How Are Wood or Coal Stoves Made?
There are various methods in use to day for building wood and coal burning stoves. Stoves are designed to produce heat for homes, but unlike furnaces, are also ornamental. Wood stoves are very often the centerpiece of the room that they are in. The materials and the procedures for building them, then, are chosen not only performance, but also for aesthetics. Many stoves are built to burn either wood or coal, although some have interchangeable grates so that both fuels can be burned. Does this Spark an idea?
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Welded Steel Stoves
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Welded steel is the most simple of all heating stoves. In general, they are made of simple steel panels that have been welded together, and the firebox is lined with fire bricks. Steel stoves are relatively inexpensive, and they can do a job of heating a large room or an entire home. Early welded steel stoves had the disadvantage of not having easily replaceable parts. Newer stoves have solved that problem as manufacturers have made critical parts replaceable.
Cast Iron Stoves
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A cast iron stove is built by bolting together sections of iron that have been melted down and poured into forms. Cast iron can make absolutely beautiful stoves because the process allows for intricate designs and embellishments. Because they are bolted together, the parts of a cast iron stove are sealed at the joints between panels. Over years the seal can degrade and the seams will need to be resealed. Cast iron stoves are very durable. Some are coated in enamel to enhance their appearance.
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Soapstone Stoves
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Stoves that are made out of soapstone usually consist of a cast iron frame that holds soapstone panels. The stone takes a bit longer to heat up than iron or steel, but remains hot for hours after the fire has been extinguished. Those stoves are some of the most expensive, but are known for providing the most even heat of all forms of wood stove. In some cases, the carving on the stone may be intricate and expensive; the varying colors and patterns of the stone itself can be beautiful. Other times it consists of simple bevels to reduce harsh edges. The stoves are often shipped to be assembled at the home.
Encased stoves
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Some wood and coal stoves consist of a firebox surrounded by a larger cabinet of vented enamel-coated sheet steel. The sheet-steel cabinet provides considerable protection from burns, as it prevents people from directly touching the hot firebox. The shroud also can be equipped with blowers to circulate heated air around the firebox and into the home. Ashley was perhaps the best-known manufacturer of this style of stove.
Combustion Techniques
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The EPA mandates that wood and coal burning stoves must not exceed certain emissions thresholds. Manufacturers take one of two approaches to meeting those requirements. The first relies on using a catalytic converter to super-heat and burn the exhaust gases. Those devices are similar to the ones installed in your car's exhaust system.
Stoves that do not use a catalytic converter rely on internal baffles that creating a longer, hotter, path for the smoke to travel, and are built to ensure maximum burning efficiency.
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