Work in Progress 2013

[ygmir]

[Edit by moderator: this is a continuation of this awesome thread.]

I"m starting my wood burning cooktop/oven/water heater/space heater.
Just thought I'd post a photo, of my initial material pile. I know it won't be enough, but, it'll get me a good start.



assorted 4,6,8, and 10 inch channel iron.

[unjonharley]

Years ago Mother Earth did an article on wood fired water heaters.. The guy was using a cast iron fry pan for a fire box..

[Triken]

well,

I"m starting my wood burning cooktop/oven/water heater/space heater.
Just thought I'd post a photo, of my initial material pile. I know it won't be enough, but, it'll get me a good start.

........Niiiiiice....

You realize, of course, we'll want to see progress pics along the way.

[ygmir]

Yeah, Triken........sort of thought I'd start here, though.

UJH: well, the firebox will be about 2x2x3 feet, glass on one side, then, an oven attachment above, as an integral part of the exhaust pipe/system, using a butterfly valve to divert smoke around the oven to adjust temp, and, with two small valves, I'll also be able to smoke anything I'm roasting (depending on the type of wood fuel). an attached, or attachable, water heater/exchanger and storage tank mounted above, to allow convection circulation of heated water, with a blow off for over heat issues and pressure.
Internal air introduction points to facilitate cleaner re-burning of smoke and unburned gasses (as they pass over and under a smoke shelf, changing direction to all ignition via small holes in plate, as well as keeping the glass clean.

[Bob]

Just weld a locomotive on the side of the Hoff.

[ygmir]

Just weld a locomotive on the side of the Hoff.

there goes the surprise..........thanks Bob.

[unjonharley]

well,

I"m starting my wood burning cooktop/oven/water heater/space heater.

We had one of those in the kitchen on the farm.. We called it a range.
The hot gases rolled over the top of the oven past the side of the water tank.. Then under the oven up through the fire box again. The lighter gases went up the flu. We got ours at Sears. It also had warming ovens above the stove top on ether side of the flu on a back wall. The back wall had two drivet shelves to put flatirons on after heating.

I will have to chew on your design for awhile to understand it.

[FIGJAM]

Not sure why you need a tank.

Have the water supply line running up the wall behind the flue.

Run a diversion pipe off that into the flue, up the flue, and back out to the supply line or wherever you want it.

2 ball vaulves will route the water through the flue only when you want it hot.

By the time the water runs through the flue pipe it's HOT,HOT, HOT.

Hot water on demand without needing a tank.

[ygmir]

yeah FJ, that's part of the plan. But, I don't have "running" water there, so, if I put a tank above, not only super hot, even steaming (Mocha's anyone?) water, but a few gallons reserve. and as long as I have the T&P valve, I'm ok even if it goes dry.

UJH: that's sort of my idea, the old ones like you describe. I just don't have room for one that big, IIRC, those things were pretty darn huge.
But, I can have one maybe two warming, with one that should bake, and a cook top, with removable plates for setting pans right on the flames.
it won't be huge, but should be big enough to keep the place toasty in winter, and, to cook on cold days. I'll also have outside cooking facilities, for warm weather.

[FIGJAM]

I should have known it was for the Hof.

Is there going to be an above ground sistern somewhere in the plan?

Maybe 200 gal. 6 ft. above grade for gravity feed?

[ygmir]

yes, a 400 gallon potable water tank, I got military surplus, it has antibacterial liner and is insulated fiberglass. I'll build a stand, making it look like a mine headframe probably, so it looks nice. Not sure how tall, I'd like it around 20', which with an extension on my backhoe, I think I can reach with the empty tank, and for setting beams. Then, probably haul spring water up to it, eventually installing a solar pump from the spring to the tank, but that's about 600' and about 100' rise in elevation.

I also have several of the plastic "cubes" that hold 250 gallons of water, that are so popular for hauling water. I may substitute one or more of them, just because they are so light, for raising up that high.

[littleflower]

how do you get the water up there? firetruck? how long will 400 gallons last? wow ..... such cool stuff ... !

[ygmir]

how do you get the water up there? firetruck? how long will 400 gallons last? wow ..... such cool stuff ... !

yeah, solar pump eventually, but initially, I'll just pump it up there from barrels.
400 gallons lasts, until it's gone.....it's so variable, depending on how many people and what they're doing. But, it's a good amount, for just a few people, it should last weeks.

[unjonharley]

There is a Box Burner stove in my shop here.. Might look it up for ideas.. It has a cook top w/two removable lids.. Got it from HF. It's all cast.. Had to make my own grate.. That was by cutting a cheap fireplace grate to size with a disc grinder.. You'll need some thing to hold the fuel out of the ashes.. Hardware stores stock log grate this time of year.

Farm I lived on in 1944 had running water.. They raised the pump head in the wind mill to the top. Which was as high as the second floor of the house.. With a small galvanized horse tank for holding.. The house kept it from freezing.. It served the house and the barn.. The barn was about 8-10 feet below the house grade..

[trilobyte]

Got the first bits of heavy duty shelving put together at our new storage place.



The 'triple-wide' setup can hold 54 playa bins (we use them as modular storage for everything), plus a couple smaller shelves to keep paint cans. Then I made a decent dent in hauling stuff from the old place to the new place. Aside from just plain having more space, this place is easier for loading and has 24 hour access, so it will be much more useful for storing and organizing camp gear and art projects. There's still a lot to do, I want to build another triple wide shelving unit plus build a workbench that I can use to store all my shade poles under.

[ygmir]

I got the first side of the combustion box for the Hofstove put together. Final welding to be done when the box is assembled, but, this will give an idea, and allow assemble and adjustment.
4 in channel iron, alternated with 4" bar stock, both 1/4" nominal thickness.
the "ribs" are to the outside, hopefully, to work like the head on a motorcycle, using the "ribs" to extract more heat. There is a "strong back" along the center, to help keep it flat, and stable during use.
interior:

exterior fins and stronback:

material profile:

[Box Burner]

Somewhere I saw a fan that was powered by heat simply by placing it on top of a wood stove. Maybe a similat idea could blow air past your stove fins to help draw off the heat and disperse it.

[Ugly Dougly]

Ygmir, it's great to see this (another!) project taking place.

I've always liked this Finnish design:


http://www.pyromasse.ca/infoe.html

[Box Burner]

found it.


https://www.lehmans.com/p-1308-large-heat-powered-stove-fans.aspx

[ygmir]

yeah BB, those work pretty good. I've seen em.
Dougly: those are exactly what I'm trying to copy, but small and steel. They are very popular all over northern Europe. Very good and efficient

BB: I've been amazed at how, if I google a problem, a page or more show up, with answers. Like:

"the front wheel fell off my Astro van, with the hub"..........someone else has probably already discussed it, and it's online, somewhere.
The same goes for repairs.

[Foxfur]

I frequently repair appliances for friends. Before hitching up the connestoga for the three day trip into town I'll get the model & serial number and google it. 9 out of 10 times there's a solution online. Many times it's something they can do, with positive encouragement, by themselves.
Youtube has scads of repair videos and I've used more than a few with great results.

And YGGY?
GREAT WORK!!!

[FIGJAM]

I did that to find out how to change the heater core in a 2003 camry.

As I watched, it looked like he stripped the interior clear to the firewall just to get at the core.

I choose to put some alumaseal in the cooling system instead.

Shop price for replacement would have been $1000!!!

[ygmir]

I did that to find out how to change the heater core in a 2003 camry.

As I watched, it looked like he stripped the interior clear to the firewall just to get at the core.

I choose to put some alumaseal in the cooling system instead.

Shop price for replacement would have been $1000!!!

I think I've come up with a method/procedure for sealing leaking heater cores, insitu independent of the block. so as to avoid the radiator and engine.
it worked once, but need further testing.
I'm also trying to work out a way to plate metal, into the heater core, using acid/ionic metal/cathode/anode........sort of electroplating I guess.

[Elliot]

Back when I worked on automobiles (middle bronze age), the factory-approved method for replacing the heater core in some models was to remove the right front wheel and cut a big hole in the inner-fender. The factory supplied a template for the hole and a nice plate to cover it up with.
Come to think of it, some cars may have such an access from the get-go.

[Box Burner]

I did that to find out how to change the heater core in a 2003 camry.

As I watched, it looked like he stripped the interior clear to the firewall just to get at the core.

I choose to put some alumaseal in the cooling system instead.

Shop price for replacement would have been $1000!!!

I think I've come up with a method/procedure for sealing leaking heater cores, insitu independent of the block. so as to avoid the radiator and engine.
it worked once, but need further testing.
I'm also trying to work out a way to plate metal, into the heater core, using acid/ionic metal/cathode/anode........sort of electroplating I guess.

First job in computers was making printed circuit boards for mainframe computers. Whatever you are trying to plate has to be completely free of all oils or it will not stick. It took many washes to get a housefly clean enough to plate.

[ygmir]

ok, so I got the other side of the Hofstove made.......but I'm having a dilemma.
My original plan with the ridges out........but, I put it together (tacked, so can be undone) backwards, (inside out) to see how it looks, and I sort of like it.
so, dang, what to do?
any input is welcome.
glass door for fire viewing, only. the wood will load from the side to the left. I'll put a couple of bar in front of the glass, to keep logs from breaking it.

how it is, smooth side out, but not planned direction:


How I had planned it, with ridges out, door would need to be turned around now:


door open. I made this area larger, so, if I want to change glass or shape later, I can take this door off and install something else:

and still, bought nothing but welding supplies, so far at least, all is made from scrap I had, and I got from Looneytune.

[Elliot]

Well, to me, ridges-out looks kind'a "hillbilly" compared with the other way.

[ygmir]

yeah, I'm sorta leaning that way,too.

[Triken]

yeah, I'm sorta leaning that way,too.

I think the ridges 'in' would be more practical, and look better than with them out.
Cleaner lines that way. (IMHO)
Imagining this at the Hof, I think it will be a classy addition...

Can't wait to see it in use!

[gyre]

Heaters have been built with finned sinks, so the idea seems sound.
I think it will still radiate pretty good without the fins though.

It looks like short fat fins would be most efficient for radiant heat.
Linear repeating fins would probably look great, may not be easy to make.
Similarly a black etched surface radiates better.
It all depends on your temperature to surface ratio though.

It's possible to make a mirror polished radiator work with enough surface area.

Looks solid.

I think the original fins may look pretty good in black, making them less prominent.
You could trim some of them in brass on the edge.