1st Post.......1st shot at Waste oil furnace

[fearcityinc]

Hello everyone....GREAT info on here so far.....I cant wait to finish this thing, and get it up and running....but of course the weather in Chicago broke, and it was like 60 today. Oh well.

Here's a couple pics of what I've got so far.
 2x 30 gallon air compressor tanks welded together.
 5" schedule 80 flue
 2-1/2" schedule 40 intake tube.

Still need to finish mounting door....make an oil tank....get tubing, valves, etc.

Hope these pictures post...LOL!!!

Had some wood going in it today, and it burned pretty good....

[richhagen]

Hi, where are you at?  I am near downtown here.  I have solar and some small wind stuff.  Never tried an oil burner - as I have no source for the oil, but I have a small wood stove I have tried but not installed.  Your welding looks pretty good from what I can see.  Can you adjust the air intake to effect the burn rate?  Rich Hagen

[fearcityinc]

Hey thanks!!!!

I'm in LaGrange Park.

I have been welding for about 6 years now....not professionally or nothing like that, but I took a class a couple years ago.

Not always purdy, but they hold. LOL. I've gotten rid of mostly all my equipment a few months ago (plasma cutter, miller xmt 304 stick-tig)....wish I still had that stuff!!!!

As far as regulating air, I've read that a 4" is too big, and 2" is too small, so I figured the 3 or 3 1/2.. should do it just right.

I've still yet to make the oil tank, or at least come up with something....so I've been just burning some wood inside it to burn out the paint off of it.

Throwing a few glugs of oil down the tube made it burn like a mother...so hopefully when it's all said and done, with minimal tuning, should work pretty good.

I am kinda worried about having it in the garage, code, insurance, etc.....But, I guess what they dont know, wont hurt them.....as long as the garage doesnt burn down I'm okay right!!!!

Still need to get flue pipe too......I've been laid off work since August, and money's kinda tight, so it might be a while til this thing makes some real WVO Heat!!

Maybe we can get together for a beer one day??!!

[richhagen]

Sounds like a deal on the beer.  I've noticed that on most of these there seems to be a way to slide a cover, or adjust it, so that the inlet is mostly open to closed so that you can adjust the burn rate.  I've still got my plasma cutter, it's a Miller 625 from Appleton Wisconsin, but I am not that good with it yet.  I am hoping to put it to good use pretty soon assembling a better rooftop frame for my solar panels.  Rich

[fearcityinc]

Where exactly are you  located??

You're going to LOVE that cutter....very good investment.

I've been reading up about these things, seems that people just made a disc, same size as the inlet....welded a bolt or something of the such vertically to this disc.

And weld a nut to the actual intake tube....thread the bolt down onto the nut, and then it'll pivot 180 degrees or so, open flue, or closed. Simple.

Here's a small, but potentially good site.....http://wasteoilheaterforum.com/index.php

there was another one I've been searching on.....i think it was "fryoil".com......something like that.

[fearcityinc]

Here's another too.....LOOOOOONG write up....and it's old, so pics dont work.....but at the end, somebody reposted them.....that guys heater is a Cadillac!!!!

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8541078231/m/6601044271/p/1

[Otto]

Hello, I live up in Marengo, Il.  I also am in the middle of making my first waste oil heater. Are you planning on using a drip method or injection method?  What are you using as your actual burner?  I bought some plans from a guy on ebay that recommends an injection sytem but I have not scavenged all the parts yet.  Good luck on your project, it looks good.

Otto

[fearcityinc]

Mine is going to be a drip style.....I'd like to make it work this way, but I may in the future go to a pressure style.

For a burner...well, I'm not quite sure yet... I've got a buddy bringing me a 6" pipe flange...weld on style....that I'm going to try first....then I have an old ford hubcap that'll be next.

And if worst comes to worst.....I'll spin an aluminum disk and go that route.

I'm kinda weary of the pots and pans style burner, seeing that you have to take it apart to clean it.

[Otto]

Please keep us posted on your progress , along with pictures if possible.

Otto

[domwild]

Remember a Rhodesian farmer telling me they use waste oil on the farms there. They seem to drip the waste oil onto a bed of sand where it spreads and burns more easily.

Regards,