Homestead mailing list

[Rob <becida AT comcast.net>]

Return-Path: <bounce-homestead-227727 AT listserv.unc.edu>
From: "tvoivozhd" <tvoivozd AT infi.net>
To: "Homestead mailing list" <homestead AT listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: Earth ovens, masonry ovens, Russian/Finnish masonry stoves
Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2001 17:40:40 -0700
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4807.1700
List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:leave-homestead-227727P AT listserv.unc.edu>
Reply-To: "Homestead mailing list" <homestead AT listserv.unc.edu>

A little disorganized---extracted from some e-mail I sent, but I figure
there are enough disorganized people on the list to whom it makes perfectly
good sense.



http://www.deatech.com/cobcottage/coboven.html  (book on building a horno
(earth oven) that can also be a work of art)
http://www.innerexplorations.com/simpletext/oven.htm  (graphics on making a
mud oven)
http://www.innerexplorations.com/simpletext/oven2.htm  (more graphics on
this mud/cob oven)

http://www.home.aone.net.au/elhorno/explore.htm  (building, using a Horno,
baking recipes)

http://www.cgiconsulting.net/brickoven/links.htm (brick oven using no mortar
joints)

http://rainbow.spiralwave.co.uk/workshops/earth_ovens.htm  (lazy man's way,
slather mud over a steel drum, curved sheet iron---not galvanized, even
triple-strength corrugated cardboard, it will burn out, leaving formed
ceramicized mud behind)







<http://www.hagos.de/> (some good pictures of masonry stoves from a German
fabricator)

<http://www.northcoast.com/~tms/heat.html> (one of the best U.S. sources for
new books on low cost building, including masonry stove/kachelofen. Look at
the hand molded clay Horno's too. Not as efficient as Kachelofen and
intended for warmer climates, but pretty. The "Heart of the Home--Finnish
Fireplaces" is a good one for a guide how to build masonry stoves. I'll
check the used book websites and see if any are around and at what price.

The Book of Masonry Stoves by David Lyle is a good one too. I'll see of the
local library can get me a copy on interlibrary loan. If so, since I have
to get a scanner anyway, I'll scan some of the pages and pictures and send
them to you. I should also have the old Mother Earth News articles---if I
do I will scan them also.

Finnish Fireplace Construction Manual (With Core Kit Update), A. Barden,
Maine Wood Heat Company, Inc., 1993
Finnish Fireplaces-Heart of the Home, A. Barden and H. Hyytiainen, Finnish
Building Center, Ltd., 1993
The two above books which are also described below are very good and used by
many small builders of masonry stoves in the Northeast U.S..

<http://www.larsenfamily.com/russian_stove/how.html> (how a Russian stove
works)
<http://www.ncsg.org/members/sweeping/tecart3.htm> (the path air follows
through the stove, and routine maintenace requirements)

<http://www.tempcast.com/wood/wplan1.html> (Temp Cast is the biggest builder
of Russian masonry stoves in the U.S.)

<http://www.tempcast.com/general/photos.html> (photos of tempcast stoves)

The following books and articles provide additional information on masonry
heaters. This list was updated in May 2001.
Books
Finnish Fireplace Construction Manual (With Core Kit Update), A. Barden,
Maine Wood Heat Company, Inc., 1993. Available from Maine Wood Heat Company,
RFD 1, Box 640, Norridgewock, ME 04957; Phone: (207) 696-5442; Fax: (207)
696-5856; Email: mwhcoinc AT ctel.net <mailto:mwhcoinc AT ctel.net>
<<mailto:mwhcoinc AT ctel.net>> ; World Wide
Web: www.ctel.net/~mwhcoinc <http://www.ctel.net/~mwhcoinc>
<<http://www.ctel.net/~mwhcoinc>> . $20.00 plus
$3.70 for shipping and handling.
Finnish Fireplaces-Heart of the Home, A. Barden and H. Hyytiainen, Finnish
Building Center, Ltd., 1993. Available from Maine Wood Heat Company (see
above), 103 pp., $30.00 plus $3.70 for shipping and handling.
The Book of Masonry Stoves, D. Lyle, Brick House Publishing, Inc., 1984.
Available from Real Goods Trading Corporation, 200 Clara Street, Ukiah, CA
95482; Phone: (800) 762-7325 or (707) 542-2600; Fax (707) 528-3523; Email:
realgood AT realgoods.com <mailto:realgood AT realgoods.com>
<<mailto:realgood AT realgoods.com>> ; World Wide Web:
www.realgoods.com <http://www.realgoods.com> <<http://www.realgoods.com>> .
192 pp., $24.95, Product No.
80219. Masonry fireplace kits and construction guides are also available
from the Real Goods Hearth Center.
Articles
"Building a Tiled Masonry Heater," V. Popovac, Fine Homebuilding, (No. 71)
pp. 50-54, January 1992.
"Gas Opens New Market: Masonry Heaters Start Offering a Gas Switch," D.
Johnston, Alternative Energy Retailer, (16:5) pp. 1, 14-15, April 1996.
"A New Generation of Fireplaces," J. Vivian, Mother Earth News, (No. 146)
pp. 39-45, 84, 98, October/November 1994.
"Masonry-Heater Emissions and the EPA," N. Senf, Fine Homebuilding, (No. 71)
p. 54, January 1992.
"Masonry Stoves," M. Klein, et al., Home Power, (No. 51) pp. 42-47,
February/March 1996. This article contains information on 10 different
stoves available in the United States and Canada.
"Prefab Masonry Fireplaces," G. Menia, Journal of Light Construction,
(11:12) p. 38, September 1993.
"Small House, Big Heater," A. Barden, Fine Homebuilding, (No. 71) pp. 76-79,
September 1992.
"A Stove in the Forest, Heating the Russian Way" J. Chastain, Mother Earth
News, (No. 164) pp. 57-62, October/November 1997.
"The Siberian Fireplace," Mother Earth News, (No. 84) pp. 134-35,
November/December 1983.






Masonry Heaters
Masonry heaters are also known as "Russian," "Siberian," and "Finnish"
fireplaces. They are well known for style, efficiency, clean combustion,
safety, and the ability to store heat and release it slowly. They are common
in Europe, and are gaining popularity in the United States.

A wide variety of masonry heater designs and styles are available. Larger
models resemble conventional fireplaces and may cover an entire wall.
Smaller models take up about as much space as a wood or pellet stove. They
can be custom-built or purchased as prefabricated units. All designs have
three basic components: a firebox, a large masonry mass, and long and
convoluted smoke channels that run through the masonry mass. Their fireboxes
are lined with firebrick, refractory concrete, or similar materials that can
handle temperatures of over 2,000o F (1,093o C).

Most are intended for burning wood, but they were historically designed to
burn almost any type of solid fuel. There are also several companies that
make units that use natural gas or propane. The solid fuel (wood) burning
types use a small, intense fire that is lit once or twice a day, depending
on heating requirements. For all types, as the hot combustion gases from the
fire pass through the network of smoke channels, the masonry absorbs much of
the heat, which then is radiated slowly and steadily into the home over the
next 12 to 20 hours.

Wood burning masonry heaters are much more efficient and clean burning than
conventional wood burning fireplaces. A combustion efficiency of close to
90% is common (as opposed to 60% for a regular woodstove and 10% for a
regular fireplace.) The relatively small, but intense fire also results in
very little air pollution and very little creosote buildup in the chimney.
Because most of the heat from the fuel is transferred to the masonry and
slowly released into the room over the day, this type of heater does not
need to be loaded with fuel as often as other types of wood heating
appliances. In addition, if the masonry heater is built where sunlight can
directly shine on it in the winter, the heater will absorb the sun's heat
and release it slowly into the room.


The following books and articles provide additional information on masonry
heaters. This list was updated in May 2001.

Books

Finnish Fireplace Construction Manual (With Core Kit Update), A. Barden,
Maine Wood Heat Company, Inc., 1993. Available from Maine Wood Heat Company,
RFD 1, Box 640, Norridgewock, ME 04957; Phone: (207) 696-5442; Fax: (207)
696-5856; Email: mwhcoinc AT ctel.net <mailto:mwhcoinc AT ctel.net> ; World Wide
Web: www.ctel.net/~mwhcoinc <http://www.ctel.net/~mwhcoinc>
. $20.00 plus $3.70 for shipping and handling.

Finnish Fireplaces-Heart of the Home, A. Barden and H. Hyytiainen, Finnish
Building Center, Ltd., 1993. Available from Maine Wood Heat Company (see
above), 103 pp., $30.00 plus $3.70 for shipping and handling.

The Book of Masonry Stoves, D. Lyle, Brick House Publishing, Inc., 1984.
Available from Real Goods Trading Corporation, 200 Clara Street, Ukiah, CA
95482; Phone: (800) 762-7325 or (707) 542-2600; Fax (707) 528-3523; Email:
realgood AT realgoods.com <mailto:realgood AT realgoods.com> ; World Wide Web:
www.realgoods.com <http://www.realgoods.com> . 192 pp.,
$24.95, Product No. 80219. Masonry fireplace kits and construction guides
are also available from the Real Goods Hearth Center.

Articles

"Building a Tiled Masonry Heater," V. Popovac, Fine Homebuilding, (No. 71)
pp. 50-54, January 1992.

"Gas Opens New Market: Masonry Heaters Start Offering a Gas Switch," D.
Johnston, Alternative Energy Retailer, (16:5) pp. 1, 14-15, April 1996.

"A New Generation of Fireplaces," J. Vivian, Mother Earth News, (No. 146)
pp. 39-45, 84, 98, October/November 1994.

"Masonry-Heater Emissions and the EPA," N. Senf, Fine Homebuilding, (No. 71)
p. 54, January 1992.

"Masonry Stoves," M. Klein, et al., Home Power, (No. 51) pp. 42-47,
February/March 1996. This article contains information on 10 different
stoves available in the United States and Canada.

"Prefab Masonry Fireplaces," G. Menia, Journal of Light Construction,
(11:12) p. 38, September 1993.

"Small House, Big Heater," A. Barden, Fine Homebuilding, (No. 71) pp. 76-79,
September 1992.

"A Stove in the Forest, Heating the Russian Way" J. Chastain, Mother Earth
News, (No. 164) pp. 57-62, October/November 1997.

"The Siberian Fireplace," Mother Earth News, (No. 84) pp. 134-35,
November/December 1983.