First firing of the wood furnace.

The furnace is complete enough to test fire and run several checks.

Draft thru the flue and chimney is very good. Doors seal off the air ok but could be better. The tank is old and there are a few drip leaks to fix. I filled the tank about 1/4 way with straight water. Its a 250 gal tank. The fire was built up slowly to dry up the brick and mortar joints. Well water is about 59F deg. It took about two hours to get the water really hot. Just below boiling. It shouldnt take as long next time now that the brickwork is dry. Over all it was a success! Now to build the shed to protect it from the weather and finish the tube to the house.

Bricks Galore! Used Brick

Ive been searching over the summer for used bricks to build with. I finally found what I was looking for on Craigslist last week. About 20 miles from my home is this old corn bin. The owner wants it tore down and removed from his lot. There must be 8,000 plus bricks here for me. With the bin ruins also comes a large pile of brick rubble. The bricks are in mostly good condition though some are broken in pieces.

Are the clay tile holes along the side for grain drying?

There are four firebrick arches along the bottom.

Can anyone give me ideas as to how this worked? It has my curiousity up.

Wood heat furnace update July 11, 09

Done with the fire brick installation now. Have also finished the chimney with the addition of a tall stovepipe to aid fire draft.

I will pour the firebrick secondburn tray over the next few days. Then is will be time to set the water boiler tank for gap sealing.

Pressing firebricks

Ive been working on a home addition at my house for over a year now. I dug out along the foundation to lay drainage pipe and heating tubes from the wood furnace. The soil is a very sticky clay here. Perfect for the firebricks we have been making for the lining of the furnace.

After sitting in the sun for several days with no rain, the clay hardens into stiff clumps that need broken down for mixing with sand.

50% clay, 40% sand, and 10% portland cement.

Here is a pile of free creek sand taken from my property.

The mix is damp but not soggy. It will clump in your fist.

And here is the result from the press!

Making clay firebricks.

My oldest son William has joined me making bricks. I have contracted out to him the job of making the firebricks for my wood heat boiler. He has done a pretty good job for a near 16 year old kid. Using only a shovel, wheelbarrow, mixer and hand mold, he has made me 60 of these so far.