Pocket Rocket Questions

[capnchkn]

Hello people, first post. I've been experimenting with some kind of stove which I could use while cutting wood without choking on smoke. While looking over the concept of the Rocket Stove as a heater I came across the Pocket Rocket. Simple to build and seems to do everything I would want.

I got stovepipe, a 5 gallon metal paint can, and built one. Problem is the contrivance, when lit and going, didn't produce enough heat to justify all the work.

I used one 12 inch section of black 6 inch stove pipe for the feed, and two 24 inch sections of 5 inch stove pipe for the flue. This was set in the bottom of the bucket and the open mouth set on the ground as a base.

It burned the wood beautifully, once it was going, but most of the heat seemed to go out the chimney rather than radiate from the body of the heater.

My basic question is:

What are the specs on the Pocket Rocket? Does anyone know the physics? I find stuff about a camp stove burning propane, or little about this wood burning heater. It took 2 days to figure out how to get mine lit and burning.

[Donkey]

Yeah, pocket rockets pump heat in all directions, especially out the stovepipe!

Waddya mean specs?? There ain't any specs, it is what it is..

As to the physics, The down draft feeder places the wood, the fire and the air in the right place at the right time. The distance between the (bottom of the) feed tube to the bottom (of the barrel) is important as it (and the amount of wood you stuff in) controls airflow. Drawing air down through the pipe preheats it so it cools the fire less. Sudden expansion into the barrel mixes the fuel and air VERY well and gives it time to burn thoroughly.

Otherwise, it's pretty much a standard stove in that it relies on a chimney for good draft, which tends to draw massive amounts of heat out. Also, be careful about that chimney, I've seen them shoot flame a good distance. I almost managed to catch a little cob cabin on fire once (the roof anyway, cob wont burn). My wife and I were staying in it, I fired up the pocket rocket and stuffed it full.. The little pocket rocket turned cherry red all over, even the chimney. I went out 'round back to look at it and the chimney, which was just under the eves of the building (dumb design), had a tongue of flame 3 feet long shooting out of it. Everything was OK, I managed to get it under control, but man, it was a bit of a shocker!

[woodman]

Suspend a baffle a couple inches below the exhaust. Take an old 5 gal. lid cut it so their is about an 1'' or so smaller dia. than the inside of the bucket. Notch out for the feed tube and suspend it from the inside of the lid. This will slow down and direct the flame around the sides of the bucket.