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Tech Week: Building a barrel stove

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by R35J1S, Sep 14, 2012.

  1. R35J1S
    Joined: Jul 20, 2012
    Posts: 141

    R35J1S
    Member
    from Missouri

    At this time I don't have anything car related that I can wite a tech article about, so I thought......everyone wants or needs a warm garage to work in, right?

    How about an aticle on building a double barrel wood stove? I hope you enjoy it.

    How to get the kit: There are several places where you can order your kit online or it can be purchases at Tractor Supply, where they have them in stock at this time of year. I ordered the Vogelzang airtight kit and the kit for adding a 2nd barrel as well.

    Tools required: Safety glasses, drill, 1/4" bit, 1/2" bit, phillips screwdriver, 10mm socket and ratchet, jig saw with metal cutting blade, level, magnet, sharpie marker and a helping hand.

    Step 1: First lay out all of the parts and make sure that you have everything you will need
    [​IMG]
    Step 2: Position the door from the kit on top of the barrel you have choosen for your firebox. I recommend you position it as high as possible, so that you can leave the larger bung (larger of the two screw in caps on the end of the drum) in the barrel for added outside air source. The outside air source instructions are not covered in this article.
    [​IMG]
    Step 3: once you are happy with the location of the door frame, use the sharpie to trace all of the mounting holes. Next, open both doors and trace the inside of each door opening.
    [​IMG]
    Step 4: Each opeing of the door frame has an inner lip that protrudes into the barrel. You will need to add an aditional 3/8" or so to the outside of your door trace markings to accommodate the lip.
    [​IMG]
    Step 5: Once you increase the size of your trace markings for each door, use your drill to make a 1/2" hole inside each of the traced door opening areas. This will give you a place to start your cuts with the jig saw.
    [​IMG]
    Step 6: Use the jig saw to cut out the openings for each door and test fit the door frame on top of the barrel. if it doesn not fit, you will need to make the opeings a little larger until the door frame lays flot on the barrel.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Step 7: Once you get the door frame to fit to your satisfaction, remove it and set it aside. You will not need it until you are finished with the rest of the project.

    Step 8: Next use masking tape too tape all of the edges of your opening, so that you do not get cut when reaching inside of the barrel to attach additional parts.
    [​IMG]
    Step 9: Working on a flat area, lay the barrel on its side. Lift one end of the barrel and place a set of legs under it, positioning them where ever you would like. Repeat the step for the other set of legs. Measure from each barrel end to the outside edge of each leg to ensure both sides of the legs are equal distance from the barrel ends. Position the barrel on the legs so that the bottom edge of the top door is level when viewed from the front.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Step 10: Use the sharpie and mark the 8 bolt holes in each set of legs.
    [​IMG]
    Step 11: Stand the barrel back up on its end and use the 1/4" bit to drill the previously marked holes for your legs.
    [​IMG]
    Step 12: Next...and it pays to have a helping hand here, position the legs in place and slide the bolts thru the legs and the barrel. With someone holding the bolts in place, reach into the barrel and start the nuts by hand. Once you have all the nuts started and you are happy with the placement of the legs, tighten up all of the nuts being careful not to over tighten and break the cast iron legs.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Step 13: Return the barrel back on its side and stand it on the legs.

    Step 14: Now place the chimney flue collar with the damper on top of the back side of the barrel and level it. Once you have it level, use the sharpie to mark the bolt holes. Remove this collar and replace it with one that does not have a damper, so that you can now mark the center hole to cut for the flue pipe. Note, the flue collar used to mark the hole is smaller than the hole size needed for the flue collar with the damper. Now, increase the center hole mark by 1/4" to get the appropriate size trace marking.
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    Step 15: Drill all of the 1/4" holes previously marked and using the jig saw cut out the center hole that you previously marked. Now bolt the flue collar with the damper on to the barrel.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Step 16: You are now ready to position the upper barrel supports onto the lower barrel. Position the supports much as you did the lower legs. Be careful to place the back support far enough back on the barrel so the support brace does not block the flue pipe that will run between the two barrels.

    Step 17: Use the sharpie to mark the mounting holes in the upper barrel supports. Remove the supports and drill the eight 1/4" holes. Bolt the supports into place.
    [​IMG]
    More steps to come as soon as I can type it up and post.
     
  2. R35J1S
    Joined: Jul 20, 2012
    Posts: 141

    R35J1S
    Member
    from Missouri

    Steps 18: Place the top barrel upside down on the top supports, and position the female flue collar at the rear of the barrel to align with the male flue collar on the lower barrel. Once you have it positioned correctly, use the sharpie and mark all of the small mounting holes and the inner hole to cut for the flue pipe.
    [​IMG]
    Step 19: Remove the female flue collar and cut out the inner hole on the top barrel, using the magnet to keep the metal from falling into the barrel. Drill the 1/4" holes.
    [​IMG]
    Step 20: Push the female flue collar onto the black flue pipe as far as it will go and use the sharpie to mark how far in it will go. Once it is marked, remove the black pipe.
    [​IMG]
    Step 21: Attach the female flue collar to the barrel

    Step 22: If you look at the outside of the male flue collar you will see a lip that the black pipe will seat against. Turn the top barrel over and measure from the bottom of the female flu collar to the lip that the black pipe will stop against on the male flue collar.
    [​IMG]
    Step 23: Use the previous measurement and your mark made earlier to determine how long of a piece of black pipe you will need.
    [​IMG]
    Step 24: Cut the black pipe to the appropriate length and attach it to the female flue collar. Press the pipe over the male flue collar and attach it with small screws.
    [​IMG]
    Step 25: Now you are ready to attach the barrel supports to the upper barrel. I recommend self tapping screws for this, if your barrel does not have a removable lid, or you will not be able to access the inside of the upper barrel to install the nuts required to hold the bolts in place. Attach the supports using these screws.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Step 26: Place the last male flue collar on the top barrel towards the front end and level it.

    Step 27: Using the sharpie to mark the small mounting holes and the large inner hole in the upper collar.
    [​IMG]
    Step 28: Again you will want to drill a 1/2" hole inside the trace markings for the large inner hole to use as a starting point with the jig saw.

    Step 29: Use the jig saw to cut the inner hole out, using the magnet to keep the metal from falling into the barrel.
    [​IMG]
    Step 30: Bolt the last male flue collar onto the top barrel and attach the remainder of your black pipe to the collar.

    Step 31: Now you are ready to bolt the door frame and doors onto the front of your barrel stove.
    [​IMG]
    Step 32 Stand back and admire your hard work.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Steps I have not completed yet.

    Step 33: Line the bottom barrel with a layer of sand the you can level

    Step 34: Lay fire bricks over the sand, front to back and side to side.

    Step 35: Place a rack ontop of the fire brick.

    Step 36: Move the barrel stove outside with pleanty of fresh air and build a small fire to burn the chemicals out of the barrels.

    Step 37: Optional: You could also paint the barrels with high heat paint to give it a more finished and professional look.
     
  3. mike in tucson
    Joined: Aug 11, 2005
    Posts: 520

    mike in tucson
    Member
    from Tucson

    I used a barrel stove to heat the shop....worked great. I had a lot of used oil so I rigged up a oil bucket with a copper line and petcock going into the fire box that allowed the oil to drip into the fire....made a contribution and got rid of oil. I lived where the oil smoke didnt cause any alarm. Burning trash causes your stove pipe to clog frequently.

    My best addition was a fan blowing across the barrel so the heat was blown across the room. Stove worked even when it was -26F.
     
  4. Koz
    Joined: May 5, 2008
    Posts: 2,699

    Koz
    Member

    Cool stove, but around here they are against the law. Pennsylvania has some issue with heating devices without a UL label. The Amish guys are building and selling a bunch of coal/wood stoves and the state inspectors are making everybody tear them out.
     

  5. jkski
    Joined: Jan 27, 2009
    Posts: 137

    jkski
    Member

    excellent!! i'am sick of having to turn on the electric heater a hour before i start,to get the cement floor warm enough to get around on.
     
  6. cavman
    Joined: Mar 23, 2005
    Posts: 669

    cavman
    Member

    If you want that sucker to stay hot all night, without adding more fuel, put another door on the top barrel, and place a few large hardhead field stones, or good fire bricks in the top one.

    ps....don't stand too close to one with nylon jackets on, and don't EVER try to spray anything flamable while they are in use. Don't ask how I know these things.:)
     
  7. 6-71
    Joined: Sep 15, 2005
    Posts: 542

    6-71
    Member

    Yes, I can verify that the insurance company will be very interested in your home made stove. I used to have a barrel stove in my garage,and it worked great,but I didn't like not being to"turn it off" when I went in for the night. I put in a Montgomery wards(remember them) pot type oil stove,with a 55 gallon drum out behind the garage for fuel supply. I came home from work one day and found tracks in the snow behind my garage,and I hadn't been out there for days. I received a letter from my insurer a couple of days later stating I was being cancelled for using a barrel stove in my garage!! aparently whomever was snooping around behind my garage thought the oil drum was a barrel stove.I scanned the tag off the stove and sent a copy to them,I never heard any more from them.
     
  8. 510madmav
    Joined: Dec 29, 2009
    Posts: 814

    510madmav

    thats so awesome!
     
  9. samurai mike
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 547

    samurai mike
    Member

    i think i would put the damper in the upper barrel. i will hold more heat in the stove.
     
  10. R35J1S
    Joined: Jul 20, 2012
    Posts: 141

    R35J1S
    Member
    from Missouri

    Never really thought about putting the damper in the upper barrel but it does make good sense. my garage is detatched from the house if that makes a difference to the insurance company. I will check it out but I will be using it for this season either way. I have to get some use out of it. Propane is getting to high to heat with any more and I live out in the country so Propane, wood or electric are my only options.

    Thanks for all of the comments though.
     
  11. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,814

    BJR
    Member

    Wood heat is good in a garage as long as you are not going to paint, run a ventilation fan, or are in a hurry to get into the shop and work on the spur of the moment. It takes time to heat up a shop with wood heat. Been there, tried that, and it didn't work for me and my lifestyle.
     
  12. matthew mcglothin
    Joined: Mar 3, 2007
    Posts: 970

    matthew mcglothin
    Member

    I'm all over It! We don't have those stupid laws in Texas .
     
  13. fordor41
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,011

    fordor41
    Member

    Now here's a real "traditional hot rod" story. Must be OK because it's not a 4 door!
     
  14. my stove is bigger got a outer jacket 500 gal barrel and fire chamber is 35o gal and have that offset with a furnace squirlcage blower and forced air draft, toped offf witha oil drip

    start shutting that down a hour or 2 before leaving:eek:
    sealing up leaks with new door and repairs to old doors

    happy heating season guys:D
    and lets all be carefull and check those pipes for leaks so they burn decent
     
  15. redroaddog
    Joined: Apr 1, 2011
    Posts: 348

    redroaddog
    Member

    thats funny shit right there!!!:D
     
  16. NINE INCH
    Joined: Dec 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,020

    NINE INCH
    Member

    At least NO R/R parts. Come on...just add some spider webs or barb wire.:rolleyes:
     
  17. hahaha!:D
     
  18. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,138

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    Nice job man, looks awesome. The wood burning stove is a great way to heat the garage. Insurance aside, I am leery of open flames like that where there are combustibles around.
     
  19. 1952henry
    Joined: Jan 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,365

    1952henry
    Member

    You forgot the idiots' warning for today's world, "Don't use plastic barrels!"
     
  20. Truckedup
    Joined: Jul 25, 2006
    Posts: 4,661

    Truckedup
    Member

    You have laws you don't know about.National Electrical code,the base standard for all of the USA,says in COMMERCIAL GARAGES,no spark producing devices can be no lower than 18 inches off the floor.This includes electrical motors,outlets,lights, etc .Furnaces are covered in mechanical codes.This is for obvious reasons,gasoline fumes are heavier than air.
    The above does don't apply to a residential garage. However you town can have codes about this.
    These codes come from past experience....garage fires.Home insurance might have a disclaimer for woodstoves in a garage,be aware of that.
    I heat my house with wood.....My shop has a ceiling mounted gas heater.
    Odds are nothing will happen,but if something happens it will be exciting like an airplane crash.
    One photo shows what appears to be a row of gasoline containers lined up under a workbench...Get them outside,please.
     
  21. R35J1S
    Joined: Jul 20, 2012
    Posts: 141

    R35J1S
    Member
    from Missouri

    Yes the gas cans will not be there come winter time and I do plan to place the stove on a raised area so that it will be more than 18" above the floor.
     
  22. matthew mcglothin
    Joined: Mar 3, 2007
    Posts: 970

    matthew mcglothin
    Member

    Makes sense up to a point. But it's not different than welding,grinding or using a torch... Just my opinion.
     
  23. Truckedup
    Joined: Jul 25, 2006
    Posts: 4,661

    Truckedup
    Member

    And welding ,torches and grinding causes fires is a guy is careless.
    Just words of caution from what I have seen.
     
  24. You're dealing with the same issue if you have a gas fired (natural or propane) forced air furnace in your garage.
    These barrel stoves are excellent heat sources for those of us living in rural areas where Big Brother hasn't yet gotten his choker-hold on city/local restrictions.
    I've used one in a 24 x 28 garage for over 20 years and never had a problem. I've never painted an entire car in the building, but most of us don't do that anyway. For small jobs with a rattle can the stove isn't a concern, unless you have your head firmly planted rectally and try to spray right next to the stove. Common sense tells you that you don't store combustibles near it, and that includes your parts washer. In that case, .......... well, ........ you get what you deserve. :D


    P.S. I've seen a stove like this with some additional plumbing added so it draws the fresh air source from outside the building.
     
  25. Toymont
    Joined: Jan 4, 2005
    Posts: 1,381

    Toymont
    Member
    from Montana

    You might want to build a brick wall behind it or two sides if in a corner, this will not only be fire proof but the brick will soak up some of the heat and radiate it even after the fire starts to cool down, and mark out a safe area in front and make sure nothing gets stored there
     
  26. I like barrel stoves, they work good when properly built, placed and maintained. The ones I have seen are built with removable lids, the ones with the bolted clamp ring. makes them easier to build and clean out. Being a retired Firefighter slash Fire / Arson investigator, I can tell you insurance co's don't want to pay anything they don't have to. A lot of these units are left burning (choked down) 24 hours a day. Why would you leave an un-attended fire in your shop? I am in agreement with all the safety precautions previously mentioned and that they need to be adhered to. If that's the only heat available, be careful.
     
  27. Dan10
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 386

    Dan10
    Member
    from Joplin

    I used a barrel stove for a decade in my detached 28x32 shop. My routine was when I got home from work at about 5 to start the stove and have a beer (about 15 minutes) get it to the point I could add some large wood and then go in the house and have dinner. By the time I got back out at 6 ish, the shop would be 60 degrees plus. If I ran it hard all day, I could get the place into the 90's. I used a heat reclaimer on the chimney as well as a box fan to circulate the heat.
     
  28. willymakeit
    Joined: Apr 13, 2009
    Posts: 1,326

    willymakeit
    Member

    We used to build them with old compressor or water heater tanks.
    Take a 60 gal. tank, slide a 30 gal. inside it and fill the void with sand. Leave the top 2'' without sand and drill a hole in the outer tank to allow moisture out.
    The sand works as a heat sink and will radiate heat after the fire is out.
    They work well. As noted check with your ins. company.
     
  29. Kona Cruisers
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,078

    Kona Cruisers
    Member

    I made one with a section of Aleyska Pipeline pipe. Its still about 3/8 of an inch thick, and holds heat great.
     
  30. Shit, it's 86* here; I have the A/C on in the garage.
     

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