[Cob] Cleaning rocket stove flues in cob benches

[Shody Ryon]

--- On Fri, 3/6/09, Susan Hagan <su.hagan at hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

> From: Susan Hagan <su.hagan at hotmail.co.uk>
> Subject: [Cob] Cleaning rocket stove flues in cob benches
> To: "Cob list" <coblist at deatech.com>
> Date: Friday, March 6, 2009, 12:42 PM
> I am in the process of building a rocket stove.  Does anyone
> have experience of  if and how often the flues in the
> benches have to be cleaned out?
> 
> Su Hagan (Bulgaria)
> 
Hi SU!
I don't. I have no idea what I am doing.
What kind of flue are you using? single wall in the bench? Do you have the metal going through a wood roof? Triple wall doesn't seem to work well because it is so good at keeping itself cool that is cools the soot or creosote out of the smoke onto the flue which quickly becomes full of tar and nicotine which may slow the flow of smoke enough for it wonder back into the house, so triple wall is bad, accept perhaps where is near combustible such as wood, but a better choice might be double wall with a special support box and a storm collar where it goes through the roof.

I like single wall in the house so heat can come off the pipe, but this be dangerous because it might be hot enough to start a fire if something flammable came close to it. Of coarse, the bench might absorb heat from the flue like triple wall does, so how does that work? 

http://www.cdc.gov/NASD/docs/d000101-d000200/d000132/d000132.html

Also, it might be a good idea to use seasoned wood, wood that was cut from the previous year, if practical.
you might wish to clean it every year according the link I provided. If the job was done with top material and done correctly, it might not matter as long you thought everything was functioning well. If the system is really good, a flue fire should not harm anything and is, to the non professional, a way of self cleaning the system.
Otherwise, if you must clean it, take a look on craigslist for some brushes with extensions, if that is the correct equipment and run them through with an 18 V drill and then take a picture of yourself and post it so we can have a look. I can't hardly wait!

Perhaps a real pro will correct this post, I am just having fun.

Shody