Heat proofing a gas cylinder wood burner

[many_methods]

Hi,
I've finished building a wood burner using an old gas cylinder (15kg size). However, I've heard people say that they don't last long as a few good fires can cause the thin metal walls of the cylinder to corrode and burn through.

To compensate for this I was planning to line the inside of the cylinder with a 5-10mm thick layer of fire cement. Slop it in, skim it as smooth as possible and then fire it up to make it set.

I realise this may only help to delay the inevitable burn through but does this method sound sensible?? Should I be using a thicker layer of cement? Do I need to spend much time prepping the metal before adding the cement?

Open to alternative suggestions. Others have mentioned filling the bottom of the cylinder with sand which I'm also considering. I'll also try to avoid having the fire too fierce.

Cheers

 

[waddycall]

The fire cement will crack and fall off in no time. How thick is the steel? Some woodburning stoves are only 3mm thick but protected by vermiculite bricks which are actually there to keep the firebox temp up. Above the baffle they're plain steel.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

My gas bottle stove is used out doors and left out doors, 4 years down the road still almost as good as the day I welded it.

How ever my first one died in 2 years, as I did not provide enough drain holes to allow rain water out/

 

[sardine]

Cut a section of another bottle , split it, reduce the diameter a bit, and use it to line the fire box.

 

[julianf]

As above, really dont bother with a skim of fire cement - it wont last more than a handful of burns.

If youre not planning on burning at crazy temps, it [the cylinder] will last.

Remember the zinc needs to come off one way or another.

 

[dannyp]

our garden incenerator is ade out of a 47kg dosent look to have sufferd much at all, and it's been glowing hot more than a few times, it's oil drums that rust away as soon as youve had a god fire in them

 

[sardine]

Leave the county when you burn off the zinc, possibly take a day trip to France, there is no too far away.

 

[angellonewolf]

it's oil drums that rust away as soon as youve had a god fire in them

i got an oil drum been using it for 2 years lasted way longer than a £22 burning bin it cost me a pint of beer put holes in th bottem so it can drain will last a few years

 

[wookie]

I've made on out of a 47kg cylinder, it's been glowing cherry red many a time and it's absolutely fine. I have a layer of sand (and now ash) in the bottom that that is about 4" thick to protect the base from burning thru that the fire burns on but other that it's just bare steel.

 

[many_methods]

Great, thanks all. Plenty of info for me to consider there.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Or if you are still worried about it burning through the bottom, make a grate to rest fire on.
That will "Go away" but easy to replace.

 

[dannyp]

i got an oil drum been using it for 2 years lasted way longer than a £22 burning bin it cost me a pint of beer put holes in th bottem so it can drain will last a few years

i never did that i just plasmad holes in the sides, i have notived there are oil drums and oil drums. the ones we get hydralic oil in are really thin and ****ty, the engine oil ones are thicker, the best ones are the ones your meant to return tho

 

[wookie]

Or if you are still worried about it burning through the bottom, make a grate to rest fire on.

I was always lead to believe that wood burns better on a solid base rather than a grate ? that's why I use sand in the bottom of mine. It gets burns okay and chucks out tonnes of heat

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@wookie
I have never noticed a difference between solid or a grate.
The embers fall through in the end.

 

[gaz1]

if your going to heat proof it just buy 10 fire bricks for 24.00 the cost of the other is dear if you cut them in half and shape them

the size of them are 4.5" x 9"

 

[sardine]

http://www.woodburners.com/assets/files/Heatingwithwood_Montana_State_University.pdf