Another doit yourself wood boiler?

   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #1  

Bday

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Lucerne, IN
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53' Allis WD, 54' Allis WD 45, 52' allis CA, Farmall 560, 656 , 47' Deere model A , 38' Deere model A
I'm in planning stages of building a owb. Just was hoping to get some photos and info on how you guys that built your own, ran the flue pipe, and set your firebox inside the water jacket. Did you put the firebox directly on the floor of water jacket or set it on steel supports. Did firebox get welded directly to back of water jacket. I plan on using spray foam insulation. So no hot spots, the water jacket needs to surround entire firebox. Any pics or help greatly appreciated!!
Thanks, Brett
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #2  
Mine is operating currently so pics wont help. I made my firebox and then built my water jacket around it so it's completely surrounded by water..( 300 gln ). I was lucky enough to be able to go to several of the leading outdoor wood boiler companies and see how they do it. I used ideas from all of them and simplified a few more.I had my fire box rolled at a fab shop and then basicly built a front and back that is rectangular. Ran the stack way in the back and about 4" from the floor. I also copied another stove by having a trap door in the back on top that can be removed. I inserted a 50' coil of 1/2" copper pipe and ran the ends out of the back. I hook Potable water to the copper and add a pump so I dont need an expensive poor working side arm attachment on my water heater. The trap door gets caulked shut with 500 degree caulk. I can run hot water all day and never run out..Anyway. Once the front and back are welded in, After cutting door and in/out fitting holes. ( put in extras and cap them for use later)I ran a few supports front to back to tie everything together and cut my fitting holes for the back of the box and the door hole for the front and welded all that in. I Built the frame out of 1" tubing and ran 2" x 1/4 wall tube all around the bottom for the base and a center support to help hold all that water weight. I also added an over flow tube 5/8" in the front on the side that slightly angles down into the water jacket. This gives you an over flow and also a place to pour in anti corrosion chemical. Added a ball valve on the front hooked to my pottable softy water so I can add water without dumping pails in the winter and the overflow tells me when its full. added tin siding and roof. I also believe in an ash box and mine is 14" wide and 8" deep running front to back with a fan that turns on and off when needed.Then comes the energy efficiency issues and there are a lot of them as well as fan control and check valves for the water add valve as well as a fittng to hook a drain faucet to. That is a whole other book but I would glad to share what I and some friends did to make it more efficient. Good luck on a fun project that will save you thousands right away and $1000 a year there after.
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #3  
I built an outdoor furnace in 1993. Still using it today. Too bad I didn't take any pics during the build. I looked at several manufacturers. They all have a cut away drawing of how their furnace is made. The one I thought was the most efficient was Taylor. If you go to their website, taylormfg.com, and go to brochures, you will find their cut away drawing. The difference between mine & theirs, Taylor used a square firebox & water jacket, and I used round. The firebox is a piece of 30 inch diameter pipe, 42 long, with a 3/8 wall thickness. Flue pipes are 4 inch with 1/4 wall. The water jacket is 12 ga., rolled at a local fuel tank manufacturer.
Right now,you have a lot of decisions to make, and too many things to choose from. If I can be of any help, just ask. I can even tell you about some of the problems I ran into. You came to the right place, there are a lot of knowledgeable and experienced people on this site.
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks guys,
I currently have a unit based off a central boiler design that was built by an Amish weld shop in Napanee,In. I have been running this unit for 6 years now. I'm a welder by trade and figured there is no way I'm paying thousand for something I can build in my shop, the way I want it. I never paid much attention to the guts of the boiler until now. I figured I'd pick the experts brains here on the forum. Thought I'd start now, and by the time I need a new one. I might be done with my own.
Thanks for the help! Brett
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #7  
I think the most common failure mode is cracks in the firebox, therefore I would make sure the firebox is round so that there is not the bending stress concentration at the corners that get constantly stressed by the heating and cooling in the firebox. Other than that stick with good controls for the air flow to b able to regulate the fire and you should be in great shape. These things are not complex and the most important for durability are making the weld seams hold.
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #8  
Great thread! Also my favorite view.
girl.jpg

beaty.jpg
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #9  
I built one and made one big mistake. I didn't double wall the front so it's not surrounded by water and the fire has been hot enough to warp the front a little. When spring rolls around I might try to come up with a fix. Other than that, the rest is surrounded by water. There's not a big gap at the back, just a couple of inches. Most of my water is on top since heat rises. My firebox sits a few inches off the bottom on supports. The entire thing is built out of 1/4 inch steel, I had the 34" diameter by 36" deep firebox rolled at a macine shop. I put a flat piece of steel in the bottom of the firebox with a grate for ashes to fall through. I also welded a square tube through the back under the grate for a draft fan. I didn't take pics during construction but might be able to get a few now.
 
   / Another doit yourself wood boiler? #10  
I found a 36" diameter pipe 1/2" by 42" put a back on it and fabbed a door sleeve to penetrate front of water jacket. Waterjacket is 1/4" plate so it should last a good while. Spent 2k on project including pex, pump, heat exchanger and copper coil for potable water. Best thing I have done. Haven't bought propane for heat in 4 years.:laughing:
Good luck Jayme
 
 
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