Pros & Cons of 3 Year Old Rocket Stove | Review & Update of Rocket Stove Mass Heater 

we are in our 70s and built our rmh 3 years ago. it works perfectly. we have no complaints. no comparison to our old englander wood stove.

Our fears of building our first one were very much alleviated by you guys. So thanks for that!!! This is our 2nd winter with our original rocket mass heater, and it's working great, but we've discovered that above all, it's a very "organic" process of learning what changes in design work best for your own situation. If I could give any tidbit of advice to anyone else who is making one, I'd say be willing to experiment. But don't worry, the principles are sound, and it DOES work. (By the way, it "rockets" best on cold and windy days when it's needed most, which is nice; also, we've discovered that it draws/rockets just as well with 10 feet of mass/bench as with 30 feet, but in our situation it definitely holds the heat longer with more mass....we started with a short bench, then decided that we could get more heat out of it with more. Again (to those who are trying it) don't be afraid to just build it, then be willing to fine-tune it later. In the meantime it will work, and you can make it better later...just like in this video. :)

Thank you for the update. It will probably be another year before I build mine but this gives me a little peace of mind on how it should hold up after frequent use.

Going back through old videos, and it amazes me how much your channel has changed in 5 years.

I really want to build one of these and have been looking for a review video. Thanks for making this follow up and sharing all this.

ty for update. nice to see it after 3 yrs.

One method I've seen is to have a bypass option so the air from the fire goes through the combustion chamber and then up the chimney, it doesn't go through the seating. This get it warmed a lot quicker and you slowly move it over to the seating piping. The result is stronger airflow and it's easier to light with less chance of it wanting to burn the wrong way.

what an awesome wonderful idea and thank you for putting these rocket stove vids on for us all to see and enjoy, its a nice lil tid bit of info i am planning to use, when i build my own home be it cob, earthship, sandbag or whatever i finally am able to do.... in short please keep up the great work and awesome vids, God Bless you and keep your stick on the ice :)

Y'all are awesome, thanks so much for doing these videos, both informative and very inspiring to see you coming up with ideas, getting excited about them and bringing them to life!!

I. Freaking. Love. Yous. Guys! Great videos and website...and family! A true inspiration! A ba-zillion thank yous!

Hey guys, thanks for the great update! I appreciate viewing the video. Great job!

that is awesome! thanks for sharing ;) second video i've watched of yours and am so excited to binge watch thru your videos in the next few hours!

Far more pros than cons. Congrats, folks!

You guys are awesome! Thank you for the update. I can't wait until I can build my own.

Thanks so much for the update. I'm thrilled that I found your channel and love your videos!

Absolutely wonderful beautiful, warm and cosy" you lucky people,"

Nice Design and cool Video! I like the tiles and the shape of a sofa! Well done!

Great stuff, I appreciate the update, thank you. Inspiring.

I was wondering how you were getting on with that beast. Thanks so much for the update. You should do it more often.

I love the bench idea..very nice!

Great job guys!

Thanks for the update. you are the fist I have seen to cut down the barrel. That's good to know. I am still in the thought process. Best wishes. E. :)

Great video as usual , lots of very good info. Hope you had a good holiday season , can you believe it is time to select seeds for spring. WOW .... We do have some more winter yet I am sure but every nice one now is closer to planting time. Y=Thanks for another video ... Lord willing will see you later....... Blessings

You know, I've really been contemplating using this idea for a primitive concrete hot tub/bath and just using stonework and forms for the whole setup.

Wow!! So cool!!! Thank you for posting results!!!

I watch these type of videos more than the show... Actual feedback on how everything works. -Priceless!!! I thank you! I wish there were longer scenes, maybe with a little music, just showing the completed projects on some of your build episodes... After completing the earth bag room, and dragon mass heater, I wish you milked it just a little more, instead of "Done/Bye!" Great projects and work by the whole family, impressive!

Yes! I really do want one! 👍

Actually, apart from diameter, the riser length is dictated by primary, secondary and tertiary burn air supplies and their correct balance and, assuming a 3" ID, usually comes out at around 20" above top of firebox. Remember, throat should (must) be about 10% les sectional area to produce exhaust pressure. It also makes starting much easier.

Sounds like a few of us want a few more facts on your rocket stove. I am currently working on my stove. Now you got me wondering if my stove is set up right. Thanks for the info.

Well done! Thanks for sharing.

Have you guys ever considered making a heated floor in one of your earth bag homes using a similar concept like how old traditional Korean homes are made. (Hanok) My mom used to live in a house like that growing up and she misses it so much.

Great review - good tips - thanks for sharing Cheers Patrick

Jaja me divierto viendo sus videos.. soy de Córdoba Argentina.. tengo muchas ganas de hacer una estufa rocket

You are amazing, thank you for sharing

Great Job..

Great information on R.M. heater. I am interested in manifold.

love this

I would love to see those DIY plains

I did a short video on using the waxed cardboard that iced vegetables come in the produce department at the store. These can't be recycled so using them fro fire starting is a good up-cycle..You can light a piece and it will burn like a candle with very little smoke. The steady paraffin flame wil get the wood up to pirolisis so the gasses can burn in the burn chamber and riser.

Would be cool if you showed more of the fire. The shots showed, I can't see the "rocket" effect from the draft. Do you really have enough draft to create that intense heat? Shouldn't need to baby anything when the rocket effect is going.

This is what I was looking to see. How to replace the barrel. Thanks.

That's a measure of efficiency that the exhaust is coolish...same reason why you can exhaust a high-efficiency furnace to ABS pipe which is amazing.

Y'all are delightful folk ;)

I really appreciate this update! I'm also interested in what formulas were used to calculate the specific elements of the rocket stove. Like, at one point "12 inches" was said - how? Why? What's the formula?! Thank you, another great video!

What are you waiting for?! You know you want a pile of dirt on your floor! :D

Outstanding video......I actually recall watching this being built on UTube..must have been your channel. This simple technology is our future....we better get prepared....and soon.

The narrator voice is so energetic!

I seem to have gotten addicted to rocket stove videoes and this is my favourite ;) one day I will build one myself, thanks for inspiring me I was curious, how hot can the bench get? I have this idea for a bath heated by a rocket stove but I guess I need a big one to heat a "ton-o-mass" and 100gallons of water up to about a 100°F

Nice! I think i want a pile of dirt on my floor too

very cool build and finish. So what are the important ratios to adere to? there's gotta be some ratios between burn chamber cross section and length and then height of the riser etc. seems like everything that come after the barrel can be as long as one wishes. has the shortering of the riser made the barrel less hot to the touch? or just more efficient? and how did you measure or evaluate the efficiency?

Awesome.

I enjoy your videos. Ive got a few rocket videos also :) I also like your earth bag dwellings :)

Awesome Sir. i Like, OLE!

hello!! for lighting up the stove you can use ashes mixed with diesel oil in a medium-hard paste viscosity. just a spoonful will burn for a good time to light up the wood. greetings from Greece!!

Awesome just Awesome 👌 👏 😎

thank you for the follow up

too cool, guys!

Yes I did subscribe. I am so enjoying your story and videos. Great ideas and execution. I wish you great success. Just one question though. What state are you guys in? Here in Texas, I'd probably not get much use out of something like that but would still love to do it some day.

we live in a 1947 house with oak hardwood floors. my husband and i have considered building one of these except for that fact. how would we protect the floor if we decided to build a rocket stove and bench? we don't plan on leaving this home anytime soon but if we had to pull this out for resale value.....well what are your thoughts on protecting the floors??? thanks for any info on this. love your post and videos!

nicely done We have been using wood heater only for 36 yrs in 2100 sq ft home now replaced heater in 2013 with same brand replaced 12" flue pipe every 3 yrs rest of chimney is brick, block, cement, fire brick, clay liner 21 ft tall. quick question -- How long will 55 gallon drum last ?? How often will flue pipe open to air be replaced ?? Will straw when dry in sitting area burn ?? I want to build one in my 1200 sq ft shop soon but 55 gallon drums do rust from hot / cold temps

it would be great if all dwellings in the US were required to have this method of heating. it would probably require a different method of fueling the fire based on location (maybe a small gas flame instead of wood.)

Nice heater! I am interested in finding out the outer diameter of the outer barrel and the outer diameter of your heat riser with its inner diameter too, what size space did you keep the heat riser from the top of the outer barrel?

Hey guys! Do you still have this stove? Just realized the barrelt is been cut to half? why was it? Great job btw!! Well done! I hope I can make my own rocke mass heater with about 14m long horizontal pipes. :)

Does your rocket mass heater heat your entire home and how many square feet is that ?

Great vid! Where did you get the new info for the riser height? All of the conventional rocket stove 'wisdom' that I've read and experienced says that higher riser=stronger draw/hotter burn.

Forgive me, I’m not informed to what climate you are at- not looking for a location, but knowledge as to how cold your winters get there. I’m also wanting to know, does the rocket stove bench heat up a room really well, or just slightly? Do you have to have another heat source in the home? In other words, is the rocket stove just providing a little extra warmth? I love the idea. I’m trying to do research on tile stoves- those large old time stoves found in old European countries. Would this be similar?

"You know you want a pile of dirt on your floor!" Lol :) Thanks. I'lI will definitely build one.

Thanks for the update. Where is the research data that says a shorter riser & chamber are more efficient? I have been trying to search for it but so far cannot find it.

do you use any terpentine with the linseed oil, or just linseed oil? I have a mix of pine terpentine, linseed oil and beeswax that we used for our clay floors. Do you recommend I use that as a finish on our newly plastered clay bench that is heated by a rocket stove?

I am in the middle of building mine now. I have gone from 8 inch pipe through the seating area, and now to 6 inch, getting ready to go through the wall. Can I go from 6 inch to 5 inch before going through my wall? How about 4 inch? Thanks for all your videos....very inspiring.

Going through cob and gravel. I was just wondering if it would hurt the fire going from 8 inch to 5 or 4 in??

Is there a limit to the length of the exhaust piping??

Sounds like the only complaint which wasn’t major was getting it going the first 1/2hour. Can a little propane wand burner be your answer?

Haha that last minute. I was just thinking wouldn't it be nice to have the mass of the rocket stove beneath the ground level.

Would a matrix of copper heating pipes laid into the cob and connected to the hot water system work?

I wonder, what kind of top coat/paint are you using? Thank you for answer.

the only thing i didn’t like is the clean out, in my opinion there should be another one at the side, to see what the backside is doing. all in all a good video, thanks.

I haven't watched your videos in a while. They were great when i did. I wanted to introduce you to aircrete. Its aerated concrete, I think you could come up with some good videos about it. Have a look on youtube. I like honey do carpenter's videos

Question... could this kind of mass heater be used as a bed at night? I haven't seen anyone do it but it would be great to sleep on at night and use as a bench during the day.

Where did you get the plans for this heater? it looks perfect for my situation here in my cold Japanese house. It is about 4 degrees C inside in the mornings here and a rocket mass heater I think would solve that problem. I don't have too much space but there is enough room to put in a bench in the living room which also is open to the kitchen so this seems like a great idea for me. Only problem is that I have a wood floor but I guess I can figure something out about that. Anyway, Where did you get the plans? from a book or the internet?

What type of heating system is in place if the whole family is gone for any length of time during the winter months? Can the house be left alone at all during the winter?

my plans are to have rocket stoves lower than the floor and cob covered pipes under floor to heat it just like the bench kinfa like ondol in Korea).

Do you have to empty the ash every day. I get tons of ash. Maybe mine does not burn hot enough.How much hotter does your barrel get since you shortened up.Thanks

Could you use the floor as thermal mass instead of a couch? So the same idea as the couch but in the shape of a cob floor thermal mass?

SoopeR CooL! Oh on your inlet to the Rocket Stove have you thought of a variable diameter wind hole cap?

After you light that little bit of paper, doesn't the warm air and flames rise straight back out of the hole? Why does it make a draught start going along, under the seating bench etc the long (and ostensibly, wrong!) way..? I don't get it...

sorry for the dumb question but wouldn't it be easier to just pile stones around the wood stove?

Good morning, what do you secure, you paint this clay.

Can you have a side or angled fuel feed?

2 inches (or a tad less) from top of the heat riser to the top of the barrel. If you leave a big gap... it won't work.

How do you know the lumber you burn is safe?

I noticed the Mrs.is trying to start with a large piece of wood try using smaller pieces till coals are built

MY MAN SAID SUPER HOT FIRE

yes, What is the new burn tube formula you discovered????

Thank you for the follow up. Can you COOK on the black barrel or only keep tea warm? I need to design a rocket mass heater that can COOK food (boil water, dutch oven, etc) and have a coleman camp oven placed on it and bake breads/muffins. Is that possible? One rocket mass video stated that their barrel was 450 degrees F on the front/sides and 750 degrees on top. But they never said that they cooked on it. Is that your experience regarding temperatures on the barrel? ANY tips or referrals to your other videos would be greatly appreciated.

Are you able to provide the details on how this stove was built...I guess I should say dimensions? We just purchased our little 3 acre slice of heaven and want to make a rocket stove for our tiny guest house. Love the videos and hope to see many more. Your family is great!

but how do you clean the pipe inside the bench?

Is your rocket stove over a poured solid floor? I keep telling myself that my floor joists could hold the weight. But....

what is your temperature range?

not an expert but it looks like your design would have benefited from a lower air intake to help draw air in and aid combustion. Thanks for the videos.