Production Woodstock IS

Agreed with others. I made it very clear we have NG for heat so not a priority and happy to just wait until spring. Still believe they are a great company with old fashion values for customer service.

 

I hope they realize how many future buyers are watching this.

 

Sounds like they already have a permanent gas pedal shaped imprint in the floor though...they probably have what, 10, maybe 20 employees?

 

Yeah, around that or maybe just a few more. The actual number is not important, what has happened is that demand for new stoves, refurbishing older stoves (a service they offer as well as a buy- back program) and the fixing of existing stoves has simply overwhelmed them. They are usually overwhelmed this time of the year but this year is made worse by them replacing fireboxes on old stoves.... that are out of warranty by the way. So being 'good guys' has jacked them up pretty good. Really though I think this is good news for new customers because how many companies would warranty repair something that was years out of warranty anyway?

 

Great way to put it BDF . I hope all potential customers reading this relize they are going above and beyond to all future, past and current customers. I for one am proud to be a Ideal Steel owner.

 

ABF picked up mine exactly a week later on the 27th

I'd like to also add the Woodstock is not only repairing my stove for free, but paying for the shipping to and from. This is on a stove I bought in 2015. You'll not hear me complain one little bit about them.
I offered to have the crack welded and was told it may or may not hold and that they would rather have the stove back to do a more permanent repair/rebuild

 

Woodstock stoves, at least the Ideal Steel to my own personal knowledge, are certainly not flawless and I have modified my own to make it better, at least in my opinion. But I do think the company is as close to flawless as possible, or certainly above and beyond any expectations. They are repairing my stove, which consists of replacing the stove body and the sled, easily the biggest parts of the stove, at no cost when it is long out of warranty. And as someone else already said, they are paying shipping both to and from the mfg. They do not have to do this and would actually be heroes if they merely offered some type of reduced cost program to retrofit the older stoves but they are doing so and offering it freely and openly rather than begrudgingly and after a lot of complaints. There may well be better stoves, and I am sure there are other stoves better suited to some user's needs but I honestly doubt there is a better or perhaps even an equal stove manufacturer to do business with. Calling them with a problem is actually a pleasure, which is something in itself. So while I try not to be a fanboi of the products, I almost cannot help being a fanboi of the company and its service.

 

I just ordered an Ideal steel on the 14th of October.

When I first contacted them with a few questions I was told that they were just starting a production run is IS's and that I would be looking at a 3 week lead time, as they had to fill the backlog of orders first (and I assume this included the replacement fireboxes for the existing customers that need repairs). I sat on the fence for two more days and then placed my order/deposit. When I placed my order I was told it would be 4 weeks before My build was done. I don't point that out because I have any dissatisfaction with that, only to show that they are taking orders everyday and how quickly a work load can backup. My workplace has a very small crew and during our busy season work backs up and we all run our selves ragged, but if we employed more people there's a very real possibility that during the slow season there would have to be layoffs.

I don't find the recent issues that have been found on the IS to be turn offs as a purchaser, because I can see that WS is taking care of there customers even when they COULD say "im sorry sir/ma'am, but your stove is out of warranty". I cant speak to communication issues, because I haven't had any. Any time I've called they've answered and any of my emails have been responded to in an acceptable period of time. I'm also local to them (25ish miles), so Id rather spend the money with a local company that employees people in my community.

Anyways, the stove will be replacing an old Dutch West medium catalytic (#2461) that was just to small to keep up. I'm looking forward to a better, larger stove, and being able to get more than 4 hours of sleep between loadings this winter.

 

I agree chance04 they treated me well, very well, I have family in Woodstock and because I was late and shippers here I had to bring 30 minutes south of me it was only another hour to get it to factory to save them $$

 

Has anyone received their rebuilt I.S. back from Woodstock yet? I called Monday, spoke to Penny and while she could not provide any info. on stove turn- around, she assured me Lorin would call me back. And Lorin may call me back but we are rapidly running out of Monday.... as it in now Thursday afternoon. Penny did tell me that are slammed, even more than earlier this fall, and just do not have a plan to push the rebuilds through the mfg. floor apparently. I am not surprised and not blaming them but it is now getting late in the 2020 summer So far, a very mild fall that actually has me looking for a new 'cycle. And the central heat boiler has been just great, the house is very comfortable with no 'fall downs' in temps. the wood stove suffers from, and with the price of oil I have no real complaint. But I am getting curious about just when they will be turning these rebuilds around.

Brian

 

I cant say on the rebuilds, but when I emailed Tuesday to check and see if my order of a new I.S. would indeed be ready for pickup this week (week 4), Penny's response was that it may be another week or two before it was completed...

With the temperatures as mild as they have been I'm not overly concerned yet either... But If we do get a good dumping of the white stuff before the stove is completed its gonna add some challenge to the install (walk out basement with the entrance on away side of the house from the drive way.)

Mike

 

I haven't heard anything with shipping paperwork so I can take mine to ABF. Just going to put it back in place for the winter and make it a point to get it taken care of early spring. When I pulled it apart the gasket on the chimney adaptor where it bolts on to the stove was shot. Any ideas what I can use to make one, or if I really need one? Need to look through my spare gasket kit to see if there is something in there.
Good luck to those who have their stoves sent in.

 

Blonde moment. Is this the flue? I am putting the stove back in place and the gasket for here is shot. I have the gasket kit and one is labeled for the flue, but flat. Just making sure it is the correct one, or if there is something different I should use until spring when it goes in for repairs.

Thanks all.

 

Yes that’s flue collar for top venting

 

Have you gotten your stove back?

 

Thank you, was worried about it bunching up but gasket went right on.

No, by the time I was ready to take it to the dock they were swamped and I was having trouble getting ahold of them. Decided it was not their fault that I waiting until fall to get it ready for transport. Just going to work with them next year and send it in then. If they want it sooner, no trouble as I have NG as main heat.

 

NO.

just got call that I am on deck

 

Good the read this! You certainly need your stove!

 

Another good reason I decided to just hold off this year. I know there are users that need their stoves.

 

They are swamped, no 2 ways about it. The owner Tom, was running forklift he said he did not know how. I actually pulled the extension off of fork lift because the IS on a pallet. The pallet was modified by me to hold weight.. so the thicker extensions would not fit in holes with extra 2x4s it was

they are trying to hire help BUT time training etc

I still hold Woodstock in highest respect for fixing out of warranty