tony uljee

this is for Sarah ,  ---Heating Water With Fire-Homewood Stoves ,   this article has been my guideline ,and the best i have ever found ---and hes not trying to just plug his own product----

well sorry to read the plans are not in your budget , as they are vital to building one of these stoves---and without them trying to get the internal working and layout from pictures of other builds is difficult for a first time build of one of these---i know  as i thought in the same way---that i could save that outlay and put the money into buying materials for the build---but you can only back engineer this so far and lots of the important details are  are hard to make out clearly---as helpfull as majority  of people on this site are ---and many enthusiasts  for building these type stoves----we are also respectful to Matts design copyrights and the license . All of the questions you ask are talked about in Matts broaudio youtube  sessions , its all in those --takes some time and patience  to get through it all ---took me ages and repeated viewings plus reading as many posts as i could find of his --about stoves and how these really work and why they do---my own view points are limited compared to his experience---and i am still only a beginner  at this----so persevere and research ----success and goodluck for your future build

my stove is 2030mm long 800mm wide and 930mm in hight , my dimensions are more than Matts design sizes as i tried to keep to use of full size bricks with minimal cutting and the extended length mostly to house the hot water jacket. The stove plans are a guide  and not an exact build brick by brick description  ----everyones build will become unique as it progresses  ---buy all the  common clay bricks from one source or batch ---clay bricks vary a lot from batch to batch --so if they are second hand make sure to buy more than needed ---then dry build your stove layer by layer---dont cut any of your chosen bricks ---or the expensive insulated firebricks /ceramic blokboard that the core is made from---use any other bits and pieces of old bricks /blocks/wood planks---cut these to suit ---build at your own pace and anywhere you have some space to use---its just a full size model---now you will be able to see how it works ----now other peoples build pictures and descriptions /advise  will start to make sense----and follow some of the builds ----then start to measure for where you would have to place /position the cooktop and oven --and the final top capping of the stove ----now you can shop for these pieces with sizes in mind ---and have a good idea of where you can re arrange the build to suit what you can find---or would like ---make some small changes or additions for cosmetic looks and style. Take your time ---it will come together and happen before you---then when you can get to do the final mortar build it ---it will be a much easier and relaxing paced build.

most of the answers would become self explaining  in the set of drawings /plans for these stoves --for the sizes and the layout of the internal flue passage ways , my build is an adaption of the continental stove design of Matts---- the water heating jacket is placed at the end of the stoves  flue heat path ---as per his advice  ,and the reasoning for this  he has explained in one of his  broaudio  youtube  posts . I contacted Matt via email when my build was at the stage of trying to work out the best way for me to re -route the hot flue gas over the water heating jacket ----a part of Matts customer service --that you get when you buy his plans ----sorry i lack the full understanding of the stoves internal layout as it designed around cross sectional sizes and internal surface areas matched to flue sizes and the volumes of the firebox plus the secondary burn chamber ---with heat outputs and fire burn times a part of the calculations ---also being tuned for this by the primary and secondary air inlet sizes---by sticking to the plans as close as possible the you get to its predicted output. Matt states the heat output as 1.9 kw -- for the riserless core in the 6 inch flue ---sorry must go ---will post more

i will be taking some pics of course ---its a thermosiphon system no electric pump or valves involved using a stainless steel water jacket ---roughly 12 x 13 inches at 1 3/4 inch width ---which has 1 1/4 inch sized piping in and out-----colder water feeds to the bottom of it and the heated water rising up into the top outlet----both pipes exit side ways out through the stove body and then do a 90 degree turn and vertical straight up through the ceiling /floor  above the stove ---through another ceiling/floor -----into the hot water tank --- about 13 feet above in hight ---using the psi calculator ---0.433 x 13 ---gives me about 5.6 psi of water  pressure downstairs. The hot water tank is a stainless steel barrel at 209 liters (45 gallons ) which is fed into by a separate cold water tank  above it ---the hot water tank also has an overflow pipe venting into the cold water  tank ---the  cold water tank is fed by its own supply line and regulated by a ballcock valve ---and  has an overflow pipe to outside the building. thats all for now ---took me ages of working out and the smoke pouring out of my ears with all the thinking and over thinking it  .

thanks Sarah, yes the labour was in it ---the love part not so much --well i did enjoy building it though---i did surprize myself in the way it turned out---happy with it ---more so that because i followed the rules of building it --and it performs like it should. Had some smoke filled room events as well--- have had weather conditions were there s a temperature inversion and it takes a different start up trick ---some more high wind events also make it blow back when starting up --but i have learnt how to cope and get around that ---a longer fluepipe would solve this but i dont have scaffolding to get to the required work hight ----yet ---another long term plan ---working on it at the moment to connect the hot water jacket up to the hot water tank ---which will then allow me to have my water system connected and usable----happy stoving for now

heres another plant i now have to get and trial out , trying to grow mullin ---its taking its time ---so if it was to be used for the loo --well at this rate i would be in trouble --but for the the more traditional fall back ---the loo roll of paper----just got some wooly lambs ear seedlings coming up --may be my lucky choice and thrive better---the above plant plectranthus is tropical and not frost hardy so polytunnel space needed or it dies back until spring ---a long time to do with out ---and it has so many other good uses ---toilet paper you can eat---before use--- would almost be a shame to waste it---but its on my list now for future use---especially now that i have just used my last goose neck.

as above suggested and weld on top of that a piece  scrap rod/bar/round---run a few beads of weld on that ---the heat will work its way down ---dab with a wax candle ---turn it back and forth ---need more heat --run another bead of weld on the scrap bar--of course much easier on a flat work bench

that looks good ,and a nice touch using the stove parts  getting them to blend into the build makes it look neat and unique, and another Walker stove for us to admire, well done---one or two more pics would really be treat for us.

i tried to read /absorb some of this as i have an interest in the tech of producer gas---Biomass Thermal Conversion , The Principles and Technology , Pyrolysis,Gasification and Combustion , edited by Thomas .B. Reed