Wood Stove - Don't build this one

[crash325]

Wood stove #5 is almost completed. Built the first fire in it yesterday. First test went pretty well. A few creaks & groans at first and 1 loud bang when it got real hot. There was a little smoke coming out of one of the heat traps. Maybe a burn through hidden by flux. Plan on sealing the ends of them anyway.

This morning another real hot fire to get all the metal relaxed. Then seal the door, add finishing touches & paint.

Performance wise, it works well. When dampers are set right smoke can be seen swirling around air inlet, with just a wisp or no smoke out the pipe. When set wrong stove can get into what I call a huffing condition. That is where it flashes back. Cure for that is to shorten the damper pipe inside the stove. Burn time should be real good. Loaded with old cut off 2x4s after 2 hours of mostly hot burning it was still going strong. I shut it down and quit for the day.

Building was a bag of worms, almost nothing went right or according to plans. Tried too many new ideas and the parts count went out of site. Over 60 and it felt like over a 100. Way too much cutting, fitting & welding. Should I build another stove it will be back to simple. Stove weights around 200 pounds, fair amount of thermal mass.

#1 - Ash hole for clean out. - Not really needed, just as easy to shovel
the ashes out. Now I need to make a rake to pull them out with.

#2 - Flap type air damper door. - Back to the tried and true Guillotine type.

Hot water tanks are now only about 90 thousands thick. In the future will try to find old propane or compressor tanks.

In last picture the stove is burning. Look close and there is a wisp of smoke.

 

[jimmyj]

Me no see smoke kimosabe. But me see cool stuff in background of picture!!!!

 

[crash325]

Me no see smoke kimosabe. But me see cool stuff in background of picture!!!!

:thumbsup:

Stove was burning like intended. Damper about 1/2 shut and just a faint wisp of smoke.

Those be some of my "Trash & Treasures". :laughing:

 

[NormL]

I hope that after all that work you get good service out of it.:thumbsup: Looks to me like you could be the right guy to pose a question to: If I were to build a real small stove, say using a 20# propane tank (well evacuated of all volatile gasses, of course), what size chimney pipe would I need?

 

[crash325]

I hope that after all that work you get good service out of it.:thumbsup: Looks to me like you could be the right guy to pose a question to: If I were to build a real small stove, say using a 20# propane tank (well evacuated of all volatile gasses, of course), what size chimney pipe would I need?

Hi MormL,
Unless you only want to heat a very small area, you should build a little larger. My original small stove 14x25 sure is nice.

With that said a stove you are talking about a 4" pipe would work OK. Not sure if it can be had with a damper in it so you may have to build one.

Did another hot burn today. Worked out well, now its time for the Ginger Bread and sealing. Will have a picture later.

Merry New Year to 1 & All
Jim

 

[Sutol]

Made this one from one of those bottles you get with the gas in for blowing up baloons, it is very small and light and was made for my friend who wanted to take it on top of his land rover to use when camping.

The pipe is only 2 or 2 and a half inches definately no more as it was a piece of exhaust pipe I had in the garage (shop)

It went very well and threw out a lot of heat but needed a damper. He used to put a piece of slate partialy over the top to act as a damper and slow down the burn

 

[crash325]

Made this one from one of those bottles you get with the gas in for blowing up baloons, it is very small and light and was made for my friend who wanted to take it on top of his land rover to use when camping.

The pipe is only 2 or 2 and a half inches definately no more as it was a piece of exhaust pipe I had in the garage (shop)

It went very well and threw out a lot of heat but needed a damper. He used to put a piece of slate partialy over the top to act as a damper and slow down the burn

:thumbsup:

Cute little stove, yep a small wood stove will put out some big heat. Long stove pipe, does it have a joint in it??

 

[NormL]

Made this one from one of those bottles you get with the gas in for blowing up baloons, it is very small and light and was made for my friend who wanted to take it on top of his land rover to use when camping.

The pipe is only 2 or 2 and a half inches definately no more as it was a piece of exhaust pipe I had in the garage (shop)

It went very well and threw out a lot of heat but needed a damper. He used to put a piece of slate partialy over the top to act as a damper and slow down the burn

Exactly the size I'm talking about. I have plenty of 3" pipe so that can be my exhaust size if 2.5 worked for your friend. Thanks!:thumbsup:

Crash325:
For the space I have to heat, which is my smallish shop, I call it "The Cave", the 20# propane tank will be more than adequate. It is only 10'x20' on the floor and one wall is the side of a steel Quonset and slopes inward. I have it well insulated. It really is cave-like since the only window is on the door:laughing:. This is where I will finish building the mini backhoe I started last June.

 

[crash325]

Here are some pictures of burn #2 and the smoke at start up. 5 Or 10 minuets into the burn it goes away. Also burning junk wood, some had paint on it.

Though I throw in a picture of some projects along with the smoke.

Some of the problems with this build.
My newest angle grinder died. A Ryobi twist handle.

Cut off disks with center hole 2 small. Had to be forced on and 3 exploded after just a few cuts.

These problems can be chalked up to stupidity.
Changing from AC welding to DC after a few test beads. Thinking I was running to hot, when it was to cold.

Trying to find the tool I had just used.

Looking for the "Perfect hunk of Junk" for this or that part.

Grinding out crappy welds.

Doing with out thinking - Thinking instead of doing.

 

[Sutol]

:thumbsup:

Cute little stove, yep a small wood stove will put out some big heat. Long stove pipe, does it have a joint in it??

Pipe was about head height and no join, put a butterfly damper in the base of the chimney and dont go to big with the pipe, ideal thing for outdoor would be 3 inch with a 2 inch inside it to keep it hot so as it will draw or insulate the pipe with some exhaust wrap instead