<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6002.18332" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I found Frank's comments on the mass of the
firebox interesting, as I used 1/4" steel plate for my firebox sides and top,
bottom is masonry. This makes for a faster warm up. I incorporated about 12 tons
of local stone, but built in an air space between the firebox and the stone
surround. This thermosyphons cool air from the floor thru some low openings, and
warmed air up and out to the house thru a larger opening up high. It also heats
water for us. We have been using it for 25 years as our only backup heat behind
direct gain passive solar. We still have not needed to clean the chimney yet. I
built it for under $100, not counting the two pieces of stainless vent pipe.
Doug</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/BioFuel/DougMasonryStove.htm">http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/BioFuel/DougMasonryStove.htm</A> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>On-Fri, 31 Dec
2010 12:58:14 -0500<BR>Frank Tettemer <</FONT><A
href="mailto:frank@livingsol.com"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>frank@livingsol.com</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>></FONT><BR>wrote-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> "<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>A
masonry heater has it's claim to fame by forcing the stoking person to attempt
hot flash fires, which is the right attitude for ALL wood stoves, in my humble
opinion, in order to achieve clean combustion. However, the masonry stove
does not burn cleanly, (with low emissions), UNTIL the firebox liner, (High
temperature ceramics), have absorbed enough heat from the warm-up initial
burn(S), to contribute to keeping the combustion chamber hot enough to fully
burn the wood gas. Since masonry heaters aim at having lots of mass, (for
all the good reason of high BTU absorption and release to the house), that same
mass is a big help over-night in the home, but somewhat of a detriment to
emission-free burning for the first half hour (to one and a half hours) of the
morning's initial firing. The heater is not burning all that clean
initially. (Just like any other initial firing of any other wood
stove)."</FONT><BR><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>