thomas rubino

Hi Mathew;
40F with wind is plenty cold enough to have an RMH. Add some rain/ sleet, and you will really appreciate it.
I suggest you consider not building a bench with pipes.
Most new builds utilize a brick bell (stratification chamber).
A much better use of space than a long immovable bench.

Shorty Core is a superb choice; being "short," her bell could fit under your stairs.
Construction is more technical, but still well within most folks' capabilities.
A 6" Shorty utilizes a bell apx 4' x 5', easy to add a few extra supports underneath, weight with bricks should be apx #2000- #2500

An 8" J-Tube is very easy to build, though it requires headroom for the tall riser, and the space under the stairs would not be ideal.

Also, there is a big difference between using a barrel versus using a brick bell.
The barrel will rapidly throw heat in the room, and can quickly become too hot.
A brick bell takes some time to heat the bricks before they can heat your room, but once heated they will hold and share that heat for many hours

We have used 1/2" copper for 45 years with no problems.
Installed by the propane company, the tank has only one regulator, the run is apx 60'.
We have a standard 4-burner stove oven, an on-demand hot water heater, a propane refrigerator, a hardly used 10,000 BTU unvented heater, plus two 15,000 BTU heaters in other buildings. We also have our generator running from the large (250 gal) tank as well.
So quite a few appliances, all easily run by 1/2" copper.
We have never had a supply issue.

I will say that now, they are using either 1/2" black steel, with a bright yellow covering, or, as John mentioned a bright yellow all-plastic line.

Perfect plan, Nancy.
Playing with bricks and building your first J-Tube outdoors is the recommended way to approach RMHs.
Some folks get carried away (Like Paul) and build a roof and bench for happy outdoor meetings.
But a simple J-Tube with no barrel will let you experience the roar of a Dragon and how simple they really are to build.
Once you hear the roar and watch the flames burning horizontally, you will be hooked.
And when you build indoors, remember you can start with a J-Tube and a year later upgrade to a Batchbox for a longer, hotter burn.
I highly recommend not building a bench, as they are very hard and take up a lot of space. A brick bell will heat your home equally, or even better, and a comfy chair, be it a recliner or a rocker, is much more comfy and movable than an 8' long bench.

Hi Tiffany;
As a general rule of thumb. The surface temperature of the bench on a J-Tube averages around 100F; perhaps, if you pushed hard for long enough, it could reach 150F.
At those temperatures, nothing is going to burst into flames.  Ignition happens at 456F.
Most of the early rocketeers simply put the cushion on while napping or just sitting, and then remove it when done.
Remember the mass is to warm your home, not a cushion.
That cushion is holding the heat in the mass rather than radiating it into your home, and ultimately allowing it to leave up the chimney.

My suggestion would be to rebuild your RMH and give it a 4'x5' bell, rather than a bench, and then place comfy chairs nearby.

Hi James, welcome to Permies!
I'm planning on upgrading our solar system this summer as well!
As damp and rainy as your spring is, perhaps you need to consider building an RMH to help chase off the chill!
Pop on over to the RMH forum and learn all about how to do so!

Great Job, Guys!
I like the saw blade on the inside!
It is now "shoulder" season here, and I had to use the bypass on Shorty last night and on the Shop Dragon this morning.
The Studio Dragon has no bypass installed and did not need one even when cold and wet, but the pipe for installing one was built into the bell, just in case!

Hi Olga;
Here you go.
Shorty core is a single skin
The Studio dragon is a double skin, first-generation Batchbox.
My shop dragon is a unique hybrid, a first-generation Batchbox using double barrels and a single-skin bell.

The 7" square glass pane on my Shorty Core quickly throws an amazing amount of heat.
The door metal itself also quickly becomes a radiator.
If you choose to build a high-mass stove, your wood needs will plummet, and your home will be toasty warm from front to back.

Hi Olga;
Let me ask you a few questions, and then I will address your concerns.

How are you heating your home now?  Wood? Electric? Gas?
Does your high-ceiling home have ceiling fans?
How often do you leave for a few days during heating season?  How cold is your winter season?

On to your concerns.
A) The latest designs of RMH Batchboxes no longer use an oil barrel; they are now built entirely of masonry.
Once warm, heating a high-ceilinged, open-floor-plan would be no problem.
Yes, masonry takes several hours from stone cold before it starts sharing its heat.
Your stone walls (as you know) are heat sinks; if they get cold, it's going to take time to heat them up, no matter what form of heating you use.
Humidity is not an issue with a wood burner.
B) If I may ask, how old is too old to build yourself?  Or perhaps a physical limitation would prevent you?  Both very valid reasons!
Despite common perceptions, building a clay/brick RMH isn't technically difficult; it can be built very slowly over many months.
Another option, have a younger person build one slowly under your supervision.
C)  The oil barrel is only a good idea if instant heat is desired; it is very easy to make your home too hot with one.
An all-masonry RMH can be built as a single skin or with a double skin.
The single skin takes several hours to warm up, and shares that heat for 12-24 hours.
A double skin takes twice as long to share its heat but can hold that heat 24-48 hrs.

I cannot describe how warm your home would be; you have to experience it for yourself.
But depending on how you heat now, once you heat with bricks, you will never go back.

Give the oven a try, John, and let us know how it works.
I wonder if you need to stir it while baking?
Are fresh green beans lower in cost?
I would guess that a green bean would store longer than a roasted bean.