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rocket mass heaters

Dragon Transformation 8" J tube to 6" Batch Box

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

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posted 5 years ago

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Hi All;
Today was the day. After seven years, I retired our beloved 8" J tube!
Yesterday I completed the door for the 6" batchbox that will proudly step up and take her place.
With the metal work completed .That freed me up to start her transformation.
I got her completely emptied out. Did a complete inspection(autopsy) of all all her internals.
After seven years of hard burning she was in perfect condition! Could have happily continued for another seven years!
A few cracked brick that were hurting nothing, the perlite clay riser was in perfect condition. Burn tunnel was perfect condition.

I saved out a handful of firebricks and started filling in the box.
All the cob from my barrel and all the cob that I had saved from a rebuild. Plus some new perlite fireclay to top it all off!

Tomorrow I can lay the secondary tube down and start building the box around it!

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
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Gerry Parent

Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1847

Location: Kaslo, BC

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posted 5 years ago

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Lots of great information to learn from here Thomas.

1) The fiberglass mesh buried within the cob around the barrel seems to be in very good condition and still able to do its job in keeping this area from crumbling apart from all the years of expansion/contraction between steel and cob.

2) The barrel looks like it only has surface rust on it and could survive a lot longer as well. For those that have a bench made out of half barrels, this is a good reassurance.

3) For those that have a properly made perlite/clay riser, it can still be considered a very good option if you want to keep costs down.

4) That door is going to look great once installed!

Silence is Golden
For all your RMH needs:
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thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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Hi Gerry: Thank You!
Yes, the mesh worked perfect! It is the thing to do if you want to have a partially cobbed barrel!
The 55 gal barrel will get a lite sanding and a blast of high heat paint. It had paint seven years ago... can't imagine where it went...
I would love to find a local home for that riser it is in perfect shape. Now that I know about 5 & 6 minute risers I can't see using it here again.

Made good progress today.
Got the secondary air tube placed. Got a firebrick floor put down.
Made up a form box for when I mortar the bricks in.
Discovered that my Skamal insulated bricks will fit perfectly between the firebrick and the red clay decorative brick surround.
Got my 6 minute riser cut. And did a partial mock up to see how it all fits together.

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

Gerry Parent

Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1847

Location: Kaslo, BC

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posted 5 years ago

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Great progress Thomas!

Are you going with firebricks for the roof also or using a piece of cf board?
If your going with bricks, looks like there is about 1/4" of a ledge on each side to support them?

Silence is Golden
For all your RMH needs:
dragontechrmh.com

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

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posted 5 years ago

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Hi Gerry;
I'll use 1" CF board as a roof and then I will use red brick over that.
You may notice how long the secondary air tube is.
I built it long so it can be cut to fit once the new door is mounted.
Currently mulling over, ways build a brick box to sit the back of the barrel on.
Maybe have to get more red brick! You can't have too many!

For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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Not a lot of time today but I started mudding things into place.
Needed to keep my form in place to make sure that my door fit!
Then I brought the door itself in, just to see it in place!
The orange bricks will not be mudded at all.
The red clay bricks will be Portland cemented as a secure outer shell for the box.
Off to the big city of Sandpoint tomorrow. I'm thinking 50 more red bricks and a new sack of mortar mix needs to come home.

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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Had an idea this evening; See if I could cut the cob above the transition area flat and use that to bring my brick around.
2 minutes with a carpenters saw made a great start! As long as I can just follow that around. I will have a great base to put brick on and come up high enough to place my barrel

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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Things are coming along nicely! Got a fair amount done today.
Couple more days and it will be ready to light off!

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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Today I got very close!
All that's left is to mud in the door.
Drill and set two tapcon masonry bolts to make sure the door stays attached!
Clean out last years ashes, seal up the cleanout door.
And build a fire !!!

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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And here it is starting to dry out!

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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Working on covering the barrel.

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7148

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4305

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posted 5 years ago

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And still drying but Finished!

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

Eric Hammond

Posts: 401

Location: SW Missouri

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posted 5 years ago

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This is great! I'm happy for you!

Note to self: don't get into a fist fight with a cactus. Command this tiny ad to do it:

Contemplate spending the next 20 years building a better world in montana

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