imported_banzaitoyota
Well-known member
Does anyone have any experience (Good Bad or indifferent) to the 55 Gal Drum stove kit sold by Northern Tools and Made by http://www.vogelzang.com/barrel_stoves.htm
Barrel Stove Kits
- Thread starter imported_banzaitoyota
- Start date
trovato
Well-known member
My father-in-law had one of the double barrel style in his basement many years ago. It put out so much heat you would have to work in shorts. The only real negatives are things that apply to pretty much all wood stoves. Cutting wood, smoke, etc.
trovato
Well-known member
JasonK said:
Could you expand on that? What is so dangerous about them, that wouldn't be true of any wood burning stove?
Please don't tear me up on this guys..... My brother had a double barrel stove in his shop. The barrels are way too thin, On too many occasions we had the bottom barrel glowing red hot. What happens when you heat something up too much? The metal becomes weak. I would not advise it, I'm a cheap *******, but, I waited and picked up a nice wood stove for my garage.
trovato
Well-known member
Tear you up? Nice guys like us? Of course not. When using the stove you don't HAVE to build a humongous fire inside. And you can regulate the air intake to slow things down a bit. In any event, I'd be interested in hearing if there are any reports of any real problems caused by weakening of overheated metal. For my garage, I use a vented propane heater. The hassles of wood combined with the smoke and smell were just not things I wanted to deal with. My garage is part of my house.
OP
imported_banzaitoyota
Well-known member
Just a question? Did you line the bottom of the stove, as stated in the directions?
OP
imported_banzaitoyota
Well-known member
ok, built the bottom half today. Used black fireplace joint sealant(Thanks for the tip and not charging me $9.99 to find out), I fired the unit up outside tonight to burn off the barrel paint; then I will paint with stove black.
Tommorow will install the top barrel, move into the shop, add sand and firebrick
Will be making the grates out of some rebar
Pics tommorow
Tommorow will install the top barrel, move into the shop, add sand and firebrick
Will be making the grates out of some rebar
Pics tommorow
ringer
Well-known member
Make sure you use the carbon fiber style flue. The decreaeed friction on the air molecules when open, increases heat efficiency by 5000%. 
OP
imported_banzaitoyota
Well-known member
Sorry, I already purchased a Flue made of UNOBTANIUM, CF Flues are only good to 800ºF and since I added NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWZZZZZ to it, the exhaust temps have skyrocketed!!!!!
OP
imported_banzaitoyota
Well-known member
RTcat
Well-known member
Amps needed in new workshop
I recently had a Cleary building (pole barn) put up and am trying to decide how to handle the electrical. Eventually I'll section off a part of the shed for a dedicated workshop. Basic items such as woodworking tools, air compressor, welder, table saw, etc along with lights will be the main use of the ele.
99% of the time it will just be me in the workshop enjoying quality garage time so only one tool will be in use at a time.
My two basic options are:
#1 Tap into the 200 amp service in the house and run a 100 amp out to the shed.
#2 Remove the 200 amp socket at the house and replace with a 300 amp socket and run 100 amp to the shed.
Ignoring the difference in cost of the above two options, is #2 overkill?
Basically I'm wondering how many amps the shed will draw. What kind of electrical set up do you guys with separate standing workshops have?
Thanks,
David
I recently had a Cleary building (pole barn) put up and am trying to decide how to handle the electrical. Eventually I'll section off a part of the shed for a dedicated workshop. Basic items such as woodworking tools, air compressor, welder, table saw, etc along with lights will be the main use of the ele.
99% of the time it will just be me in the workshop enjoying quality garage time so only one tool will be in use at a time.
My two basic options are:
#1 Tap into the 200 amp service in the house and run a 100 amp out to the shed.
#2 Remove the 200 amp socket at the house and replace with a 300 amp socket and run 100 amp to the shed.
Ignoring the difference in cost of the above two options, is #2 overkill?
Basically I'm wondering how many amps the shed will draw. What kind of electrical set up do you guys with separate standing workshops have?
Thanks,
David
wrench
Well-known member
I used to heat my garage with a single barrel stove[vogelzang kit] .I really liked the heat, but I didnt like it burning when I was not in the garage. also your homeowners insurance wont like it very much either. I traded some chevy heads for a montgomery ward oil stove, not as nice as the wood burner, but I can turn the SOB off when I leave the garage at night. I see this is a month old but thought I would add my .02 worth anyway
z28toz06
Well-known member
Being placed in a garage do you guys have any concerns about open fires and gas fumes etc. I would imagine that could be a dangerous combo, no?
billystargazer
New member
JasonK said:
I agree! I have had 2 and both were dangerous. First off, you need a lot of space between any garage structure and the actual stove. They do glow red hot at times and are, like all wood burning devices, hard to regulate. The mess caused by the wood is also another factor to consider.
tedbick
Member
i just thought i would add my 2 cents here if you use the 2 barrel kit and instead of using the top barrel as the flue pipe get some flue pipe and put it inside to create a seperate chamber to keep the carbon dioxide out you could use an old blower motor to blow air over the single walled flue pipe inside the top chamber.i have heard of some people using an old oil burner on the front of the barrel and burning there waste oil.
jimb
New member
I have also installed one of the barrel stoves in my garage. I paid the extra money and bought a barrel grate for it. This keeps the bottom from getting excessivley hot. Also you don't have to light a big fire in it to heat your garage. A small fire well controlled will keep it around 60-70 degrees when the weather is 23 outside. Also insulating the walls in the garage helps too. I also used 22 guage sheet steel with ceramic washers as spacers for a heat sheld behind the stove. I must say it works really well at reflecting the heat back into the space. You also don't need carbon fiber stack or pipe! Its very hard to find and VERY VERY expensive! You can use just plain old single walled or double walled black pipe as long as the connection for the outside stove pipe is clear of any building materials ie wood. You should be OK. Most codes state that you must use double or triple walled pipe to go through the roof! Just make sure your flashing covers the pipe and make sure you use caulk that is rated for high heat! to caulk the flashiing and pipe together. I have had this setup since september of 2007 and it has worked really well. Another thing when painting the stove, Buy the rustolum HIGH heat flat black paint. It costs about 5-6 a can but you get alot of paint for the price. I used two cans an was able to paint the stove with 2 coats and the pipe as well. That was after I stripped and sanded the barrel.
Northstar9126
Well-known member
You should avoid having a barrel stove on any sort of combustible floor. They tend to develope rust though holes when you aren't around and were sure that you had the fire all the way out.
The problem with 55 gal drum stoves is that they do not have the surface area to get rid of the heat they make. That is why they "burn out." A 2 barrel stove helps but the second one is realy too little, to late.
I used a kit on a 275 gal fuel oil tank. I used it for over 10 years. Lots of surface area to dissipate the heat, and just to make sure nothing got too hot I used a back and forth drug store fan to keep the air moving.
It would take 4 foot sticks and I only cleaned it out once a year.
You do have to learn how to adjust your intake air. Every installation is different. I had dampers in both the exhaust and intake to control the burn rate, and it took me about 3 years of fiddling before I was happy with the settings.
I used a kit on a 275 gal fuel oil tank. I used it for over 10 years. Lots of surface area to dissipate the heat, and just to make sure nothing got too hot I used a back and forth drug store fan to keep the air moving.
It would take 4 foot sticks and I only cleaned it out once a year.
You do have to learn how to adjust your intake air. Every installation is different. I had dampers in both the exhaust and intake to control the burn rate, and it took me about 3 years of fiddling before I was happy with the settings.
Very nice pic of the barrel. I am thinking of purchasing a barrel and kit from vogelzang. I have a contractor coming out today to look at my garage and give me an estimate on running the pipe out of the garage and up past my roof.
comp
Well-known member
get pic and update us 
DuckusCrapus
Member
I just purchased a kit hust like this and am starting on it as well. Interesting points made on here. Looks like I might look for another wood stove next summer to replace this barrel burner.
Seems like if you pay attention to it while burning you can't go wrong for the price. Space is the major drawback in my eyes.
DuckusCrapus
Seems like if you pay attention to it while burning you can't go wrong for the price. Space is the major drawback in my eyes.
DuckusCrapus
Eaglehoss69
New member
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- Apr 15, 2008
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I would just like to tell you all that i used a double barrel stove for several years. I had a 32' x 28' garage and i worked in my t-shirt all the time it si a safe and economical way to heat your garage or anything else. Just you common sense and you'll be alright. Eaglehoss69
6768rogues
Banned
I knew a guy 30 years ago who made a stove from a 275 gallon fuel oil tank and he burned old tires in it. It heated a huge garage where he fixed his 10 wheel dump truck. Probably a good thing that he lived in a remote area.
I used a single barrel with a Magic Heat reclaimer on top in my basement for 17 years.It was a great little heater,never a problem right to the point when I retired it.The barrel was still fully intact.My friend who turned me on to these barrel stoves still runs a double barrel in his basement after 22 years.He swears by them.
josh+audi=happy
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- Sep 8, 2008
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From what I've read so far about the barrel stove is that dissipating heat is a problem. So if I made a setup where I took one of my extra large truck intercoolers added one of my volvo fans to it and attached it to the barrel heat setup would it not dissipate the heat? THe volvo fan is rediculus, and so is the intercooler. If I was really creative I could make the fan temperature regulated.
josh+audi=happy
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also i'm making a sand blasting cabinet out of one these 55 gallon drums. I'm going to use the dual 55 gallon setup with the 6 inch adapters and the legs as parts for the blast cabinet.
josh+audi=happy
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to take it to the next level. How about this idea?
What if I were to make a barrel stove on wheels with a handle and keep it outside the garage. I'd weld on a 3 inch exhaust pipe setup so that i could run it through the garage door and attach it to the intercooler with the fan mounted? The intercooler would dissipate the heat and the garage would be warm, and I wouldn't have to worry about plumbing the exaust stack out the garage ceiling because all i would have to do it add a cap to the barrel heater?
When i'm done with it I could make sure it's completely out and either roll it to somewhere outof site or back into the garage. I've got a few ideas though on where i can roll it. I can even chain it up to the fence.
Oh.. I hope this works cuase i like this idea. I've even have a dust collector from harbour freights that i could turn into a blower setup for the barrel heater if I wasn't happy with the intercooler idea. The blower setup might even work just fine. All i'd have to do it add a hole to the garage door and plug it into the 115v. hmmmm...
great googly moogly i'm potential happy and completely lacking sleep since it's 6:13am in the morning and i've been thinking about this setup and the sand blasting cabinet all night.
josh+audi=happy
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I'm sorry about my multiple posts but i have a bad habit of doing it.
Is this even easier? What about two 55 gallon drums. One mounted inside the garage with a door and the wood, with legs and on wheels and a handle, and another just like it mounted outside the garage with a small flue? I'm trying to creatively do it as cheap and safe as possible?
I'm picking at least two drums up tonight, maybe three
Attachments
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baldeagle650
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This thread cracks me up...
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Hopefully you guys can help me with this....getting really frustrated.
Ok, I built my double barrel stove kit, look great. I built a rebar grate to go in it. I put a fan behind it to blow the heat to the rest of the shop.
The problem is that I cant seem to keep the fire going, do to lack of air I assume. then when I open the door to get air in, smoke comes rolling out and wont stop even after the fire is going well. I have approx. ten foot of pipe from the flue throught the wall to a T where i have a cap on the bottom to clean the chiminey out with, then the other side of the T goes up to the chiminey where I have mesh to keep the birds, etc out and then a cap to keep the water out.
Can some one please help me figure out how to keep the smoke out of the shop and get it going up through the chiminey? Thanks in advance.
Jon
Ok, I built my double barrel stove kit, look great. I built a rebar grate to go in it. I put a fan behind it to blow the heat to the rest of the shop.
The problem is that I cant seem to keep the fire going, do to lack of air I assume. then when I open the door to get air in, smoke comes rolling out and wont stop even after the fire is going well. I have approx. ten foot of pipe from the flue throught the wall to a T where i have a cap on the bottom to clean the chiminey out with, then the other side of the T goes up to the chiminey where I have mesh to keep the birds, etc out and then a cap to keep the water out.
Can some one please help me figure out how to keep the smoke out of the shop and get it going up through the chiminey? Thanks in advance.
Jon
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
i use a barrel stove and had the same problem. the stove doesn't draft well to begin with so eliminate all of the bends and cleanouts in the flue, and lengthen your pipe to at least as high as the crown of the roof. the fire has to be hot to get the draft going through the upper barrel. i also found it helpful to cut an air hole in the back of the bottom barrel so air can get in to both ends, so the fire burns from both ends. once you have a good bed of coals it will draft fine with no smoke inside the shop.
After you get the pipe up th ridge height thr this as a quick experment.
Try taking the cap off the bottom of your vertical outside piece.
The idea is to get a good draft going in that part that will pull from inside as well.
You may want to put a damper in the caps place so you can adjust the amount of draw.
The old oil aand coal furnaces had a air thermo controled inlet at the bottom of the chimminy.
Try taking the cap off the bottom of your vertical outside piece.
The idea is to get a good draft going in that part that will pull from inside as well.
You may want to put a damper in the caps place so you can adjust the amount of draw.
The old oil aand coal furnaces had a air thermo controled inlet at the bottom of the chimminy.
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Junkman
Well-known member
also i'm making a sand blasting cabinet out of one these 55 gallon drums. I'm going to use the dual 55 gallon setup with the 6 inch adapters and the legs as parts for the blast cabinet.
great heating ideas.......
ok, I will try taking the cap off outside. the only reaso I didnt want to go any higher was to avoid cutting a hole in the side of my shop tin. the way that I ahve it running now is throught a spot that was going to be garage doors from the previous owner but were never installed.
One idea i had was to install a small blower on the front of the bottom barrel to blow air in.
Anther idea from a different site was to run a tube that had holes drilled in it through the bottom barrel right above the door that would **** air in.
I will post a pic of my setup tonight.
One idea i had was to install a small blower on the front of the bottom barrel to blow air in.
Anther idea from a different site was to run a tube that had holes drilled in it through the bottom barrel right above the door that would **** air in.
I will post a pic of my setup tonight.
kartracer23
Well-known member
My neighbor has one of these that he heats his entire house with. It just sits in the basement, vented to the chimney. Not connected to ducts or anything.
I was telling someone about it, and it happened to be his insurance agent. He said 'man, you shouldn't have told me that-I can't insure him if he's using one of those inside.'. Not sure if he dropped him or not.
I was telling someone about it, and it happened to be his insurance agent. He said 'man, you shouldn't have told me that-I can't insure him if he's using one of those inside.'. Not sure if he dropped him or not.
We had a double barrel stove at our old house in the garage. It would run you out with the heat. But it wouldn't draft well unless we left the door open against the latch. If you closed the door it would stop drafting and start blowing smoke into the room. tried adjusting damper and air nothing helped. Replaced it with an old wood stove and didn't have any more problems. I liked the heat from it, might even try again.
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
Tree limbs near the chimney will disrupt the draft also. I had that problem on a conventional fireplace that drew well for many years. A few branches trimmed away restored the draft.