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By Dave, December 29, 2005 6:33 pm

So today I rebuilt the inside of it again. This time without taking the hot coals out first… 😉

Got a pair of my blacksmithing tongs and got ALL the firebrick out of the stove. The still using the tongs grabbed the metal flame shield and rotated it until it would come out the door. Took it outside to cool. Then used a shovel to move all of the coals and ashes to one side. Put in a couple of firebrick in the middle of the bottom. Then two more on the right. Two more above them and once again two more. Then moved the coals and ashes to the bricks. And did the left side with firebrick the same as the right. Put several across the back and wedged a couple upright on the back side corners. Went to the barn and cut a couple of pieces of half inch thinwall conduit, flattened the ends and using the bender curved them to match the inside of the stove. Bent the ends at right angles to the outside of the curve and after coming back up here put them in under the top row of brick on the sides with the curve facing up. Then put (forced) firebrick between the conduit and the metal of the body of the heater.

Removed the ells and tees and all of the pipe. Gonna have to work out a way to introduce more air into the firebox. Will probably cut the door and add a slide or rotary air control. in the bottom of it.

Built a fire. Still smokey. Flue is too long. Gotta figure out a shorter way to vent it. Outside of the heater is much cooler so far but all of the firebrick will take a while to heat.

Been studying the stuff at http://www.stove.ru/index.php?lng=1 some more and it’s starting to make sense now. I am going to try to graft the top bell of OIK 14 to the top of this stove. Not the same exact thing as I am going to use a metal pipe for the top exhaust instead of using brick and am going to make it larger than shown in the drawing. But I think the basic design will work fine and give a LOT of added heat storage. Looks like it will take somewhere around 100 brick but I could be off by 20 or 30 either way. Built a mock up of it on the floor with brick but tore it down to reline the heater and failed to count the brick as I took it apart.

Okay, rebuilt it on some erector shelving material that I bolted together on top of the stove. Or 12 rows of it anyway. Just around the flue to see how it would sit. I think it will work fine. I am going to try to build the shell while the heater is going and then remove the flue, put the bricks in the bottom and put the pipe in, connect back to the top and fire it off again. I know that isn’t the way you are supossed to do it but we have no other heat so gonna have to make do. If necessary I can build a metal case around the outside of the brick bell to make sure it doesn’t smoke. After thinking on it a bit I think that dry stacking the brick with a case around it may be the best way to go.

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By Dave, December 28, 2005 7:30 pm

Cleaned out the ashes and coals this afternoon and then removed the firebrick. Then the sand. Put in two pieces of 1 inch pipe, that I had drilled 3/8 inch holes every inch for a total of 12 holes in one side of each pipe, into the end of the ell and tee inside the firebox. Then put a broken off piece of firebrick between the ends of the pipe furtherest away from the inlet. Put firebrick on the outside of each pipe from the front to the back on each side. Added firebrick across the two pipes while leaving a half inch space between each one for ashes to fall through. This leaves a opening between the air inlet pipes and under the log support firebrick for ash to accumulate and air to get to the wood and coals.

After I got it all back in place sifted the coals and charcoal out of the ashes and put them back on top of the firebrick in the bottom of the stove. Added some dry stuff and cedar pieces and then larger logs after it got to going again. Will see if it is an improvement or not. Smokes worse but seems to be hotter. Will see…

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By Dave, December 28, 2005 11:27 am

Several advances to report on the house building front.

Stove is working fine. Still gets a bit smokey in here when loading sometimes but I am learning it’s ways. Added a inner smoke shield flap in the top of the door and cut down on most of the smoke. There are two times I get smoke coming out into the room now. One is when I open the door all the way without stopping at about an inch to allow the chamber to clear first. The other is when loading it and not having all the wood right there to put in quickly. If all the wood is put in before the first has a chance to start smoking we are fine but if I only get one piece and put in then get another and another the first is smoking and some of it gets out. No biggie and I will make a instruction sheet for the thing if I have to but I think most of the problem is me.

Also added a layer of firebrick to the outside of the firebox. Just stacked on there for now as I have other ideas to try heating wise from some stuff I have been reading at http://www.stove.ru/index.php?lng=1 which throws a lot of what I have been doing totally out of the picture.

Was looking at masonry heaters a couple of years ago (or more) and wanted to try something but the time wasn’t right. Got this place built enough now to try again. With the addition of the “free (natural) gas movement” design I think I can build a heater of junk water heaters, rock and cement that will still have the energy efficiency of the masonry heaters. Firebrick for the combustion chamber and a clay and cement mix for the flue walls. Water heaters cut off for the heat exchange hoods. Use cardboard to space the rock and cement away from the metal so there is an expansion joint between the two. Going to try it anyway. Of course the stove I just built is right where I want to build this one. So will have to move it I guess. Such is life in an experiment…

The beam I alluded to in the title is the center support beam under the second floor that I am presently on. I added a couple of cedar posts for support on either side of the stove platform and will build the rock and cement up and around them as I build the heater but for now figured more support couldn’t hurt. Got to looking at another one that I wanted to use for the support beam and as the chainsaw was already out decided to cut it and see how much trimming I would have to do to the top. Cut one section off the large end for a west side support post and notched the top 5.5 inches down and half the diameter which was 8 inches. Put the beam on the supports and tried to use a chalk line to level my cut to but there are too many limbs sticking out on this piece to do it and it is crooked to boot. So set my head to level and cut the side level. trimmed the large end square on 3 sides to fit the notch on the post. Found the wood mizer blade for the sawsall and cut a notch out of the second floor/stair support post next to the trailer to fit the small end. Got the 13+ foot long beam inside by my self. Used the handtrucks and tied either one end or the other to them as I maneuvered it in over and around things… Got one end up on the 7 foot step ladder and was fixing to put the other end in when Bill came by so got him to help me get it in and then the second floor jacked up and the other end put in place. The second floor is MUCH more stable now.

With the post on the west side in place we now have a larger area for the bathroom. Already moved the walls some. Course the walls are sheets of blueboard. Door is a bedspread hung on a piece of bamboo. But it’s getting better.

Had Cat get a indoor/outdoor thermometer yesterday. Now I can tell just how much colder it is here than at the official Weaver reporting station. Last night we were 7 degrees colder than it was reporting. Had thought so but now I know…

Getting more of the blueboard up. Got 3 pieces on the aerie ceiling so far. 3 more to go but those have got to have additional support which means cutting plastic and then reattaching it. Warm enough today to do but hands and arms are giving me fits so may just take it easy instead.

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By Dave, December 25, 2005 9:54 am

For those of you following these exploits I thought I would put down some of yesterdays doings.

First off, the stove works! Needs more air with damp or green wood but with good dry wood does a great job. Took a while to get the brick and sand dried out but once the moisture was out of there it took off and went the entire night with just two feedings and I only put in a couple of logs each time. I think if I had filled it with dry stuff it would have gone all night without a problem. Let the Ashley go out and the heat is still holding inside here fine. Course it is only about 20 degrees cooler outside than in instead of trying to keep a 40 to 50 degree differential so only time and colder weather will tell.

Got a couple of pieces of old roofing and cut holes for the pipe in the center of each. One is a piece of 5v and the other is the 3 foot wide stuff. the 5v went inside the south end of the greenhouse at the top. Added a couple of 2×4’s, one on each side of the opening for side attachment and screwed the metal down on all 4 sides. Put the flue pipe in for a test fit and moved the stove (sucker is heavy with the brick and sand in it too!) to get the best alignment. have a nice rise to the pipe so maybe it will draw right. Put all the seams on the top so won’t get creosote running out and dripping. Made the mistake of putting the seams down on my first stove, my thinking being that the smoke wouldn’t get out that way. WRONG way to do it!. Anyway got the pipe back out and screwed it together at each joint with 3 1/2 inch metal screws. Put it back in and then went outside and put on the other metal. No triple wall here but as far from the stove and any wood as the flue is I think we are okay.

Then got some 12 foot long shelving angle and a few pieces of shorter stuff and some bolts and nuts. drove 2 pieces of the short stuff into the ground under the pipe and then bolted the 12 foot stuff to them. Added a short cross brace under the pipe and then put on the last ell and about 10 feet of flue pipe with a rain cap on top. Another cross brace on the outside of the flue at the top and then a quick wrap with steel wire and its done.

Back inside and newspaper and a couple of cedar twigs and the fire is going. Added more stuff and it kept growing and drying the brick and sand. It will need another air intake. Guess I will take the door off, drill some holes and make a turn or slide draft control there. Once it is going the 1 1/2 inch pipe air inlet is fine but with the 24+ feet of flue (!) along with the 2 ells is just too much back restriction for the small diameter inlet, especially with wet or green wood. Once it dries out it’s fine.

To cook, perchance to eat. Got to get at it.

Merry Happy to all!

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By Dave, December 24, 2005 9:59 am

Yea though the world conspired to keep me from finishing the new stove, lo have I persevered and at dark was ready to install the flue. So put that off till today.

Found and fitted together an ell, 6 inch stub, and a tee, and another 6 inch stub, all 1 1/2 inch black pipe, and cut a piece of 1 3/4 exhaust pipe to fit the side curve at the bottom of the front of the stove. Marked and cut the stove, and with a bit of additional fitting brazed the exhaust pipe bushing into place. This allows for removal and or replacement of the air intake should my design not work. And I am not sure that it will. The open end of the ell and the middle of the tee are the intake air outlets.

Fitted the inside stuff into place and added a coupling to the end of the stub that was sticking out.

I still think I have some old gate valves and other large steam fittings or plumbing stuff out here somewhere but after an hour of searching decided to make an air control myself rather than spend any more time or money on the project.

Got another 1 1/2 inch diameter 6 inch stub and drilled a hole through the center of it to accept the bolt of my choice. Took said bolt to the shaper and cut half of it off the hard way. Removed one side of the section of the bolt that was visible inside the pipe. Found a old shock washer that after flattening fit the inside of the pipe. Drilled a 1/8 inch hole in the center of the land on the bolt and threaded it 8 nf 32. Put the bolt back in the pipe, added the washer and after a while got the screw in place. Had to remove the washer and grind one edge at an angle so it would turn in the pipe. Put it back together and had a valve good enough for air (I think). 2 washers and a spring then a nut gave a grip so it will stay where it is set. Found a piece of broken sledge hammer handle and cut it down to make a valve handle. Another couple of flat washers and another nut to secure it to the bolt and it’s done. No pix as I ain’t got the time right now. I think Cat took some of the finished product but not sure.

Finished bending the rim/legs and welded them on. After charging the battery for the welder. And finding and using the terminal cleaning tool. And telling the woman (again) that NO I didn’t want to sell the catalytic converters out of the cars in the field. And fighting with the wrong rods (again). But they are on and welded well if not pretty. Filled some 1/2 inch gaps in places too. Guess I did learn something with the 90+ hrs welding on the dozer… Another job to finish soon…

Removed the door frame and flue coupling and applied liberal amounts of furnace cement to them and put them back on. Filled the air valve hole (air bladder tank) with it also as I may want access to the firebox at some point with a thermocouple so didn’t want to weld this nice threaded hole closed.

Came up and got the yellow truck and wheelbarrow and back to the barn to load the new stove. The rim legs just fit in the barrow in either direction! Glad I planned it that way 😉

Brought it and as much flue pipe as I could find to the greenhouse and again into the wheelbarrow and inside. After moving the trees and cacti that is. The largest (got it as a 2 year old plant that was 12 inches tall for my 16th birthday in 1969 and been caring for it ever since) pony tail palm is almost too tall for the 13 ft ceiling in there! Will have to dig a hole and put it’s container in there I guess. Had hoped the new ceiling height would be enough. Should have known better…

Got the stove wrestled into place and went and got the firebrick out of the experimental kerosene smelter. Will replace it with home made out of clay, sand and ash. The firebrick I used are made to retain heat where what I need in the smelter is to NOT absorb but to reflect. So they get reused. Moved them to the truck and then into the building.

Then got a barrow of sand and put a bit in the stove and started setting the firebrick. Lined the bottom and sides up about half way. Put some across the back also and put sand everywhere there wasn’t firebrick. Hope it will work…

Cut a piece of metal roofing to 27 inches long. Turned out to be 38 inches wide with the bends stomped flat. 😉 Cut slots about an inch deep and 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart on one 38 inch side and bent the cut pieces at right angle to the rest. On the other end (the one that will face the door) I found the center at 19 inches and drew then cut out a triangle 6 inches on the side for the smoke and hot flue gasses to pass through. The idea is that the fire will burn from front to back with the air coming in the front then to exit the smoke has to pass back through the flame to get to the flue. Also should cut down on the flame damage to the inside of the tank and get a few extra btu’s out of the flue gases at the same time. The inner shield will wear out pretty quick but is easy to make and costs some scrap to do. Anyway back to the story at hand…

Rolled this in as small a roll as I could and inserted it into the stove body. Surprisingly enough the sucker fit first time. Had to move the brick on the top to let it move a bit behind them, and may have to redo the entire inside with one less brick a row which will mean not centering the first one. Anyway it ended up with about 3 inches of clearance between the flame shield and the top so should be about right. Will see.

Was too tired and too late to get the roof cut and glad I waited. I have decided to go through then end or side wall and get all the heat I can out of the pipe. Will take cleaning out quite often but that’s better than a leak in the NEW roof. This way will only need 2 pieces of metal and some extra pipe along with the wood and such but I think I like the idea better than the straight up… And will not put the creosote build up on the roof either!

About warm enough to get out and at it. Got to cook a load of stuff today too! Not ready but Christmas is here so will typo again as soon as I have a bit and stuff to say…

And a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

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By Dave, December 23, 2005 9:22 am

After having to get up 5 or 6 times a night to reload the Ashley and still having the wood burn up quicker than I reload it, I have started building another wood burning heater.

Got the load door and flue coupling from an old burned out Ashley room size stove that I was given as an alternative to taking it to the dump. Used a large well pump air bladder tank as the body. Cut the door and flue openings and then with hammers and heat flattened the areas to accept their respective pieces.

Broke one of the door hinges off the door trying to get the hinge pin out. Brazed it back on and it seems to be holding. If it gives more trouble I’ll see about getting some of the cast iron rods and arc welding it but looks good this morning after an all night burn.

Cut a mobile home tire rim in half and flattened the edges where the stove can sit on top of it when it’s sitting on the cut ends. Still got the other one to do. swinging a 10 pound sledge with one hand while holding the rim half with the other took a bit more out of me than I thought at the time but was able to do it which surprised the hell out of me.

Set the stove on the rims, the modified one sideways and the unmodified one length ways, put a couple of sections of flue on it and built a fire in it to burn the paint off. Took several hours to get a big enough bed of coals to get it hot enough but was able to shut it down about 9:30 pm. Was cold out there by then except around the stove. Sucker got to glowing nice and red over the top half and had flames going 3 to 4 feet above the flue. Closed the door and damper and this morning had a nice bed of charcoal in there. Nice and air tight!

Now to find parts to build the air intake, finish the stand/rim mods and weld them on, move it up here to the greenhouse, plumb the air intake to the outside, install the flue through the new roof, line the bottom half with firebrick and sand, reinstall the door and flue connector with furnace cement, and build a fire, and I’ll be through for the day… 😉

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By Dave, December 22, 2005 8:31 am

Gadgets » The Top 10 weirdest case mods

Via Steve.

You’re right. They are WEIRD!

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By Dave, December 21, 2005 10:30 am

Rebel Wolf Online — Home Page

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By Dave, December 19, 2005 9:12 pm

Building our dwelling will open in a new window. This is a long series of 130+ pictures. Will be adding to them as time and energy allows.

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By Dave, December 19, 2005 2:44 pm

Got the window in on the north wall yesterday. Along with putting blueboard up along 8 feet of the second floor. Will still have to remove the window to put the siding on but for now this works a lot better than just plastic.

Spent the morning putting plastic down on the ground on the bottom floor and then putting carpet down on top of it. Tis a LOT warmer down there now too! Going to get the rest of the carpet out of the barn and bring in to finish the bathroom and to put down up here or in the kitchen one. If in the kitchen then will bring the carpet pieces from in there up here.

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By Dave, December 15, 2005 10:43 am

Alabama County Map

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By Dave, December 15, 2005 9:27 am

got 3 of the windows installed into the aerie so far. Started with the east wall over my desk. Actually decided to put the desk there after the fact so really just started with the east wall north most corner.

Cut some .5 inch square strips of pine and pre-drilled them to accept screws. Then made a unit shaped like TT of 3 2×6’s cut to fit. set it into place and test fit a window pane (31×29.5) and adjusted the bottoms of the TT to the sides of the pane and screwed them to the cross 2×6 already in the wall. Affixed the top of the TT to the north east corner post and the upright support on the other side (all walls have 4 foot stud spacing, or somewhere thereabouts. This is NOT conventional construction…). Then put 4 of the .5 inch strips around the outermost edge of the inside of the opening and then put the first pane in. Another set of strips and then the inner pane and another set of strips and we have a window. Double pane at that. Stapled the plastic around on inside and out and done for now.

That was tuesday. Wednesday morn we moved my desk up here and I got to looking at the south wall. This is the one that overlooks the greenhouse metal roof. Decided on 4 on that wall.

Went to the pile and got the rest of the glass. have 10 pieces without getting into the other storm doors so can do 5 more windows. After much thinking and trying got two of them done. they lean in a bit at the top and that alone makes them look funky. Course then there is the paneling that I am using which is 2×6’s in whatever length works so…

Got the other 2 started and dark came on so halted for the evening. Place took the rain without a problem. Guess I finally got the ditching right.

Sitting here this am and started getting cold. The walls are still plastic and there is no insulation anywhere so this is understandable but still uncomfortable. So I got to thinking about the way that teepees are insulated with hanging inner walls of about any kind of cloth and decided to try it in here. One of the Coleman sleeping bags was in a pile in the corner so went down and got a 8 ft length of bamboo from the greenhouse/workshop and some cord, then raided the kitchen stash of clothes pins and with a couple of 3 inch sheet rock screws hung it from floor to where it reached with the top edge folded over and pined to the lining which is about 6 feet. Just right for killing the heat loss from the walls! Now to find the other 3 and hang them around the rest of the coldest areas. Going to get a load of blueboard, to cover the outside of the walls, soon but this will save some firewood till then.

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By Dave, December 13, 2005 9:25 am

WEBPAGE of DENNIS HAVLENA – W8MI Mackinac Straits,
MI
Articles here include how-to-build simple
but nice sounding/playing folk instruments.

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This dude has some wicked cool make it yourself stuff. Wish I was more musical…

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By Dave, December 12, 2005 2:02 pm

finally got the staircase to the new second floor done.

and the new greenhouse/conservatory.

among other things. got pix of some of it. will try to post some later. not up to typing yet. taken me way too long to get this much typed.

update — got the handrail up now. still got to put the top post in. Working on the last of the flooring for the second floor now. using 2×6’s and will overlay with rugs and such. feels firm. have had 6 people up there at one time already so guess it will hold… 😉

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By Dave, December 10, 2005 11:11 am

Gadgets » The top 10 weirdest USB drives ever

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Via Steve. He likes the thumb drive. Not sure about the manufacturers or the ones that would buy this stuff… Especially the Barbie drive.