I am getting ready to buy/build 55 wood stoves for my shop. I see the
single stackers, the doubles, all kinds. The shop is roughly 15360. It
is 40 x 32, 8' high, roof varies from 2' to 6' above that low slope.

I like it warm. I wouldn't mind having two stoves, and take them out
and switch them with the swampers each year.

I see Wolfzang (sp?) stoves, and their ilk, which is just a pretty well
sealed up 55 gal barrel. I see others, with what looks like varying
degrees of craftsmanship, mass of metal in components, differences in
vents, and a few things that makes one better than the other, as in
thicker metal, more bolts, more vents, etc.

What makes a good wood burner, and what is good to look for? Are the
more expensive ones inherently more efficient? And just what does the
second barrel do, other than provide greater surface area? And would it
be possible to mount the second top barrel somewhere other than directly
over the lower one to take heat to another portion of the shop?

Just how airtight are these? Is it necessary to monitor them very
closely with CO detectors, or is the inherent leakage of a hobbyiist
built enclosure safe enough?

Would one single stove be enough? Two singles? Two doubles?

And just how often does one have to paint these? In my area, I can get
pristine coconut oil barrels for $10 each with lids, so changing them
over the years would be probably easier than keeping up with a swamp cooler.

Class?

Steve

On Mon, 03 Feb 2014 23:01:44 -0700, SteveB wrote:

I am getting ready to buy/build 55 wood stoves for my shop. I see the
single stackers, the doubles, all kinds. The shop is roughly 15360. It
is 40 x 32, 8' high, roof varies from 2' to 6' above that low slope.

I like it warm. I wouldn't mind having two stoves, and take them out
and switch them with the swampers each year.

I see Wolfzang (sp?) stoves, and their ilk, which is just a pretty well
sealed up 55 gal barrel. I see others, with what looks like varying
degrees of craftsmanship, mass of metal in components, differences in
vents, and a few things that makes one better than the other, as in
thicker metal, more bolts, more vents, etc.

What makes a good wood burner, and what is good to look for? Are the
more expensive ones inherently more efficient? And just what does the
second barrel do, other than provide greater surface area? And would it
be possible to mount the second top barrel somewhere other than directly
over the lower one to take heat to another portion of the shop?

Just how airtight are these? Is it necessary to monitor them very
closely with CO detectors, or is the inherent leakage of a hobbyiist
built enclosure safe enough?

Would one single stove be enough? Two singles? Two doubles?

And just how often does one have to paint these? In my area, I can get
pristine coconut oil barrels for $10 each with lids, so changing them
over the years would be probably easier than keeping up with a swamp cooler.

Class?

Steve

When I was a lad wood stoves were pretty common. Both grand parents
houses, my Uncle's work shop, the first house my folks built... One of
the biggest secrets was to run the stove pipe a long way down the
room.. that hot stove pipe pours a lot of BTU's into the room.
--
Cheers,

John B.

"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I am getting ready to buy/build 55 wood stoves for my shop. I see
the single stackers, the doubles, all kinds. The shop is roughly
15360. It is 40 x 32, 8' high, roof varies from 2' to 6' above that
low slope.

I like it warm. I wouldn't mind having two stoves, and take them
out and switch them with the swampers each year.

I see Wolfzang (sp?) stoves, and their ilk, which is just a pretty
well sealed up 55 gal barrel. I see others, with what looks like
varying degrees of craftsmanship, mass of metal in components,
differences in vents, and a few things that makes one better than
the other, as in thicker metal, more bolts, more vents, etc.

What makes a good wood burner, and what is good to look for? Are
the more expensive ones inherently more efficient? And just what
does the second barrel do, other than provide greater surface area?
And would it be possible to mount the second top barrel somewhere
other than directly over the lower one to take heat to another
portion of the shop?

Just how airtight are these? Is it necessary to monitor them very
closely with CO detectors, or is the inherent leakage of a hobbyiist
built enclosure safe enough?

Would one single stove be enough? Two singles? Two doubles?

And just how often does one have to paint these? In my area, I can
get pristine coconut oil barrels for $10 each with lids, so changing
them over the years would be probably easier than keeping up with a
swamp cooler.

Class?

Steve

I've been told the barrels don't hold up well, and it's no fun having
one fail with a hot fire burning.

I have a CO detector with a digital readout and test it over hot
charcoal in the ash bucket periodically.

Do you know how many BTUs you need now?

Jim Wilkins wrote:
"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I am getting ready to buy/build 55 wood stoves for my shop. I see
the single stackers, the doubles, all kinds. The shop is roughly
15360. It is 40 x 32, 8' high, roof varies from 2' to 6' above that
low slope.

I like it warm. I wouldn't mind having two stoves, and take them
out and switch them with the swampers each year.

I see Wolfzang (sp?) stoves, and their ilk, which is just a pretty
well sealed up 55 gal barrel. I see others, with what looks like
varying degrees of craftsmanship, mass of metal in components,
differences in vents, and a few things that makes one better than
the other, as in thicker metal, more bolts, more vents, etc.

What makes a good wood burner, and what is good to look for? Are
the more expensive ones inherently more efficient? And just what
does the second barrel do, other than provide greater surface area?
And would it be possible to mount the second top barrel somewhere
other than directly over the lower one to take heat to another
portion of the shop?

Just how airtight are these? Is it necessary to monitor them very
closely with CO detectors, or is the inherent leakage of a hobbyiist
built enclosure safe enough?

Would one single stove be enough? Two singles? Two doubles?

And just how often does one have to paint these? In my area, I can
get pristine coconut oil barrels for $10 each with lids, so changing
them over the years would be probably easier than keeping up with a
swamp cooler.

Class?

Steve

I've been told the barrels don't hold up well, and it's no fun having
one fail with a hot fire burning.

I have a CO detector with a digital readout and test it over hot
charcoal in the ash bucket periodically.

Do you know how many BTUs you need now?

Do you think those barrel stoves would last longer if the burn area was
lined with castable? refractory or firebrick ? Our stove has bricks in
the lower part , and the firebox is made of relatively light sheet metal .
There are areas above the brick where it has gotten hot enough to deform the
metal , we don't fill
it up too much because of that .
--
Snag

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
Jim Wilkins wrote:

Do you think those barrel stoves would last longer if the burn area
was lined with castable? refractory or firebrick ? Our stove has
bricks in the lower part , and the firebox is made of relatively
light sheet metal . There are areas above the brick where it has
gotten hot enough to deform the metal , we don't fill
it up too much because of that .
--
Snag

I know only how my own stove works. Over many years its cast iron
inner side baffles deteriorated and I patched them with first ~16
gauge steel which burned through, then scrap stainless which has held
up well.

Except where the preheated secondary air enters the rest of the
interior is starved of oxygen and even the original bolts that hold it
together while partly assembled are still in good condition. I don't
trust them and have stored my welding firebricks under the stove so if
a leg fails it won't fall.
jsw

On 2/4/2014 7:45 AM, Terry Coombs wrote:
Jim Wilkins wrote:

Do you think those barrel stoves would last longer if the burn area was
lined with castable? refractory or firebrick ? Our stove has bricks in
the lower part , and the firebox is made of relatively light sheet metal .
There are areas above the brick where it has gotten hot enough to deform the
metal , we don't fill
it up too much because of that .
--
Snag


Now, there's an idea. I had actually thought of something like that,
thinking that building on the barrel metal would not be a good idea.
And a grate would probably accelerate deformation.

Steve

On Tuesday, February 4, 2014 9:45:01 AM UTC-5, Terry Coombs wrote:


Do you think those barrel stoves would last longer if the burn area was

lined with castable? refractory or firebrick ? Our stove has bricks in

the lower part , and the firebox is made of relatively light sheet metal ..

There are areas above the brick where it has gotten hot enough to deform the

metal , we don't fill

it up too much because of that .

--

Snag

Take a look at www.vtwoodsmoke.org/pdf/hill-79.pdf

One of the professors at the University of Maine came up with this design of a wood furnace. The basic idea is to burn the wood in a very hot area and then collect the heat into water. You locate the furnace outside so no fire hazard in the house and no mess carrying the wood inside.

Dan

On 2/4/2014 7:21 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:


I've been told the barrels don't hold up well, and it's no fun having
one fail with a hot fire burning.

I have a CO detector with a digital readout and test it over hot
charcoal in the ash bucket periodically.

Do you know how many BTUs you need now?
No idea on btu. I'd have digital CO detectors, and I was wondering
about burnthrough, although the barrels are cheap. But no doubt about
burnthrough incidents.

Steve

On Tuesday, February 4, 2014 1:01:44 AM UTC-5, SteveB wrote:




What makes a good wood burner, and what is good to look for? Are the

more expensive ones inherently more efficient? And just what does the

second barrel do, other than provide greater surface area? And would it

be possible to mount the second top barrel somewhere other than directly

over the lower one to take heat to another portion of the shop?



Just how airtight are these? Is it necessary to monitor them very

closely with CO detectors, or is the inherent leakage of a hobbyiist

built enclosure safe enough?


Steve


The EPA ought to publish plans for an efficient wood stove that meets their standards. But they do not. They just publish a list of approved stoves that have been tested and has passed their standards. The list does not even show the actual test results. Just shows a figure that is the max limit for emisions. And of course if you install a stove that does not meet their standards , you are breaking the law.

So you have several options for stoves to install in your shop. One is to ignore the law and build your own. Another is to buy a used stove that meets the requirements. And of course you can buy a new stove.

But you can build a wood furnace and use it. It does not have to meet any standards. In addition it can be outside the shop so the wood does not have te be brought into the shop. And that also reduces the fire hazard.

My neighbor has a wood furnace located in a shed on his property. It is not very efficient and put out a fair amount of smoke. So he burns it early in the morning. The furnace designed by Richard Hill is efficient. It hurns the wood in a cast refractory chamber so it burns very hot. Then exhausts thru a fire tube boiler. So it produces very little smoke.

If you do build your own furnace or stove, you really want it to be as efficient as possible. Wood stoves require a fair amount of work, so the more efficient is is, the less wood you have to cut and haul.

My solution was to buy a used wood stove. I bought it from a guy that had it in pieces. He was planning on refurbishing it before he installed it. But then found his town would not permit any wood stoves, regardless of their being on the EPA's list.

Dan

wrote in message
...


you can build a wood furnace and use it. It does not have to meet any
standards.

Ya, sure thing, Dan....

SteveB wrote:
I am getting ready to buy/build 55 wood stoves for my shop. I see the
single stackers, the doubles, all kinds. The shop is roughly 15360. It
is 40 x 32, 8' high, roof varies from 2' to 6' above that low slope.

I like it warm. I wouldn't mind having two stoves, and take them out
and switch them with the swampers each year.

I see Wolfzang (sp?) stoves, and their ilk, which is just a pretty well
sealed up 55 gal barrel. I see others, with what looks like varying
degrees of craftsmanship, mass of metal in components, differences in
vents, and a few things that makes one better than the other, as in
thicker metal, more bolts, more vents, etc.

What makes a good wood burner, and what is good to look for? Are the
more expensive ones inherently more efficient? And just what does the
second barrel do, other than provide greater surface area? And would it
be possible to mount the second top barrel somewhere other than directly
over the lower one to take heat to another portion of the shop?

Just how airtight are these? Is it necessary to monitor them very
closely with CO detectors, or is the inherent leakage of a hobbyiist
built enclosure safe enough?

Would one single stove be enough? Two singles? Two doubles?

And just how often does one have to paint these? In my area, I can get
pristine coconut oil barrels for $10 each with lids, so changing them
over the years would be probably easier than keeping up with a swamp cooler.

Class?

Steve


I built one like these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g9KL_59J_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIjXH1bEWgA

Mine is set up a bit different. I used a 275 drum, then double walled
the bottom and installed fire brick. The double walls extend to the top
of the sides. Also used some steel to make a baffle that channels the
smoke to the end of the stove, then up over the tubes and out to a
second heat exchanger. Then out the chimney. Heats a 30X40 with 12'
walls just fine. Plus with an add-on I burn waste oil as available.

My first one used the cast door kit from Vogelzang because I had one.
Worked OK but the size was restrictive. Built the next door out of some
1/4" plate and reinforcements. Worked much better. Also added a small
fan on the air inlet to give a faster start-up from cold.

--
Steve W.