Constructing a Rocket Mass Heater

Rocket mass heaters are, simply put, the natural building version of a masonry heater (aka Finnish stove or Kachelofen). In a weekend, we’ll take clay, sand, straw, sawdust, firebrick and a few old steel drums and turn them into a super-efficient wood-burning stove that stores almost all the heat from combustion in a bench or bed of durable hardened earthen materials. In one weekend we’ll build a complete rocket mass heater in a hybrid straw bale/earthen home. Participants will learn the ABC’s of efficient combustion, how heat moves, thermal mass and building with earth. This will be a hands-on, labor-intensive workshop where an actual rocket mass heater will be built. The goal is to give participants the skills, knowledge, experience and confidence to build their own rocket mass heater in their own home or cottage.
http://driftlessfolkschool.org/courses/constructing-a-rocket-mass-heater

This post was submitted by Ian Miller.