Adam Stickler

I had a thought so please tell me if it's stupid or worth trying. The stove I have has a removable top with a "rope gasket." If I take the top off, insulate the stove, and put a barrel over it? Just to clarify I would still leave the section of downer intact just remove the top. Do you think the barrel would cool down the gasses for the draft and still vent out the existing stove?

Yes, I'm seeing this was a very big mistake and I've listened to the advice of some people in the design stage that I should not have listened to. Not sure what to do with this thing now, other than a boat anchor. I really should have followed the traditional model. I have a lot of time and money invested in this thing, so if anyone has any more ideas how to make it work I'm all ears.

I've been able to make some improvements on the draft. I lined the inside front part or heat riser, burn tunnel, and fire pot with firebrick and for good measure stacked firebrick on three sides of the heat riser on the outside. The draft is working very well but I'm still not getting good temp on the stove or the far end of the stove pipe. I may have made the mass to big or this may be that the mass is wet. I'm thinking about taking the rock out and switching to sand. any thoughts?

I'm really interested in your design concept. personally I would use sand on the bottom for sure. At least a thin layer. When you put in an above ground pool you put down sand to keep any rocks or sharp objects from ripping the liner. This would be the same I would think. Pressure from the water pushing down the plastic against the blocks might give you some pin holes. I would love to see some pics if you build it.

well, that gives me hope. The whole top of the stove is removable so I can clean it if need be. I should just have to pull the top off, line with firebrick, and re-bolt the top on. I was also thinking about firebrick on the outside of the heat riser as well as the brick on the inside. Not sure if that would be pointless or if the idea has merit. Either way, I'm going to try and fix the inside with the brick tomorrow. I will let you know how I make out.

Thanks again!

Thank you for all the advice. What if I cut firebricks and stack them in the fire pot, burn tunnel and up the heat riser? that way I could cut down the inside dimensions of the stove from 8x8 and then it would be even with the output of the 6x6. I could secure the firebrick to the steel using furnace cement. Any idea?

The first pic is the stove in the shop after welding. The others show the stove pipe being installed.

I did think of this in my design stage. I used B2 unmodified (Crusher Run) stone. It has a lot of clay, stone chips, and dirt so it packs in very well. As far as the mass, I'm thinking that will work just fine once I get it dry. I'm just having trouble getting it to that point. The stove doesn't have a very strong draft. It will draft, but with some smoke back and the fire doesn't get very hot.

I've started a rocket mass heater in my basement and I'm having a few problems. I'm not sure if i made the system too large or what. I have a bed of crushed stone that is about 5'x10' that I'm trying to heat. The stove is not the typical design with a barrel outside and chimney inside. I welded steel tubing together to make up the stove and buried that in the stone bed up to the top of the fire box. It drafts ok, not as rockety as I'd like, but the stone is wet from being outside for a while. The bed has about 35' of pipe in it and then runs up a chimney. I've gotten the stove up to 300 F. Any idea's about how I might improve my results. I do have pictures but will take me a little while before I can post them. Thanks!