A potbelly stove is a simple heating device with more than a century of history. And if at the dawn of its appearance it was made from scraps of pipes and metal barrels, today a stove made from a gas cylinder is becoming an increasingly popular option for heating garages and baths. We figure out how to choose a cylinder for work, what kind of stove can be made from it, and in what order the work is performed.
Potbelly stove - a compact and efficient heating device Source ytimg.com
Methods of use and varieties
In our native land, a homemade stove made from a gas cylinder is a common source of heat in the winter. Most units are designed quite simply. According to the principle of operation, they are similar to a metal wood-burning stove: heat is released into the surrounding space through a body that is heated due to the combustion of wood (or other fuel). Homemade designs are used in the following situations:
- In the summer at the dacha for cooking food for people and animals.
- In winter for heating a garage, workshop, utility rooms.
- In residential areas for cooking and heating (enough for one or two small rooms).
- For heating the bath.
- A backup option in case of emergency failure of the main heating system.
Stoves converted from a gas cylinder do not have a single standard, but nevertheless, they can be classified according to the following parameters:
- According to the location of the cylinder. There are vertical and horizontal stoves; There are combined and double options. A vertical stove can often be found in a garage or utility room; horizontal ones are used for cooking and heating baths and living quarters.
Potbelly stove with hob Source termopaneli59.ru
- By design. A standard stove has a rather low efficiency; a significant part of the energy literally flies down the drain. There is an improved option: pyrolysis furnaces, which include the bubafonya furnace and the rocket furnace. They are designed to maintain long-lasting combustion.
- By choice of fuel. Mostly, potbelly stoves run on natural fuel - wood, but there are models that use coal, waste (diesel), peat, and pellets (pressed sawdust).
Pros and cons of the design
Every car enthusiast knows how uncomfortable it is in a garage without heating during the cold season. But excellent thermal conductivity and quick heat generation are not the only benefits of using a potbelly stove from a gas cylinder. Owners of garages, cottages and bathhouses are aware of other advantages of the heating device:
- Saving. Manufacturing requires standard, inexpensive parts. You get a unit at minimal cost, which is pleasantly different from the price tag of a finished metal stove. Available fuel is used for combustion.
Furnace in operation, operating mode Source ytimg.com
- Ease of manufacture. The work can be done on your own, without the involvement of specialists. There are a lot of videos collected online that can help you learn the technology for assembling a potbelly stove of any design.
- Convenient dimensions. You can make a device to fit the size of a bathhouse or garage.
- Easy operation and maintenance. The cylinder produces a stove suitable for heating baths, residential and utility rooms.
It is important to know about the following disadvantages of the device:
- To work, you need to choose reliable, proven drawings; The efficiency of a random unit may be low.
- Due to its design and material, the structure does not retain heat: as soon as the fire goes out, it immediately cools down.
- It is strictly forbidden to heat a potbelly stove with waste (used lubricants) in a residential area. This is not only harmful to health, but also a potential explosion and fire hazard. The place for installing any stove is finished with fire-resistant materials.
Diagram and dimensions of a country potbelly stove Source technicalservice59.rf
Stoves operating on exhaust have a separate drawback: due to the specifics of the fuel, more soot is formed, and the chimney has to be cleaned more often. In any case, when using liquid fuel, good air circulation is necessary, and this is possible with an established ventilation system.
Basic laws of heating
There are quite a few copies broken as to what kind of heating system should ultimately be considered, if not ideal, then at least approximately optimal. There are many heating systems.
The battles continue. If not user-created, then advertising - every sandpiper sings about its swamp no worse than a nightingale.
It is not easy to thoroughly understand these plot twists and turns. Especially for a person who plunged into the problems of heating engineering temporarily and, partly, forcedly.
Meanwhile, the question is serious - any of the projects is not cheap and is aimed at a long-term user perspective. Therefore, it requires detailed study.
Selection and preparation of the cylinder
The first thing you need to decide is the size of the metal container. The size is chosen based on the area of the room in which the cylinder stove is supposed to be installed. You can choose from the following options:
- 5 l cylinder. A five-liter container can heat a small room. Little fuel fits into it, and only in the form of chips or briquettes.
- For 12 l. The furnace will be able to provide small (up to 3 kW) thermal power. The heat is enough to warm a small workshop, utility room or gatehouse.
- For 27-30 l. You will receive up to 7 kW, which will be enough to heat a garage, garden house or greenhouse.
- For 40 l. Industrial cylinders have a small diameter and thick walls, therefore, the fuel load will be small. It is better to shorten such a container and make a small stove that will hold heat longer and last longer.
Potbelly stove with heater for a bath Source s-proms.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in the design and installation of fireplaces and stoves
- For 50 l. A propane cylinder is considered the best option for making a potbelly stove; Such dimensions are capable of providing heat to the cottage.
The cylinder needs preparation: removal of gas residues. If cleaning is neglected, an explosion may occur when cutting metal. The cylinder will become safe after the following measures:
- Unscrew the valve to get rid of any remaining gas. You need to set aside a day, so the container is left to vent the gas in the open air or in a non-residential area with good ventilation.
- Then the container is turned over to drain the condensate (any unnecessary container with a lid will do - condensation has a pungent odor).
- At the end, the container is filled with water to the very top for several hours to displace residual vapors. After draining the water, the cylinder can be cut without danger.
What materials and tools are needed
To make a garage or sauna stove from a gas cylinder, choose a steel, seamless propane (household) cylinder with the following dimensions:
- Case length: 1660-1755 mm. Diameter: 219 mm.
- Wall thickness: 5.2-8.9 mm.
The gas must be removed from the container Source f12.pmo.ee
Dimensions may vary, but maximum deviations (especially in thickness) must comply with GOST 949-73 standards. The tools you need to prepare are:
- Welding machine (200 A). Protective equipment (welding mask with light filter, gloves). Electrodes for welding structural steels (diameter 3-4 mm).
- Grinding machine (grinder). It requires cutting and cleaning discs for metal (diameter from 180 mm).
- Workbench with a vice.
- Drill and set of drills.
- To clean up welding slag: metal brush (with metal bristles), sandpaper.
- Tools: pliers, chisel, hammer.
- For marking: tape measure or folding meter, chalk (marker).
The range of materials depends on the size, shape and purpose of the structure. The middle list includes the following items:
- Pipe for chimney. Approximate dimensions: cross-section 120-150 mm, length 400 mm.
- Sheet of steel (thickness minimum 3 mm). The oven door is made of steel.
Stove with a horizontal heating device Source usamodelkina.ru
- Steel reinforcement or rod. Suitable for making a grate, you can make a handle for a door or a heater (if the stove is intended for a bathhouse).
- Metal corner or profile pipe. The materials will be useful for making legs.
If you plan to use a gas cylinder sauna stove, you will need a brick - this is used to build the foundation for the sauna structure. Diabase is ideal for filling the heater. Granite is not recommended; under the influence of high temperature it will quickly collapse.
If you do not have the opportunity to make a grate or other parts, you can purchase them ready-made. At this stage, you need to decide on the type of potbelly stove in shape. Taking into account the orientation of the housing (whether it will be located vertically or horizontally), all working operations are carried out.
Manufacturing procedure
The orientation of the housing is chosen depending on the location and purpose of use. The horizontally positioned design is more convenient for cooking or bathing. The vertical version is often used for heating; They place it in garages: it takes up little space, and the traction in it is stronger.
Potbelly stove made from two cylinders in the garage Source ad-cd.net
Installation of a horizontal stove
The stove-stove is assembled in the following sequence:
- A square hole is marked and cut at the end to install the loading door (sometimes the end is cut off entirely).
- At the opposite end, according to the markings, a round hole is cut out for the chimney pipe.
- A hole for the grate is marked and cut out at the bottom. A box for collecting ash is welded under it (it is made of sheet metal).
- The ash chamber simultaneously plays the role of a blower, so it is supplemented with a door for adjusting the draft. To make the door, a fragment cut from the body is suitable, but you can supply a purchased part. The finished door makes the task easier, as it is equipped with a frame and a latch.
- To make a grate, thick reinforcing (knitting) wire is suitable; a lattice of the required size is cooked from it.
- For safe operation, reliable support is needed. Legs from a corner or runners from a profile are suitable as a stand. The supports are fixed to the body using spot welding; as a result, they must support the weight of the structure along with the loaded fuel.
Grate option Source ytimg.com
- A pipe - an adapter - is welded to the rear round hole, through which the chimney pipe is connected. The pipe needs a thick wall, otherwise it will quickly burn out under the influence of hot combustion products.
With grates or without?
In the simplest version, no grates are provided. If the cylinder is small or stands horizontally, then selecting a part inside is problematic. In this case, the design of a potbelly stove made from a cylinder is quite simple: the body is placed on legs, one door, and a pipe for connecting the chimney is welded in the upper part. All. The whole stove.
The internal structure of a potbelly stove made from a horizontally located cylinder is quite simple: only a door for loading fuel/unloading burnt coals and an exit for the chimney
The photo above shows examples of such simple ovens. In order to improve heat transfer, metal strips are welded to the outside of the body. In the upper part, in addition to the smoke pipe, there is another outlet - a lid is installed on it, and this outlet is used as a stove for cooking food and heating tea.
If you still want to make grates in a potbelly stove from a horizontally installed cylinder, you will have to weld a tray for collecting ash from below. Below there is a drawing and photo of the practical implementation.
Video description
About making a stove from a cylinder for heating a garage in the following video:
Installation of a vertical potbelly stove
A vertical stove for a bath from a gas cylinder is made in the following order:
- The cylinder is fixed in a vertical position, the upper part is cut off with a grinder (where the fittings are), future holes for the firebox and ash pan are marked below (through which the potbelly stove will be cleaned of ash).
- Two holes are cut out on the front of the body using a grinder. The upper, large hole is for the firebox, the lower, smaller one is for the ash pan. You can use a gas or plasma cutter.
- A grate is installed between the furnace chamber and the ash pan. It is difficult to find it ready-made, of the required size and shape, so the lattice is made independently from reinforcing bars. The reinforcement is cut into pieces of the required size and welded inside the cylinder to the walls along a pre-marked mark.
Location of the firebox and blower Source vsaunu777.ru
Subtleties of operation
Like any potentially dangerous structure, a homemade sauna stove from a gas cylinder is made taking into account fire safety standards. To ensure its operation is correct, safe and economical, the following rules have been developed:
- A minimum gap of 20-30 cm should be maintained between the stove and concrete (brick) walls. There should be at least half a meter to other surfaces, while adjacent surfaces are finished with metal.
- For fire safety purposes, the stove is installed on a metal or concrete (brick) base.
- It is recommended to equip the chimney with a view (damper). This will help regulate draft and save firewood.
- Caring for a potbelly stove includes cleaning the chimney. It is carried out twice, before and after the heating season.
Two-story potbelly stove with increased heat transfer Source aviarydecor.com
Bottom line
A homemade stove based on gas cylinders is an inexpensive and high-quality heating unit that will last for many years. Of course, the efficiency level of such a stove is not the highest, but welding experts are working to improve it.
A potbelly stove based on cylinders, when properly welded and designed, copes with its task much better than other heaters running on electricity or gas. What type of stoves do you think is the most effective? Share your opinion in the comments!
Sources
- https://gidpopechkam.ru/pechki/burzhujka-iz-gazovogo-ballona.html
- https://cotlix.com/kak-sdelat-burzhujku-dlitelnogo-goreniya-iz-gazovogo-balona
- https://teplowood.ru/burzhujka-iz-gazovogo-ballona.html
- https://oboiman.ru/ingeneer/burzujka-iz-gazovogo-ballona-svoimi-rukami-instruktaz-po-izgotovleniu.html
- https://stroy-podskazka.ru/postrojki/garazh/pech-iz-gazovogo-ballona/
- https://sdelairukami.ru/pech-iz-gazovogo-ballona-luchshij-variant-dlya-garazha-i-masterskoj/
- https://kachestvolife.club/otoplenie/kak-sdelat-piroliznuyu-burzhuyku-iz-gazovogo-ballona-2-luchshih-sposoba
- https://dekoriko.ru/postrojki/garazh/pech-iz-gazovogo-ballona/
- https://vdome.club/bez-rubriki/pech-v-garazh-iz-gazovogo-ballona-kak-sdelat-svoimi-rukami.html
- https://VseProGarazh.ru/kommunikatsii/otoplenie/pech-dlya-garazha-iz-gazovogo-ballona/
Briefly about the main thing
A potbelly stove, converted from a gas cylinder, has remained a popular heating device for decades. It confidently copes with heating small rooms, has convenient dimensions, and can be done by a home craftsman with basic skills in welding and plumbing.
Large household gas cylinders are best suited for production. By design, horizontal and vertical models are distinguished; the former are convenient for cooking, the latter often serve as a source of heat in the garage, bathhouse or country house. The finished stove is installed in a prepared room and operated in compliance with fire safety rules.
Video: How to make a super wood-burning stove from a used cylinder
The proposed options are only a small part of what was invented by folk craftsmen. Look how the craftsman combined brickwork and a gas cylinder in one potbelly stove:
If you have an understanding of working with the tools described above and all the necessary materials, you can try to make this convenient and sometimes irreplaceable stove yourself. By making it yourself, you can save quite a large amount, and also make an already unnecessary gas cylinder function. The most important thing is to approach this work responsibly and do it slowly, checking every action.
