Wood heat

Does anyone have experience building a wood heater out of an oil tank ????????

My son gave the the tank and a stove kit for barrels and I'd like to incorperate the two .

Thx
Gonzo

Will work, but watch the temp, good dry hardwood, gets very hot. Nothing like wood heat on a cold day,(like today,for us easterner's) Using this in your shop or home? Reason I ask, is some insurance policies requires different coverage.,Brian

In shop use only

Thx Gonzo

If your going to go with a thinwall barrel or oil tank, you might want to line the bottom where the wood/logs are going to lay with a refractory cement. A cheap way to do it is with regular portland cement, perlite and sand. (1 part portland, 2 parts sand, and 3 parts perlite.) You can get perlite in a garden center, they use it for drainage in potted plants. It's nothing more than volcanic ash, that's why it can withstand the heat. Mix it all up so it's thick and not runny, kind of like peanutbutter, and lay it in about two inches thick. Let it dry for a few days and start a small to medium heating fire to cure the refractory. The lining will make the barrel last for a long time and not burn out in a couple of years.

Well

Line the bottom with Fire brick they hold the heat very well you might think about making an oil drip line for used oil also

Sure did as a fire fighter. The guy built one and put it in his house on a wooden floor floor. The thing burnt through the floor and ended up in the basement. The house was a total loss.

Just make sure you keep it away from combustible materials and keep and air gap under it and have it setting on concrete.