What to do with a cheap steel woodstove?

[shinnlinger]

Hi,

I am looking to cut down my oil use this winter (who isn't) and came across a bunch of metalbestos pipe and a smallish  woodstove stamped out of 1/8th inch steel.

I burnt the bar oil off it today and it seems to draft ok, but the steel is distorted from high heat.  I happen to have a bunch of 2+" boiler pipe laying around and wonder if it is worth my time to cut a bunch of peices of pipe the same lenght as the stove and weld them all around it.  My logic is it will increase mass and radiation.  If i put a fan behind it it might help even more.  Might not be as great as fins, but the pipe is free and probably not much work on my end.

Do you think it is worth welding the pipe on?

[Fla._Deadheader]

I think it's a good idea, especially with the fan. There used to be a stove built, with curved pipes that went around the fire chamber and crossed at the top. They seemed to put out excellent heat.  I believe someone posted a cabin photo not long ago, showing that type stove.  : ???

[Radar67]

I remember that picture. Our friend from Canada who flies helicopters had one in his cabin. Don't remember his name right off.

[Paul_H]

His name is Toxedo,he hasn't posted much lately.Too bad,he is an interesting man.


Link

[thecfarm]

Could you lay some of that pipe on the top of it too? Along with welding it around.Would it be worth it to layer the pipe on top and have a fan blow through the pipe?

[shinnlinger]

cfarm,

this stove is similair in configuraton to a jodl, being that it is rectangular and long from front to back.

I was thinking of cutting the pipe the same length as as the stove with the chop saw and then start at the bottom of the sides and weld the first peice on and then stack each subsequent peice on and go over the top as well.  It has fire brick so I dont think I will bother with the bottom.

I have seen those wrapped pipe jobs, but mine will run the opposite way.  I could go crazy with the  tubing bender, but I think that is way overkill for this particular application.  Hopfully next winter I will be in my new place with a masonary stove and this idea shouldn't take me too long and the price was right.

[Sprucegum]

Sounds good first time outa the chute.
I think you will find you need the fan to move the heat out of the pipes since they are horizontal, natural convection won't move much sideways