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[catamount]

Just starting the gathering process.  Have been looking and reasearching off and on for the last year.  I am planning on using a 36"x48" firebox, and a water jack holding 250-300gal of water.  I was wanting to use a round firbox out of a propane tank and using another tank for the water jacket.??  Im having trouble finding a tank that big.  Also does any of the tank designs that you have have water at the back of the firebox or are most just around the firebox?  And if I built it where there is water around  the back, I guess I would have to support the firebox from the bottom and I was wandering about rust issues at that point. Still just planning but hoping to start welding in a week or two.  I will be heating @4000sqt newer home with two seperate heat pumps one for first floor and one for second.  I am open to Any advice and tips.  Another question i have was will i need a seperate pump for the upstairs heat exchanger and one for the downstairs?  Also if anyone from WNC that has info on where to get a tank let me know.

Thanks for the help 
I will post a picture of the design idea i have

[jackel440]

My boiler has water on the front wall and back wall.on my phone right now.will have to check your plan out tonight.

[BFB Builder]

My device is a 800 gal bulk dairy tank (pre insulated) with a 400 gal air tank "torpedoed" into the end.  I have appx 480 gal water capacity surrounding the fire box almost completely.  the end with the door is the only side not jacketed. I had to support underneath and I have "anti-flotation" arms between  the firebox and  the inside of the dairy tank to keep stress off of the lower welds around the front side.  Mine seems to work well I haven't had any problems yet. I also have a hatch in the top of the tank that I can look into the tank an see the whole inside of the tank, I like that option it lets me see all the odd variables that pop into my head at 4am.  The guys here have many excellent ideas follow their lead and you will be fine. Good luck. 

[willieG]

i would suggest with the plan you have for your chimney pipe that you use an 8 inch TEE at the back of your stove so if you ever have to clean the pipe you can open the cover (you will make) for the Tee and clean out the pipes. if you brush from the top down you can clean the debri out and you can also get a brush in to clean the horizontal portion. i dont think the vertical in the stove will ever get dirty, there will be enough heat in there to keep it clean.

my home built has about a foot of water behind the fire box, i also made brackets to keep the fire box from trying to float. these brackets are not welded to the fire box, that way if i need to remove it all i have to do is gouge out the weld at the front of the stove and the fire box will slide right out

[rosewood]

i would definately have firebox totaly surrounded in water, have you considered buying a old oil truck ,water tanker,or something with a large tanklike shape. the reason i ask is that when i was planning a build  i never thought about  buying a tanker trailer until a friend told me about a 50'stainless steel tri axle water trailer that had rolled on is side,and could be bought for two grand. i ended getting all my money back and $1500 more between scrap and tire case cores.if you have the resources to tools and equipment you may be able to find a buy and end up with a real large tank...lots of water!

[jackel440]

I think if you want to get the maximum pull of btu's from your exhaust stack you should take a look at the portage and Main wood boiler.(Not thier gasiffier)I was going to build one with the dual pass exhaust stack in the water.Until I decided to build a gassification unit.
The secret is to get all the btu's from all places in the stove that they are at.
Like the coal bed and the stack.My original design had water filled 2" heavy wall tubing for my grates which the return water would go directly into then flow into the rest of the tank.
Just take a look around there is lots of good ideas out there.

[catamount]

thanks to all those that replied.  I drug the welder out today and started setting up shop.  Going to scrapyard Mon or Tue and see what I can find.  Found a 1/2 thick 36"round manhole cover today.  Looks like its a start to a door.... Thanks and I will post on what I find.  I will also look at the portage and main and see what I can copy.  I know I have seen the design that i drew up somewhere before but I really cant remember what wood boiler had the same design. just  thought it would be simple to do for my first stove.  Thanks again.  kevin

[catamount]

still lookin for steel.  trying to find a 36 dia propane tank

[willieG]

you might try farm fertilizer companies. they some time have old ammonia tanks that they are getting rid of. or local welding shops may have drop offs of huge pipe. That is what i used 36 inside a 42

or any pipe lineciompany near yiu may have pipe also

[bruey]

if you were closer i have a 500 gal. propane tank i will more than likely scrap. you could have it. good luck, i wish i had the time. i think it would be a lot of fun to build one.

[catamount]

Thanks, I am going to call a propane store monday.  I saw several old tanks in their back lot over the weekend.  Not sure if they would sell for legal reason but i will ask.  thanks to all for suggestions.