I made a barrel stove.

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Originally Posted by enthusiast

Where did you get your rain cap from?

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Lowes for about $10. The fancier ones with the slotted walls can be 4X as much for some reason. I found this one on the website for only $12, but the 6" one I saw in the store was like $40. Think this would work better for the sparks?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_367473-52595...ent&facetInfo=

I just Googled spark arrestors, and it looks like all it is, is a screen. I can just attach that myself. I'll have to see it in action though, as I don't see how just a screen will work very well.

I found this huge thread about home made stoves and looks like there are a lot of cool ideas on here:
http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewt...a24fbbc5016ff5

Updates:
The paint on the bottom rear started burning off after only one light burn.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b...102_161904.jpgI needed a spark arrestor so I bought 1/4" animal wire. It's labeled as wire cloth or something, but it clearly metal. The label says it is zinc coated, so I'm a bit worried about it melting. I also picked up a different rain cover at the Habitat For Humanity Restore for only $5. The one next to it in the picture was $10 from Lowes. I was able to measure the inside height and diameter of the rain cap and cut a piece of wire to fit. I rolled it up extra small and crammed it inside and let it expand against the walls. Came out pretty nice.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-s...102_171037.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--...102_171438.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...102_171448.jpg

Next I took another piece of the wire and cut it into different shapes to experiment with what shape rolls into a cone best. Turns out it is a rectangle. Roll into a tight cone and slide into the bottom of the lowest pipe. I put mine about half way between the stove and damper. The idea here is that a cone will have more spark catching surface area, and more holes so as to not restrict the airflow through the pipe as much. Also, placing it close to the flames will help it be self cleaning. The lower one is the one I'm worried will melt. I stood back and saw 1-3 sparks when I first started the fire. Any spark that made its way out of the chimney was moving very slow and disappeared within 12" of the exit. I never saw another spark for the rest of the night. Seems to be working.

Last night it read 32 degrees
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-b...102_215346.jpg

When the stove was dying down, I had my chair as pictured.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...102_213906.jpg

Holding the thermometer on the armrest closest to the stove, I was able to max out the thermometer
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m...102_213733.jpg

It is noticeably warmer under the metal roof. I'm concerned that once I put the cinder block walls up that it will be like sitting in a dry sauna. Here is a picture demonstrating that nothing is around to retain heat yet. The cinder blocks will run 2 inches behind where the stove is here.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A...102_193226.jpg

I didn't notice last night when I took this picture, but noticed just now. You can see that the bottom spark arrestor has nearly fallen out of the pipe and into the stove. When everything was cold, it was jammed in there well enough that I couldn't pull it back out when I tried. I'll have to check when it is cold to see what I can change.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-T...102_213956.jpg

Just want to chime in and say that this has been a cool project to watch. You have done a great job and it looks awesome...

Did you use "barbecue pit paint" when you painted it?

Once you've got the spark arrestor crammed back up into the pipe, run three self-tapping sheet metal screws into the pipe (spaced evenly around it) under the lowest point of the mesh. This will stop the mesh from falling back down into the fire box, and still allow you to remove it if you ever wanted to.

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Originally Posted by mackbamf

Just want to chime in and say that this has been a cool project to watch. You have done a great job and it looks awesome...

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Thank you for the praise.

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Originally Posted by Canuckistani

Once you've got the spark arrestor crammed back up into the pipe, run three self-tapping sheet metal screws into the pipe (spaced evenly around it) under the lowest point of the mesh. This will stop the mesh from falling back down into the fire box, and still allow you to remove it if you ever wanted to.

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My neighbor suggested the same thing about the self-tapping screws, but since I was worried it would melt, I didn't want to drill holes for nothing.
Here are some more pictures.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2...103_155858.jpg

I don't like how the supports for the chimney look. It was improvised and it works well enough (but needs a rear support), but I'd like something that looks better.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D...103_151946.jpg

I'm kind of embarrassed of how it looks as it comes close to complete though. I tend to start out with grand ideas and end up slacking on the finish. I'm trying not to do that with this project. I've still got to seal around the pipe where it passes through the roof. The last part is cleaning up my patio and putting up a wall.

Ray, this is the stuff I used for the paint.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Y...103_182746.jpg

Looks like the stuff I was referring to. That puppy must be getting pretty hot to burn it off.

I kind of suspect that the part where it peeled just had less layers of paint. The very back corner, and most of the bottom of the stove, is usually 150ish degrees cooler than the rest of the stove because the ashes serve as an insulating layer.

Your post has inspired me. Sort of. Think I may purchase an old "parlor stove" and set it up on my back deck.

Very cool, sir, very cool! Can't wait to see it all finished, block walls and all. I'd be amazed if you ever have success keeping paint on that barrel though. Good luck with that.