Matt Walker continental stove build

sorry  delayed response , we had a storm --lots of bright light and big bangs---blew out the power for a day ---but the fibercable service was down for 4 days---we came damn close to total collapse of civilization ---as we know it and have become comfortably  accustomed to---on to the use of mortars and mixes of --which or what to use ---its all been said before and reasoned out ---traditional  russian /eastern european stoves and mortar mixes are a lot different ---those stove types are not riserless cores , or feature a secondary air combustion box---i stuck to mostly following the advise from Walker stoves , and other stove builds---i used builders sand as thats all my local supplier had at the time ---should have gone for a finer plastering sharp sand---no little pebbles ---so the joints can be made smaller/thinner----reduced/less chance of joints cracking ---i used fireclay ---but only because i could source it with out delays ---as in trying to find a local clay and digging it up and cleaning it and so on ----i should have sifted the dry fire clay as well ---mine had plenty of hard shards and pieces in it----its meant to be ball milled before use---to become a very fine powder. The stove does not really get up to the high heat temp that fireclay is used at in pottery firing ----so ordinary fine clay is just as good for this stove----i used some sifted out wood ash in my mix to just give some plasticity to it ---and a slight stickness to it as well---helps it stick to dry bricks ---important for beginers to brick work like me---

the use of red clay brick in the firebox would not work for too long , the temperatures generated are above its rating , using fireclay in the mortar mix is also an non essential as the temperature generated do not reach the figures that fireclays are rated at ---a minimum of  about 1500 C ---its just added expense----but the amount required to build the stove is not that much ---say as compared to laying up several thousands of  brick in a russian /eastern european type stove. Its not going to give any advantage if used in either types of stove --- it would be generally used as its easier to source from building suppliers than ordinary clays which are common in the ground ----but not available in the trades---unless you can a approach a local clay brick maker or pit---or a pottery . The latest advice for the riserless core build and firebox ---if using the insulated firebrick or the heavy and hard fire brick --is not to mortar them ---they are dry stacked to cope with the way the stoves are used ---a quick hot burn and cool down ----as compared to large forges and furnaces where these bricks are designed for use in at much longer high temp firings and much slower cool down times. Its also recommended to keep the rest of the stoves build ---which is with common clay brick---using thinner layers over thick layers of joining mortar ---this reduces cracking ---makes a more stable build--- but i believe that all of the stoves will eventually have cracks after awhile---as long as the seam of mortar is good and covers the bricks width ---there wont be a problem -----we are not building a load bearing single  brick wall or a single width brick planter box or a brick water cistern---its a stove with a clay and sand joint that does not set up ---it dries out---its a softer type of joint meant to cope with movement and be easily repaired ---the formation of large cracks in a much bigger stove would be a problem.

Samuel , the stove is experimental so the making of hot water with it is underway ----Matt of Walker Stoves ---has advised on some of it --- if my wallet could be persuaded to pay for his passage over and his labour input ---i am sure my problem would have been sorted---so i carry on ----making changes and trying it out ---conclusions that it has not worked out are too early to make---and i look for further ideas from other similar completed stove builds ---yes i will be remaking a heating coil ---in copper ---no it will not be in the firebox ---its going to be no longer than 80 cm ----using new waterline quality copper-----will it absorb copper ---theoretically ---yes---will it be drinking water ----no ---its for washing ---not cooking with---will my family s hair go green -------well i think some of them have done that already in the past ----and its quite common over here on paddy s day----i am more concerned with micro plastics ,herbicides ,heavy metals , fluorides and hormone contamination in our water sources supplied to our taps ----and now i must make a start at building in the oven side of the stove ----so onwards --forwards---backwards sometimes ---its off to work i go

Go Tony go
You are right about using copper and touting its many health benefits. Please give us all your ( prophet shouting in the wilderness? mad scientist running amok?) insights along the way.

can t say that i am an advocate of using copper , its just we do nt have much else to use ----the absorption of copper into water from  pipes is i think related more to the water property flowing through them ---filter and treatments before use plays a part---more so if the water source is contaminated----most of my pipework is black poly pipe ---and i wonder how good that is for us ---stainless steel is best some say ---in my case that would mean 120 meters down the bore---to the pump---a problem there with the rigid connection possibly  --then line the bore wall down some 40 meters with 180mm diameter---then another 80 meter to the house   ---thats before trying to bend it and all the connectors---so thats before investing in a pipe threader and cutter , hydraulic bender and dies ----so it becomes expensive---i am wondering if its possible to find  something to include in our diet that would clear the excess of metals out our bodies as an alternative----more reading up required

saw this whilest looking for some oven door inspiration ---all of which got knocked on the head---when reality  kicked in ---and back down to earth---here is 70 tons of a bread oven for a  swiss baker ---built by the last of the german craftsman using the special type of stone used over the centuries

sorry the brickwork is just a cladding ---all the secret stuff is inside it

Looks more to me like Thomas Rubino decided to build a rocket filing cabinet for his office...

well i hacked up an old stove from thinking i would simply be able to salvage the oven box and door off it , but had i forgoten about all the welding up work i had done  years ago when i made it up--and the build up of creosote ---that had eaten away at the metal its self ---so a whole heap of dust and 3 large cutting discs reduced to small cutting discs --is all i had to show for half a days  work---first half of the day was wrestling the bugger out of the old cottage. Another set back was ---no suitable scrap pieces to use so i   improvised and fortunately salvaged a top plate off the old stove ---which became my new oven s door.

so my option was to re purpose  ---a beer keg ---but i had sized my build on the oven side to the plans and more or less to the oven box shape from the old stove----so more cutting and welding ---lots of hammer used ---and i beat the keg into shape ---had i my bigger thinking cap on when i started out building the stove---the entire keg could have been used------- well there is always next time----on the door side ---facing the inside i want to insulate it with a piece of vermiculite board ---as i have seen used many times by Fox James on this forum ---as its food safe and heat resistant and then face the front of the board with a stainless steel sheet shaped to suit ---then bolt onto the mild steel door ---when i can gather all of this ---was also thinking---- (i am very slow at this) ---that a heat dial gauge---could be put in .will keep an eye out for one ---thinking again ---that one of those with the longer narrow probe---so i don t have to drill a 50mm or so sized hole through the 12mm thick steel door.

Really nice, Tony!

thanks ,its looking a bit tacky ---the matt black paint i used ----does not do anything like it says on the tin-----have to find some of the stuff i found before that worked well, and i have to oil the inside of it ---then put down a fire or three---season it up a bit ----open the windows first---calling it my dutch oven conversion---given the origins of the keg---and perhaps bake some beer bread in it over the weekend

If you used paint, it might burn off. Try stove black.

rest of the stove is hotter ---and just has ordinary matt black ---just a different cheap old brand of it---been running the stove for over a year---no issues yet --stove black is graphite paste---it rubs off constantly ---okay for a wood burn  type stove ---not being used as a cooker ---and as it dries out from the heat ---it dusts off ---i have used it on my older stoves---and done the black heat resistant paints---expensive and no longer lasting than cheap matt black ----none of the metal parts on the outside of a matt walker stove are being heated by direct flame --i just have to source my cheaper brand ---and it will work

I obviously really don't know enough to say anything.

So this is your oven in the walker? I understand you have the rounded shape because you used a beer barrel, but do you think the rounded top will cook things better?

We haven't built a  walker yet, but are planning to build the continental. I really don't want to have all of the food cooked in the oven having a smoked taste, so I always planned to pull the oven out of an old wood cooker. But it might turn out to be too rusty. So, if this is your oven, you're very inspiring. How is it for baking and roasting?

all opinions and questions are valid here, sorry not calling you out  ---just passing on my few pointers ---the walker stoves are quite  different from the average woodburn stove ---so no need for high temp paints---saving money---the bricks absorb all that heat and store it ---slowly releasing it back  ---different to your wood burn steel ones ---they throw out huge amount of heat ---while theres fuel to burn ---then they are done ---yes they will have some hot surface for awhile --so to get lasting heat ---the habit is to dampen it down ---and have a smoldering fire ---bad for your health and safety ---and to keep it looking decent ---have to use expensive high temp tolerant paint. The oven from a cast iron stove would be worthwhile to use ---if its cast iron ---which does nt spall and rust like mild steel does , ---would need to have a decent flange around it ---to work with when mounting this into brickwork-----the round part shape ---i dont think it makes much difference to how an oven works---advantage or not --i dont know ---only just put this in ---have not used the oven yet ----only the hot plate part of it. ---- barrel  is stainless steel --so should survive for awhile.---- i  did see some pics of old cast iron oven inserts for the old cast ranges that featured a curved shape on top ---these also had two iron rods --either side outside  of the oven box ---attached to a scrapper blade --which slid across the ovens  domed roof---by push and pull you could move the soot build up on top of the oven--

it had a water injection port at the back ---must have been a funnel of sorts to outside of the stove ---a shot of water poured in during some point in the baking of bread ---creates steam --moisture --improves the crust----not from my baking experiences --which is ---none---just from reading up on this

tony uljee wrote:these also had two iron rods --either side outside  of the oven box ---attached to a scrapper blade --which slid across the ovens  domed roof---by push and pull you could move the soot build up on top of the oven--

Hopefully you won't need the scrapers as the flue gases should be clean after a hot burn - no creosote. I am interested to see how practical the oven is for cooking. Regulating the temperature must be a bit boom and bust unless you can use the thermal mass there too, to even and spread out the heat surge from the quick burn.