Want to stay warm and comfortable in your house without going over budget? The modest bourzhuyka is the only place to look. This do-it-yourself heating method has its roots in Russia and has been effectively heating homes during the cold winter months for generations. We’ll walk you through the process of turning a basic gas cylinder into a long-burning bourzhuyka in this guide, giving your home steady warmth.
The capacity of a bourzhuyka to generate consistent, long-lasting heat from low-cost materials is one of its main advantages. A bourzhuyka is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly heating system since it runs on biomass materials such as wood or sawdust instead of electricity or fossil fuels, which are the sources of traditional heating systems’ energy. Utilizing combustion energy in a regulated setting allows you to have reliable warmth without having to worry about rapidly increasing energy costs.
Although making a bourzhuyka out of a gas cylinder might seem like a difficult undertaking, homeowners of all skill levels can find it to be a rewarding do-it-yourself project with the correct supplies and advice. Reusing a gas cylinder that has been thrown away not only reduces waste but also breathes new life into an outdated item. With a little imagination and some basic welding knowledge, you can turn this cylinder into a very effective heating system that will provide years of comfortable living in your house.
Understanding the fundamentals of a bourzhuyka’s operation is essential before beginning construction. Fundamentally, a bourzhuyka works on the basis of gasification, which is the process of heating solid biomass materials in an oxygen-poor atmosphere to release combustible gases. After these gases are set on fire, heat is produced and radiatively distributed throughout the surrounding area. You may increase your bourzhuyka’s efficiency and guarantee constant heat production throughout your house by making sure that insulation and airflow are optimized.
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Materials | Gas cylinder, metal pipe, metal plate, sawdust, sand, clay, metal grate |
Tools | Angle grinder, welding machine, shovel, hammer |
Steps | Cut the cylinder, attach the metal plate, weld the pipe, fill with sawdust and sand, seal with clay, install metal grate |
- Selecting the design of the wood stove
- Three-way burzhuyka – the principle of operation and pros and cons
- Overview of the pyrolysis stove for 2 chambers
- Stove of top combustion "Bubafonya"
- Instructions for making a firebox with your own hands
- Assembling a three-way stove
- Manufacturing of a pyrolysis two-chamber stove
- Photo of the process of assembling the firebox
- Making a burzhuyka on the video
- Assembly of the heater "Bubafonya"
- Video on the topic
- Super Boulangerie stove.Pyrolysis Gas Combustion.
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- The dream of every GARAJANIN!!!
Selecting the design of the wood stove
Handmade stoves are not exempt from the gradual replacement of antiquated and inefficient heating equipment. These days, who needs old-fashioned iron boxes with doors and a pipe that devour wood without effectively dissipating heat? These days, bourzhuika should heat the space effectively and affordably. For this reason, skilled artisans are always striving to make steel stoves better.
In order for the wood heater to operate as efficiently as possible, two problems must be resolved: how to extend the combustion period of a single load and improve the efficiency of the wood stove without raising the cost or quantity of materials used. We offer three DIY stove variations in which these objectives have been effectively completed:
- three-way stove from two propane cylinders;
- Pyrolysis stove with an air-flame tube heat exchanger and a secondary chamber;
- very popular design – "Bubafonya" with top burning wood from a gas cylinder.
As a point of reference. Vitaly Dashko, our expert, designed, manufactured, and tested the first two units. He graciously shared his photo and video materials.
Technical issues with manufacture won’t occur if you have the required equipment and are comfortable using a welding machine. We’ll show you the drawings and technical details needed to create a burzhuyku using a gas cylinder in each of the three options below. However, before making your selection, read an evaluation of these stoves.
Three-way burzhuyka – the principle of operation and pros and cons
A humorous moniker "Collider" was given to this DIY stove master due to its peculiar look and decent heat output. As depicted in the drawing, this wood-burning stove is constructed from two standard 50-liter propane cylinders that have been welded to one another at a 90-degree angle. The following is the action principle:
- The first vessel, stacked horizontally, plays the role of a fuel box, accordingly equipped with doors and grates. An impressive portion of firewood is placed in it and set on fire.
- The second vessel is an air heat exchanger with internal baffles that slow down the flow of flue gases and make them change the direction of movement three times and give off more heat. At the end, the products of combustion leave the heater through the chimney connector.
- To increase the heating surface, both parts of the casing are provided with additional fins.
- At the bottom to the fuel box welded ash pan of sheet metal, whose door regulates the supply of air for combustion.
Note: For the same result, you can use steel pipes with thin walls (4-5 mm) and a 300 mm diameter firebox in place of cylinders.
With an efficiency of roughly 55% and an approximate power of 10 kW, the "Collider" can heat a space up to 100 m², making it suitable for dachas, greenhouses, or sizable garages (boxes). Empirical experiments have demonstrated that one load of firewood is sufficient for one hour when maintaining the temperature in a heated room. 5 to 2 hours. The combustion period will lengthen to three to four hours if the heating unit is used in a home that is smaller in size (25 to 50 m2). Anyone who knows anything about the subject will see that it’s not a bad deal for a handmade burzhuika.
This long-burning stove has just one drawback: an odd appearance. However, it is offset by a number of benefits:
- simplicity in manufacturing;
- fast heating and decent duration of work with 1 tab of solid fuel;
- cheapness of the design, you will only have to buy convenient handles and a pipe for the bourzhuika, if there are no propane cylinders;
- Thanks to the size of the fuel box in the stove are placed long (80 cm) and massive logs, which contributes to the duration of combustion;
- the unit can be made with a cooking surface, as shown on the photo.
A water circuit, an air flap regulator in the ash pan door, and an external blower fan can be added to the "Collider" and any other burzhuyka made from a gas cylinder that they personally welded. By using pipes with a different diameter or tanks with a lower capacity, the stove’s size can be adjusted in any direction.
The following is what the burzhuyka, which heats the cafe’s 100 m² space, does as shown in the video:
Overview of the pyrolysis stove for 2 chambers
The number of air heat exchanger pipes on this little wood-burning stove gave it the name "Five." It was constructed from a 24-liter gas cylinder. It operates on the basis of the following idea:
- As in the previous case, the cylinder laid sideways serves as a combustion chamber, and an ash pan is attached to it from below. The role of the grate is played by slits cut in the wall of the vessel.
- An opening is made on top of the tank, where 5 vertical pipes of the heat exchanger adjoin. Hot flue gases move through them and thus transfer some of the heat into the room.
- From the heat exchanger combustion products get into the secondary chamber, where heated air is separately supplied through a separate pipe. Thanks to this, the combustible gases formed in the furnace are afterburning and release additional heat, and then sent to the chimney.
The following are the outcomes of the heater’s practical tests: After one hour of 20 °C heating, one lay of wood will last for 1.5–2 hours, depending on the operating mode, in a 30 m² room. 5 kW is the approximate power. As you can see, the stove’s design shortens the combustion period by reducing the fuel box, but it still fits in any room thanks to its small size. It also heats up pretty well.
Advice: Would you like to extend the average burning time to four hours? Examine the illustration of an alternative version that depicts the identical pyrolysis bourzhuika, which you can make with your hands using a 50-liter gas cylinder. The volume of the tanks used as fuel boxes is the only variation in the heating unit’s device.
Although more difficult to assemble, the stove "Pyaterochka" is more cost-effective than the "Collider" because of its efficient wood combustion. There isn’t much of a difference in the materials cost between the two; the first has two cylinders, and the second has five pipes that are 40 cm long and have a diameter of 57 mm. An additional benefit of the stove is its capacity to burn damp wood and various types of debris without reducing its heating intensity. The other benefits remain the same: affordability, simplicity of use, and potential for modernization.
More practical guidance. It makes sense to want to increase the heater’s power and add two or three more pipes to the heat exchanger after replacing the standard model’s small cylinder (50 liters). Keep in mind that the chimney’s cross-section and draught must be increased correspondingly. If not, you will waste money and effort since there won’t be enough draught to keep the outside parts cold and the stove’s power won’t rise.
Stove of top combustion "Bubafonya"
Since "Bubafonya" operates on a fundamentally different principle, it cannot be classified as a burzhueka in general. However, this stove’s widespread popularity and the fact that it can burn for six to ten hours with just one load of wood make it impossible to ignore. As we shall discuss later, the heater is also well-known for having a number of drawbacks.
The long-burning stove "Bubafonya" in the drawing operates according to the following algorithm:
- The fuel tank is a 50 liter propane cylinder standing upright. Through a hole in the top cover a pipe for air supply, ending with a disk made of thick metal, enters the combustion chamber. At the bottom, steel strips are attached to it, distributing air in all directions.
- When the firebox is filled to the top with firewood, the heavy disk presses them down and forces them to subside as they burn. The ignition is also done from above, and only then the pipe with the load is lowered.
- The air supply for combustion is regulated by a damper installed on the upper end of the pipe. The chimney spigot is cut into the side wall of the cylinder under the lid itself.
Notably, when the stove is properly heated, secondary air is drawn in and burns the combustible gases above the disk because the pipe’s passage through the lid is not sealed.
The advantages of "Bubafoni" include its reasonable operating life, ease of use, and potential for conversion into an upper combustion boiler (the furnace is constructed with a water jacket, which is covered in a different section). However, the flaws caused a lot of garage owners to pass on these bourzhuikas:
- the stove cannot be topped up until all the fuel is burned;
- If the damper is closed, the furnace will not go out and will smolder for a long time, because secondary air enters the furnace;
- Without a good draft, the heater smokes into the room;
- in the slow combustion mode, the heater heats weakly and the chimney is intensively clogged with soot;
- to enter the normal mode, the unit must warm up well, which consumes ¼ of the fuel.
As a point of reference. Every time you stoke, you must run the "Bubafonya" in maximum mode in order to burn out the soot in the chimney.
Let’s finally take a bite out of the pill. Even with all of its drawbacks, the gas-powered long-burning stove remains popular because it can also burn sawdust and other combustible waste with ease.
This post will walk you through the process of making a "bourzhuyka" out of a gas cylinder, which is a clever way to provide your house with consistent heat. You can efficiently manage your heating needs while cutting expenses and your impact on the environment by repurposing a gas cylinder into this effective heating device. We’ll demonstrate for you how to turn a basic cylinder into a potent heating source that can keep your area warm for hours, complete with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and safety advice. Building your own bourzhuyka is an affordable and environmentally friendly choice that anyone can attempt, whether they want to reduce their energy costs or make sure they’re warm on chilly evenings.
Instructions for making a firebox with your own hands
Assemble all required power tools prior to welding a wood stove with extended combustion:
- welding inverter;
- a bolgarka, aka angle grinder;
- drill with a set of drills.
Note: We will not include pliers and hammers here because a good owner’s home always has a full complement of tools.
It goes without saying that you will need an old propane cylinder, which you must fill with water before cutting. Propane is heavier than air, so its residue won’t just fall out of the tank by itself. Water is used just to force them out of there. The selected design determines the sequencing of subsequent tasks.
Assembling a three-way stove
Apart from the cylinders, the following materials need to be ready for the burner’s manufacture:
- 2 mm thick sheet metal for the ash chamber and ribs, 3 mm for the doors;
- a piece of round pipe with a diameter of 100 mm – for the chimney spigot;
- Angles or profile pipes for legs;
- asbestos or, better still, graphite-asbestos cord for sealing the doors;
- 20 x 20 mm steel profile or reinforcement of the same cross-section – to reinforce the grate.
Advice: Handles: It’s easier to purchase locks with gorgeous ebonite overlays than to invest the time in making homemade ones. Acquire heat-resistant paint (available in aerosol cans) to give the stove a contemporary appearance.
First, cut the metal into blanks using the measurements found on the long-burning stove drawing that was shown in the previous section. The stove was made using the following technology:
- Cut an opening in the end of the first cylinder for the door and a hole in the wall for the gas outlet. Saw off the bottom of the second vessel, and at the end make a hole for a spigot 100 mm. Make semicircular cutouts on the walls so that one cylinder fits tightly on the other one.
- Cut slits in the grate. On the outer side weld to it reinforcements from a profile of 20 mm.
- Make ash pan and door frames and weld them to the body. Install the legs at the same time.
- Weld the doors and seal the places of adjoining to the frame. Install the sashes and handles.
- Use the cut cylinder walls as partitions, welding them inside the vertical tank.
- Connect the two vessels with each other by welding. Install the flue pipe and weld it on.
- Weld the heat exchanger fins to the two housings. Now the stove is ready.
A brief description of how to build a tight-door, long-burning stove. The technology is straightforward: a channel is created by welding thin steel strips to the inside of the sash, and graphite-asbestos cord is then jammed into it. Establishing the groove’s location precisely is crucial. Once done, completely clean the metal, then paint it in three coats, letting each coat dry in between.
Advice: It’s best to heat the welded oven to remove all of the previous paint before painting.
Manufacturing of a pyrolysis two-chamber stove
Similar to the "Collider," this high-efficiency stove has a similar assembly scheme. It uses a single gas cylinder and adds pipes with a diameter of 20 and 57 mm for the secondary air supply and heat exchanger, respectively. The following is the work order:
- In the tank cut holes for the loading door and for the installation of the heat exchanger. The dimensions of the platform for it are 260 x 200 mm.
- Make an ash pan and place the doors as described above. Weld the supports.
- Make a heat exchanger, cutting pipes in a staggered order between two sheets of metal. Observe the center-to-center distances shown in the drawing.
- Bend a 20 mm pipe at an angle of 90° and weld it to the heat exchanger. The latter is attached to the opening cut in the cylinder.
- Weld the secondary chamber with the flue spigot. As a lid, use a semicircular billet that used to be the wall of the cylinder. The heater is ready.
Note: The algorithm of work remains unchanged if you use a standard cylinder; the size of the ash pan should only be increased, as indicated in the drawing.
A brief explanation of the correct way to create the secondary chamber air supply for a long-burning stove. Prior to assembly, the tube’s end needs to be sealed, and the pipe’s sides need to be cut six times in the shape of a Latin V. After that, the pipe is welded into place after being inserted into the heat exchanger’s upper pad hole. If you build a burzhuika by hand using a pipe rather than a cylinder, you will need to weld at least 4 mm thick metal for the front panel and back wall.
Photo of the process of assembling the firebox
Making a burzhuyka on the video
Assembly of the heater "Bubafonya"
This stove is made with some of the simplest technology available. After cutting the top portion of a 50-liter gas cylinder off at the factory seam, follow these steps:
- Weld the grate from 20-24 mm diameter periodic profile reinforcement and install it according to the drawing. Cut out the opening below and put the door of the ash chamber in place.
- Make a hole for the air pipe in the cut off cover and weld a steel strip to the cylinder end for sealing from outside.
- To one end of the 57 mm pipe, weld a disk weight with welded air diffusers, and put an air damper on the second end.
- Install the chimney pipe.
- Insert the air pipe into the fuel box and put the cap on.
As a point of reference. A lot of home improvement professionals don’t install ash pan doors and grates in "Bubafonya" stoves. This makes things easier to use but also more difficult because you have to turn the body upside down to remove the ash after burning the wood.
An economical and effective way to heat your house is by making a bourzhuyka out of a gas cylinder, particularly in places where traditional heating systems might not be available or affordable. You can harness the heat produced by burning wood or other solid fuels for extended periods of time and provide warmth and comfort to your living space by repurposing a gas cylinder into a long-burning design.
Building a bourzhuyka has several benefits, two of which are its accessibility and ease of use. You can build a workable, easily maintained heating device with simple tools and materials like insulation, metal pipes, and a gas cylinder. This do-it-yourself method not only reduces heating costs but also gives homeowners more authority over their energy requirements.
Additionally, the bourzhuyka’s long-burning design minimizes the need for frequent refueling and provides continuous warmth day and night by ensuring steady heat output over an extended period of time. In colder climates or during power outages, when conventional heating systems may malfunction, this efficiency is extremely helpful.
Furthermore, the bourzhuyka is a sustainable heating option that lessens dependency on electricity and fossil fuels because it can burn wood or other solid fuels. In addition to reducing their carbon footprint, homeowners can enjoy consistent warmth during the cold months by using locally sourced or renewable biomass materials.
To sum up, building a bourzhuyka out of a gas cylinder is a creative and useful way to meet residential heating and insulation needs. Its affordability, effectiveness, and sustainability make it a desirable choice for homeowners who want to stay warm and comfortable all winter long while lowering their energy expenses and environmental effect.