Environmental engineer with a masters in renewable powers using the magic powers of permies.com to learn all about the "rocket" technology and innovate with the fellow rocket scientists.
Hi Michael. I imagine the application of the wood ash would be rather complicated.
If you get the ash on top of the cob I don’t know wether the next layer would adhere properly.
Also in this particular build the core needs the weight and the bracing by the cob, so I don’t think ash would work in this case here.
Hey Michael.
Good question!
The method I’m familiar with is heating the rocket up as soon as possible, so while the cob still has some plasticity. This way it adjusts to the other parts in their expanded state and very limited cracks should appear.
If you can’t do it that way you need expansion joints. A lot of people here use some super wool between different materials. Often where metal meets cob.
My client (https://permies.com/t/281004/Lightweight-Rocket-Mass-Heater-Mediterranean) has a lot of eucalyptus on her property.
It’s invasive and flammable, so she has to control it and cut and collect all windfall ect.
Someone told her it’s not good for burning in wood stoves.
I couldn’t find anything online that said it wasn’t ok to burn it.
Any permies here with experience using eucalyptus wood as fuel? We just want to be sure not to ruin her freshly built rocket.
As of yesterday the first Rocket Mass Heater designed and built by me is functional!
I’m very pleased with it. Jumped right to life despite being cold and wet.
The finishing plaster will be installed today and tomorrow.
I’ll update this thread with a documentation of the building process once I’m home and with a working PC.
