[Cob] Rocket Stove post for coblist

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Rocket Stove Heated Bench Workshop November 12 & 13 and 19 & 20,  2005

Description of workshop: Over two weekends, a mass stove will be made  with 
simple materials. It will burn wood and heat a sitting/sleeping bench in a  
20x30 pole barn workshop.  A very efficient system. 
 
Fee: The workshop is free for those who are part of the planning and  
organizing process.  
For the other participants, we are asking a one  time fee of $25.  For this 
one price you can come any of the 4 days.  Discount: $20 each for 2 or more 
people!  Fees are due one week before the  workshop to help us plan.  If you have 
time, send checks to Deanne Bednar,  P.O. Box 733, Oxford, MI 48471 

Tentative  Schedule

We intend to build the "core" part on the first Saturday,  perhaps finishing 
enough on Sunday in order to do a trial burn before we install  the "heat 
mass" part. 

The heat mass part on the stove is  perhaps the simpler part, and will be 
done probably mostly the second  weekend.  The second weekend we could do a 
simple mock-up of part of a  rocket. 

To learn how to build, the first weekend should be more  helpful.  

Participants will be expected to help out with  preparation and clean up in 
relation to the building project and meals. (It will  be fun because we are all 
together!)   Below is our first weekend  schedule, to be continued the second 
weekend.  
 
1.  Finalize stove/bench layout  (Friday pm, to Sat.  am)
Simultaneous:  Burn  paint off drums  (Fri pm)
 
2.  Layout stove on Floor  (Sat am)
 
3. Prepare floor as needed   (e.g. drain holes)  (Sat  am)
 
Simultaneous to #2 and #3 above:   ( all Sat am, to  pm)
-  Finish prep on metal barrels
- Build test rocket "J"   (outside to burn)-  no mortar
- Prepare clay slips:  for mortar,  and perlite binder
- Prepare cob for base perimeter and later heat mass for  bench
- Mix up perlite w/slip for bench base, also heat riser  insulation

4. Prepare Rocket base:  a. combustion  area, and bench area (Sat pm)
 
5.  Assemble "J" combustion chamber,  w/mortar      (Sat pm)
Simultaneous:  assemble flue duct in proposed layout
 
6.  Assemble base for insulation collar and 55 gal barrel  (Sat  pm)

7.  Assemble heat riser insulation collar,  set 55 gal drum  (Sat pm)
WE GOT THIS FAR THE FIRST WEEKEND 
 
8.  Assemble plenum connector: 55 gal drum to flue   (Sat pm  to Sun am)
Simultaneous:   cob  around feed tube, prepare for small barrel mounting
9.  Test  burn  (Sun noonish)
 
10.  Revise as needed, then begin cobbing on bench. Include clean out  
locations.  (Sun pm) 
When to arrive:  Some folks are coming in on  Friday night around 7 or later. 
 The workshop will begin at 10 am on  Saturday and Sunday, so plan to arrive 
around 9:30 am.  There will be  coffee and tea available.  

What to bring:

Bring  food to share.  We can prepare meals together. You might bring 
vegetables,  canned or refried beans, pita bread, salads, fruits, your favorite 
beverages,  teas, coffee, milk/cream, granola, peanut butter, jam, snacky things 
and/or  anything you have around the house.  We will make it all work out.   
(Hey, feel free to bring some toilet paper while you are at it!) We could use  
some butter, cheese, soy milk, coffee especially. 

Bring warm work  clothes. Layers are best. We will be inside and outside, so 
you will want to  stay warm.  Perhaps gloves (leather and rubber). Hats, rain 
gear?   

Sleeping arrangements: If staying overnight, bring a Sleeping bag  (or 
blankets), pillow and mattress if you have one, towel and personal  items.  There is 
a lot of indoor space and a few beds, 2 cots and couches.  We will make 
sleeping arrangements work out for all.  Bring your own tent/  flashlight etc.if 
you want to sleep outdoors. Lots of room indoors and out.  

Bathrooms:  There are 3 full bathrooms with showers and tubs,  and of course 
toilets!  Please bring your own towels and such for cleaning  up if you are 
staying overnight. 

Building  Materials:

All materials will be provided for the Rocket Stove, but  please feel free to 
bring your own labeled with your name (masking tape?) before  you arrive!  
Also, consider whether you can provide the following items  that are needed. (We 
will be discussing these at the Nov 5 meeting)  

For a complete list of materials and tools needed for this  workshop please 
see the spreadsheet attached to this email. The list is also  posted on our 
Yahoo group website here:
 

_http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/sPVwQ67s6JyzuMQciyvJiuB4bHxZz1YHP4F47YDTnGPGsYxI
8LK2whqg-sSMyKnfHr-atmP7cyVDLPyiIJrEQhudGlq4HSs/Rocket%20Stove%20Workshop/Rock
et_Stove_Bench_Materials_List_1_.xls_ 
(http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/sPVwQ67s6JyzuMQciyvJiuB4bHxZz1YHP4F47YDTnGPGsYxI8LK2whqg-sSMyKnfHr-atmP7cyVDLPyiIJrEQhud
Glq4HSs/Rocket%20Stove%20Workshop/Rocket_Stove_Bench_Materials_List_1_.xls) 
 

That looks bulky but all you’d have to do is either click on that mess  of 
text or copy and paste it into your browser and it will let you download a  copy 
of the list. 
 
 
 
If you cannot open Excel files please e-mail me (_crashpix at yahoo.com_ 
(mailto:crashpix at yahoo.com) ) and I'll send you a  text version. It will not look 
very pretty at all 
 

Resources: The book "Rocket Stoves ~ A Revolution in Wood  will be  available 
for $15 at the workshop. Or you can order it yourself:  
_http://www.cobcottage.com/node/113_ (http://www.cobcottage.com/node/113) ,  _www.amazon.com_ 
(http://www.amazon.com) 
 
Background information: The purpose of the rocket stove is to provide heat  a 
20x30 workshop, providing a cozy place to work and sleep, with a secondary  
goal of cooking or warming food.  The workshop is a pole barn with an  
un-insulated concrete slab.  The walls have fiberglass insulation. However,  there are 
a lot of windows on the east, west and north, but none at all on the  south.  
The workshop has a propane wall heater, water and  electricity.  

Workshop leaders:

Dave  Sebolt, a green architect and licensed builder from the Ann Arbor, MI 
area,  having rocket stove experience with Chris Reinhart in  Indiana.

Deanne Bednar, illustrator of The Hand-Sculpted House Book  & The Natural 
Plaster Book, and coordinator of the Strawbale Studio Natural  Building Project, 
a sculptural thatched-roof structure with earthen-plastered  strawbale wall 
construction.  

Who will be  attending?

In attendance will be folks who are interested in  Natural Building & 
Community, who have begun to meet occasionally in the Ann  Arbor area.  

Others in attendance will be folks who hope to  build their own natural home 
at some point, and those who are just plain curious  about energy-efficient, 
natural options to cooking and keeping warm!   

Directions to the Strawbale Studio
2691 Noble Rd. Oxford,  MI
248 628 1887

>From Ann Arbor: 
Take US 23 north (pass 96  and pass 59) By the Flint area, take 69 North 
(Lapeer/Port Huron) Exit and  proceed about 20 miles eastward to exit 155 
(Lapeer/Pontiac). Turn right, onto  Lapeer Rd/ M24 and go about 14 miles south to the 
city of Oxford. At the 2nd  light, in the middle of town, turn left on Burdick 
Rd. (called Lakeville on your  way back home).

** Go 4 miles east on Burdick to Lake George Rd.  Turn left and go 2 miles 
North to Noble Rd. To find Noble look for a horse farm  on the right with a 
black fence, beige barn, and then a blue house on the  corner. Turn left on Noble 
and go 1/2 mile west to 2691 Noble Rd. (black Mail  box, located at the top of 
the second little hill). Turn left into 2691 and  follow the lane to the 
parking by the main house, or park in the first meadow  and walk up to the house 
and check in. The Red Pole Barn Workshop is beyond the  main house to the 
right, and the Strawbale Studio to the left. Honk if you can't  find anyone!

>From Lansing or Flint, From Lansing or Flint - follow  the directions above, 
using route 69.
>From Detroit/ Windsor take I 75 North  past Pontiac and M 59 to Exit 81 (M 
24/Lapeer Rd/Lake Orion/The Palace). Take M  24 North past the Palace, through 
the city of Lake Orion, and into the city of  Oxford. Turn right on Burdick Rd. 
Follow directions from ** above.
>From Port  Huron take 69 West to exit 155 by Lapeer, and follow directions 
for Ann Arbor.  69.

>From Rochester, come north on Rochester Road all the way into  to the village 
of Lakeville, where Rochester Rd. dead ends into Lakeville  Rd.  Turn left at 
the light onto Lakeville Rd. and go about 3 miles east to  Lake George Rd.  
Turn right on Lake. George Rd, go 2 miles N to Noble Rd.  Turn left and go 1/2 
mile to 2691 Noble. (See above for details).