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Post by briank on Jan 4, 2017 12:30:00 GMT -8
You suggest by PM this could be as an alternative included in the batchrocket site. Could be, but I don't have real test results and figures yet from neither yours nor the others. Yasin has bought a Testo 330 so he could test the one he built, but that build wasn't close to his home town and in a customer's house. I'd be happy to experiment with other size channels in the ceramic fiber board next to the riser as it's easy to switch out, as well as alternative air supply, but the Testo unit is way beyond my price range. However I think this secondary air system has a lot of potential as being both simple and effective so I'd like to see it explored further. Are there any more affordable alternatives to the Testo? |
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Post by briank on Jan 4, 2017 16:33:25 GMT -8
One more view of the firebox (and then a little miracle - it's level!):   |
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Post by drooster on Jan 4, 2017 16:36:05 GMT -8
I'm glad this got its own thread, an interesting mod.
Those two flues out of the barrel are novel : let's see how they go.
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Post by briank on Jan 4, 2017 16:46:20 GMT -8
I'm glad this got its own thread, an interesting mod. Those two flues out of the barrel are novel : let's see how they go. I had thought about using a single 8" stove pipe as the barrel exhaust going into the bench, but the Craigslist barrel stove I picked up came with 14' of 6" stove pipe, a couple elbows and a bypass damper. I already had the 6" hole saw so that was the origin of that novelty. Plus I wanted the bypass with a damper for start ups and this seemed the easiest way to do it. |
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Post by drooster on Jan 5, 2017 7:41:38 GMT -8
I can imagine a metal-cutting 6" hole saw wasn't cheap.
Hurry up and test the thing : do you have triangular spare bits to plug the secondary air tunnel entrances? That way you could see how effective your special design is with and without those nice diagonal tubes.
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Post by briank on Jan 5, 2017 8:31:44 GMT -8
I can imagine a metal-cutting 6" hole saw wasn't cheap. Hurry up and test the thing : do you have triangular spare bits to plug the secondary air tunnel entrances? That way you could see how effective your special design is with and without those nice diagonal tubes. I can plug them with ceramic fiber blanket insulation. That's what I'm using between layers of firebricks. (I wish I could "Hurry up" but after having had 5 strokes, and with these blocks weighing 55lbs and who knows how much the 2'x2' pavers weigh, I have to go very slow and very carefully. I've already had one trip to the ER over this project and I can't let it happen again.) The hole saw was $70 but worth every penny in enabling me to create these connections without having to resort to other methods of creating manifolds. A crimping hand tool from Lowes was also worth the investment.   |
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Post by drooster on Jan 5, 2017 9:16:18 GMT -8
You need an "Igor".
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Post by briank on Jan 5, 2017 16:19:00 GMT -8
As far as I am aware this should work as long as the feed to the holes is twice as large as the combined holes. In order to get it to work properly you need to make sure the secundary ports are fed at all times while you reduce the primary inlet during the height of the run. It isn't obvious in the photos but the secondary air channels under the fire box firebrick will have air introduced separately from the barrel stove primary air, through openings in the ceramic fiber board liners that let air in between the first two big firebricks on each side (where you see the kitchen knife inserted to guide my holes in the ceramic board inside). So even if the barrel stove primary air is closed off (though it's far from air tight) the secondary air channels will still get air supply from the sides.    |
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Post by briank on Jan 5, 2017 20:08:03 GMT -8
Gradually approaching first fire - another row (of 3) of firebrick placed tonight for the 8' bench.  |
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Post by keithturtle on Jan 5, 2017 20:17:18 GMT -8
Gradually approaching first fire - another row (of 3) of firebrick placed tonight for the 8' bench. Take all the time needed. You'll get there eventually, like the tortoise Good to see real progress Turtle |
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Post by Dan (Upstate NY, USA) on Jan 6, 2017 6:02:12 GMT -8
Is that concrete block wall touching soil/dirt on the other side?
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Post by briank on Jan 6, 2017 7:53:28 GMT -8
Is that concrete block wall touching soil/dirt on the other side? There's chimney on the left, in the center of the house, another room on the far side, and 2' of outside wall touching soil on the right. I had considered building two smaller benches, one on each side of that wall, but decided against it as I would have had to cut holes for exhaust in and out through that block wall. i debated whether to put the large firebrick next to the far wall and decided it was easier to support the top pavers if I did. |
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Post by drooster on Jan 6, 2017 11:28:54 GMT -8
Thanks for the photo of the 6^ hole saw Brian.
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Post by briank on Jan 6, 2017 20:25:07 GMT -8
Someone remarked privately, "I'm loving the use of all the fairly commonly available and affordable materials! Keep it coming..."
Frankly, I really don't like that so many common plans for rocket stoves call for mixing up multiple wheel barrow loads of cob or clay and vermiculite to build the firebox, riser and bench/bell. I just don't have the time or the patience or the physical perseverance to experiment with that stuff. I specifically wanted to create a design that uses no cob or mortar, just Craigslist finds and hand tools.
Except the ceramic stuff. But these vacuum formed ceramic fiber risers only cost $36 a piece. $75 for the ceramic fiber boards, $37 for a 1" thick roll of 2'x24' white ceramic blanket insulation, all from a company in Pittsburgh that supplies the steel industry.
A $5 80lb bag of concrete, $75 for the barrel stove off Craigslist, which came with 14' of stove pipe and a couple elbows and a damper, and $40 worth of 75 cent 18"x9"x4.5" firebrick. (Since we're lining the firebox with ceramic fiber board, you could probably just use cement building blocks?)
I spent more acquiring tools and various hardware than I did on the basics for the stove.
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Post by drooster on Jan 7, 2017 11:21:34 GMT -8
I like the way you have sourced top-efficiency items in a mid-budget way.
My kind of job!
I try to do that in all of my life.
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