Come Tour the Rocket Mass Heaters at Wheaton Labs! January 7, 2023 10am MT

We will start at 10am.  I'll give a bit of a presentation.  Then I'll slap down some lunch for those that want it.  And, finally, we will do the tours!

As directed- I’m tossing my hat into the ring for the RMH tour on 1/7.  I am attending the GMC and appreciate you coordinating this tour with that event.  See you there!

Lori Price wrote:As directed- I’m tossing my hat into the ring for the RMH tour on 1/7.  I am attending the GMC and appreciate you coordinating this tour with that event.  See you there!

Cool, Lori.  Glad you'll be joining the tour!  You should now see the premium content of this thread, with a link in the top post.  Click away, and we'll get you sorted.

What's the frequency of this tour? I doubt I'll be able to make this one, and I'm curious how long until I could get another chance.

Tyler Rest wrote:What's the frequency of this tour? I doubt I'll be able to make this one, and I'm curious how long until I could get another chance.

This is the first time we have ever offered it.

paul wheaton wrote:
This is the first time we have ever offered it.

Wonderful, here's to hoping it's the first of many! Thanks Paul.

Hi, I would really like to come to this tour of Rocket Mass Heaters! ,
I just don't want to use pay pal to pay,  I am not seeing another option when I  select  'by a ticket' it takes me straight to Paypal,
help please?

Kimber Martinson wrote:
Hi, I would really like to come to this tour of Rocket Mass Heaters! ,
I just don't want to use pay pal to pay,  I am not seeing another option when I  select  'by a ticket' it takes me straight to Paypal,
help please?

Have you ever supported one of Paul's kickstarters at $100 or more, or been to Wheaton Labs before?  If so, your ticket is free.

If not, Paul can manually process another kind of payment for an additional $10 - info here: https://permies.com/t/186450/buying-digital-market-stuff-paypal

paul wheaton wrote:
This is the first time we have ever offered it.

We are in Sturgeon County Alberta Canada. We talked about attending, but the weather conditions are not in favor of a road trip. Hoping for another tor SOON.

I would have loved to attend however family and work obligations are in the way!

I’d be interested in information about a mini rocket mass heater for individual camp cooking and/or heat in lieu of a fire pit. I’ve seen some on Etsy that also are able to be disassembled and fold flat for portability.


Best wishes for a successful and well-attended event!

Will the tour be recorded or streamed? I'm in north VT but would love to get the info- especially the water heating and kiln setups!

James Blow wrote:Will the tour be recorded or streamed? I'm in north VT but would love to get the info- especially the water heating and kiln setups!

No plans at present. If someone would like to send or hire a videographer, let me know.

have you seen the free heat movie?  https://permies.com/fh

Good morning from Northern Illinois. Yesterday, Sunday, 1-1-2023, I posted a message, I think it was in the homesteading forum, can't be sure of that because I did not know where to post it. Here goes - I watched a video/podcast of a man in china, I think he is in China, who starts off by saying he lost his job in the city and moved to the home last occupied by his late Grandmother. it as extremely overgrown by weeds, outside and inside the house.

After he cleaned up the outside, he then went into the house. One of the things he did was to rebuild/repair what can only be described as a very large rocket mass heater, or a version of the RMH. It was situated in the corner of the house, "headboard" against one wall, length of the RMH along another wall. He installed a pipe in the corner that ran up the height of the wall and out the ceiling and roof. He then shoved twigs and whatnot into the opening at the foot of the RMH and lit a fire. then, he put his mattress on top of the RMH and went to sleep. this bed looked to be about 6 x 8-10'. Really large. He did all the work, at least all that was shown, using hand tools.

He rebuilt rock walls, used bamboo to build a fence to control chickens, rebuilt/repaired an outdoor oven or stove. This is an hour long video/podcast, no music, English subtitles. It is well worth watching for anyone who is considering purchasing and renovating a neglected homestead.

Catherine Guzovich wrote:Good morning from Northern Illinois. Yesterday, Sunday, 1-1-2023, I posted a message, I think it was in the homesteading forum, can't be sure of that because I did not know where to post it. Here goes - I watched a video/podcast of a man in china, I think he is in China, who starts off by saying he lost his job in the city and moved to the home last occupied by his late Grandmother. it as extremely overgrown by weeds, outside and inside the house.

After he cleaned up the outside, he then went into the house. One of the things he did was to rebuild/repair what can only be described as a very large rocket mass heater, or a version of the RMH. It was situated in the corner of the house, "headboard" against one wall, length of the RMH along another wall. He installed a pipe in the corner that ran up the height of the wall and out the ceiling and roof. He then shoved twigs and whatnot into the opening at the foot of the RMH and lit a fire. then, he put his mattress on top of the RMH and went to sleep. this bed looked to be about 6 x 8-10'. Really large. He did all the work, at least all that was shown, using hand tools.

He rebuilt rock walls, used bamboo to build a fence to control chickens, rebuilt/repaired an outdoor oven or stove. This is an hour long video/podcast, no music, English subtitles. It is well worth watching for anyone who is considering purchasing and renovating a neglected homestead.

Perhaps you wish to ask this in the rocket mass heater forum by starting a new thread? (sounds like a kang bed stove)

The incredible Rocket Mass Heater in the Fisher Price House living room.

Come out to feel the warmth...stick around to see them all!

James Blow wrote:Will the tour be recorded or streamed? I'm in north VT but would love to get the info- especially the water heating and kiln setups!

I'd love to be there in person, but I think my travelling days are done, at least until the world becomes a saner place. I was going to ask the same question but on second thoughts, what I'd really like is a tour where the camera was the only audience, not as a fly-on-the-wall with the cameraman doing his best to not get in the way of a crowd of people. Maybe there could be a "studiously dim" but actually knowledgeable interviewer asking leading questions?

For each RMH, there could be "flashbacks", to videos or stills of the site before and of interesting parts during the construction, showing what's inside it and who built it. I'd like to know why this design was used rather than that one, what the design constraints were, what compromises had to be made and how well it performs against the prior hopes and expectations. What would now be done differently with the experience gained? What mods were needed? I'd like to see each one fired up and hear it "rocketting" when it's good and hot. What fuel is used? How often & for how long is it fired?

Sounds expensive to do! Oops, I think I've just been suggesting a possible future Kickstarter!

Jim Webb wrote:Sounds expensive to do! Oops, I think I've just been suggesting a possible future Kickstarter!

Have you seen the free heat movie?

I’ve been getting the attendance emails, I’m signed up and and have filled out the appropriate surveys…

I haven’t seen what time this event starts. Any information on that?

Scott Lawhead wrote:I’ve been getting the attendance emails, I’m signed up and and have filled out the appropriate surveys…

I haven’t seen what time this event starts. Any information on that?

Hi Scott!  

Yep, I see you on our list!

Paul will give a presentation on Rocket Mass Heaters at 10am, followed by a simple meal (provided).  Then, a-touring we will go!

We had a nice crowd.  I thought things went smoothly.  I felt like I got a chance to say my thing and it seemed to me like people received a powerful lesson in how great rocket mass heaters are.

At the end, my voice was quite raspy.

The boots sacrificed their day off to do this.  So was it worth it?  ...  I'll check in with them later today ...

It does seem that for a lot of people, it is difficult to understand the value of a rocket mass heater until you have seen one.  That is how it was for me:  I thought it was all bullshit until I saw it (felt it) in action.  Wow.  

Any rocket mass heater workshops happening in 2024?

Not here.  

We set up events, announce them to 120,000 people, and sell two tickets.  

Turnout for physical events has dropped so much, that mother earth news has cancelled all of their 2024 in person events.

I suggest coming out for a week or two as a sepper and jump into the bootcamp for the parts that sound like fun.