Latest wood burner

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First one I've posted on here, did make one before but didn't take any pictures and it went a few years back.

The finished article.

Firebox

Air inlet valve

Outlet stub

Sooty in there!

Door hinge.

I've had two burns now and my thoughts are as follows.

1. The firebox is a bit too big (700mm long domed-end-to-domed-end and about 450mm dia-ish) and doesn't get anywhere near hot enough to support proper combusion. I think I might shorten it by about 4-6 inches.
2. It needs a baffle! Most of the heat goes up the flue.
3. I don' think the flue is large enough (4inch/100mm dia), probably needs 5 or 6 inch.
4. The air inlet I think is OK, I enlarged it as I found the fire flared when the door was opened, even though the air vent was fully open.
5. I'm changing the door hinge as that one is too ungainly, and at the same time may rotate the door 180 degrees so the air inlet is at the top as everyone says you need a top air inlet for wood burners as wood burns top downwards.
6. I think the legs could be shorter!
7. I seem to have wasted my time wedling up that grate as all the info I've read says wood burns better sat on the floor with some sand to protect the steel from the heat, so it may well be removed and recycled for a future project.

I don't want to spend too much time and effort and definitely as little money as possible on it as I have a 15kg cylinder waiting and a hankering to build a Hotpod/Gordon Stephenson-style heater now, which will definitely appeal far more to 'er indoors

Tin hat firmly on awaiting brickbats.

 

[stuvy]

looks cool mate but i did think its a bit big!

 

[wotwot]

Is there a reason you have'nt fitted an internal baffle.
It Will help greatly in heating the bottle by stopping all the heated air going straight up the flue.

 

[wotwot]

The legs are good you dont want it burning whatever is underneath and makes for easy access.
And the grate is ok if you want to burn a bit of coal.
There are loads of designs for these and trial and error is the way to learn yourself.

 

[pedrobedro]

Put something across the front to stop burning material falling out when you open the door, it does happen and it can travel a fair way before it cools down.

 

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I didn't fit a baffle as I was still unsure of where to put one/how big to make it. Plus which I wanted this ready for my birthday party back in AUgust and didn't have time to finish it with a baffle so decided to leave it.........and never got 'round to fitting one (hangs head in shame). I've now looked into this and have a more of an idea what to do. If you look at the firebox pic you can clearly see where the cold part of it was as there are dark tar deposits below a diagonal line running up from the back of the 'box forwards. I won't have the baffle this low down but it's a nice visible trace of what is/is not working.
I think I will shorten the firebox at the same time as it is a tad cavernous, and look at fitting a larger diameter flue just to help.