When I was 27, I moved back to my hometown in northern Minnesota to start a small organic vegetable farm. I sold produce to the wife of a stone mason, and he was looking for help in the winters. I told him I didn't know anything. "Don't worry," he calmly replied, "I'll train you." I learned, of course, that hauling an endless supply of block and stone from one place to another doesn't take much training. But he also handed me a copy of David Lyle's history of masonry heaters. Three years later I was working for Albie Barden, building heaters for Maine Wood Heat Company, and dreaming of small . . .
Recent Research on Rocket Mass Heaters (and Bell Design)
There appears to be a huge amount of traffic and discussion through different internet forums about rocket mass heaters and reports from the authors on sales of the book on the subject confirm this incredible surge in interest. I am quite certain that this excitement stems from the tangible possibility that the rocket mass heater concept offers to individuals and families to build their own affordable efficient wood-fired heating system. I thought it would be interesting and useful to offer the following synthesis of recent research I have been directly involved in and links to information . . .
Increasing wood-stove efficiency
about 300 pounds of masonry makes a small space comfortable for 10-24 hours on very little fuel. It's also easy to burn clean — you never damp it down, so it burns hot and fast, , and minutes after ignition, there's no visible smoke from the stack. Increasing wood-stove efficiency can be as simple as adding just a layer of bricks on top of the stove: more mass stores more heat — as will a low brick wall next to the stove (it can be 1, 2, or 3-sided). However, you can also effectively upgrade your old (or new!) woodstove by re-directing the hot gases from your stove fire thru masonry . . .