Hello from Portland, Oregon

Posts : 58 Join date : 2014-07-28

Hello, all. J.D. Ray here from Portland, Oregon, USA.

I got the rocket stove bug a couple years ago while reading the Permies forum where the subject is a big deal. After a bunch of research, I got started building my own "test the concept" riser using a fireclay and vermiculite blend. Unhappy with the way it turned out, and the way my back hurt after slogging all that clay mix, I decided to do some research outside of the Permies resources. I stumbled on several videos on YT made by a bunch of the founding members here, liked what I saw, and absorbed what I could. Joining this forum seemed like the next logical step, so here I am.

I was on the hunt for materials yesterday, and stopped by a local stove shop that's been there 40 years. Turns out the guy that owns the place was minding the store. I told him what I was about, what I was trying to make, and asked for suggestions. Evidently he's selling one of his storage buildings, packed to the rafters with old stove parts. He said he'd cut me a deal on essentially anything I wanted, as the lot has to be out of there in three weeks. I told him I'd figure out what I needed and come back.

One suggestion he had was to use "insulated stove pipe" for the riser. Mind you, he doesn't know rocket stoves, so the recommendation was a little light on veracity. The stuff is made from concentric pieces of stainless steel stove pipe with about 3/4" (~19 mm) of refractory material between them. The inner tube is six or so inches (30 cm), the outer around 7.5" (34 cm). Wall thickness on the tubing is ~3/64" (~1mm), or what I'd call "thin".

I have a MIG welder and a small garage to work in. I share it with a roommate who's a mechanic, so it's packed with tools. Mine are mostly for working on the house, his for working on cars. I basically bought the welder several years ago in a bid to teach myself to weld. I haven't had much time to apply myself since then, so I have a nice welder with no welding skill. This project seems like a good way to get learning.

One skill I do have is in Sketchup, so I can at least articulate my design ideas visually.

Time to stop for now; the coffee pot is hot. BTW, I'm interested to know how many people here are comfortable with imperial measurements. I can, as you see above, convert to metric with some amount of ease (so long as it isn't temperature), but it slows my train of thought. What's the forum standard for such things?

Thanks.

J.D.

Admin Posts : 913 Join date : 2013-10-07

Welcome J.D. I started out the same way.

Found Permies and due to special constraint needs and long hours of research I gravitated towards Rob's stove at iwilltry.org.

His stove seemed to be the answer for me but a much more scaled down version.

That was my very first stove build.

When I started my research we were flat dead broke living out of our motor home.

The first winter was horrible and that started my search.

Like you my first purchase was a Lincoln 110 volt wire welder in hopes of teaching myself how to weld.

As we saved up funds I would purchase each needed item until I had enough materials and as well equipment to do the job.

It was much cheaper than trying to come up with the funds to buy a small marine wood stove that I was originally looking at for a heat source.

I think that the double insulated chimney pipe will be much too thin for one to weld, two I would suspect it would not hold up well over time due to the high temps rocket stoves produce.

A good source for riser tubes are stainless steel exhaust tubing which can be found on ebay, and at trucking companies that install exhaust systems.

I would stay away from three inch, four inch and up has produced very good results for me and as well they hold up very well to the high temps.

I have taken apart two stoves to day after using an entire winter as a heat source and the stainless steel up riser tubes suffered no degradation what so ever.

You will find a great deal of valuable information on the site as well very informative and experienced members that come from all walks of life.

Subscribers Posts : 333 Join date : 2013-10-07

Welcome to the forum JDRay.

Please, do not worry about the imperial or metric measurements. Everyone uses online calculators to convert from one system to the other, even for temperature!

Looking forward to see your projects...

Posts : 98 Join date : 2014-02-13

Welcome to the forum!

Posts : 58 Join date : 2014-07-28

Thanks, Trying2Hard. I have to say that I was inspired by your double vortex video. That, combined with ppotty's double riser video gave me an idea for a two-burner, pellet-fed cookstove. Here's a pic of the fire box design to give you an idea of what I'm aiming for:

As you can probably surmise, the square area is the fire box, with the two rounded "leaves" go under the risers. I have some more drawing to do, but when I get it finished, I'll upload the Sketchup file so y'all can shoot it full of holes.

Cheers.

JD

Posts : 246 Join date : 2013-12-26 Location : nomad

Welcome

Moderator Posts : 1477 Join date : 2013-12-08

hi and welcome to the forums

i happen to use both imperial and metric i did post to aid others in another part of the forum a guide up for steel sizes as uk is different to usa and vice or versa

i went for 2mm tubing or 3mm tubing i find 1.5mm exhaust pipe i believe is too thin for our purpose with rocket stoves

Posts : 80 Join date : 2014-03-23

Good one and welcome! I guess it's time to print off those guides on the conversion chart from U.S.A. to, all others..lol.. I used metric conversion calculater off google today at work and still takes a while to bring up and do math..I tried to find units and make conversion in cad program but was just easier in end to convert metric to inches on internet calculater. Oh well, at least most of us know english and can communicate via e-mail, writing, and texting. Like the design and would like to do better at summiting my own ideas but they don't look convincing made out of cardboard..lol. Thanks for posting!

Posts : 5 Join date : 2014-03-19

Welcome to the forum,

I also am an Oregonian with my own project.

Actually ready to acquire some materials soon, like 3 1/2 flu pipe and some 2x4 or 1x2 venturi tube.

Converting an old heavy antique stove.

See my drawings sketch on my entry under Ashqelon, for what I intend to do.

Give any feedback on it as just as I read your post tryin2hard mentioned truck exhaust tube as one part that I might want to get..

I am still looking for a good & economical source for my tubing that will be either 1/4" or 3/16" thick.

So if you know of a decent place in the metro are or Vancouver, that sell mild steel materials, let me know please.

Rob

Posts : 58 Join date : 2014-07-28

I just started an assignment working with a group of manufacturing engineers for a truck maker. I asked yesterday about scrap, but that's evidently a non-starter. I think there's a truck wrecking yard around Portland somewhere; I'll ask about that next.

Cheers.

JD

Posts : 5 Join date : 2014-03-19

I found a place local I can get tubing at different sizes and thickness too.

Soon, maybe this week I will get SS material for my next project.

Rob

» Hello from Southern Oregon