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[WoodMOJoe]

Well I honestly haven't done the math. I would guess I'll need 100000 but to heat the house or so. 1600sqft new construction. But would like to be able to heat the barn too. So we'll honestly I just don't know.

How close is this forced air unit going to be to the house and barn?  It gets more difficult (and expensive) to move air (and return duct it) very far from the furnace.

[Rscott]

I'm planning on 8 to 10'

[WoodMOJoe]

I'm planning on 8 to 10'

You may have already but if not you should check with your homeowners insurance, most have rules on how close the furnace can be to any structure and some will not allow ANY homebuilt unit.  I had quite a tussle with my insurance, they actually cancelled me until I proved to them I did exactly what they told me to do...PITA.

[WoodMOJoe]

To clarify, in the post above I was talking about insurance issues with our homebuilt AIR furnace, which we used for 4 years until we built our boiler last year.

Had no insurance issues with the homebuilt boiler, it is 50' from the house.

[Rscott]

I'll definitely ask about that once the house is built. But around here I've seen forced air wood furnaces inside attached garages ducted into the house. But it's something that I do need to look into once the house is built.

 Worst case it can heat the barn.

[Rscott]

Ok now that we're just about done signing stuff and talking to every government agency known to man,  I may fire up the welder soon.

 Should I use a different wire or shielding gas for the firebox? Or just standard. 035 mild steel wire? We are already running mixed gas (diamond shield or something they call it from Praxair )

 I only wanna do it once.

I'm thinking I want the blower to force air around the firebox a crossed the long side of the firebox. Instead of along the length. Giving more time and surface area to heat the air.

But also considering 3 smaller blowers that could blow long ways and be turned on in stages.

 The latter thinking, in my overly complicated mind, the blower handling the actual top of the firebox could handle keeping the house warm when it's warmer outside. And that may keep the fire stoked up a little better so it doesn't smolder out. Then the other 2 would be wired together to come on when the furnace is running  full tilt and the one blower can't keep up.

 Effectively It sounds more efficient to do multiple blowers. Less energy, a constant good fire (I don't want my wife to have to relight at 2 am when I'm out plowing ) and progressive heating ability.

[mlappin]

Far as wire goes any brand of ER70S6 will work fine, get a roll of the non coated, less splatter.

I run 75% argon/25% CO2.

If your welder can handle it go with .045 for higher deposit rate.

[Rscott]

Ok. Looks like Friday I'll get to start welding. I'm hoping to get the fire box at least tacked up in shape and size.  And the chimney in.

 I'm thinking half way down the firebox. But is there a rule of thumb on that?