angusmacgregor
New member
Does anyone have advice on using a proprietry brand of charcoal heater. Where from? Anyone fabricated one?
<hr width=100% size=1>
<hr width=100% size=1>
Charcoal heating
- Thread starter angusmacgregor
- Start date
maxi
Member
Bengco @ Hamble
<hr width=100% size=1>
<hr width=100% size=1>
richardandtracy
New member
I've not actually made a charcoal heater from scratch, but I have made a charcoal burning aluminium melting foundry - which probably has a similar level of difficulty.
Think of the cheapest Hibachi BBQ. It's just a flat steel tray where you set the charcoal alight. Now extend the idea. You don't want the smoke in the cabin, so put it in a box with a flue. You need to get rid of the ashes, so the charcoal should be on a griddle with a closeable opening below. Then, when you need to add fuel, there should be an opening above the griddle. These two openings could be combined into one door. Finally, it needs air. So make some air holes below the griddle. Make sure they can be covered to regulate the flow & control the burn.
That's just about it, apart from discussing materials.
The box must not melt. So no aluminium. Steel.. goes rusty unless lined on the inside with fireclay and painted on the outside with heat resisting paint. Stainless steel's good, but the surface may get up to red hot, so it's a good idea to line the area closest to the charcoal with fireclay anyway. Thickness of the steel. About 1mm will do, if you can't weld up a box that thin, go for 3mm.
The griddle. Could be cast iron - difficult to get though. How about steel or stainless bar welded together to form a griddle with 6-10mm spacing?
Flue should be the same material as the box. To prevent the flue from choking the fire you'll need to go for a cross section about 3x the area of the vents under the griddle. For a small fire (griddle area 6" square) 2" dia would be OK, bigger for bigger fires.
Doesn't seem too difficult to me.
Regards
Richard.
<hr width=100% size=1>
Think of the cheapest Hibachi BBQ. It's just a flat steel tray where you set the charcoal alight. Now extend the idea. You don't want the smoke in the cabin, so put it in a box with a flue. You need to get rid of the ashes, so the charcoal should be on a griddle with a closeable opening below. Then, when you need to add fuel, there should be an opening above the griddle. These two openings could be combined into one door. Finally, it needs air. So make some air holes below the griddle. Make sure they can be covered to regulate the flow & control the burn.
That's just about it, apart from discussing materials.
The box must not melt. So no aluminium. Steel.. goes rusty unless lined on the inside with fireclay and painted on the outside with heat resisting paint. Stainless steel's good, but the surface may get up to red hot, so it's a good idea to line the area closest to the charcoal with fireclay anyway. Thickness of the steel. About 1mm will do, if you can't weld up a box that thin, go for 3mm.
The griddle. Could be cast iron - difficult to get though. How about steel or stainless bar welded together to form a griddle with 6-10mm spacing?
Flue should be the same material as the box. To prevent the flue from choking the fire you'll need to go for a cross section about 3x the area of the vents under the griddle. For a small fire (griddle area 6" square) 2" dia would be OK, bigger for bigger fires.
Doesn't seem too difficult to me.
Regards
Richard.
<hr width=100% size=1>
maxi
Member
Re: richardandtracey
Now, you have hit on a good business opportunity. I have found many many sailors who want a small, non- electric/electronic boat heater for the smaller end of the market.
Decent background heat rather than sauna conditions and with easy care characteristics. Plus the ability to be easily & unobtrusively installed.
Can I place my order now?
<hr width=100% size=1>
Now, you have hit on a good business opportunity. I have found many many sailors who want a small, non- electric/electronic boat heater for the smaller end of the market.
Decent background heat rather than sauna conditions and with easy care characteristics. Plus the ability to be easily & unobtrusively installed.
Can I place my order now?
<hr width=100% size=1>
Trevethan
New member
So how much *grin* Bengco don't seem to have a obvious competitor and the product is priced accordingly.......
<hr width=100% size=1>
<hr width=100% size=1>
richardandtracy
New member
Bengco without competitors. Probably due to the economics of it.
I bet it could be made from scratch for under £50 for the raw materials as a DIY job with new materials. If a significant amount of scrap could be used, the price could be below £5. Do I hear you scoff? My aluminium foundry (<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/richardandtracy/articles/foundry.htm>http://www.geocities.com/richardandtracy/articles/foundry.htm</A>) cost the grand sum of £2, so I have a rough idea what diligent scrapping can achieve.
When time costs money, making the fire would become astronomical unless large scale production engineering techniques could be used. I don't think there's a big enough market. But there again, I could be wrong - as could all Bengco's potential competitors.
The Bengco heater is really just a BBQ in a box..
Regards
Richard.
<hr width=100% size=1>
I bet it could be made from scratch for under £50 for the raw materials as a DIY job with new materials. If a significant amount of scrap could be used, the price could be below £5. Do I hear you scoff? My aluminium foundry (<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/richardandtracy/articles/foundry.htm>http://www.geocities.com/richardandtracy/articles/foundry.htm</A>) cost the grand sum of £2, so I have a rough idea what diligent scrapping can achieve.
When time costs money, making the fire would become astronomical unless large scale production engineering techniques could be used. I don't think there's a big enough market. But there again, I could be wrong - as could all Bengco's potential competitors.
The Bengco heater is really just a BBQ in a box..
Regards
Richard.
<hr width=100% size=1>