DIYer Temp-Cast Masonry Heater Assembly

[qwee]

He has no experience but isn't having much trouble putting it together. I wonder what one of these Temp-Cast kits cost?

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[qwee]

I looked up the cost - $8k+ for the kit.
https://tempcast.com/

 

[stoveliker]

I like it.
Only I would have tried to not put it against an outside wall maybe.

 

[begreen]

The flue path looks pretty straight-up vs your heater or some Tulikivis. I didn't seen any counterflow design to extract more heat.

 

[stoveliker]

It comes out the top, goes down the right hand side,.crosses under the firebox,.up the left hand side and then to the pipe.
So it makes a full circle around the thing.

 

[willoweep]

I built this one for a friend in 2008. Smoke goes up through the bake oven, hits the ceiling, goes down the sides, then out the back and up the chimney. Very nice even heat, but a little slow response time for my taste. I don’t think it fits her lifestyle, you need to have a fire every day for it to be effective. The evenness is diminished if it goes cold

 

[qwee]

Stoveliker oh yeah, you are right. There are 2 channels - 1 on each side (BG side channels put on @ around 8:00 minute mark). And they are part of a loop. I didn't know a loop like this could be made. The gases are only allowed down the right side - so he blocks the top of the left side. And gases only allowed up via the left side. Mine was different.

I always thought the gases went up and then down on both sides and then under the firebox and out another separate channel on the side or back of the heater. That is how the one I built is. This one is different - I learned something new. This allows for a 'skinnier' masonry heater (appears to be a cleaner looking design).

 

[begreen]

Stoveliker oh yeah, you are right. There are 2 channels - 1 on each side (BG side channels put on @ around 8:00 minute mark). And they are part of a loop. I didn't know a loop like this could be made. The gases are only allowed down the right side - so he blocks the top of the left side. And gases only allowed up via the left side. Mine was different.

I always thought the gases went up and then down on both sides and then under the firebox and out another separate channel on the side or back of the heater. That is how the one I built is. This one is different - I learned something new. This allows for a 'skinnier' masonry heater (appears to be a cleaner looking design).

Thanks, I skipped over that part as I skimmed through the long video. Now I see the channel is evident in part #32 of the manual.

 

[Todd]

I like the Tempcast design. Looks pretty easy to build the core. I think the exhaust path can differ depending on where you want it to exit. I think the cost is reasonable for the core but you still have look at the cost of the surrounding masonry.

 

[begreen]

Yes, they show alternative flue designs on their website. Some have a masonry stack on the side of the main stove. Masonry stoves are amazingly comfortable heaters.

The main issue with them is that like a giant flywheel, it takes hours to get up to speed from cold. Then, once it's up to temperature, it takes a long time to stop heating. This can make shoulder season heating a bit of a challenge when it's cold overnight then sunny and warm during the day. It can also be a pita if one misses a firing due to being away and comes back to a cold house late at night. An auxiliary heating option helps in this regard.

 

[qwee]

Bricks for the outside shouldn't cost too much. Masons usually have leftover bricks that they are happy to sell (get rid of) at a steep discount - you might end up with a couple of different colors though. In my area there is a pallet of new after-the-job bricks for $150. I'm not sure how many bricks are needed for the outside on these Temp-Cast masonry heaters..
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:71c7aa5c-3bda-41e4-8ca7-ce515d41a9bf