[papercreters] Re: PC and rocket stoves

Actually, if you do a little research (such as http://www.richsoil.com/rocket-stove-mass-heater.jsp) you'll probably find that many rocket stoves are made from mainly metal.
Ours is actually a "rocket stove mass heater," which encases part of the stove in rock and/or cob to retain and slowly release the heat. I understand many RSMH's are built using brick, but one of the beauties of rocket stoves is that you can pretty much utilize whatever you can scrounge up to build with (hopefully using your brain to eliminate the obvious dangers).
Being in the middle of building a DIY house, we frequent many auctions, garage sales, etc. We did use some brick in part of our design, but used the metal stove pipe for the burn chamber and heat riser first because we just ended up with it in with some other stuff we bought at an auction, and knew from research that others had used it. After having problems pop up with it and finding that the pipe had burned clear through in places, we tried some terra cotta flue lining we had, but it cracked. We went to metal well casing because it was available for an affordable price and we knew some people who used it for their traditional stove who swore by it. Unfortunately, we only supported the vertical heat riser pipe on the back edge with bricks and set the front edge on top of the horizontal burn chamber, not realizing that it would get hot enough for the weight of the vertical pipe to flatten the horizontal pipe a bit. So far it hasn't burned through though, and the ash insulation and bricks we used in the rest of the design have seemed to circumvent any other problem. We just need to go in and support the vertical pipe better. Live and learn, huh? If another option had popped up at the onset (like a used kiln) we would have used it instead . . .

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "eepjr24" <eepjr24@...> wrote:
>
> I am a bit confused why anyone would use metal for a rocket stove? Is it required? Anytime I am trying to contain temps in excess of 1,000 degrees F my first thought would be fire brick or kiln shelves. You can buy old kilns for next to nothing on Craigslist, if you are looking for a source. They would also make very good fill material.
>
> If they start burning, try to be very far away indeed (they are rated for 1600 C or so).
>
> - E
>
> --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "itsbeckybob" <itsbeckybob@> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Richard" <richvollnogle@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Has anyone used papercrete to fill between chimney's in a rocket stove? I was going to experiment with small Stoves and see how well it would do vs the perlite etc. Any response would be appreciated
> > >
> > From the little experience we have had: One time we were drying out some experimental papercrete bricks next to our wood stove (it was snowy outside). One tipped over really close to the stove and began to smoke so I took it outside. The next morning all that was left of the brick was a small pile of ashes and a brownish smudge where I had leaned it up against the aluminum siding.
> > About insulation in a rocket stove--for the last two years we have used a rocket stove in the 12-sided, 32' diameter off-grid home we are building. We have found that wood ash is very good insulation, and can be collected from friends and family who have "traditional" wood stoves who generally end up with lots of ash. (By the way, from our experience rocket stoves get so hot that they will burn out normal stove pipe metal, crack terra cotta chimney flue bricks, and if you use heavy duty metal well casings make sure there is nothing heavy pushing down on one side or it will re-shape them.)
> > On a side note, if you are interested in an alternative solution to the t-pipe some people put in their rocket stoves to make a fire in to start the draw, ask us about our serendipitous experience with a "whirlybird" (also cuts down on backdraft) :P
> >
>




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