Scrounging materials to build a Rocket Stove

[Scrounging Materials]

I like collecting junk , so I have to discipline myself to collect stuff that I will use. Fortunately, I had the wherewithal to purchase to 45gal barrels for $20 when I had the chance.

My friend gave me 20 or so industrial fire bricks, so I'm in good shape there as well. I work as a timber framer and I notice there are many bricks left over after fireplaces are made. I could probably pick these up cheap too.

It's the rest of the materials that I'm having problems with. I stopped by to junk yards, and they were hoarding their 25gal barrels, and were hesitant about letting me walk around to find something else that might work.

I'll keep plugging away at it. I guess I'll keep hunting but I have an itch to get started.

For now I think I'll make a pocket rocket, and see how that goes.

If you have any ideas or creative solutions, please voice them out. I am keen to find a solution to the 30 - 40 ft of stove pipe.

Cheers,
Billy

[Donkey]

Just about anything that won't burn and will create an appropriate sized tunnel should be fine..
Be creative.. Some old scrap metal roofing might work. Bend it to shape, and form cob around it.
'Course, galvanization and enameled metals will stream toxic byproducts while their coatings are burning off..

You could use bricks to build bench guts.. The main thing is to maintain your minimum flue diameter. Don't create choke points in flow, anywhere.

It seems to me that it shouldn't be too difficult to find used stovepipe.. Where are you located?

[Waste is everywhere]

Okay, funny thing happened to me. Have you ever experienced this? I' spout off about not having these resources. The next day, I start seeing solutions. I found an ashphalt 5gal paint can (metal) at the site I'm working at. I found 16" of 4" iron pipe.

Maybe it's human nature but I'm of the mind that I can't take metal roofing and bend it to shape and have it perform the same function as a 35gal barrell. Perhaps this is the reason many of the like minded people are arfraid of venturing into the unkonown of self sustaining wood heat.

Thanks. This forum is helping me move forward on this. Cool.

Billy

[Donkey]

Welcome to the world of Natural Building!
In fairly short order you should be seeing things in a new light.
Trash is treasure!! Learn it, live it, love it..

[Donkey]

Something to be aware of:
While it seems to me that flue gasses will take the path of least resistance (the pipe, homemade or otherwise) on it's way out of your stove, cob IS a porus material and carbon monoxide CAN leak through it.
While I don't THINK it will cause a problem, the best policy is to use some kind of well sealed path to contain flue gasses on their way out of your house. Stove pipe, while expensive is a fairly well proven method of doing it safely. Convenient stuff to work with too.

Someone should test this one.. I would create a section of cob rocket stove bench with no liner, just cob and place a carbon monoxide detector beside it. Perhaps best to do this experiment in a well ventilated shop, outside under rain protection or some place where a negative result can happen without possible negative consequences..