Solid fuel stove

[ploughman]

I am considering converting a 16kg gas bottle to a solid fuel stove to burn wood or smokeless fuel. Apparently some canal boat owners employ these, as do several shed owners. Also, there is a company that markets them to sell at �200+, so the idea is not as barmy as it sounds. If anyone has tried this, Id be very interested in plans or tips. Obviously a rudimentary knowledge of basic engineering practice is required.

[Abe]

I have seen this type of stove before in a caravan and it works very well - it certainly wasn't cold in there! The design was quite simple- a square opening had been cut out of the side of the bottle about 8" by 8"and steel plates abot 2" wide welded to the sides of the opening to form a box. A door with a heat proof glass window had been fixed to this. A hole had been cut out of the top where the valve had been and a vertical flue fixed. It was a nice bit of welding but I but I'm not sure how the bottle had been cut without exploding! I presume the valve screws out. Cutting into a pressurised container of gas,with a grinder or oxy-acetalene torch would be very dangerous. I hope you get on ok if you go ahead. It would be good to get a look at one. I'm sure there must have been a slide to open and close the flue in order to adjust the burn rate. I'm also sure there was another door-asmaller one-at the bottom, used for removig ash and allowig air in below the grate Try your local blacksmith if you have one!

[ploughman]

Thanks Abe! I havent yet seen one up &running but the design you describe for the caravan stove is almost identical to the one I have dreamed up! I even have a sheet of heatproof glass saved from an old gas log effect fire. The fire door would be fitted just as you said, but I think I may use the cylinder base as the grate, and drill holes in it, using the space below to rake out the ashes.Can you give me any more info on this please? The safety aspects are a concern as emptying the cylinder is not that easy. There is a thread running on another board called readersheds. Do you want the web address? Local friendly blacksmith?I wish!!

[z30soulbroth]

hi mate
love the idea i made 1 years ago with my workmates for our builders site caravan out of an old milk churn! our flue was a bendy gas flue we cemented it in the top of the churn, cut a hole in the front with the grinder and an ash hole. we burnt logs and waste wood it went like a bomb! fresh cut green logs too from wood clearence on sight. I loved it! the metal used to glow red
si
ps it was a 50s bluebird caravan the stove had gone but the housing was still there we used that