Production Woodstock IS

That's how mine appeared in the beginning

 

Yeah I kind of figured that it's coming as that indentation is a definite change in the steel right there. I guess its just a matter of time now.

 

I keep looking at that spot constantly, however, I do not ever burn more than 2-3 days in a row, before things warm up to the point of not needing it to full time.

 

Just looked at it again, and the crack is just starting at the door edge.... Maybe a 1/32" at this point but still there and will only grow now... I sure hope Woodstock keeps honoring the fixes they've been doing...

 

Yeah, that crack is a stress fracture, and the visual line in the steel that shows up before the crack is the direct result of too much stress.

Of course I cannot and will not try to speak for Woodstock but unless something pretty big changes, I think they will continue to repair these stoves when they have this problem. I have no knowledge of their intentions or operation but as a customer, I can see a long line of excellent customer service and I just assume it will continue on. I think all of the stoves repaired were beyond warranty so of course it is only great customer service that repaired them so far.

 

Here's a closer, and clearer set of photos.

 

How many seasons have you been burning this stove?

 

I purchased the stove in November of 2015 and started burning within two months of that, so January of 2016 most likely.

So this is 5 seasons approximately of burning. I usually don't burn 24/7 but as of the last month and a half I have since our NG furnace needs repair.

 

I wonder if Woodstock is being proactive on any repairs or you have to wait till the stove cracks.

 

That's a good question, I haven't heard of any proactive fix for this issue. Not sure but its too late for me. Maybe something to ask them in an email later in the spring when they'll have more time to respond.

 

Stephiedoll , If I recall your stove has suffered the same crack correct? What was Woodstock's stance on fixing the stove? Owner pays for freight shipping to and from their factory? Anything else?

 

When I called them two years (or so) ago the fix was to drill a hole to stop the crack. Then have someone weld it. They also sent me a piece of square stock to weld to the back of the place where it was cracking. They told me to have them directly invoiced, or they would reimburse me if the mobile welder would not invoice them.
The other option was shipping to them but we did not discuss payments...

 

Stove is still cracked as I procrastinated too much last year. Agreement was that I need to get it the trucking dock, as I picked it up there, and they would take care of shipping and repairs. By the time I got it loaded they got slammed, and since I can live without the stove told them to take care of other's first. Plan on working with them a a couple months to see about a timeline sending it in. On the plus side, never drilled a hole and the crack seems to have stopped spreading. They are quite the stove.

 

I never drilled mine either.. it’s better now!

 

Thanks for the update. I was curious about the shipping as I live 2800 miles from the Woodstock factory. To ship it to the factory and back I'm 3/4 of the way to the cost of a new "bare bones" ideal steel... About $780... one WAY. You can do the rest of the math.

I also don't really want Woodstock to eat that whole price either. I'll call them and speak with them later in the end of the winter and see what they say.

 

Not sure if this would be an option or not, but if you have a Fastenal store nearby, and can crate up the stove and get it to the store, they have their own trucks and will ship items for customers to help offset the cost of running only partially full trucks...its about half the cost of standard trucking costs, might even be less since you are pretty far away. The other thing is that there needs to be a Fastenal store near the factory for them to deliver to...and Woodstock would have to pick it up...but maybe not, if they are already a customer of Fastenal, the local stores tend to be pretty accommodating to their commercial customers, so maybe they would deliver right to the factory?
Here is the link Blue Lane Freight | Fastenal I see that they are not shipping between the east and west coast right now due to covid...maybe that will change later in the year?
They have lots of rules about what they will ship, or not...I know they won't ship "appliances" but they have shipped wood stoves in the past...and I shipped a wood furnace with them, but had to list it as industrial equipment. (well, it was built like a tank, so...)

 

I felt same way NVhunter about shipping, but for me it’s 115 miles one way; so it was feasible to drop and pick up.

 

Dang, is there such a thing as wood being to dry? My IS is heating like a wild banshee with my super dry Maple, Elm, Oak, etc. (6-7 years). With our high winds and cold the past few days and more expected next week, my drafts are insane. Been limiting loads to 3/4 and 1/2 and loading every 5-6 hours instead of 8-10. Stove is at one notch or less. Not over firing but great output.

May consider a chimney damper about 2’ above the stove to help when temps are single digits and high winds. I know several of the IS owners here have them, how did it work out for you?

life is good and warm.

 

I did on recommendation of Tom Morrissey, Woodstock owner, asked him at open house. Advised him what my draft was measuring at and he said yeah put in pipe damper.

 

I have one, I only use it a handful of times each year when the wind is 25mph+. My first winter heating with our IS there was two times the winds were really strong and our stove was almost out of control.