DIY Wood Stove

[Kellen Morse]

Hello!
This is my first post so please be gentle.
I am very interested in building my own wood stove, I was thinking of using an old propane tank. If I used that as a wood stove would steel conduit tubing work as a chimney? If there is any other way of to build a wood stove on a budget I'm all ears.

Thanks!
Kellen

 

[Ironworker]

You'll get some good stuff here, but you're probably better off with google.

 

[unclemoustache]

Propane tank - that should be interesting. Not seen many stove building threads here, but there are a few guys who have home made.

Welcome to the nut house! Now give us some more info - how many saws/what kind, what kind of stove you using now, and did you move to western WA recently? If so, you just angered someone else around here!

 

[Philbert]

Google 'barrel stove'.

Welcome to A.S.

Philbert

 

[mu2bdriver]

Where is it going and how large of a space are you looking to heat? How high above ambient temp are you looking to go? There are lots of variables when building a stove.

 

[Kellen Morse]

Propane tank - that should be interesting. Not seen many stove building threads here, but there are a few guys who have home made.

Welcome to the nut house! Now give us some more info - how many saws/what kind, what kind of stove you using now, and did you move to western WA recently? If so, you just angered someone else around here!

Lived here all my life just recently got interested in this kind of stuff.

 

[Kellen Morse]

Where is it going and how large of a space are you looking to heat? How high above ambient temp are you looking to go? There are lots of variables when building a stove.

My garage, its a single car garage probably like 70 f.

 

[mu2bdriver]

Either one of those barrel stoves mentioned or one of the Vogelzang box stoves would be my top two choices. I've had both but last winter it was just easier to fire up my bullet heater.

 

[Del_]

My garage, its a single car garage probably like 70 f.

You probably shouldn't have a wood stove in your garage if you have your vehicle in there.

 

[unclemoustache]

I think he was just explaining how big it was, not saying that he parked there.

With such a small space, you want a small stove, that's for sure. So were you thinking one of those 25 pound tanks, or something larger?

 

[e pairs]

lol Kellen was just reading this and 'make sure you get the propane out first' came too mind. haha good luck...

 

[olyman]

You probably shouldn't have a wood stove in your garage if you have your vehicle in there.

do tell.......................

 

[Kellen Morse]

No vehicle in there haha. Also I was thinking like a tiny one such as a bbq propane tank, 5 gallons.

 

[zogger]

When I was a kid, my dad had a little wood stove for his ice fishing shanty. Sounds like something that could fit the bill for you. The frostbite crowd here might have some recommendations along those lines for a modern one.

 

[Marshy]

You might want to consider something with a larger firebox than a BBQ tank. While it will put off heat, you'll have to fill it every 10 mins. If you can get your hands on a full size propane tank (32" or so) you could line it with fire brick, add an ash door and clean out under the main fire area. Lots to consider, do your research.

 

[Kellen Morse]

thank you guys so much!

 

[unclemoustache]

Didn't help much, but we'll be interested to see what you come up with.

 

[Fred Wright]

If you're good at welding you could probably copy a design that's already made. A wood burner is just a vented metal box lined with firebrick with an internal baffle or damper to keep all the heat from drafting up the flue.

EMT conduit wouldn't be satisfactory flue pipe for long. Creosote is highly corrosive and, once the zinc coating burns off, it'll rot out quickly. There you'll have a fire hazard. Use black stovepipe and Class A chimney pipe, it's much safer.

 

[Babaganoosh]

I bet that barrel stove would heat you right out of that garage.

Maybe look for a used stove. If it's the garage you could even go with a pre epa stove if you aren't going to be out there for 8 hours.

I have heard of insurance companies having a problem with stoves in garages. They will probably have a problem with one built from a propane tank. Not worth the few dollars in savings building it yourself and ending up with a burnt down garage with an insurance company that will deny a claim.

 

[1 stihl nut]

I'll second that on the insurance issues. We had to remove our double barrel stove and install a manufactured one some years ago.

While propane tanks can make satisfactory air tanks, I wouldn't even consider one for this purpose. Cutting one open poses a good degree of risk. I would recommend a smaller steel barrel or some rolled steel. A single 30 gal barrel stove would be the smallest I would bother with, but is probably adequate for your area.