DIY wood burning stove
- Thread starter adams77
- Start date
D KRAGER
Well-known member
I Thought About Wood Burning, But My Insurance Guy Doesn't Like Wood Burners!
I've built one of those things, I ordered the plans from Mother Earth News Magazine. I was learning how to MIG weld, and was impatient to get started building something real, so this heater was it. I changed the plans somewhat, as I didn't have a torch or a plasma cutter and could cut metal only with a metal chop saw, a sawzall, or a circular saw with a metal cutting abrasive blade. My creation looks meaner and rougher than the one in the magazine photo that has all the neat curved shapes. I spent around $150 on steel, and went to a steel supply vendor who cut the stuff for me, saving me quite a bit of work with my limited equipment. A few of my modifications may be an improvement on the original plans. The big internal air supply tube with the damper on the front is easier done with square tubing than round, and it's easier to drill all the air holes in it.
This thing is a beast. It will consume wheelbarrows of wood just in one day. I used a big 50 gallon electric water heater tank for mine. It's probably not a good idea to use a discarded gas heater, because often these things have thin spots on the bottom where the gas flame has burned it for years. If you open the damper on the front, you can actually hear the air being sucked in, open the damper up all the way and it will get hot enough to light a cigarette on the outside of the thing, and you'll have to stand back many feet from it. You *cannot* have something like this in any insured residence. Mine resides in a far away detached shop with metal walls, post and beam wood framing, metal roof, concrete floor. I overkill soaked all the structural wood on the back wall near this thing with gallons of fire proofing chemical just to be sure, and there is an interior double layer heavy corrugated metal wall covering just behind it and the stovepipe as well. It's a farm setting with plenty of wood available for fuel, so as far as I'm concerned, this is the best and most economical way to heat a shop. No kerosene stink, no high gas or fuel bills. All it takes is a bit of fuel for the chainsaws. I've included some photos.
This thing is a beast. It will consume wheelbarrows of wood just in one day. I used a big 50 gallon electric water heater tank for mine. It's probably not a good idea to use a discarded gas heater, because often these things have thin spots on the bottom where the gas flame has burned it for years. If you open the damper on the front, you can actually hear the air being sucked in, open the damper up all the way and it will get hot enough to light a cigarette on the outside of the thing, and you'll have to stand back many feet from it. You *cannot* have something like this in any insured residence. Mine resides in a far away detached shop with metal walls, post and beam wood framing, metal roof, concrete floor. I overkill soaked all the structural wood on the back wall near this thing with gallons of fire proofing chemical just to be sure, and there is an interior double layer heavy corrugated metal wall covering just behind it and the stovepipe as well. It's a farm setting with plenty of wood available for fuel, so as far as I'm concerned, this is the best and most economical way to heat a shop. No kerosene stink, no high gas or fuel bills. All it takes is a bit of fuel for the chainsaws. I've included some photos.
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Franz©
Banned
I should probably point out here that attacking a glass lined water heater tank with either a cutting torch or a plasma cutter can get very nasty fast. If you're going to try it I highly recommend going along any cutline first with an airhammer and flatface punch to knock the glass off first.
My personal preference goes to stacked wheels since they afford far greater heat exchange area than a tank of the same dimensions.
My personal preference goes to stacked wheels since they afford far greater heat exchange area than a tank of the same dimensions.
Franz©
Banned
Yotaforce
Well-known member
How big of an area would this heat? 1200sqft?
Yotaforce
Well-known member
Also, is smoke ever an issue? Does the heat simply come from the metal (radiant)?
Franz©
Banned
That wheel stove heats a 5000 cubic foot garage with a metal roof and masonite ceiling screwed to the bottom of the purlins. Walls are insulated but not ceiling.
It will keep the building 70° on a 10° day outside. The stove is equipped with a heat exchanger in the stack and half jacketed with a blower to maximize heat transfer.
I've built a few larger stoves using 20" truck rims for larger buildings. One of those was a 5 foot long firebox so it could handle busted up palets. The larger stoves tend to work out easier in the horizontal configuration.
Smoke is only a problem if astrigals are not built onto the openings, or when some fool leaves the damper closed when they open the loading door.
Being naturally lazy I generally build my stoves for ease of loading and ash removal. I also like setting them up so I can put a propane torch in thru an opening to get the fire going. Generally I find it necessary to include a check on the stove as well so a decent fire can be maintained rather than a smokey fire because only bottom draft is used and heat output needs to be maintained.
I also include a flame bafel in every stove I build to keep the fire from running the stack.
It will keep the building 70° on a 10° day outside. The stove is equipped with a heat exchanger in the stack and half jacketed with a blower to maximize heat transfer.
I've built a few larger stoves using 20" truck rims for larger buildings. One of those was a 5 foot long firebox so it could handle busted up palets. The larger stoves tend to work out easier in the horizontal configuration.
Smoke is only a problem if astrigals are not built onto the openings, or when some fool leaves the damper closed when they open the loading door.
Being naturally lazy I generally build my stoves for ease of loading and ash removal. I also like setting them up so I can put a propane torch in thru an opening to get the fire going. Generally I find it necessary to include a check on the stove as well so a decent fire can be maintained rather than a smokey fire because only bottom draft is used and heat output needs to be maintained.
I also include a flame bafel in every stove I build to keep the fire from running the stack.
rburke65
Well-known member
5000 cubic foot garage or a 5000 sq. ft. garage? A 5000 cubic foot garage is only 25' x 25' x 8' high. Big differance between the two.
comp
Well-known member
hmmmmmm stack wheels 
Hades12
Well-known member
hmmmmmm stack wheels
Cut out the centers and then stack them, weld around the lip Seen it several times in the Farm show Magazine, and I made a **** can this way.