our tightly constructed house, with R50 ceiling cellulose, and R24 walls spray foam, and taped and sealed wall sheathing with triple pane glass. Very tight home construction.

2400 sq' main floor the stove kept temps in 2/3 of house with fans on, between 72-70 with back bedroom and utility room staying in the 60s. I could have pushed it harder and warmed up even more, but my heat pumps did not run for two days. Now it is above 30, we don’t run the stove.

We have a ton of windows in main living area, and while triple pane, low e, and highly rated air infiltration, 4 windows that are 6’x12, and two that are 6’x12’ is a lot of windows in living and dinning room. Why we only got to 72 those two days, running 24/7 on 3/4 loads. But it was -20 windchills, and we have a vaulted ceiling in living area, more sq ft!

 

[webby3650]

I'll try to get a good pic of mine, but I don't know if I have true enough light to do it.

Here’s what mine currently looks like. Metallic blue, been running 24/7 all season.

 

[webby3650]

Hmm that does look pretty slick actually I like that. You painted that yourself? Just grabbed some high heat paint from somewhere? Thanks for sharing the pic.

It took about an hour to mask it all off. I used metallic blue stove bright paint. You can’t find good stove paint except at a hearth store or online.

 

[Mich woodcutter]

Yes, this is true for any stone stove.
Basically, soapstone soaks up 2x the BTU's that the same mass of iron/steel does. So, when starting from a cold stove, it takes ~ 2x as long for the mass of the stove to saturate with heat and start "throwing" heat to the room.

This is an issue during "shoulder season," when you are not burning 24/7. (Oct and March here.)
Once you get the stove going for heating season, the point is moot, because when you reload, say 2x /day, the stove is going to be warmed up already.

The exact opposite case would be a cabin that you visit on weekends. That stove's job would be to get a cold cabin up to temp ASAP when you show up on Friday evenings. I would want a steel stove for that task.

Let me first start by saying I’m a total newb to this stuff and have only been creeping here the last few weeks, so trying to learn as I go. My wife and I just bought a cabin in the woods of PA we are in the process of doing major renovations including insulating from all areas.

This will be our full time home year round and is constructed of wormy chestnut wood on the inside and stone on all exterior. It’s 1600 sq ft with an existing masonry chimney fireplace and then a spot on the other side of a VERY open floor plan for a wood stove which is where my query begins.

I got a quote from the local authority on wood stoves and inserts and they wanted $8k for a Vermont castings Defiant and parts and labor to install. That sounded quite high to me and after seeing lots of negative feedback on the Defiant I’ve tried to branch out and see what else is out there. Woodstock seems to come highly recommended and haven’t heard anything bad about them. The price seems right and the company seems to be excellent in making things right.

I was looking at the ideal steel and absolute. My wife like the look of the progress better and so do I but not sure I can justify an extra $1k on looks alone. My aim is to have something I can cook on if the power goes out or just if I feel like it, simple to maintain and no need to babysit compared to other stove operation and maintenance. The bigger the log size it accepts the better since I have 8 wooded acres and will be using all my own wood once it’s dried and aged appropriately.

I welcome thought and comments on Woodstock or any other stove that might fit outback needs as well as ballpark on price for other parts and installation needed to get the stove up and running. Thanks in advance!

 

[Mich woodcutter]

Do not buy a vermont castings.
I am on my 2nd defiant and the first one I bought in 2001 was terrific and heated well.
I replaced it 2 years ago with the model number 1975 flexburn and unbelievably doesnt throw out any heat.
My thermometer on my stove says 600 and if your close to the stove its warm but the warmth does not spill out into the room.
I know it sounds like that is strange but it is true.
I will replace this one by next heating season with another brand.
Needless to say I am gun shy right now as the brochure says like 56000 btus but It is absolutely not a heating machine.
I am researching other stoves and Im considering a drolet or possibly a woodstock stove but they seem small.

 

[Farenheit 451]

Do not buy a vermont castings.
I am on my 2nd defiant and the first one I bought in 2001 was terrific and heated well.
I replaced it 2 years ago with the model number 1975 flexburn and unbelievably doesnt throw out any heat.
My thermometer on my stove says 600 and if your close to the stove its warm but the warmth does not spill out into the room.
I know it sounds like that is strange but it is true.
I will replace this one by next heating season with another brand.
Needless to say I am gun shy right now as the brochure says like 56000 btus but It is absolutely not a heating machine.
I am researching other stoves and Im considering a drolet or possibly a woodstock stove but they seem small.

Thanks that seems to be the consensus around here is VC is garbage. I ended up going with the Progress Hybrid from Woodstock Soapstone. They already made the stove and just waiting to get measurements for the chimney as well and it should ship next week! I’ll post pics once I get it installed

 

[begreen]

It took about an hour to mask it all off. I used metallic blue stove bright paint. You can’t find good stove paint except at a hearth store or online.

Northline Express sells it online. I lucked out. Our local McClendon Hardware chain carries Stove Brite. Not all colors but some and most of the blacks. That's where I bought it last time.

 

[webby3650]

Northline Express sells it online. I lucked out. Our local McClendon Hardware chain carries Stove Brite. Not all colors but some and most of the blacks. That's where I bought it last time.

Nice! The distributor they get stove pipe from probably carries it, so they’ve got east access to it.