Hi, I'm Jim and I'm a project-a-holic

[millerized]

And, if it doesn't exist, I'll probably end up making it at least twice.

Aircraft mechanic, to electronics, electrician then into facility maintenance and facility management, now I just watch people work as a construction manager.

In just the past 10yrs or so, I've gone from manufacturing motorcycle highway pegs, coating firearms, manufacturing firearms....and now I'm sliding over the edge into building artisan pellet stoves. The firearms made me 'famous'...or at least got me on TV. The rest of that story, well, it's more myth than legend. Lets just say I got involved with some folks....

The current batch of 'stuff' to be built with my new PP205 will be more stoves. Not just any stoves, but gravity fed, no electricity needed pellet stoves with a bit more than the 'box' shape. Right now the shape is an open diamond, with 'runners that meet in the center. Next up will be in the shape of a Taro leaf. How about a maple leaf....that's in the works as well.

The diamond one in the basement is, right now, making a disappointing 550F at 1/2 draft with the outside air nearly closed. I accidentally left the draft and air full open after I lit it...and nearly ran myself out of the basement. It was pushing 750F before I got it shut down a bit. Just a prototype of sorts, to make sure of the gravity feed worked without burning my house down. A week of outside running, a month of living room running....and it's now at home in the basement. I painted it white to check flame spread...and to prove 2 things: that the fire goes where I figured it would, and that people should NOT paint stoves white! They get dirty so fast, and everything both leaves a mark and stains.


The past equipment is a Miller 130, and Crap-On somethingorother, and the diehard for the past few years a Lincoln 3200. The PP205 should fit nicely, take the duties of just about everything from the chopsaw to the MIG. Now, if I could just get it to spray the ceramic coatings....

[everlastsupport]

Welcome Jim,

Looks like a variety of areas you can share in. I to am an Electronics (PIC/AVR EE, etc.) that does a lot of welding and metal fab. The heater looks cool, or should I say HOT .

What show were you on as far as the firearms? Sounds interesting. Also, share more on the ceramic paint, off to google it now.

[DaveO]

Welcome, Jim! Looking forward to seeing your projects!

[arctime]

Welcome to another Jim (and EE type too)!

Looking forward to your stove design as it morphs along. I'd be a customer of a plans set when you are ready.

My background is in more discrete & digital logic, residential wiring, programming and law enforcement (long story). Most of the welders I know were engineers first in one area or another. I think it sparks the project side of our brains and causes us to gather more high amp toys!

[millerized]

Several come to mind, but what I use now (for the firearms coatings) is Cerakote from NIC Industries. They have both high-temp and medium temp air dry stuff. For smaller items that will fit in the ovens, the "H" series stuff works well. For the high temp, air dry is what I use now that my big oven got sold. (3'x4'x7' oven I built for powdercoating motorcycle frame a 'while' back.)
Other ceramic paints are available from Columbia Coatings. Mostly they require an oven to dry them.

III Arms was the firearms gig. Got me on Glenn Beck with the Citadel folks. I proved my side of the project, they need to at least move forward on theirs. I'm got tired of waiting. I needed something that didn't involved me taking a 100% paycut on the promise of a promise.

Need to rearrange the flue pipe tonight. The 90' didn't fare too well with the draft. It's back to 2ea 45's and a length of straight and try it again. Too fast of an intake, and too slow of an exhaust...backs up smoke into the house. I'll throttle down the intake a bit as well. Turned into a rocket stove with well above the design temps of the double walled pipe. I was pushing 700+ stack temps if I left it wide open. Back to the drawing board!

Also, share more on the ceramic paint, off to google it now.

[everlastsupport]

Several come to mind, but what I use now (for the firearms coatings) is Cerakote from NIC Industries. They have both high-temp and medium temp air dry stuff. For smaller items that will fit in the ovens, the "H" series stuff works well. For the high temp, air dry is what I use now that my big oven got sold. (3'x4'x7' oven I built for powdercoating motorcycle frame a 'while' back.)
Other ceramic paints are available from Columbia Coatings. Mostly they require an oven to dry them.

III Arms was the firearms gig. Got me on Glenn Beck with the Citadel folks. I proved my side of the project, they need to at least move forward on theirs. I'm got tired of waiting. I needed something that didn't involved me taking a 100% paycut on the promise of a promise.

Need to rearrange the flue pipe tonight. The 90' didn't fare too well with the draft. It's back to 2ea 45's and a length of straight and try it again. Too fast of an intake, and too slow of an exhaust...backs up smoke into the house. I'll throttle down the intake a bit as well. Turned into a rocket stove with well above the design temps of the double walled pipe. I was pushing 700+ stack temps if I left it wide open. Back to the drawing board!

We built a rocket stove for a Scout leader years ago. Never did get to see it work. Was a very large diameter pipe, cut and welded at 90 degrees. Might have to re-look into a smaller one now that it is cooler outside.

I will have to order some H series Cerakote and try it out. We are always tinkering like you and others here on the forum. In fact, I just got a Stronghold haywire klamper, something like Ray posted WAY back. It uses stainless steel wire to replace hose claps. Figure I will start by replacing all my clamps on the argon and C25/Stargon tanks. Will post pictures later when time.