Forums:

all (41!) of the rocket mass heaters and rocket contraptions at wheaton labs (with pics!)

posted 9 years ago

14
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

here is a list of all the rocket mass heaters and rocket stoves at wheaton labs. there are links to their individual threads as well, some of them have great, super-detailed threads, some of them don't. feel free to start a thread about an individual one if you think it necessary and post a think to it in this thread.

and there are some videos too!

pebble style rocket mass heater in fisher price house

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

________________________________

rocket mass heater in a tipi

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

___________________________________

6-inch RMH in the red cabin (installed October 2022)

______________________________

pebble style rocket mass heater in 'the library'

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

__________________________________

8" batch box rocket mass heater in the shop/classroom

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

__________________________________

minnie mouse heater for tiny houses

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

______________________________

rocket mass heater in cooper cabin

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

________________________________

6-inch RMH in Bartell's Bunkhouse

________________________________

6-inch pebble style RMH in the solarium

________________________________

Batch Box RMH in the Wood Shop

______________________________

bun warmer

______________________________

season extender

______________________________

The cottage rocket mass heater as it is being constructed:

It has now been fully installed and tested - we just need to take some pics!

______________________________

the new double shoebox

The double shoebox has been reworked and installed. It still needs a bit of polish and proper pics/video

______________________________

Rockety Things
(that are not rocket mass heaters)

______________________________

rocket oven

_________________________________

rocket water heater at the dish washing station

_________________________________

rocket water heater at the shower shack

_________________________________

8-inch modular rocket forge, kiln, and crucible

_________________________________

rocket stove kiln

_______________________________

lasse's rocket cook stove

______________________________

the lorena cooktop with rapid boil dutch oven

Rockety things that are currently not installed

fat rabbit batch box rocket heater

_______________________________

Rockety things that are no longer here

_________________________________

rocket oven, griddle and water heater (cockit-lockit-rocket)

Tim Barker scavanged this to create ....

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

_________________________________

the barker's baker: a rocket oven, griddle and hot water heater

Tim scavanged this to create the stand alone rocket oven and the standalone vertical rocket hot water heater.

_______________________________

rocket mass heater in allerton abbey (first wofati)

The person that created this tried too many new things at once and ended up with something that didn't work. Peter van den Berg modified it to work in the short term as a "rocket heater" but then created the double shoe box rocket cook stove to replace it.

________________________________

ring of fire rocket mass heater

This lasted several years. It was built quickly and because it was exposed to the elements, it wasn't expected to last terribly long. It's parts were reclaimed for other projects in 2017.

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

__________________________________

rocket mass heater cooker/smoker

You can see the build of this one in the better wood heat videos

__________________________________

quartz barrel rocket mass heater

This was a one time thing so we could what it looked like inside the barrel.

_______________________________

2 inch system

______________________________

cyclone heater in the red cabin

______________________________

COMMENTS:

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 53482

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

∞

I like...

posted 9 years ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Evan is putting on some low cost workshops here - like $50 for a week - where you can try out heaps of rocket mass heaters:

https://permies.com/t/52318//PEA-Workshops-Permaculture-Experience-Ava

Or, you can just come out and, say, stay in the tipi for a few days, or one of the other buildings with a rocket mass heater:

https://permies.com/t/52814/labs/rent-tipi-cabin-wofati-wheaton

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

John McDoodle

Posts: 617

Location: ontario, canada

I like...

posted 9 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I've seen about 7 or 8 of these online already. I've been all over the highway, like horse tracks

.

I really like the 8" batch box, near the top of your list.

Is your lab here in Canada?

positively optimistic 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/@613Builds

Glenn Herbert

Rocket Scientist

Posts: 4575

Location: Upstate NY, zone 5

599

posted 9 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Wheaton Labs is in Montana, near Missoula.

Brian Clugston

Posts: 5

Location: Perry County PA

I like...

posted 7 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

So I bought the dvd sets and Love the info off of them.
As I'm going through these i don't see something that I'm curious if anyone has tried. Most of the piping runs on an incline then to the stack.
And all the pipes run in a mass for sitting on , etc. Has anyone tried to do a vertical mass against a wall?
My thinking is if someone had a basement like a dirt floor basement, running the pipes so they zig zag up the sides of the wall, then packed in with cob, masonary work or what have you creating a radiant heat in the basement that warms the floor above or something to that effect.

James Wisco

Posts: 3

posted 7 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Brian - check this out - http://www.heatkit.com/research/2009/lopez-rocket.htm
(sorry for temporarily hijacking the thread. back to your regularly scheduled RMH tour at Wheaton Labs)

Brian Clugston

Posts: 5

Location: Perry County PA

I like...

posted 7 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

kinda....but i was thinking with the duct work starting at the bottom and winding its way up to the top inside kinda like an old wooden marble machine toy, then filling in the wall with stone or something. instead of an giant open center.

Su Ba

pollinator

Posts: 2158

Location: Big Island, Hawaii (2300' elevation, 60" avg. annual rainfall, temp range 55-80 degrees F)

1082

I like...

posted 7 years ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Every turn in the chimney is like adding feet to the length. After a few turns the chimney is in danger of not drawing. Thus the stove develops an airlock and the fire goes out (or smokes into the room). I don't know the formula for determining the maximum amount of chimney the stove could support, but in my early years of heating my home with a wood stove I made the mistake of putting too many bends in the stove pipe.

It's never too late to start! I retired to homestead on the slopes of Mauna Loa, an active volcano. I relate snippets of my endeavor on my blog : www.kaufarmer.blogspot.com

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 53482

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

∞

I like...

posted 7 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Tracy and I updated the first post a lot. Anything we left out? Any mistakes?

I'm gonna add this image to a few ...

wood-heat-videos-220.png

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

Adrien Lapointe

steward

Posts: 3722

Location: Kingston, Canada (USDA zone 5a)

552

I like...

posted 7 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

any more pictures of the cottage rocket mass heater? Some people are having difficulties to visualize it from the discussion in this thread

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 53482

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

∞

I like...

posted 7 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Adrien Lapointe wrote:any more pictures of the cottage rocket mass heater? Some people are having difficulties to visualize it from the discussion in this thread

I think there are a few more pics in the jamboree thread.

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

Chris McClellan

gardener

Posts: 648

Location: Burton, Ohio

304

posted 7 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Adrien,
Cottage Rocket, Workshop Model
Here you go, thanks to Attilio.

Cottage-Rocket-Workshop-Model-(short)-Wheaton-Labs-October-2017-Jamboree.jpg

Cottage-Rocket-Workshop-Model-(short)-Wheaton-Labs-October-2017-Jamboree-3.jpg

You can follow my latest adventures at
https://www.unclemud.com
https://www.youtube.com/unclemud
https://permies.com/u/164246/Chris-McClellan
Buy my stuff at https://unclemud.com/store/

Coco Fernandez

pollinator

Posts: 590

Location: Near Missoula, MT

388

I like...

posted 5 years ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

The allerton abbey

Best before photo I have

Thanks,
Coco
Fernandez

PEP - BB10 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 53482

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

∞

I like...

posted 5 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

A new video about the rocket cooktop at allerton abbey

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

Joe Repella

Posts: 2

posted 4 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I watch every video that I can find and have heated with wood for many years. Want to build in my building have an auto shop and apartment all in one building so I am able to feed fires regularly, my biggest question is chimney draw in the fisher price house there must be a really good draw and you stated it was very hot. Could you incorporate a damper in the system? Thanks Joe

John F Dean

master steward

Posts: 7222

Location: southern Illinois, USA

2626

I like...

posted 4 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Hi Joe,

Welcome to Permies!

….give me coffee to do the things I can and bourbon to accept the things I can’t.

Joe Repella

Posts: 2

posted 4 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Joe Repella wrote:I watch every video that I can find and have heated with wood for many years. Want to build in my building have an auto shop and apartment all in one building so I am able to feed fires regularly, my biggest question is chimney draw in the fisher price house there must be a really good draw and you stated it was very hot. Could you incorporate a damper in the system? Thanks Joe

Collin Dach

Posts: 1

posted 4 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Can a clay flu be used as the heat riser of the j tube in the barrel as long as it is cut to the right height? P.S. What is the correct clearance required between the inside of the barrel an the top of the heat riser?

Gerry Parent

Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1810

Location: Kaslo, BC

525

I like...

posted 4 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Hi Collin, Welcome to Permies! Nice to see a fellow Canuck interested in rocket mass heaters.

A clay flue liner or tube will not make for a very long lasting heat riser. It just can't handle the thermal shock and will more than likely crack and break apart in a very short time.
The bronze option would be to make a perlite/clay riser. The silver option would be to make an insulated firebrick riser. The gold option would be to make what is called a 5 minute riser out of ceramic wool. Lots of information has been written about all three of these (including more) in the forums, so let us know if there is more information your looking for.

There is no real correct clearance, but rather a minimum clearance of at least 2-3". This is to help avoid a bottleneck which can lead to drafting problems when it starts to accumulate ash over time and restricting the flow of gasses. So based on your goals, if your looking to cook on top, then stick to the minimum, but if not then it would be better to go more and not have any problems.

Silence is Golden
For all your RMH needs:
dragontechrmh.com

Christine Circe

gardener

Posts: 1340

Location: Zone 8A

302

I like...

posted 2 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

This thread has a bunch of things that are not up to date should we move them to Rockety thing that no longer here?

Updates:
Cyclone Heater Doesn't Exist
Minnie Mouse in Love shack??
rmh cooker smoker n/a?

PEP - BB5 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 53482

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

∞

I like...

posted 2 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

cyclone has been removed

minnie mouse is in the love shack now

smoker has been removed

the old kiln has been removed

---

new kiln / forge

new rmh in the solarium

new rocket heater in the wood shop (liberator)

new rmh in the red cabin (gamera)

new rmh in bartell's bunkhouse

what about the two water heaters? We even have videos about them.

the cottage rocket is now in the dog star

the lorena

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

Saana Jalimauchi

gardener

Posts: 2176

Location: Finland (zone 5)

902

I like...

posted 1 year ago

6
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

A pre-trailer for the upcoming Freaky Cheap Heat Movie!

In this video you can see clips from the movie featuring the latest J-tube rocket mass heater in the Red Cabin, the rebuid of the rocket mass heater in the Library and the new batchbox rocket heater in the workshop.

Tina Wolf

gardener

Posts: 2121

Location: Zone 8b North Texas

569

I like...

posted 1 year ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I saw Paul mention the Minnie Mouse is in the Love Shack now. This video just came out showing an improvement made to it. A mud hat to make it hold and distribute the heat better. Always a good thing in winter!