Kelly Polello

With that height limitation you'll probably have to go with something like Matt's riserless core.
https://walkerstoves.com/tiny-masonry-cook-stove-plans.html

On a related note concerning a higher temp mortar I found a couple different recipes online for that

recipe 1
10 parts sand, 6 parts fire clay, 2 parts cement, and 3 parts lime.

recipe 2
10 parts sand, 3 parts fire clay, 3 parts cement, 1.5 parts lime

I haven't tried either so I can't say for sure.

The sand needs to be a particular type - fine grained silica, very clean.

Youre asking about mortar for the bench? Benches don't get that hot. Otherwise it couldn't be used as a bench. Everyday normal cement/mortar would be fine in a bench application where temps would have to be less than 140F - otherwise your butt would get burned.
That's for the exterior.
I'm pretty sure you'll want a loose material for the mass, pea gravel etc. You wouldn't want to make anything solid behind the retaining wall necessarily.

paul wheaton wrote:Another angle on this ...

I hear a rumor that nobody in the united states every smoked any pot at all until it was 100% legal on every level.  So all we have to do is wait and it will be 100% legal.  A little patience is a good thing - after all, it's not like we're all going to die while we wait, right?

Well, . . . Youre out in the boonies right?
Some of us live in more incorporated areas and work in factories ect, so ya we might - stay safe.

Jerry VanLuvanee wrote:What material should be used to create the heater?  Can a bread/pizza oven be incorporated into it?

Refractory cement, fire bricks or ceramic fiber boards for the core

More pictures would help a lot.

I'll be building my RBMH in my basement as well. Just no good place for it on the main floor. I'll be going with a bell for the mass, and connecting to an existing masonry chimney that I will line with stove pipe and insulate. I had planed on building it last summer but building a chain link fence to make sure my dogs and property were safe took priority - damn that's some serious work there. Digging post holes isn't my idea of fun.

Jeff Marchand wrote:
Yes cutting firewood is work but quite frankly most of us in the 21st century could do with a little more physical effort in our lives. My wood stove is a high efficiency unit that burns clean.

Not much work going to a company that sells their "mill ends" by the dumpster full, and these stack very nicely.

Is there any information concerning the permit process for RMH in Spokane WA.? Or should I just "fly under the radar".
If there are permit process in place in other cities in the PNW I could maybe point my local building code guys in that direction and get something done here in Spokane.