Start and Operate Batch Box RMH - PEP BB rocket.sand.batch1

Batch box mass heater.

Batch box mass heater.
Left to right paper for riser warming fire, cardboard wich to help flame move from paper to tinder, tinder, kindling, small wood. Paul asked us to burn ugly wood and bark so we'll see how much of the box I can burn in an hour.
The water on the floor is me trying not to set the broom on fire when I sweep the escaped coals back in.

While working with the boots on some Chop and Drop at Allerton Abbey, I started the batch box to get a feel for it, anticipating staying the night and wanting some practice.

The last bb for pep 1!! Batch boxing... Dez taught me to get all the fire starting materials in place before lighting. His protocol worked like a charm.

To get certified for this Badge Bit you must provide:
 - 4 pictures
      o pic of starting materials, PROPERLY placed in the batch box before fire
      o pic of fire started to warm the riser - at the back of the batch box
      o pic of additional wood added
      o pic of even more wood added

I lit the rocket batch stove in the Wheaton Labs workshop.

Dave Burton wrote:This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum. Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Rocket.

This BB requires you to start and operate a batch box mass heater for one hour. You are not required to build your own rocket mass heater but you will need access to one.

NOTE!  Starting a batch box rocket mass heater is not like starting a conventional wood stove.   You MUST warm the riser first!   So you will either put paper in the riser, or you will start a small fire near the back of the batch box to help warm the riser.   All in an effort to keep smoke from coming out.


For this badge to be counted, the full operation of this BB is done with zero smoke leaking into the room.   ZERO!  

To get certified for this Badge Bit you must provide:
  - 4 pictures
       o pic of starting materials, PROPERLY placed in the batch box before fire
       o pic of fire started to warm the riser - at the back of the batch box
       o pic of additional wood added
       o pic of even more wood added

We don't have smoke backdrafting into the room, but we've been living in the Allerton Abbey this week and doing all heating and cooking with the stove there. I didn't even know this was a badge bit until a few minutes ago, and I can't officially show "warming the riser", as it hasn't really been cooled down since we started using it! (it happens when you are frequently cooking on it...)

This is our last day at Allerton Abbey, and I'm trying to slow cook some tomatoes down for spaghetti sauce, so I don't expect to let the fire go out, and I don't know when or if I'll get another chance at this BB... The very idea of making spaghetti sauce from scratch demands longer than an hour of cooking...

The starting material in place (the paper is buried in the back, as it's been customary to save up the used paper towels and throw them in every time we start a fire).

Fire started


A view deeper inside, showing the burning at the back?


Adding wood is easy 🙂


At this point, I'm looking for long-term, slow-burn (gettin' it done! Knowing that we can't lose - and we'll be rockin' in Paradise...)
For those who are old enough to recognize that lyric, now you have a pleasant ear worm that will be with you the rest of the day...  You're welcome!