Rocket stove vs. Conventional Wood Burning Stove HELP PLEASE

I've had a regular wood burning stove for years, but don't like that I have to use so many cords of wood. I do like being able to load it up and not have to mess with it for several hours.

My questions: Do rocket stoves require frequent attention? With a top feed (sticks vertical) would I get a longer burn time?

I did make a small rocket stove to boil my sap but the draw was not good. It did not pull the air in and through the burn chamber. It burned UP the stick until the stick fell out.

Thanks for your help

Clint Genthner wrote:[size=12] I do like being able to load it up and not have to mess with it for several hours.

Rather than reading up on rocket stoves, you'll want to start reading up on rocket mass heaters.
The combustion is accomplished in a similar way, but if you're heating a dwelling, then you'll want a mass heater. While you're at it, search "masonry heater." In fact, search all the combinations of "masonry/russian/finnish" and "heater/stove".

Rocket mass heaters and masonry stoves are separate (but converging) traditions, where you burn your wood absolutely as hot as possible, then store the heat in a heavy mass, and let it warm up the dwelling a while. When the mass starts to cool off, you burn another fire. Lots of folks build their heaters the right size to have a fire twice a day.

I'm planning to build a masonry heater this summer, and that'll be my target. One fire in the morning, one fire at night.

Hi Clint; My 8" RMH in the greenhouse needs wood apx once every hour to hour & half. Because it is in a greenhouse ,during cold temps , below 10 degrees or so we keep the fire going all day till 10 or so at night the coldest the the greenhouse got this winter was 41 ! When the temps are moderate , like now 25 + at night and 40's during the day I build a fire first thing in the morn, before work ,one charge of wood before i leave and its out all day till 7-8 at night when we burn another 2 hours or so. When I build in the house, I would expect to have a small fire each evening and maybe one in the morn if temps are around 0 ! The amount of heat these hold is truly amazing. Don't let the small wood and small firebox (feed tube) worry you. After you build one and live with it for just a little while , you will be out on the street corner telling anybody who will listen how wonderful these are! Good luck Tom

Thanks for your help guys! I will avoid using my woodburner in the workshop I will build, and instead build a rocket mass heater as recommended.
It sounds like I'll be so happy with the the results that I'll want to put one in the house as well, although I may not because of code and voiding my house insurance.
I appreciate you all helping out,
Clint