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16

For Sale / Re: New Logstor pipe

« on: September 29, 2014, 07:54:12 PM »

I'm in Owensboro and would like to know if this is still available.

17

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Closing down

« on: September 25, 2014, 05:51:35 PM »

Seeing these kinds of posts, and working in a coal-powered power plant in today's political climate makes me hate the EPA that much more.  I wish the OWB manufacturers would add a "meat-rack" option to the boilers so they could say they weren't outdoor wood boilers, but barbecue smokers instead.  That's what everyone thinks my homemade one looks like anyway.  People could heat their house with their "barbecue smoker" and avoid the EPA.  But, I'm sure it wouldn't take them long to outlaw barbecue smokers if that were the case.  It's disgusting how much we as a country have allowed our government to control us.

18

Home Made / Re: New build plan, looking for suggestions

« on: September 18, 2014, 08:22:17 PM »

Thanks! It's been a job, but I'm relatively happy with the outcome this far.  The welder is a 220v Lincoln Weldpack 155. It held up really well-no complaints. I did use .045 flux core wire on the tanks and heavier welding, everything else was .035 flux core.

19

Home Made / Re: New build plan, looking for suggestions

« on: September 14, 2014, 11:05:01 AM »

The chimney does go most of the way down to the floor of the firebox.  I don't remember exactly how far without taking a tape measure, but it is roughly 6 or 7" off the floor of the firebox I think.  I didn't take pictures of the building of the door itself, but what I did was take a piece of 3/8 and cut it with a torch to match my opening, then welded some round-nose angle around the outside of it to overlap the door frame, and this gap is where my rope gasket sits.  As for the fire brick, I laid my door down flat on my work bench and built a frame out of some 1/8" flat metal I had laying around.  I basically stacked the firebricks on the door the way I wanted, then marked the outline of them with soapstone and built a frame off those dimensions.  Then, I welded a few places around the frame to hold it to the door and inserted the firebricks, then laid expanded metal down across the top and tacked it all around to hold the bricks in place.  I did not use any adhesive to hold them if that was what you were referring to.  I shot a few photos if that helps any.  Don't laugh at my door latch and hinges--I've never had a shop class, so everything I fabbed was cut out with the torch and looks pretty rudimentary, but at least it works.    My father-in-law helped with the water-tight welding of the tanks, but the door and everything else I've tried to do on my own.  Needless to say, his work is much prettier than mine.

20

Home Made / Re: New build plan, looking for suggestions

« on: September 11, 2014, 11:22:42 AM »

Yeah, I was working on fixing that when you posted.  For some reason my original img src command wasn't working.  I re-did both of them so I think they are good now.  Thanks!

21

Home Made / Re: New build plan, looking for suggestions

« on: September 11, 2014, 10:54:23 AM »

Well, it has been awhile since I posted.  In fact, I couldn't find my original thread without searching under my previous posts.  For some reason, it was removed from the list of posts on this forum??  Work on the boiler pretty much came to a halt as summer got here and I always found other things to do with my time.  True to form, I am back to racing the clock to get this boiler done before winter gets here.  I poured two 8" thick concrete slabs to set the boiler skids on and placed it where I wanted it to sit.  I got the door figured out and finished (the latch is removed in the photos below) and painted it with high-temp paint.  I insulated the door with fire bricks and expanded metal tacked over it.  Time will tell if that helps keep the door from warping.  I started welding together the frame to hang the sheet metal on a couple of days ago, and I'm a little disappointed that I didn't make the frame for the door deeper so that I could have left some room for firebox insulation.    Instead, I have my doghouse frame sitting right up next to the front plate of the boiler.  Live and learn I suppose.  I had to leave clearance to be able to adjust my latch and hinges if/when the time arises to do so.  I am doing basically a flat roof with a 1” per foot rise over the length of it (to shed water) because I didn’t want a roof peak with the chimney and vent pipe sticking out—I figured it would be too hard to fab up the frame and make it look right and be functional.  I had the only local wood boiler guy I could find come out to quote me some prices for installing the duct coil and plate heat exchanger, but I think, after our conversation, that our philosophical differences on design are going to prevent him from doing the work.  I am looking for someone to install what I want, not what they think I should have.  An example of this is how his underground line-set he builds himself has one-piece pipe insulation around both pipes together, and shoved into corrugated pipe.  No separation of the lines from one another, and he insisted that the largest lines he installs are 3/4” pex.  I told him I wanted 1” true ID pipe, so I wanted 1” pex-al-pex at a minimum.  He tried to convince me that he puts 5/8” lines in most of his installs and pushes 11 GPM through it.  (I tried to not roll my eyes as he was explaining this to me.)  I tried to tell him I wasn’t interested in going that route, but he insisted he had the experience to tell me what I needed.  I guess I’ll continue looking for someone to do it the way I want it done.  I can’t afford Logstor, so I contacted a foam contractor about foaming in the trench and foaming the boiler water jacket.  The price I was quoted was $800 to do the job.  Still not sure what I’m going to do about this yet.  He also told me that a 5x12” 20 plate was way overkill for my domestic water.  He wanted to install a 3x8” 10 plate, even though I told him I was running it in series to my duct coil and didn’t want to obstruct flow.  I guess I’m just a little frustrated and needed to vent some.  Sorry to ramble so long.  On to the pictures:

22

Home Made / Re: Insurance woes

« on: April 28, 2014, 04:39:25 PM »

I haven't set mine yet.  I was contacting him to see how far I needed to put it away from house/shop and the underwriter said "just follow manufacturer's directions" and "the installer will know."  That's when I told him I built it, and they put the brakes on from that point forward, citing NFPA 211 and UL listing, etc.

23

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Major insurance hurdle

« on: April 28, 2014, 04:37:16 PM »

Just outside Owensboro.  The hang-up is that I built it and it's not commercially made.  Time to shop for a new carrier!

24

Home Made / Insurance woes

« on: April 28, 2014, 04:16:25 PM »

Anybody else have any issues with their insurance carrier over a home made wood burner?  Mine says no-go and that they will not cover mine due to not being UL listed and something about NFPA 211 compliance, although NFPA 211 appears to have to do with indoor wood appliances, minimum offsets, insulation of chimney, etc.  I have KY Farm Bureau for my carrier.  Just curious who everyone else uses and their insurer's policy on home made wood burners. 

25

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Major insurance hurdle

« on: April 28, 2014, 04:03:07 PM »

Talked to the insurance agent over the last few days regarding my build.  He contacted the underwriter, who said no way they would cover a home-made wood stove.  He kept cited UL listing and NFPA211 compliance to underwrite.  I kept trying to explain that it was not in the house, but out in the field behind the house, but I guess the underwriter is too deaf/dumb to understand the difference between a wood stove IN a house and an outdoor wood furnace AKA hydronic heater sitting 100 feet from the house.  I couldn't find anything in NFPA 211 that referenced outdoor wood burners, but I realize he's already set in his decision.  I also noted that it was not the primary, but a supplemental source of heat once it was finished.  The conversation ended with me letting them know that once I get it finished, I would be switching insurance companies to one that wants my business.  Personally, I think it's ridiculous.  I could understand if it was some hack-job that somebody was trying to put in their living room, but an outdoor wood furnace?  Gimme a break.  Just a head's up for any of you who may be building or planning to build one and currently have Kentucky Farm Bureau insurance for your carrier.

26

Home Made / Re: Need help with boiler door design

« on: April 17, 2014, 10:19:38 AM »

I appreciate the pics and advice.  I built the door, but I too am having trouble with the door overlap on the hinge edge hitting the door frame when trying to open.  I will be trimming down the flange now that I have my rope gasket (just got it yesterday) and as soon as I get another day off work I will be re-configuring the hinges so that the door will open freely.  Does your door have insulation in it, or just a baffle that directs the air to flow through to cool door when the fan is on?  I can't decide if I want to try to put the fan on the door or if I should just run it underneath the door through a 3" pipe I have.  If I do that, I will just use firebrick to insulate the door with an expanded metal tacked over it to hold the firebricks in place and mount the fan underneath the boiler with a pipe running up from its enclosure.

27

Home Made / Re: New build plan, looking for suggestions

« on: April 09, 2014, 01:57:50 PM »

It's coming along, just difficult to find time to work on it with weather (been rainy a lot lately here) and my work schedule.  Legs are now tacked together, ready for welding tomorrow.  You might have to stand on your head to get the full effect since it's upside down right now.



Firebox door opening cut and door frame tacked in place:



Better view of firebox opening (20 1/2" X 20 1/2"):



Opposite side view of legs/support structure:

28

Home Made / Re: New build plan, looking for suggestions

« on: March 29, 2014, 01:03:26 PM »

Not yet. It pretty much looks the same as the last photo except the water jacket and chimney have been welded in completely now, instead of just tacked in. Between weather and my work schedule, I haven't had any time to work on it.

29

Home Made / Re: Need help with boiler door design

« on: March 29, 2014, 07:30:14 AM »

Thanks. I will be attempting to come up with a design over the next few weeks based off of a few pictures I have.

30

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Logstor Price Increase

« on: March 22, 2014, 04:06:22 AM »

When does the price increase take effect?