You can use a torch to light the stove using the front opening. After lighting, I cover the opening with an empty 5oz catfood can. I have three cans, two having different size holes in them for differing air allowance. I typically use the torch on short lengths of wood lath to start the fire going. When the supply of lath runs out, I use an ax to split up small boards.

The torch lighting is shown in photo V .



Put a grill over the draft tube. This will keep the coals from burning through the bottom of the stove and allow air to come in through the draft tube. You will probably have to replace the grill each year. See photo W .



The stove will create about 1 to 2 pounds of ash each day. It is best to remove the ash after each day because a buildup will reduce the heat output. Photo X shows the tools I use to remove ash. I use a magnet to remove nails and screws from the ash because I put the ashes on the lawn in the spring.



You will have to deal with a buildup of soot (creosote) in your chimney. I tied a rope to a brick, and wrapped an old t-shirt around it, and pulled it up and down the chimney every year.



I have looked into “soot-destroyer” chemicals and found them wanting. Tests of these chemicals show they barely work if at all. One popular class is a mixture of 90% potassium nitrate and 10% charcoal, which actually promotes chimney fires. The idea being to have frequent small chimney fires instead of one big one. These materials have ignited the soot in the stove pipe, causing it to glow a dull red.



A second type of soot destroyer is a fire retarding chemical that vaporizes in the flames and then condenses on the soot deposits. It acts to make the soot more difficult to ignite. You still have the problem of buildup in your chimney.



Another possibility is to put small pieces of broken plasterboard in with the wood. The idea is that hot sulfur dioxide is formed and it reacts with the soot in the chimney. As I recall, plasterboard is calcium sulfate and it decomposes into calcium oxide and sulfur dioxide when heated.



The first use of this stove should probably be outside so as to burn off any combustibles on the outer surface. Like wise, don’t paint the outside of the stove because it will smoke and burn off.



If you have welding equipment, you should add a lower chamber for collecting and removing ashes. This could be made from another helium container.



I found that keeping flammable materials at least 3 feet from the stove was adequate for fire safety. This is especially true of the area directly over the stove, where heat is concentrated. Any smoke alarms should be positioned away from the stove because some smoke is often emitted when you refuel the stove.



As I used the stove, sometimes the cap on the front opening would pop off after a new charge of wood was added. So, I added a bolt to hold the cap in place. This is illustrated in photo Y .



The valve in the photo was something that I added on the stove I’ve been using. It has proven to be completely unnecessary and always open.



If you are using this stove in the city, start with small amounts of wood. Start in early fall with small loads so as to get the neighbors used to seeing smoke come from your chimney. City people, seeing that, OMG!!!, there is smoke coming from a chimney, will call the fire department to investigate. That, in turn, could lead to confiscation, condemnation, or regulation. In my case, the fire department was fascinated and found nothing to criticize.



As much as possible, keep your wood supply dry and out of sight. You don’t want neighbors claiming that a woodpile is an “eyesore” or a “rat haven”. Keep some wild cats around to control any rodents.



You can also burn small amounts of various plastics. Some plastics will produce quite a lot of quick heat.



I found that, on really cold days, the stove can be used to melt aluminum for casting. My cast iron crucible holds about 18 oz of water and that amount of aluminum requires a lot of heat to melt. Even on cold days, melting aluminum can easily raise the interior temperature to 100 degrees. It takes about an hour and a half of stoking the fire to completely melt it.



Photo Z is an illustration of charging the stove with wood. I have to split most logs to get them in. Much of my fuel is broken furniture. The fire in this photo is simulated.



The main design principle here is the use of a tube or pipe to admit air the fire within. This tube serves two purposes: One, to preheat the air entering the stove and two, to dampen oscillations in the air column through the stove and up the chimney. These principles can be used in masonry stoves, barrel stoves, and cast iron stoves.



The thing about this project that gave me the most trouble and frustration was compiling the text and pictures on a Windows computer. Windows programs seem designed to impede and infuriate the unfortunate user. I think we will never have good software until Microsoft is out of business.



Next time, I’ll use numbers for the pictures. I almost ran out of letters on this one.









