Stove Project in progress

[cathead]

Some time back I was at an auction and bid ten dollars for three sections of 36 inch diameter pipeline pipe. No one else bid so
I hauled my treasures home. One of them I turned into a big lawn roller and the other two were left to lay in the weeds until
such time that I had a use. One was about 7 feet long and 3/8 inch thickness with a solid 3/4 thick piece welded across the bottom.
I had to plasma cut off around most of the circumference with the plasma cutter through the 3/4 material. After that the project was to
shorten up the cylinder to about three and a half feet cutting through the 3/8 inch pipe. Today I turned an 8 inch x 1/4 inch thick piece of
pipe to serve as the chimney outlet.

I'm at the point where I need to decide if I want this stove to be oriented vertically or horizontal like the traditional barrel stove. I'm leaning
toward making the stove vertically as it would be easy to mount three legs on the base and another advantage would be that the stove
would take up less space. It may be a little more challenging to mount a door with the stove vertical but I can see it would be something I could
do. So which would be better? Another plus for vertical is that it would have a 36 inch round cook top!

Another consideration is do I want the 3/4 inch thick on top or bottom if vertically configured or front or back if horizontal.......???

This is basically the horizontal configuration.
This is a mock up of the vertical configuration.
This is the leftover pieces, about three feet of 36 inch pipe and at least a hundred pounds of 3/4 inch thick end material. I would not have
used 3/4 material for an end but it was already welded on there so decided to use it. The end piece was a solid 4 toot diameter disc that needed
to be trimmed to suit.

The plan is to incorporate a secondary air chamber and also a thermostatically controlled air intake using a bimetallic strip. The next hurdle
will be to find some material for the remaining end, some baffle material, support legs, and door. Steel prices have gone off the deep end
here so may have to scrounge a little. I'm having to use a skid steer to move it around or orientate it in the shop.

 

[rabler]

I'd go with vertical. 36" diameter is enough to get several 24" long logs in there. With a chamber at the top, I'd put the heavy 3/4 plate at the bottom to give it a lower center of gravity, and the bottom seems more susceptible to burning thru, although the sides are probably the biggest issues for that. Cooktop may be nice if nothing else for keeping a water pot if the stove brings the humidity down too much. Just my thoughts ...

 

[cathead]

I'd go with vertical. 36" diameter is enough to get several 24" long logs in there. With a chamber at the top, I'd put the heavy 3/4 plate at the bottom to give it a lower center of gravity, and the bottom seems more susceptible to burning thru, although the sides are probably the biggest issues for that. Cooktop may be nice if nothing else for keeping a water pot if the stove brings the humidity down too much. Just my thoughts ...

Thanks for the comments! Our thinking is following on the same track I will likely use 3/8 plate for the top plate since
it would be the same as the sides. It's not likely to warp.

 

[Dave Smith]

I would go vertical also and maybe find a few cast burner plates to be able to remove from the top cooking area. there should be some around from old antique cook stoves. now you have me wanting to finish some wood stove projects that I have had for years. it might get cold this year and gas prices may be out of sight. if you need any of the new thin 6 inch stove pipe sections I have some extras.
Dave

 

[woodchucker]

I built a waste oil heater about 40 years ago for a friend, 2 55 gallon drums vertical. I used a chunk of stainless steel from a food counter for the bottom, and also for the injector to blow against. Firebrick lined the perimeter on the bottom about 1 foot up ... That thing warmed up a 5 car garage to toasty hot... the oil was preheated by wrapping copper pipe around the heater...

Stainless seems to be a good material to take the heat. So if you want this forever and have a piece of stainless, put it in the bottom as a sacrificial piece... you may never need to replace it. Don't weld it in there

 

[cathead]

Today I riveted together a two foot long piece of mild steel and aluminum strips for the thermostatic control
on the stove. A test run with a torch and it curves enough to control a draft flap.

Another thing that needed attention was the 8 inch chimney outlet pipe that was too big. I used Pi(3.14159) multiplied by the diameter
I have and again using the diameter I needed and subtracted the difference so I know how much material to remove. It was about 5/8
inch so cut out a half inch swathe with the plasma cutter. After applying some clamps, I welded the pipe back together.

So far, so good. I still have the rest of the day to work on the baffle and secondary air. It's supposed to be below zero in a
couple days, an incentive to keep working on finishing the project.

Edit:
One thing to point out: I bought a 4 foot by 4 foot piece of 3/8 steel for the stove top and it was over $400! Yikes!!!

 

[woodchucker]

nice work, a damper control, didn't see that coming. COOL.. no HOT, automatic, nice...
what did you buy a new piece 4x4??? that's outrageous...

 

[cathead]

nice work, a damper control, didn't see that coming. COOL.. no HOT, automatic, nice...
what did you buy a new piece 4x4??? that's outrageous...

I needed a 3x3 piece but the closest piece they had was 4x4. I can use what is left over
for something, maybe use it for the door....

 

[cathead]

This is the shelf above the fire that gets hot enough to ignite the remaining gasses. I need to add the pipe that supplies the secondary air
next.
This is the top plate and chimney outlet pipe that will be welded in place once all the other work is completed. I'm thinking
that the pipe should protrude about three inches into the top plate. It was really nice to be able to cut the parts with the plasma cutter.
It is a messy tool however that generates a lot of smoke and fine stuff to clean up as well as some dross. I did the plasma cutting
outside when I could but some of it had to be done in the shop with the garage door open.

 

[cathead]

Today's project was to install the piping for the secondary air and make up an adjustable air feed. This is the pipe that feeds secondary air to the shelf area mounted about 7 inches from the top of the stove. I had to plasma cut
a rough hole and finish up with a file for a nice fit.


This is the draft control for the secondary air.
This photo shows the secondary air pipe with about 30 3/16 holes spaced two inches apart. The pipe was made so it can be removed
if it ever happens that it needs attention.

The other project was to make a rough cut of the door itself in preparation for plasma cutting out the rough opening. The left over pieces
were not quite big enough for the opening of the door so I had to graft on a corner to make a 20x20 inch door. Tomorrow I will cut and fit
the door and get ready to install the top on the stove.