How To Make a Wood Burning Heater from an Air Compressor Tank
An air compressor tank can be turned into a wood heater.Air compressor tanks are made of thick walled steel and can easily be welded.
Step 1: Remove the motor/compressor assembly if you find an air compressor that no longer works.
You will need to deal with a few holes later on.
Step 2: How do you want your wood heater to work?
The larger the foot print, the less space the vertical one takes up and the smaller the fire box.
Step 3: There is a door on the side of the tank.
To make a level line, come up about 1/3 of the tank's height.A level mark is 4 inches up from the tank's lower side.Keep in mind that once you begin laying out your cut lines, you need to maintain an orientation so all cuts will be square/plumb/level in relationship to each other for a good fit and neat appearance.
Step 4: At 1/3 of the tank's diameter, mark two vertical lines.
Level up again for the top of the door.
Step 5: You can cut one side of the door with a steel cutting wheel.
Step 6: The hinges are centered on the cut you just made.
You can either tap screws through the metal or welds the hinges in place.Make sure the hinges are on the side of the tank.
Step 7: Take out the three sides of the door.
The door will be aligned properly if the hinges are installed prior to cutting it out.
Step 8: Weld along the inside of the door opening by cutting some flat stock one inch wide.
sparks/smoke will be less likely to escape if the door stop is created.
Step 9: A 5/16 inch hole can be drilled through the edge of the door.
The pencil rod should be inserted through the hole.It will be bent 90 degrees with the inside face of the door and another 90 degree bend on the outside.The latch will act as this.
Step 10: Attach a 5/16 flat washer to the inside and outside of the door to hold it in place.
Step 11: Two 2 inch (1.3 cm) steel bars are cut to fit across the side of the tank and below the door.
The firewood will rest on the tank bottom and keep the wood above the ash.
Step 12: Cut a piece of heavy gauge steel expanded metal and place it on the bars that were welded in the previous step.
When lighting your fire, this is optional, but will support small kindling wood.After your fire has died down, this piece must be removed to make room for a new one.
Step 13: There is a hole in the top of the tank on the other side.
The single-wall thin gauge flue pipe is available at hardware stores.You can use the stove pipe to get the exact location of the flue if you buy it before cutting the hole.The metal near the edge of the hole should be bent upward to fit the flue pipe.
Step 14: Attach the stove pipe to the flue hole you created at the top of the tank.
If the cut is sloppy, use fire caulk or chimney sealant around the seam to keep sparks and smoke from escaping.
Step 15: Attach the air inlet/damper assembly to the fire grate with a piece of pipe about 5 inches long.
You can use it to cut a hole in the tank.Cut a piece of sheet metal to fit inside the pipe and then drill a hole in the top and bottom of it to attach a rod to the damper.
Step 16: The air inlet pipe/damper assembly should be centered on the hole that was cut earlier.
Step 17: Attach a base to the bottom of the tank to support it.
To support the tank in a plumb/level position, make sure the legs or base are secure.
Step 18: Smoke can be drawn up through the flue if a section of stove pipe is installed on top.
The wood heater can be used to test fire.If the paint is still on the tank, it's a good idea to test the stove out in the open.