http://richsoil.com/heat This excerpt from the 4 dvd set focuses on a rocket mass heater that is being built in a shop. Erica and Ernie begin by discussing the layout of the heater and bench. In this case, both are contained in a wooden box that is to be joined together by a tin collar and surrounded by gravel so that there is a buffer between the very hot metal and the wooden boxes.
From there, we jump right into placing the core of the heater in the first wooden box. Next Ernie cuts a steel barrel into the shape of the manifold. This requires careful measuring and cutting to avoid too many air gaps, which would need to be sealed later on to make the stove run perfectly. This is accomplished using a drill to make entry points for a Makita jigsaw to make the accurate cuts in the steel barrel. Ernie explains briefly how the manifold will fit together with the core, and that some fine tuning of the cuts will be needed.
Then the hole in the wall is cut to accommodate the exhaust ducting. Using an insulated piece of ducting, ensures that the wall is never heated to the point of becoming a fire hazard. Next, sheet metal is cut to fit the end of the bench and core, again to avoid having the wood exposed to the heat of the stove directly. The early version of this particular heater had a heat riser made from fire brick and durablanket, a heat tolerant material for applications such as this.
The connection between the core and the bench is made and then the ducting is assembled in the bench. Large stones are added as a base for the ducting to set on and then pea gravel is added to make a nice even surface. The use of plumbers tape, makes for a much more sturdy structure once all of that heavy mass is added to the bench.
Once all of the ducting is in place, it's covered over with more pea gravel and then a layer of bricks were added to create a stable flat surface. An explanation of the layering process of rocks, gravel and bricks is then given.
Next we get a good overview shot of the whole rocket mass heater as it nears completion.
All that's left to do is to fire it up. Erica takes a minute to prime the system with some paper and small kindling wood and then gets a good fire going in the burn tunnel. Now all that's left to do is clean up a little and then rest on what seems to be the longest rocket mass heater bench that I've ever seen.
More about rocket mass heaters in our DVD set at
https://richsoil.com/wood-heat.jsp
Thanks to Dan Ohmann of The Grass-fed Homestead channel for helping me with the editing:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc2ka-aGChwIiX0mEXzfmoA
Relevant stuff at permies:
https://permies.com/t/30006/pebble-style-rocket-mass-heater
https://permies.com/f/260/rocket-mass-heaters
https://permies.com/wiki/63837/Wood-Heat-DIY-Rocket-Mass
https://permies.com/t/40573/beautiful-rocket-mass-heaters
https://permies.com/t/41635/top-questions-rocket-mass-heaters
https://richsoil.com/rocket-stove-mass-heater.jsp
http://woodburningstoves2.com/
Permaculture Playing Cards
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177 hours of Permaculture Design Course and Appropriate Technology Course
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Better Wood Heat: DIY Rocket Mass Heaters 4-DVD set
https://richsoil.com/wood-heat.jsp
Wood Burning Stove 2.0 4-DVD set
http://www.woodburningstoves2.com/
World Domination Gardening 3-DVD set
https://richsoil.com/wd-gardening.jsp
Permaculture Homestead Podcasts
https://permies.com/f/88/permaculture-podcast
Permaculture Design Course and Appropriate Technology Course
https://richsoil.com/pdc.jsp
Rocket Mass Heater Workshop Jamboree
https://richsoil.com/rmh-workshop.jsp
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