building a Vortex stove - 165mm

[recumby]

Hi all,
This year my not-so-old contraflow-stove (Finoven) broke down with no satisfying possibilities for repairing it.   I came across this forum and fell in love with the vortex-stove :-)
So I started building a stove (165mm), very much following the description in the long vortex-thread.   As many already did, I also would like to thank all contributors who share their plans and experience.  It wouldn't be possible at all  to make a good stove all by ourself. 

My old stove:


The start of the new stove:
1727894509101




Feel free to comment ! 

[martyn]

Great keep the pictures coming…..

[Vortex]

Looking good so far

[recumby]

2 xtra rows of masonry...  Going forward in small steps 

[jonasp]

Awesome to see! Looking forward to see the progression

[recumby]

I have already a question.
Due to the height of my firebox-window and the vortex-window, I will end up with a firebox ceiling that is 12 cm thick (5inches). Will this increased thickness have an impact on the behavior of the stove?

[Vortex]

I wouldn't. 2"/ 50mm is the recommended max, it's the surface area friction inside the port, you'd get 2.5x the normal max, that could really slow the gas flow down.

[recumby]

I don't like your answer very much Vortex , but nevertheless, thank you!
I will tune a few things so I will end up with 6,5cm (2,5 inch) of "port-thickness".   I hope this will be alright  

[martyn]

I really dont know for sure but you might be able to slope the underside of the port so it is say 2” bigger down the sides and front.
The gap between the viewing window and the door is a bit of a problem, what I have done in the past is add a 1” square strip at the top of the fire box opening so you then have 3” to play with.

[recumby]

Oct 6, 2024 2:00:42 GMT -8 martyn said:

I really dont know for sure but you might be able to slope the underside of the port so it is say 2” bigger down the sides and front.

Good idea! I will grind a very small V-shape at the sides of the port.  That way, the actual port will be only 5cm (2inch) thickness, precisely the prescribed thickness 

Oct 6, 2024 2:00:42 GMT -8 martyn said:

The gap between the viewing window and the door is a bit of a problem, what I have done in the past is add a 1” square strip at the top of the fire box opening so you then have 3” to play with.

I'm not sure if I understand your suggestion. One of the tunings I did, is more or less the same I think. I lowered the door 2", so indeed, I won these 2" in my gap-problem.

[recumby]

So here again a small update.   Fire box, after burner and top chamber are ready.   At least the masonry part is ready, as I will make the afterburner and top chamber entirely from vermiculite.
Remaining work:  finishing all walls, ceiling of the stove and finally assembling the windows.  If I still have time after this (and before it is too cold ), I will also clay-plaster the stove.

[recumby]

Added the afterburner (i prefer "vortex-chamber") and top chamber in vermiculite, in order to make it a bit insulating and feasible to tune if necessary.

The ceiling of the top chamber is also in vermiculite. Will it last for a long time, or should I foresee a possibility to replace it?




It's starting to look like a vortex-stove :-)

[recumby]

And again some progress...

[jonasp]

Looking nice! As long as the vermiculite is not glued (they would crack because of expansion) together they should be fine. martyn keep the boards in place by screws and has no issues.

[recumby]

jonasp Thx for the confirmation!