Vermont castings defiant (1984)

Hi all I am new to the group I am in the process of rebuilding a defiant that was overfired. I do have all the new pices I need except the rope gasket, I will pick that up. Do any of you have experience in doing this sort of thing you can pass along.
Thanks

 

Cousin worked at vt castings in bethel VT, the short of it is replace pieces with metal fatigue, new gaskets and make sure nothing warped in over fire. Replace all gaskets because it was probably one of those that failed and caused overfire.

Welcome to the club!!
Oh I am not an expert so listen to others also..

 

Welcome to FHC. I'd start out by locating the parts schematic online and verifying you have everything you need.

Systematically take it apart and note where bolts go. I usually take pics on my phone for reference. Have rust penetrant on standby for tight bolts. Clean all seams where plates line up with a wire brush, wipe with damp rag and let dry before reseal in with refractory cement. Any gaskets should get placed in their respective grooves and not stretched or bunched up.

I rebuilt the secondary air passages on my Jotul Castine and refractory had crumbled out of some of the seams. I'll post the like to the threads here.

I don't have a lot of knowledge on VC stoves, but it has a refractory box behind the rear plate, check that for damage. Ask questions as you go, a few can help with the basics. Good luck.

 

Jotul F 400 Castine re-build

 

Thanks everyone! It sounds like I am at the right place! Once I get going on it I will ask more questions and share what I learn or find! Take care and happy cutting, splitting and hauling!!

 

Oh yes!

 

Here is a pic of our main wood burner. Thought I would would shair!

 

Nice setup. Do you have pitch on that short horizontal? Hard to tell with photo angle.

 

Welcome aboard Andy Taylor
Nice stove.

 

No it just 90's out of the house I really have to keep that area clean. Thanks

 

I like nursing old stoves along, or making new cheap stoves burn better. Here in Maine woodstoves can be had for nothing (literally) so as people replace them, rebuilding them just makes sense.

...
I like to have a angle grinder with cut-off wheels to help with rusted bolts. Replacing stove bolts with new ones is pretty cheap, and the frustration factor of cutting them off is sometimes easier then messing with rusted bolts.

I like to have a variety of rope gasket sizes and shapes (flat/round/ect) because everything that can be sealed should even if original parts were not sealed.

I prefer rope over gasket goop as the goop eventually hardens up and flakes off, typically in mid-winter when a person needs it most and does not want to redo it again.

Welding cast iron is actually pretty easy. If I can do it, anyone can because my welder is a buzz-box AC junk unit, The truth is, using 6011 welding rod pulls enough cast iron into the weld to make it hold. The key is plenty of pre-heat, and then plenty of post-heat, so the weld cools down slowly and does not crack.

I live in a town with a woodstove museum and old stove shop. My Grandfather worked there and so I know first hand parts are available for almost any stove. I found (2) legs for my 1893 pot bellied stove for a total cost of $30. The stove itself was free. A little welding, and the stove was ready for a fire in 24 hours.
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I can probably think of more later, but in another lifetime, I might have had a woodstove rebuilding business. because one already exits in my town now, it makes no sense to compete against each other, and our families are friends anyway. Someday I would love to have a Firewood Hoarders Club Get-together with a tour of the woodstove museum being a place to visit.

My wife beside our 1893 Wood and Bishop Pot Bellied Stove

 

This is our 1917 Crawford propane kitchen stove, and while it is not a wood-burner I know, fits well with our 1930's style home, and is used daily to cook on. We just lacked the clearances for a wood burner in our kitchen unfortunately. After using it for a year or so now, we would never go back to a modern stove for top cooking (too high in height, burners too small, lack of flame control, etc.) We have a modern wall oven though for oven-cooking...

 

Here is the stove all back together, and painted! I just have to find the right spot in the shop and wait for cooler weather

 

NICE!

 

X2!! She's a beauty! Well done Andy Taylor