Long time welder, first time woodstover
I’ve lived in Milwaukee my whole life and always heated my garages with kerosene torpedo heaters. Recently fulfilled a lifetime dream and moved my family up to the northwoods of Wisconsin on 5 acres. The nearest kerosene pump is 40 miles away now, and it’s $6 a gallon, so I needed a new way to heat my shop. I’m a welder in a factory that throws away lots of scrap steel and I now have land full of dead trees so a homemade wood stove was in order. I have $50 into this setup so far, just having to buy the duct fan and door hinge. I built a shroud around one side and the back to blow air over the hot steel and out the front. The walls are 1 1/2” thick so they stay hot for a long time. I get 150 degree air blowing out of the top, and a nice place to warm my hands or dry gloves. It’s a metal building that’s only half insulated for now. I plan to add glass to the door, a secondary burn system, and a different air intake. It’s all experimental but it works well so far.