How to build your own outside wood burning stove
Did you always want to know how to
build a clean burning outdoor boiler or furnace? Or is something
you've thought up recently due to a huge fuel or electric bill
just received? Or is your home ALWAYS cold?
Do you want to know how to go
about building
an outside heating stove for your house?
It doesn't matter why; we have the answer!
You can certainly build a clean burning
outside wood burning furnace, given access to the right
materials and sufficient welding skills. Remember that welding
such thick materials is quite different from welding 1/8" steel because proper penetration is paramount to your success.
A round firebox or cylinder is definitely the
way to go. Getting a tube or cylinder already welded and x-rayed
gets you one step closer to success. It certainly takes a
LOT less welding than putting a square box together; taking 12
welds to do so! Remember that welds are usually the place where
leaks start and flat slabs of steel are nowhere near as strong
as a cylinder; bending, flexing and warping from the intense
heat.
Make sure that the end plates are as thick as the firebox!
You will need to build something like this; a way for the air to
blow into the firebox. This is the best way, with the air
blowing up through the grates, into the fire from the bottom,
just like a blacksmith's forge.
You will need heavy duty grates. These are made
with 3/4" bar stock.
Before you go any further, start figuring the
cost of your materials. Steel is expensive and can you even find
cylinder that is 3/8" thick or 1/2" thick, like our optional firebox?
Look for drill casing!
You need the end plates for the firebox - two
sheets approx. 3' x 3' for a 36: round firebox.
You will also need the water jacket (box) - 6
sheets at least 4' x 5'.
You will need about a 5 foot chimney pipe. We
recommend 1/4" thick steel.
Weld the chimney into the firebox.
Don't forget an access cover for the hot water
coil, as shown above, which will save you $35.00 to $65.00 a
month in electric bills all by itself!
If you are putting on siding, such as steel
building metal, you will need a frame
around it (see picture) and framing for the roof.
Remember you will need to build a door too;
preferably with an air gap to provide the insulation value;
similar to air bubble type insulation. Attach the plate
with 4 small pieces of metal so that there is very little heat
transfer from the plate to the outside metal. Water filled
door are a farce because you end up with over 60" of metal
or more, surrounding the water filled air which just leads to a
lot of heat transfer which the water does very little to
abate. Adding to that, the water is not moving inside the
door even if you have hoses attached and that will allow
particles to settle; and think about the lack of rust protection
in that area!
You will also need plumbing to fill the furnace
as well.
NOW, consider this. You can purchase a
HyproTherm 185 for only $4487 without the siding, insulation,
pump, fan, hot water coil and thermostat.
We also occasionally rebuild these exact
boilers and they are $1500 less than a new one at $3877.
Every once in a while, a customer will trade one in and we
go through them top to bottom and inside out as explained on our
Used Boiler Page.
I don't believe you can build the same furnace,
with the 1/2" thick firebox for under $3000.
You can put any kind of siding on it that you
want or we can provide 21 different colors, and 8,000 color
combinations, for you. Of course you will need the pump, fan,
hot water coil and thermostat or you can get your own locally.
Information supplied by SHAVER OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE
