How to build a tiny masonry heater for the woodshop

How to build a tiny masonry heater for the woodshop with Mr Chickadee shows how to use reclaimed bricks and old woodstove parts to construct a very small wood fired mass heater for our woodworking shop.

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Three different mixes in the video,

1. Vermiculite, clay slurry (used as insulation layer under heater
2. Clay slurry, sand (used for mortar between bricks)
3. Clay slurry, sand, wood ashes, wool (used as fireproof layer inside firebox)

For everyone who wants plans, I would recommend this site, free detailed plans for many many stoves of various sizes, some even small enough to go on a strong wooden floor...

The stove from this video is a very similar design to one built by FireSpeaking, called the "cabin stove" though I don't think they offer plans anymore...

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[MrChickadee]

For everyone who wants plans, I would recommend this site, free detailed plans for many many stoves of various sizes, some even small enough to go on a strong wooden floor...




The stove from this video is a very similar design to one built by FireSpeaking, called the "cabin stove" though I don't think they offer plans anymore...

[stoveadvice]

For anyone wondering about the design. (It is not clear to most people who don't have experience in building these.) The flames and gasses rise up in the firebox and hit the cooktop "ceiling." They are then pulled to "our right" over the small brick wall laping across more of the iron cooktop. (This can be seen when he lifts up part of the cooktop.) The gasses move down the thin channel on the right of the firebox and actually pass under the firebox. So, in summary, the flame/ gasses go up, (hit cooktop, ) then "right, " under the cooktop, then straight down, then " turn left to go under the firebox, " then up to chimney and out of the house. The most important thing in making this stove is the "damper" inside the main firebox that allows the flame and hot gasses to move directly into the chimney for the first 10 minutes when the "system is cold." Once the chimney is hot, the damper on the left of the firebox can be closed and there will be "enough pull" in the system to pull the gasses up and over the brick wall now "to the right, " and then down, and then left under the firebox, and then out. Without this ability to "heat everything up" FIRST, a stove that asks the gasses to "do straight down" will smoke your house out and be unusable.

[mannaman]

The garage at our farm was broken into two nights ago and all the tools that belonged to my grandfather were stolen. For some reason watching you work in this video gives me peace. You make me think of what he might have been when he was a young man. Thank you.

[briantrend]

as a bricklayer these old methods of mortar /clay slurry/and insulation etc are interesting, Remember guys you have the option of 10% lime mixed with building sand and water to make lime mprtar(instead of cement mortar) if you live in a built up area and dont have access to clay to make slurry and wish to practice your brick bonds and building walls or stove projects  like this and repeat until you get it right.. When  your work is finished you can crit it and when youre ready to try again just pull it down the next day and brush the bricks dry and wash bricks clean in bucket of water  . You can then repeat and practice til youre satisfied with your brickwork project. IMPORTANT don't leave project for longer than 3 weeks or it will set hard and cure as cement and bricks. NB. this doesn't apply to slurry insulation. this is a very clean practical way to practice brickwork in your garden or patio. using the same sand and lime repeatedly. jiust break the project down on completion then use a hard scrubbing brush and separate sand and bricks into two clean piles. enjoy

[MrChickadee]

Three different mixes in the video,

1. Vermiculite, clay slurry (used as insulation layer under heater
2. Clay slurry, sand (used for mortar between bricks)
3. Clay slurry, sand, wood ashes, wool (used as fireproof layer inside firebox)

[TheMonkdad]

I love this. No dialogue and especially No Music!

[jimmie]

This is what the people from Texas needed in February, 2021. Beautiful build.

[ParttimePilgrim]

Love the raw noise of these videos, im an old chick, that tends to work alone on projects like this, (because no one nowadays wants to work this hard or creatively), so im often alone working.
What do us-kind talk about at social gatherings? This kind of stuff.
Very few get it.
We are loners. We are willing to try and fail. We are designers. We use what God has provided. Totally foreign to those that want to flip on a light and watch the tv.
I hope to be doing this until the day i go home!!

[doncarr]

Wish there were more YouTube’s like Mr. Chickadee’s. I echo all the other kudos for a vid well done.

[brickman]

Mr. Chickadee never fails to impress. If the year was 1840 and we were settling the land I would pick this guy to be on my team. Amazing to watch a video without rambling or clickbait in 2019.

[lewiswereb]

The old cast iron cook stove "parts" are beautiful. It is great you found them.

[ae]

Why do you not have 1 mil subs. I can watch your videos for hours and not realize it. Perfect content . . . Clearly letting his work speak for itself.

[JIMMY]

Very interesting and relaxing video. Thank you for not adding music!!

[tjinnes]

Beautiful. Love the quiet--just the sounds of a man at work and happy about it.

[gertkaiser]

You are a scholar and a gentleman Sir
Respect

[erikziak]

Nice work. I really appreciate these old designs. I hope the masonry heater works to your satisfaction. Looks like a proven design. Best wishes, Erik.

[davidlange]

Great video
my son was in the peace corp in Paraguay and on a three week visit my wife and I got to help him help rural folks make fagones(cook stoves) We used clay. sand and cow manure as mortar. The cow manure made the motar really sticky and helped prevent cracking. We used unfired clay bricks and constructed it a lot like yours. We made the chimney bigger and taller so we could put in an oven box. He revisited his site 6 years later and the stoves he helped build still worked fine, Did you ever look at my you tube on building my log cabin?
log cabin building-tour Your work is much more refined Love your work Dave

[salvadorelmercabotageiii]

Hey mr chickadee If I’m not mistaken I subscribed 4 years ago, I’m 14 now, and that’s when I learned carpentry. I started making a guitar pic with just an old knife and sand paper. Now, I specialise myself in carving. I really thank you for these videos that you’ve posted. These were one of the sources of my inspiration. God bless!!

[margaritagonzalez]

Straight and to the point! Beautifully done! No music!

[alfredlearlyjr]

Sir, you made your own concrete out of clay dirt, haven't seen that process since I was a child in the coal fields of West Virginia. Thanks for taking me back.