New stove build in Canada

Good Morning, I have been reading and trying to plan out my stove build for a couple of years now. Ihave gathered some supplies and began building a week or so ago.
I appreciate any advice as I plug along.
This stove is actually being built for more of a novelty than neccesity. I am building it in our outdoor kitchen where we do all of our canning and food prep (butchering).
My goal is a vortex riserless stove with a flat top hot plate witha small bench to sit and read at night.
Basic design is being copied from Vortexstove over at donkeysite.
Looking forward meeting all that have gone down this road in the past

Tom

Hi Tom;
Big Welcome to Permies!
Congratulation's on starting construction on your new Rocket!
Looks like you have all the right products on hand to make a supper addition to your summer kitchen!
We need many pictures please , as you commence your build!  

Thanks for the Welcome Thomas. This is my first time trying anything withbrick and morter. I was a car guy for a long time until my back didnt want me rolling around on the floor anymore

Welcome, Tom! Awesome project!

I was able to get some of the dense firebrick crushed up. I put it on top of the insulating clinker type material that I had put in the bottom half ofthe tunnel/bench. I plan onputting those bricks on top of the crushed firebrick to be the base of a bench/chair....somewhere for an ol navy vet to sit and warm an aching back
That is where I want the most of my heat transfer to takeplace. I am hoping I can control that some what by adding or removing those same bricks in the bell to the left of the firebox.


Got my descriptions backwards on the pics

Hi Tom, interesting build, It might not matter to you at all but I am not sure if the concrete blocks and brick dust will be the best form of mass?
It might take a long time for the heat to penetrate  through the brick dust and the blocks as they may have some insulating property due to trapped air?
I built a vortex stove based on Trevs design but my version was not very successful , I think it was due to a few factors like back pressure, length of chimney and wood moisture.
My version did produce a fantastic display for short periods but it was very fickle and sensitive, so I reverted back to my old design.
However i did not copy Trevs exact specs so it is not surprising my vortex did not work fot me long term.
I am looking forward to seeing  how yours works for you as the display can be awesome!

Thanks Fox what is generally used in the "tunnel" I was guessing as these bricks are very good at heat transfer.
I am building a 7 inch system

I use your video when I am trying to explain this stove to people lol

Am I correct in assuming the airflow (primary, secondary, and tertiary) is the most important to getthe visual vortex
I am also wandering from trevs specs but i am hoping to build this in a way that makes it easy enough to change if at first I dont succeed....I can try try again
Tom

Hi Tom, a popular method is not to have a tunnel  as such but a void or ‘bell’

I only have a small amount of  mass and it is cast from concrete and vibrated to remove any air.
Brick is popular as well, it is just that concrete blocks are quite porous  ie you can pour water straight through them because they are full of air pockets.
A good example might be the sun on a  beach will make the sand really hot on the surface but only a few inches down it will be cool as the sand works as a insulator due to the trapped air.

I did love my vortex stove, it was spectacular at the mid burn and I may build another one but my own personal circumstances make my j tube vortex much easier to use.

I made all the forms for the firebox today. I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out my vibration for this refractory. My best solution seems to be the reciprocating saw with no blade in it.
Tomorrow afternoon will be the test

Oh yeah! Any suggestions on what to use on the forms for waterproofing and non sticking.

Used oil? .....Vegetable oil?

I make my molds from melimaime, refractory cement sticks even more that standard cement.
The problem with oils is that it contaminates  the cement, wax is better.
Tin foil works as does cling film but neither are anywhere as good  as plastic lined mold.
Are you adding fibres or steel pins to your mix?

Fox James wrote:I make my molds from melimaime, refractory cement sticks even more that standard cement.
The problem with oils is that it contaminates  the cement, wax is better.
Tin foil works as does cling film but neither are anywhere as good  as plastic lined mold.
Are you adding fibres or steel pins to your mix?

Hey James yeah wondered about getting myself into a pickle if I used old oil, figured I might get some weird chemical reaction
I have used marine spar varnish before for concrete and that seemed to work good.

I dug out my old Positive Air unit I use to use for painting cars I figure I will wear it ....seems this stuff is a bit nasty

I am not adding anything to the mix  I figured its just a box no structural component to it.

Are there any rules to this forum I should be aware of.

Tom

Plastic fibres are especially  effective, they are tiny but melt once heated and allow moisture to escape form the piece. It is moisture that more often than not causes cracking.

However many if not most refractory cements will already have burn out fibres in their product, some also contain stainless steel pins but normally only the expensive ones!

Varnish sounds good but it would have to be well cured.

Vibrating is very important to get the air bubbles  out but you will soon find out that refractory cement is mixed extremely dry, normally 4 litres per 25 kg.

Make sure you follow the manufactures  instructions with the water content and vibrate immediately it is put in the mold, it will start set in 10-15 minutes, most will be set hard in one hour and cured in 24 hours but it will still hold moisture until heated.

tom ferrier wrote:Oh yeah! Any suggestions on what to use on the forms for waterproofing and non sticking.
Used oil? .....Vegetable oil?

I used wax for 20 years until I discovered WD40 oil. Add sparingly and wipe any excess with a cloth.

Peter van den Berg wrote:

tom ferrier wrote:Oh yeah! Any suggestions on what to use on the forms for waterproofing and non sticking.
Used oil? .....Vegetable oil?

I used wax for 20 years until I discovered WD40 oil. Add sparingly and wipe any excess with a cloth.

Thanks Peter I have lots of that here

Well I got the sides and back section of the firebox poured today. This mixer is a cement mixer I think it may have been better with a morter mixer The refractory wanted to roll into balls more than mix but I was able totake a large wooden "paddle" and help out with the mixing.
Looking forward to pulling the forms tomorrow.

I was thinking of putting these in the oven for a few hours tomorrow...good idea?

How did it work out?

Im pretty happyso far....I still need to do the bottom, the top,and the two angled pieces.
I made those molds up today.

I am still trying to figure out my air intakes.
Is the P channel a good option for secondary air intake on these stoves

There is no direct secondary air on Trevors design, just one air inlet below the door and the ability  to crack open the door.
I tried, tested and used a few different ways but found no improvement on the single inlet.

Still making progress

I have left the uprights long until I sort outmy heights. I already messed up the finished height of the firebox but I am going forward as is.

Looking good mate, are those insulating bricks place on the top chamber ?
The vortex stove is not a light undertaking and I think you need to stay as close to spec as possible!

Thanks James no those are heavy fire brick. I am hoping to get to a pottery store Friday that is a couple of hours away. They have the brick and board I need to keep going.
Trev is great  he pointed that out as well and gave me the size I need for the afterburner.

I used a fair bit of vermiculite board, I did treat  one side with water glass to help make it last  but some bits did crack, I largely swapped it for insulating bricks in the end although they can be expensive and might offer more of a health risk, I found them great to work with!
The top chamber can get to over 700c at peak burn so it is a tough environment!
Please keep the info coming …..

I was able to get some of the steel cut and installed this week. I also got the cfb all covered up.

Looking good, I am happy to see you treating the ceramic fibre with its due respect.

Fox James wrote:Looking good, I am happy to see you treating the ceramic fibre with its due respect.

Oh yeah I wanted to get it covered up. I got all suited up to cut it