Welding Tips and Tricks

Nothing fancy, but after I wrap copper around it and build the radiator box, it should take the edge off this winter.

[img]https://imgur.com/a/IQm2B6c[/img]

Nice, what does your insurance people have to say about a wood burner in the garage. The municipality I live in won't allow homemade wood burners in a garage and my insurance won't cover them either. Probably want to regulate that draft also.

Metal Manipulator wrote:Nice, what does your insurance people have to say about a wood burner in the garage. The municipality I live in won't allow homemade wood burners in a garage and my insurance won't cover them either. Probably want to regulate that draft also.

Depends where you're at. 4 years ago I had my homemade shop stove installation inspected, passed, and gave the certificate to the insurance co. and all was well. The stove itself wasn't really much of a factor other than it had to be min 18in above the floor for heavy vapors. Main factors were clearance from combustibles, proper heat shields and certified chimney and installation. I just got a copy of the code and went with it. Ontario, Canada.

It's not going in. I'll wrap copper tube around it and a radiator in the garage with a fan behind it. Insulated outside of course and glycol in the system.
https://i.imgur.com/0yRWgib.jpg

holy smokes, are you sure that you're not making a still ???????? My old buddy Jed had one something like that up in the upper peninsula. Keep us posted on the install.

Back when dad had his repair shop in Northeast Michigan, he had a similar heater. It was a kit that used 2 barrels, one laying on top of the other. Bottom was about 2 ft off the floor.
The shop was big enough to hold 5 or 6 cars, plus equipment, and office. The heater didn't keep it toasty, but did make it bearable to work in the winter.

Old Pappy had a barrel heater in his shop. He called the inspector in to have a look and when the inspector saw the barrel he started ... ya just can't use a barrel for a heater. Pappy opened the door and there was the internals all lined with fire brick and seal around the door., Pappy got a PASS and away went the inspector. I don't know the difference between the lined and unlined barrel with the thought of some type of fumes getting at it, but he used that heater for several years with no problems.

More than ever I need to save space, and it's a one and half car garage. The house sits on top of the foundation, above ground. The stove pipe/chimney would need to go up 20'+. Putting the stove outside avoids all the BS and insurance issues. Couple hundred bucks in copper and an excuse to weld.

Step 2 and three.

Nice project and nice work. I too, have my man kave all set up,,,however, I have been invaded by .... STUFF. I keep my area (although small) so I can weld and do some fab work, simply because she hasn't figured out how to move the table. She's tried, believe me, she's tried.
The wrap on the copper,,,what is it and what are you using to keep it on there?

It's not really touching much at the bottom and is wired at the legs. I had Kaowool from another project that failed , but kept it around; found a good use for it. Window screen is around the wool and wired. It's a bit of a WIP with LAR engineering tossed in.
Thinking of pumping the juice through and not worry about inlet-outlet locale, but might still move the hot to the top so if the pump fails it'll still work.

Maybe I missed it, but I have a few questions about your design.

1. Assuming the radiator and copper line is a closed-loop system how do you manage pressure? Or rather over pressure?

2. By what mean is the coolant circulated and will the pump handle the high temperature? Do you have a make/model you care to share?

Don't know about the pump and temps yet, and it'll be an unpressurized sys.

Looking good

Natural covection....fail. Ordered a pump.

Just when I thought I was clever, I had a geyser with convection, radiator too constrictive. Pump now installed and just the extra hot water added to the antifreeze, heat came through the radiator. Gonna be 28F here tonight, so done just in time. Pump is a Duda and made for boiler sys. Got about 400 bucks into this and never need to buy fuel.Should pay back in one winter.

Just when I thought I was clever, I had a geyser with convection, radiator too constrictive. Pump now installed and just the extra hot water added to the antifreeze, heat came through the radiator. Gonna be 28F here tonight, so done just in time. Pump is a Duda and made for boiler sys. Got about 400 bucks into this and never need to buy fuel.Should pay back in one winter.