Building in Portugal

Not sure my DIY skills will be sufficient for building what I want in Portugal. Wondering what options I would have available to get someone to help me build or to build for me a batch rocket here in center of Portugal...

Hi Ivan; Welcome to Permies!

I have added your post to a few other forums as well. See if we can catch the attention of others in your area. I know there are Permies and RMH fans there!
Tell us about your idea.  What size home do you have ? What part were you hoping to heat. Does your home currently have a chimney ?  Do you have any back round information about building RMH ?
Have you been to Peter Bergs batch box site ?
(donkey32.proboards.com/thread/1998/batchrocket-eu-information-site)     that is on another forum called Donkey pro board.  They seem to specilize in batchbox building.
Do you have a copy of the rocket mass heaters builders guide ? If not you should try to get a copy it is full of important information.

Are you sure you need a batch box ? Maybe a simple to build J tube would work in your warmer climate?  With a copy of the builders guide and help from us here at Permies, I think you could build a J tube rmh on your own !

I know there are others in your area, possably one or more of them would be willing to come work with you.  Lets hope one of them responds!

Hi Thomas, Need to do more research and will get a hold of the handbook. Have it on my list of to-do's. In Central portugal it gets quite cold during the winter for several months and we have a lot of humidity. I am looking to heat one area of 80m" and another of 120m2, mainly living areas. Yes there is an existing chimney n one but as we are redoing the roof chimney can be remodelled as necessary. In a second home there is a ruin and everything to be redone. I do have some background on RMH and do know there is a team that is starting out here building very simple models and a more experienced builder in the south of the country but his rates are too high for me to afford. I know Peter Berg's Batch site and will look into the J tube. Thanks for the help and the welcome. Ivan

Hi Ivan; Yes , definitely locate a copy of the builders guide.  If you are redoing your chimney I suggest  using 8" , this will give you better options than being limited to a 6".
I'm sure your DIY skills are up to a J tube rmh construction.

A person's perception of cold sure is relative to a location.  I looked up temperature's in your area.  They said average winter temps are in the +17C range...  in comparison , here in northern Montana it is currently -14C with the high today expected to top out near -5C   Tonight's low is expected to dip down to -20C  

Hello Ivan
I did't know the term "batch rocket" but I have been studying the possibility of building rocket stoves which can burn larger pieces of wood, horizontally fed. Here is a list of projects I've been involved in.
I don't know exactly where you are located. I live near Mafra. If you are not very far away, I could visit you, just to exchange ideas.
Cristian

Hi Christian. I am in Tomar so about 1 hour away. Am following up various leads. When you say you were involved in do you yourself feel experienced enough or do you work with someone who has the skill? you can send me your contact details if you want

I guess I may say I was the leader in those three projects.
As about "do I feel experienced enough", that's a difficult question. Perhaps I could visit you to exchange ideas, then we decide whether I am experienced enough.

Hi Ivan, my name is Roelof. I lived in Portugal for 15 years where I built two batch rocket stoves, suitable for a warmer climate like Portugal's. Also I instructed a builders group to make another two. Two years ago I started a website about it (roquetinho.eu), and just this week I uploaded an improved version of it. It's a simple step-by-step building plan, together with Sketchup 3D files.

I hope this can help you. I live in Holland now, since I lost everything in Portugal in the wildfires of 2017. But I'd be willing to support online.

I believe that builders group is still active, so you could try that too. They are located around Tabua / Oliveira do Hospital and their website is batchrocket.pt.

Does anyone have any experience with this company and/ or does anyone have any comments on their "rocket heaters"?
W