Michele Catoire

Hi,

do you remember the ratios of the mixture for both the "mix of clay, sand, cement and vermiculite for the base... [and] a sand, clay and cement mix to create my mass around the firebox and encase the exhaust pipe until it went vertical".   I dont have the experience of mixing cement and its properties to see what might be the best combination of items.  I am assuming that the vermiculite was to keep it lighter?

Michele

What type of metal barrel should I get?   regular steel or galvanized steel?   I have an option of both - but I will have to burn off the coating on the regular steel barrel.

Thank you,
Michele

Hi,  I am looking for a similar way to try and use rocket mass heaters.  I have a fireplace between 2 bookcases, A frame which means high ceiling and no fan.   I also have a basement below it, so any rigging of a rocket heater would have to be on the brick just outside the fireplace doors.  How much does the cob/mass have to be (weigh) for effective use - what other masses could be used to capture the heat?  Or would I have to use one of the bookcase bottom cabinets for the mass for any potential capture of the heat before it was funneled out the chimney?   "Retrofitting" so to speak does not seem to be an option without major construction....