Do-it-yourself potbelly stove for a bath: stove options

How to make a sauna stove from a cast iron stove? Advice from professionals? Advantages and disadvantages? cm.

I bought a cast-iron stove at a sale during the liquidation of army reserves... Like this:

How to cover it and with what so that water does not get on the cast iron and it does not crack from the temperature difference?

Who uses these stoves in the bathhouse?

Please share your operating experience.

I would take a holder or grinder and check what kind of cast iron it is. If it is malleable, then do whatever you want with it, it can be cooked with any current and any electrode and will not burst due to temperature changes. That is, there will be no need to cover it with anything, but to work and finish it, weld it, cover it with bricks, everything as you wish. If it is coarse-grained gray cast iron, welding is difficult, and the sparks from the grinder are brown, then only install a heater on the chimney. Yes, and they cover it if they want the temperature to remain for several days, such a bathhouse takes a long time to heat, as usual. And there are those who don’t like to wait long and don’t line steel stoves. You can wash right away, but naturally the heat does not last long.

Honestly, I doubt that without significant alterations and improvements, this is even possible!

This stove can be used exclusively as a firebox and nothing more!

Let’s say you decide to cut it out and cut out the back wall to make a wide chimney and lead it into the steam room, so that you can lay stones on it as heat accumulators.

It is categorically unacceptable to place a stove in a steam room, so it will be placed in another room behind a partition.

As an option, recess it into the wall so that its back wall opens into the steam room, then you will need to attach heat sink sheets to the potbelly stove.

Welding them by electric welding is very unreliable, so I would recommend simply screwing them onto through bolts.

For heat sinks, you can use thick metal or even some cast iron elements from radiators, hatches, grilles, etc.

Next, you will need to pour a small stone onto these heat sinks and then large bath stones onto it, this way the heat will be well transferred and water will not get on the stove body.

It’s even better if you make a sheathing and put stones in there, then the heat accumulator will be larger and there will be no opportunity for water to get onto the body of the potbelly stove.

It will look something like this, only at the level of the protruding door of the firebox of the potbelly stove there will be a dividing brick wall between the dressing room and the steam room, that is, the doors of the firebox and vent in the dressing room, and the body with lathing and stones in the steam room.

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How to make a potbelly stove for a bath with your own hands

A private bath always brings health benefits, relaxation and pleasure from visiting it. Usually baths are built from wooden beams, and stoves and boilers with water are installed inside the steam room. The temperature in the bathhouse, air humidity and steam intensity depend on the type of stove. The choice of the type of bath (Russian, Finnish sauna or Turkish bath) depends on the health and desire of the owners.

Video: how to make a potbelly stove with your own hands

A stove in a bathhouse must have an aesthetically pleasing appearance, retain heat for a long time, be safe and easy to use, and not contain components that release toxic substances into the atmosphere when heated. Smoke from a wood stove should never enter the steam room. It is worth considering the possibility of dismantling the stove for its maintenance (for example, to replace failed elements) and the compactness of the stove, especially in small baths.

There are several rules for metal stoves that I install in bathhouses:

Important! For long-term and safe operation of the furnace, the structure is assembled from alloy steel with a high chromium content (about 13%).

The advantages of metal stoves over stone and brick ones are that using a potbelly stove in a bathhouse allows you to completely remove smoke without the risk of smoke in the room; moreover, metal stoves are compact, easy to install and heat up several times faster than stone ones.

The disadvantages of a potbelly stove include: the need to constantly add fuel, as well as its high consumption.

What can a Bubafon cauldron be made from?

Half of the entire structure is the boiler, which can be made of any material, suitable shape and characteristics. These may be the following items.

1. Do-it-yourself bubafonya stove from gas cylinders. Welding cylinders are the best basis for a boiler. Just adjust it to size and you can use it. Since the gas is under pressure, it is held back by thick metal walls, which will prevent burning in the stove.
2. Old fire extinguisher. Large volume industrial fire extinguishers are convenient for boiler making. Despite the fact that their diameter is smaller, they are able to withstand thermal stress.
3. Metal barrel. Manufacturing instructions are similar to the previous options. To prepare, you need to cut out the top and use it as an air vent.
4. Pipe. A wide sewer pipe with wide walls is suitable for the boiler. But to do this, you need to cut two circles from sheet steel yourself and weld them as a bottom and a lid.
5. Homemade body made of sheet steel. You can make your own boiler from a steel sheet by rolling it into a cylinder and welding it.

One of the simplest barrel designs

One of the easiest ways to assemble is from a tin barrel. It has thin walls, which reduces efficiency and low heat transfer. The advantage of the method is the large loading volume and on one tab it can work for more than twelve hours. Barrels are standardized sizes. If the walls burn out, it will be easy to replace it with a new one.

Assembly instructions:

You need to remove the weld that secures the cover. It is best to do this with an angle grinder to prevent the formation of burrs. To ensure a perfectly even seam, you can use a diamond-coated disc. The edges of the barrel are beaten with a mallet or hammer. On the lid, on the contrary, they are flared. As a result, the lid should fit tightly onto the barrel. A hole is drilled in the center for installing the chimney. The distributor will require a lid from a similar barrel. If this is not available, the part can be made from sheet steel. Air vents are welded to the lower part. They can be made from sections of U-shaped profile or channel. This is necessary to increase the performance of the stove. If you need low efficiency for a small room, you don’t have to do this. A damper is mounted on an axle on top of the hot air pipe. To increase ease of use, it is better to provide a “wing” fastening method. A hole is made on the body for the chimney pipe

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It is important that the seam is sealed.

For added convenience, you can install a screen made of a solid metal sheet.

Cylinders and pipes

Do-it-yourself bubafonya stoves made from a gas cylinder are relevant. The principle of manufacturing from a cylinder and a pipe is similar. The main difference is that the pipe will need to be prepared. Two circles in diameter are cut from a sheet of steel and the bottom is welded.

You need to cut several steel disks to fit the diameter of the cylinder. In each of them you need to cut out a small segment to make it larger than a semicircle. They are installed inside by welding

It is important to weld them so that they are mirrored to each other. This results in a multi-stage system for lifting air. At the level of the first floor, you need to make several holes in the wall with a diameter of 5 millimeters. The end of the channel is connected to the outlet of the pipe. In the middle of the wall there is a door for a rectangular firebox. A grate is mounted below the door.

The main parts of the design of a potbelly stove for a bath:

The water tank is welded from steel sheets of increased thickness. A woodshed may be provided next to the stove.

Operating principle of the furnace

Solid fuel, burning in the firebox, releases heat, which is partially used to heat the room, and partially enters the chimney, which in turn heats the water tank.

compact transformable furniture for a small apartment

Potbelly stove made from a barrel or thick-walled pipe with a water tank

This is the simplest and most popular design of a sauna stove.

To install it you will need:

The water tank is located on the stove itself

The easiest way to make a potbelly stove with a round cross-section is from a piece of thick-walled pipe, an ordinary metal barrel, or from bent and hermetically welded sheets of metal.

Pages of history

This type of stove got its name because of its unique appearance. In America, at one time, a stove was widespread - the fat belly. It was actively used for heating small internal volumes, premises of railway stations, freight cars, temporary premises such as guardhouses and other similar types.

Such stoves came to Russia along with the American occupation corps at the turn of the First World War and at the dawn of the Civil War, and immediately attracted the attention of local residents, who immediately appreciated the simplicity and, at the same time, proper efficiency of the stove. And then, along with the civil war, devastation came and simple but effective designs became in great demand.

In general, the potbelly stove has spread across the country. Heat, along with food, is a fundamental factor in a minimally equipped life, and an individual stove, even if it was heated with trees from the family garden or marvelous half-chairs made by the English master Gumbs, could be afforded by fairly wealthy people, in a word, bourgeois.

Potbelly stoves successfully survived the civil war and devastation, collectivization and the Stakhanov movement, worked conscientiously in the dugouts and dugouts of the Great Patriotic War, and confidently entered the post-war life of ordinary Soviet people, heating barracks, dachas and sheds. The decline of stoves of this design came at the time of the mass introduction of centralized heating systems in the country, and now, when industrial technologies make it possible to do things cheaply and cheerfully, and manual electric welding has become commonplace, such stoves are experiencing a rebirth. How is it structured?

Step-by-step instructions for creating a potbelly stove for a bath

If you decide to take a fundamental approach to this issue and do everything “forever”, so as not to have to do repairs every few months, we recommend that you strictly follow our instructions! It has been tested more than once, thousands of people have built their stoves using this technology, it is time-tested!

Foundation

The most reliable foundation is a layer of cement below the floor level, two layers of waterproofing material (roofing felt) and two levels of brickwork. A reliable foundation will prevent the stove from tilting and ensure the proper level of fire safety.

Firebox assembly

Scheme of a potbelly stove for a bath

Chimney and water tank

The chimney in a bathhouse consists of internal and external parts. The internal part is located indoors and passes through a tank of water, heating it.

The outer part is equipped with a fungus to protect against precipitation and dirt. In places of contact with flammable surfaces, it is insulated with asbestos sheets.

We weld the first, inner part of the chimney to the stove. Next, install a water tank on top of the stove. We weld it hermetically to the firebox. In this case, the chimney must pass through the tank. We cut a water tap into one of the walls.

After this, we extend the pipe to the ceiling level and lead it through the roof to the street.

To close the chimney after finishing the stove, install a valve. To do this, during the assembly process, the pipe is drilled, and a metal circle mounted on a rod is installed inside. Operating principle: by turning the rod, the position of the metal damper inside the pipe also changes, changing the size of the gap and the amount of air and smoke circulating inside it.

Facing

The outer part of the furnace (except for its front part) is lined with refractory bricks. This improves heat transfer and promotes more uniform heating of the room. Metal parts of the stove may only be painted with heat-resistant paints (to protect the stove from corrosion).

Potbelly stove with remote tank

A potbelly stove with a remote tank is more practical. A tank of water is brought in and secured next to one of the walls of the furnace. To heat the water as quickly as possible, the tank and firebox are connected by metal pipes in which heated water circulates. The main structural parts of the stove remain unchanged: ash pan and fuel chamber, chimney, grate. An open metal “glass” is mounted on top of the firebox by welding, into which stones are placed.

You should choose stones that are heat-resistant and resistant to sudden temperature changes. Otherwise, low-quality material, when drops of water come into contact with a hot surface, can crack, release unfavorable impurities into the air, and poorly retain heat. The aesthetic appearance of the stones used in sauna stoves plays an important role in the choice.

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Brick laying

When laying out the first row, you should measure the gaps from the walls of the oven to the brick.
The approximate margin is from five to ten centimeters. Bricks are laid in half-brick increments, in a checkerboard pattern. The reinforcing mesh is spread on top of each row. It should not extend beyond the edges of the display, as this will spoil the appearance. The seams must be immediately rubbed with the remaining solution.

To guarantee constant air circulation around the structure, holes should be provided in the masonry itself. On each side you need to make 4 holes - from the bottom to suck in cool air, and from the top to release already heated air.

The laying of bricks is carried out to the very top of the furnace.

What you need to know about potbelly stoves for baths

Russian bath and Finnish sauna differ in humidity and intensity of air heating in the steam room. In the case of a steam room in a Russian bath, the optimal condition is considered to be heating to a temperature of 70°C, with a moisture content of 50%. The sauna is heated to 100°C, while the steam humidity does not exceed 20%. A potbelly stove for baths and saunas, using a simple switch, creates dry and wet steam and quickly warms up the room.

Long-burning boiler principle

Before reviewing the unit, you need to understand the principle of its operation. The bubafonya stove runs on solid fuel - wood. Before you start burning it, you need to prepare the wood. In the boiler it is heated to 250 degrees Celsius using paper ignition.

When charring, wood decomposes into simple chemicals: gases and vapors. When the temperature reaches 300o Celsius, the gaseous components ignite, accelerating the thermal reaction.

To protect against fire, and also to prevent it from spreading throughout the entire container, a protective screen is provided on the fireplace. A damper is used to regulate the temperature. When turned off, the air supply stops, as does the combustion process.

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Types of potbelly stoves installed in baths

The most effective and simple potbelly stove for a bath, it works like a regular convection oven, with a built-in open-type heater. The range includes models that work exclusively to heat the room, as well as stoves with a storage hot water tank.

Potbelly stoves for baths are usually classified according to the principle of operation, the presence of additional functions, as well as the metal from which the body is made:

The design solves the problem of rapid burning of firewood. Stoves operate on the principle of long burning, therefore they retain heat longer.

Topi-wash stoves are very popular due to their versatility. To heat water, no additional equipment is required; it is enough to connect the container to an existing hot water system. Stoves are manufactured in a basic configuration, which do not have a tank installed.

The optimal dimensions of the potbelly stove are specially maintained, sufficient to place it even in a small steam room, or, if desired, to cover it with brick.

How to choose a potbelly stove

A potbelly stove for a bath, in its design, resembles a Buleryan-type stove. The basic principle of operation is associated with convection heating of the room. The stoves are optimally suited for small baths, but, if desired, they can also be installed in large steam rooms.

When selecting a potbelly stove, pay attention to several characteristics and operating parameters:

The manufacturer separately indicates the type of fuel, operating features and additional functionality. Finding a suitable model is usually not difficult.

Types of fuel and types of stoves

Bathhouse stoves are divided into 2 main groups: metal (cast iron) and brick options. Brick sauna stoves are heat-intensive; they take longer to heat up, but also take a long time to cool down. An iron stove is an economical heating item due to its multitasking, simplicity and convenience of equipment. When choosing a stove or fireplace, you need to look not only at the design of the heat source, but also at the type of fuel. When burning the same mass, different fuels will release different amounts of heat. There are many variations of the energy carrier.

According to the aggregate content and type of fuel, all fuel groups are divided into solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Solid is a common class of fuel, it includes: coal, peat, briquettes, firewood, pallets. They are used only in ordinary ovens as they burn quickly. Liquid fuels are kerosene, fuel oil, diesel, boiler, and coke liquid.

They have significant calorific value. The first type of gaseous fuel is natural gas, obtained from gas reservoirs, or associated gas from naphtha production. It has good calorific value.

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Potbelly stove - installation in a bathhouse

A potbelly stove has a simple design and operating principle; installing a stove with your own hands, although difficult, is a possible process. During installation, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, as well as fire and safety rules:

For the stove to operate, a stable draft is required. The installation of the pipe should ensure stable traction characteristics.

Separate requirements stipulate how to position the stove in the bathhouse, depending on the layout of the room.

How to position a potbelly stove

The location of the stove is important, determining the efficiency of heating the steam room.
You will need to make a project with clearly marked ventilation ducts, sun beds, and sinks. The location of the stove should ensure comfortable and uniform heating of the room and reduce the cost of connecting the water supply and chimney. stork on the roof large children's choir

Installation of a potbelly stove in a wooden bathhouse is carried out according to the following rules:

What and how to cover the stove

The metal, while heating the furnace, becomes red-hot. To prevent burns from accidentally touching the steel, the stove is lined. Any refractory material with good heat transfer is suitable for performing the work.

Facing is performed in several ways:

To line a metal stove with bricks, use ready-made or self-made clay mortar. For tiling, special adhesives are used.

Each firebox increases the strength of the masonry. But the first 1-2 furnaces are not carried out at full capacity. Convection wells are provided in the brickwork to improve the circulation of heated and cold air communicating with the furnace.

Pros and cons of a potbelly stove for heating a bath

Using a potbelly stove with a water heating tank has several advantages. The work is based on the heating of convection currents, which allows you to quickly and evenly warm up the steam room. At the same time, during the fire, the water for washing is heated.

The thickness of the furnace metal is at least 4-5 mm. Experience shows that with intensive use of a potbelly stove with a tank for heating water, the stove will last at least 5-7 years, after which it will require partial repairs or replacement.

Another advantage is the following design feature. The wood-burning stove is a Canadian-type potbelly stove, uses the principle of long combustion, and continues to operate on one load for 4-6 hours. One kindling of the stove will last for the whole day.

It is convenient to heat a bathhouse with a potbelly stove, since heat begins to flow into the steam room almost immediately. It will take about an hour to fully warm up the steam room.

A wood-burning stove for a bathhouse has several disadvantages that must be kept in mind during operation. The body gets very hot during combustion, which is especially noticeable in the door area. It is not recommended to overheat the stove; this can lead to deformation and sagging of the fire door.

In general, a potbelly stove is a good option for those who are looking for a universal stove that can create the microclimate of a sauna and Russian bath, after simply switching the levers and dampers.

Advantages and disadvantages

Metal sauna stoves have undeniable advantages:

1. The most important thing is that the steam room heats up in a short period of time , approximately in an hour or two. The metal is characterized by excellent thermal efficiency.
2. The likelihood of carbon monoxide poisoning is practically reduced to zero. Specific design features provide for the removal of all harmful substances that are formed during fuel combustion through the chimney.
3. Very compact dimensions are very useful in modest baths.
4. To build them, a lightweight foundation is required , which will significantly save time and money.

With all its positive qualities, we should not forget about the disadvantages of such units:

1. Significant energy consumption with low efficiency.
2. They cannot accumulate heat and soon cool down.
3. They do not have the ability to heat overly large areas.
4. The fire safety level of an iron stove is significantly lower than that of a brick stove.

Sauna stove made of cast iron potbelly stove

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DJorDJlll

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Sauna stove made of cast iron potbelly stove

Good day, there is an opportunity to purchase a cast iron stove. I want to line it on the sides with bricks and lay stones with a steam gun. Is this stove suitable for a steam room? What are your thoughts on this? Thank you.

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AlexanderGorbatov

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Lottery with unknown result).

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DJorDJlll

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If the result was known, I would not create a topic.

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AlexanderGorbatov

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Has your sauna already been built? Tell us more about her. Dimensions, materials, foundation, insulation? Region of residence? Seasonality of visit? Number of bath attendants? What bath regimes do you want to achieve? What will you use to “prepare” hot water for washing?

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DJorDJlll

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Fsa71

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Throughout my childhood, in our dacha we had a stove made of a similar size cast-iron stove lined with bricks. At the same time, the cast-iron sides become red-hot; they do not have time to transfer heat to the bricks and begin to bend inside the oven. As a result, an air gap appears between the side and the brick and everything becomes even worse. Well, this cast-iron stove was replaced there, it seems, twice in 20 years, bricks were re-laid around it - and the same thing was repeated. After a few years, the inside of the firebox was a sad sight - the sides were so concave that its volume probably became one and a half times smaller. In general, I would not recommend it.

Well, I found pictures and looked into this matter several years ago. The right wall at the bottom is especially concave, so it’s hard to see here.

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DJorDJlll

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Well, the service life is relatively short. I plan to lay stones between the brick and the wall of the stove and create convection from the bottom.

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Fsa71

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Deadline - yes. But it seems to me that such a stove is too small for a bathhouse. And because of this, it will have to be drowned there with terrible force, which will speed up the process.

Although. if stones, air. maybe it won't be so bad. And nothing lasts forever. You can replace it someday if everything gets bad.)

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syslog

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Convection will turn the heater into an open one. There can be no talk of any kind of Russian bathhouse regime.

Buy a stove and place it in the rest room. Several topics like yours are created every year. The result is the same for everyone: bad.

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AlexanderGorbatov

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Basically everything is explained correctly. I am writing to understand the process. The stove bends because the lining is fundamentally incorrect. You need to constantly remove heat from the walls of the oven, then they will not bend. To do this, the distance of the brick from the walls should be 5-7 cm from the bottom, leaving holes in the brick along the walls to organize a constant supply of air to remove heat. And in the photo everything is locked tightly.

Google my topic on the internet: Implemented methods for lining a stove in a steam room. I wrote everything out there.

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DJorDJlll

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I plan to close the convection for the duration of the soaring.

To understand how I came to my option: I wanted a stove with a cast-iron firebox. I looked towards the “Vesuvius Legend”, but it is suitable for a sauna. For a Russian bath, the firebox is from Vesuvius and lined with bricks. As a result, it is cheaper to take this potbelly stove.

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DJorDJlll

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I didn’t find anything about a cast iron stove.

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AlexanderGorbatov

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And what kind of advice are you looking for(? If you have already decided everything yourself. Make your own version. I will wait with interest for your stories about the operation of the bathhouse.

The design of the bathhouse there is very similar to yours. And the tandem furnace with a tube steam evaporator is very interesting.

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DJorDJlll

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I'm looking for advice: is it possible to use this potbelly stove for my purposes?

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Homemade products

Homemade potbelly stoves can be divided into three groups:

• Well thought out, embodying useful ideas.
• Efficient, but not sufficiently developed.
• Just curiosities.

Good

Brick stove for a bath

Among the good ones, first of all, I would like to note a potbelly stove made of brick for a bath, the diagram of which is shown in Fig. on right. Generally speaking, brick is contraindicated as a material for a potbelly stove; it was originally designed for metal. But in this case, the author successfully solved all the problems, creating a stove that was much simpler to make and required less material than a regular bathhouse. True, its efficiency, due to the absence of a hog in the chimney, is unlikely to exceed 40%, but for a sauna stove this is not the main thing.

The second design is the already mentioned potbelly stove in development. Its diagram is shown in Fig. lower left. It would seem, what would be simpler - bend the upper end of the gasifier and put it in the vent of the potbelly stove under the grate, which will become the afterburner chamber (afterburner)? The grate will play the role of a hot gas choke, similar to an incomplete partition in the afterburner of conventional furnaces during mining.

Scheme of a potbelly stove during development

But it's not that simple. If the gas exchange holes in a curved gasifier are distributed, as in a straight vertical one, evenly along its generatrix, then the gas column in it will bunch up into a rushing pulsating rope. This is an emergency mode, fraught with fire and even explosion.

The mechanism of this phenomenon is subtle; there are several reasons, including uncompensated Coriolis forces arising as a result of the rotation of the Earth. But the principles of constructing an oil attachment for a potbelly stove are simple:

1. The total number and diameter of holes in the gasifier remain unchanged.
2. From a quarter to a third of them are located evenly around the circumference on its horizontal part.
3. The rest are drilled in two rows on the side surface of the curved and vertical parts symmetrically relative to the longitudinal vertical plane of the gasifier.

It is unknown whether the author of the design shown on the trail came. rice. on the right, to the same conclusions by inference and calculation, or by a series of experiments; I must say, quite risky. But, judging by the nature of combustion visible in the picture, his product is quite functional and provides good efficiency.

Potbelly stove in action

I would like to add only one thing: to save space, especially in the garage, it is advisable to tuck the fuel tank under the stove. To do this, you need, firstly, to lengthen its legs to 400-450 mm, reducing the vertical part of the chimney accordingly. When firing by working out the efficiency, this will not worsen.

Secondly, there is a temptation to place the filling hole (also known as the air throttle) next to the gasifier, so as not to put your hand under the hot stove. This should not be done under any circumstances! Otherwise, the combustion of the oil in the tank will become unstable, it may be released into the gasifier, and this is a 100% fire near the car and fuels and lubricants.

The filling hole should be located in the corner of the tank farthest from the gasifier. Right or left - it doesn’t matter, depending on the location of the stove in place. To add fuel (the furnace cannot be extinguished during testing until all the oil has burned out and the stove has cooled down), you need to use a funnel with a long curved spout, strictly observing fire safety rules.

Video: description of a homemade welded potbelly stove

Workers, mediocre

Potbelly stove from a barrel

A common homemade potbelly stove is made from a barrel. At first glance, it’s not bad: a regular 200-liter fuel barrel has a diameter of 600 mm. A hexagon with a side of 314 mm fits into such a circle, which provides the necessary technological allowance when installing standard furnace appliances. However, the efficiency of a barrel stove turns out to be no more than 15%, and if you try to increase it by shielding, the stove burns out in less than a season with regular firing.

The reason is not only the thin metal, but also the too high height of the barrel: 850 mm. The height of the firebox of a potbelly stove should be 1.3-1.5 times less than its depth. If you raise the grate and make the ash high, then the lower part of the stove will take away the heat necessary for the correct gas dynamics of the potbelly stove from the combustion chamber and give it to the air. There are two possible ways out:

1. Wall up the barrel a third or half its height in brick, as shown in Fig. on right.
2. In the upper third of the stove, install a refractory-lined oven through which the chimney will pass.

In both cases, the work becomes more complicated, and the stove will last about 5 years, no more, due to the same thin metal. And the efficiency will be no higher than 20%, another size ratio plays a role here: the depth of the firebox should be approximately twice its width, otherwise the internal gas vortex will not be able to form properly.

The second popular option is a potbelly stove made from a cylinder. Industrial, narrow and tall, will definitely not work. Unless you cut out most of its middle and make a mini potbelly stove. But at the same time, other factors will manifest themselves, see below.

A household gas cylinder is more suitable in size. For a potbelly stove you have to put it on its side: if you use a standard neck under the chimney, then the efficiency of more than the notorious 5-7% will not work. The stove's chimney should be located in the far part of the firebox. And in a potbelly stove made from a cylinder on its side, it is very difficult to install/remove the grate and adapt an air throttle to it, so it is of little use for slow burning.

In both cases, the roof and roof of the furnace are curved, cylindrical or spherical. Both are contraindicated for a potbelly stove. All its gas dynamics were initially calculated for a flat roof and vault. Rounded in one or two planes, they will knock a wide gas vortex into a bundle, which, without having time to burn out properly, will carry heat with it into the pipe. A hog on the chimney will not help, so that the bundle in it has time to unwind, burn out and cool down; it needs a length of about 12 m.

Video: homemade potbelly stove from gas cylinders

Curiosities

Of the curious structures embodied in metal, the most noticeable is the gas stove. Insert a propane torch into the firebox and you’re done. It burns, but this “improvement” consumes a gas cylinder faster than a heat gun. The reason is that the potbelly stove is in no way designed for gas. All gaseous fuel furnaces must have, regardless of the burner design, a developed internal heat exchange surface: fins, hot water register, etc. Gas is an extremely energetic fuel; combustion products are very light and quickly pass into the chimney. There is nothing in the potbelly stove that could hold them back until the heat is released. In terms of design, a good gas stove and a potbelly stove are antagonists.

As they say, for the sake of humor, it is worth mentioning the potbelly stove... from an aluminum 40-liter milk flask! The sources only contain diagrams, which is quite understandable: how would the “authors” heat a furnace made of a material with a melting point of 660 degrees Celsius?

Video: an unusual, not quite potbelly stove made from car rims

What you need to know about potbelly stoves for baths

Russian bath and Finnish sauna differ in humidity and intensity of air heating in the steam room. In the case of a steam room in a Russian bath, the optimal condition is considered to be heating to a temperature of 70°C, with a moisture content of 50%. The sauna is heated to 100°C, while the steam humidity does not exceed 20%. A potbelly stove for baths and saunas, using a simple switch, creates dry and wet steam and quickly warms up the room.

Types of potbelly stoves installed in baths

The most effective and simple potbelly stove for a bath, it works like a regular convection oven, with a built-in open-type heater. The range includes models that work exclusively to heat the room, as well as stoves with a storage hot water tank.

Potbelly stoves for baths are usually classified according to the principle of operation, the presence of additional functions, as well as the metal from which the body is made:

How to choose a potbelly stove

A potbelly stove for a bath, in its design, resembles a Buleryan-type stove. The basic principle of operation is associated with convection heating of the room. The stoves are optimally suited for small baths, but, if desired, they can also be installed in large steam rooms.

When selecting a potbelly stove, pay attention to several characteristics and operating parameters:

The manufacturer separately indicates the type of fuel, operating features and additional functionality. Finding a suitable model is usually not difficult.

Popular models

The presented models are a small part of the range offered by global manufacturers. Today, domestically produced potbelly stoves (including the USSR potbelly stove, Loginov stove, PCh-2) are in demand for long-burning cottages; imported ones are considered more expensive. There are expensive variations that are distinguished by aesthetic qualities, the highest performance indicators, expensive finishes, and maximum reduction of fire risks.

Some models are presented by brands in different power options. Designed for heating houses of different cubic capacity. Depending on the power level, the final price is determined. Variants of potbelly stoves are presented for clarity. You can choose from those offered and evaluate the assortment in stores, including online ones.

Potbelly stove - installation in a bathhouse

A potbelly stove has a simple design and operating principle; installing a stove with your own hands, although difficult, is a possible process. During installation, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, as well as fire and safety rules:

For the stove to operate, a stable draft is required. The installation of the pipe should ensure stable traction characteristics.

Separate requirements stipulate how to position the stove in the bathhouse, depending on the layout of the room.

How to position a potbelly stove

The location of the stove is important, determining the efficiency of heating the steam room.
You will need to make a project with clearly marked ventilation ducts, sun beds, and sinks. The location of the stove should ensure comfortable and uniform heating of the room and reduce the cost of connecting the water supply and chimney. Installation of a potbelly stove in a wooden bathhouse is carried out according to the following rules:

What and how to cover the stove

The metal, while heating the furnace, becomes red-hot. To prevent burns from accidentally touching the steel, the stove is lined. Any refractory material with good heat transfer is suitable for performing the work.

Facing is performed in several ways:

To line a metal stove with bricks, use ready-made or self-made clay mortar. For tiling, special adhesives are used. Each firebox increases the strength of the masonry. But the first 1-2 furnaces are not carried out at full capacity. Convection wells are provided in the brickwork to improve the circulation of heated and cold air communicating with the furnace.

Clarification of furnace power

The type of wood directly affects the thermal output:

• Stoves made from one of the most common materials - linden - will require a power of 0.5 kW per square meter.
• Slightly more severe, but used for simple health improvement, birch structures - 0.7 kW per square meter.
• An oak bathhouse that emits heavy tannins will require 1.2 kW per square meter.

Calculations of potbelly stove power are made for standard baths with a height of no more than 2-2.5 meters.