Something for me to look into ( stoves )

[W.olly]

Hi all, i have a bit of time on my hands at the minute, well a lot really, i need to start working on the idea i have had for some time, that is making and selling multi fuel/wood burning stoves, i have made a couple in the past when i had canal boats and i had a good bit of interest in them with folk asking me to make them one, which i was chuffed with as they were rough quick jobs.
What i want to do is to slowly build up a small business, dont get me wrong, its not going to be a big money earner ( yet you never know ) as i have no idea on running a business yet,i just want to strat slowly and learn as i go, bets way for me, so i want to start small,, i have a good work shop, well will when its set up but that is another thing which i can easy sort out. I have a few contacts that i can get all the costing done as i plan to the stoves done in a flat pack type way and i will make the add ons.
It wont just be stoves either also car related extras aswell. mainly for the 4x4 lads

My main question for now is, when making stoves is there any tests or standards that should be followed for me to sell to the public?

Also any help or advice is most welcome. ( yes i know about the bloody tax man lol )

cheers

wolly

 

[Cobbs]

Yes, there are! I looked into this a year or two ago and was told that as of the middle of last year, all sorts of tests and accreditations came into force. Each design would have to be tested by people certified to do so, for which I was quoted in excess of £3,000! All the welding would have to be done by a qualified welder, in approved premises. CE marking was mandatory, as well as one or two other things.

All this applies to any stove that is designed as a "room heater", which may or may not leave the way open to advertise them as other things, with the purchaser being free to fit them where he likes - once it's sold, you have no control over what the buyer does with it.

Please don't take all this as gospel, I'm only speaking from memory of a couple of years back and my memory isn't as good as I remember!

A quick search on the web should tell you enough to decide if it's worth going for...

 

[W.olly]

Well there go that idea for a fully legit small business, unless i sell it as a shed heater lol. i have found they come under the BS EN 13240:2001 regs and more when i find them. these regs are from 2007 i think.

Looks like i will also have to get welding classes doe to get my certs, there is always something, but something worthwhile is never easy i guess.

 

[ukracer]

Well there go that idea for a fully legit small business, unless i sell it as a shed heater lol. i have found they come under the BS EN 13240:2001 regs and more when i find them. these regs are from 2007 i think.

Looks like i will also have to get welding classes doe to get my certs, there is always something, but something worthwhile is never easy i guess.

I was selling these type of stoves for a couple of guys who were brilliant fabricators and welders but were dyslexic and struggled with ebay. There is very limited profit in them unless you get a fantastic deal on the steel. Add on your time, electric, paint, discs, tax etc etc. Its peanuts at the end of the day. We stopped selling them as the premises they worked from (very cheap) was up for planning and they got out while they had planty of time. I have a stock of fires I need to finish (linish and paint). and get rid of , but once they go I think they are too much hassle.

The 4 x 4 extras seem like a good idea though. These guys pay loads loads for stupid stuff allegedly.

 

[J.B. Welding]

There are plenty of people still making them-outwith CE conformity, however if the house it is installed in happens to catch fire, even if not obviously caused by the stove, their insurance company may not pay out due to the fitment of an non approved heating appliance. Installers also must be at least HEATAS qualified (or the current equivalent). It is a bit of a university challenge to get to the maker-fitter stage, and then there is the competition! Probably need a good 'unique selling point' to sell enough to get out what you invest to get started. Have you considered aircraft manufacturing?, I think there are a few less regs for that...

 

[W.olly]

There is all sorts i can do really, just when folk show interets in what you do it make you want to give it ago and not think all much into the ins and outs, thats why i like to talk on here.
Now aircraft building, you got something there, always wanted a microlight lol, who`s to say i cant build my own with a nice V8 on the back....ok i am getting carried away lol.

I was into the 4x4 scene for a good many years and jacked that in due to health, i can still contact a few lads and get them a freebi sample for there cars for a day or two to get measurements done. Just need soemthing to work at while i get myself back on my feet. and then something to work at.

 

[J.B. Welding]

Just for the sake of throwing ideas at you, I find furniture (coffee tables, lamp stands all that) is a good seller especially if it looks unique and quality, no regs and less steel that stoves,(less postage on quiBay) a bit of nice wood/glass helps too! good luck budd.

 

[waddycall]

the above comments are right. As of 1st July last year ce marking became mandatory (at least for stoves installed in homes). I believe there's also a British standard for stoves intended for installation on boats. This is largely concerned with safety of combustible materials near the installed stove. For installation in homes in the uk stoves need to be at least 70% efficient to comply with part l of building regs and have to be tested and certified by a ukas accredited test lab. It's become a lot stricter and is due to get even worse!!

 

[Cyberprog]

There's also DEFRA approval as well for use in certain areas. I work for Firebox Stoves (well, PHC who own them) and they sell tons of them, but there's a lot of big companies making them. Take a look: www.fireboxstoves.co.uk
and you'll see.

 

[Wedg1e]

Just for the sake of throwing ideas at you, I find furniture (coffee tables, lamp stands all that) is a good seller especially if it looks unique and quality, no regs and less steel that stoves,(less postage on quiBay) a bit of nice wood/glass helps too! good luck budd.

A mate of mine runs his own business making a range of oak furniture; he also offers a bespoke service (Nursy has various tables made by him to specific dimensions and there's a TV cabinet on the way too). However he knocked up an 8 x 4 foot CNC router table and uses it to carve MDF radiator covers to various designs - makes more profit and takes less time than the hand-crafted oak stuff.

 

[Browser]

Wood-burning patio heaters/firepits/chimineas et al presumably don't come under the same regs as they aren't installed in a home? If they aren't, that could be another avenue to look at

 

[ukracer]

Wood-burning patio heaters/firepits/chimineas et al presumably don't come under the same regs as they aren't installed in a home? If they aren't, that could be another avenue to look at

Thats the grey area.....

 

[the snooper]

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Something for me to look into ( stoves ) open the door and you certainly can