Homemade long-burning potbelly stove with wood

The wood stove is an ancient invention. In terms of economy, the first stoves, in the modern opinion, have some disadvantages - they burn a lot of fuel, the efficiency is low, you need to constantly monitor the stove and add firewood. But the goal of saving resources, including logs, has become very relevant at the present time, and this is one of the reasons for the emergence of new developments in stoves, in particular long-burning stoves.

The design of these stoves is quite complex, and the approach to fuel combustion is unique. Firewood should not burn, but only slowly smolder in the absence of air. Oxygen, which supports combustion, is allowed into the combustion chamber in strictly dosed quantities; as a result, the combustion process proceeds according to the pyrolysis type. To prevent the fuel in the chamber from burning, but from smoldering, this chamber must “shrink” as the amount of fuel decreases.

The results of complication of the design give a positive effect, characteristic of all modern heating units:

• The burning time of wood increases, and as a result, the period between fuel refills also increases.
• Heat transfer and thermal efficiency increase
• Efficiency increases

Content

Despite all the popularity of natural gas in the modern world, there are still places where its use is still unavailable. In this situation, a person will be helped by a stove in a wooden house, which is heated with wood fuel or coal. You can purchase this fuel at any time of the year.

Classic stove design

In appearance, the potbelly stove resembles an ordinary rectangle on legs. It is equipped with a door and a compartment for fuel, and an ash drawer for combustion waste. In addition, any potbelly stove is equipped with a branch pipe where an exhaust pipe with a length of 5 meters or more is installed. The length of the pipe directly affects the thrust and power of the device. The furnace body is made of steel or cast iron. We also recommend reading about the chimney for a potbelly stove in the garage on our portal.

Potbelly stoves are classified into two types:

• Metal devices.
• Brick buildings.

Brick models fit perfectly into a small country house and can heat several rooms at once. The stove heats the rooms evenly and allows you to retain heat for a long time. The only drawback of a brick potbelly stove is the long heating process. But the brick adds more functionality to the device; for example, during masonry, you can build a place for cooking. Craftsmen can arrange a recess for the oven.

Models of cast iron stoves are compact and easy to install, because they can be placed in any suitable place. The main thing is to fold the chimney correctly so that it can be easily moved thanks to the corrugated pipes.

Difficult climatic conditions are a factor that everyone living in the vast Russian territory has to take into account. With the onset of cold weather, houses, apartments, and industrial buildings are connected to centralized heating systems that supply heat and create comfortable conditions for us throughout the heating season.

Materials and tools, preparatory work

It is good to make a stove from a metal barrel for storing petroleum products with a volume of at least 200 liters . This is a very cheap option. You can make a model in a few hours. You need to properly organize your workplace. The craftsman always has various locksmith tools at hand. In addition, you need to prepare:

1. two metal pipes: with a diameter of 10–12 cm for air draft and 15–20 cm for the chimney;
2. metal corners (channels, blades);
3. Electric welding machine, electrodes, protective mask;
4. hacksaw machine:
5. angle grinder (grinder):
6. set of plumbing and measuring tools.

First of all, we need to prepare the barrel. Wash thoroughly inside and outside to avoid the release of acrid smoke when heated.

The main advantages of stove heating

Installing a stove is not only a simple process, but also quite inexpensive in terms of the cost of materials. Using firewood is the most environmentally friendly way to heat a space and will not harm your family. The installation of a stove can be combined with the installation of a fireplace, then there will be not only a standard type of heating, but also a stylish design element in the room.

Furnace maintenance is a simple and fairly cheap process. The main advantage is the ability to regulate the degree of combustion and the ability to retain heat using special dampers installed in the stove.

Features of operation

Before installing and starting the oven, pay attention to additional important points:

• for effective heat transfer, you can install a screen by laying brick walls without mortar on the sides of the potbelly stove, at a distance of 10–15 cm from the body: when the brick heats up, it gives off heat for a long time. In addition, this screen will protect the walls of the room from sudden temperature changes;
• It is advisable to use firewood with a humidity of 20%, although this figure is achieved only after 5 years of natural drying (wood will burn with high humidity, but then you will have to clean the stove and chimney from the inside more often);
• during the combustion and smoldering process, it is better not to open the fuel door so that carbon monoxide does not enter the room;
• Lay a sheet of galvanized iron on the wooden floor where the potbelly stove is installed, preventing a fire from accidentally falling coal from the stove. For concrete floors, such arrangement will be unnecessary.

A potbelly stove not only heats a room, but can also become a “warm” decoration for any home if its exterior design is done in a suitable style

Potbelly stove stove design

One of the biggest problems with furnaces of this type is the design itself. Conventionally, the model of a potbelly stove can be imagined as a hearth wrapped in metal and slightly raised above the floor level. Classic cast iron stoves have a firebox and a blower. The design does not provide a gate to regulate the air supply to the combustion chamber, so this is done by opening and closing the blower door. Such an operation is unsafe - when the ash pit is filled with ash, sparks often roll out, which causes a fire. So the “potbelly stove” fully lives up to its name and the appetite is exorbitant and a fire can break out at any minute.

The fuel combustion process also looks specific, which is the reason for the low efficiency of the potbelly stove. When wood burns, the metal shell of the stove body heats up and the heat spreads into the room through thermal radiation. The burning of wood usually occurs irrationally; when burning, the wood simply does not have time to reach the required temperature and therefore some of the combustible gases from the firebox simply go into the chimney. By the way, the pipe itself, like the furnace body, wastes precious heat irrationally - heating of the room occurs due to thermal radiation, and occurs only when the fire is burning in the firebox. As you can see, everything is quite simple - the fuel burns inefficiently in the firebox, while this type of heat energy release such as convection is used irrationally. So it turns out that any improvement immediately allows you to increase the efficiency of the potbelly stove, which means it will allow you to use fuel more efficiently.

Calculation of furnace parameters for self-production

There are many options for assembling a long-burning potbelly stove: from sheet steel, a barrel, a gas or oxygen cylinder. In our example, we will make a stove from sheet metal according to the drawing given below.

Drawings of different types of furnaces, made in two projections, clearly show the difference in the method of operation and the advantages of each of them

Materials and tools

Before you start assembling the potbelly stove, prepare all the necessary materials:

• sheet steel with a thickness of at least 4 mm and dimensions indicated in the drawing;
• a piece of pipe for the chimney outlet;
• tubes or rods of fittings for the grate;
• steel corner for holder;
• pieces of tubes and steel rods for door curtains;
• welding machine and electrodes;
• grinder with cutting and grinding discs;
• hammer, tape measure, square, white marker.

Photo gallery: DIY potbelly stoves - in the process of assembly

When welding, you should be extremely careful and careful, follow safety rules

A potbelly stove option for non-residential premises, because it operates on waste oil and is considered unsafe for constant use

You can build a potbelly stove from a used gas cylinder

If you have the desire and ability to work with metal, you can open your own business manufacturing potbelly stoves

Water heating with wood

This more complexly organized system is a pyrolysis boiler. consisting of two sections. In the lower one, wood is burned, and in the upper one, the gas generated due to combustion circulates. Thanks to the scheme in which gas does not immediately enter the chimney. its efficiency increases, and longer burning requires less wood.

Around the boiler there are thick pipes through which water flows, heated from it. Keep in mind that only dry firewood is suitable for a boiler of this type, so you should always have a good supply of it at home.

There are also systems that use hot air instead of water for heating. It passes through the circuit and is transmitted into the airspace of the house. The cold air, falling down, again enters the boiler for further heating.

Modernization process

Potbelly stoves went through a long stage of development before the modern version of the stove turned out. A huge number of modifications are produced, from miniature decorative designs to heating units.

Summer cottage stoves serve as an addition to the existing heating system. There is also the possibility of connecting them to boilers, which will provide residents with hot water. Stove units for cooking are equipped with hobs and ovens. They become a worthy replacement for a kitchen stove. Compact miniature analogues are indispensable assistants on a trip.

Improvement methods

Modern models are highly efficient heating devices.

The appearance of the familiar potbelly stove has undergone minor changes. The main unit of the furnace, the firebox, was subject to modernization. The following changes have been made:

• window made of glass;
• a slow combustion process has been introduced;
• heat-resistant lining added;
• The gas re-burning system is turned on.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's see what's good about homemade potbelly stoves made by folk craftsmen:

• Cheap - most materials can be found for free or you can pay mere pennies for them;
• Omnivorous - in fact, any solid fuel can burn in a potbelly stove;
• Simple design - if we look at the drawings, we will not find anything complicated in them;
• Possibility of cooking - for this purpose, potbelly stoves are equipped with cooking holes with lids;
• Ease of operation - provided there is a good chimney, the potbelly stove will work properly and without causing smoke in the entire room.

Unfortunately, heating with a potbelly stove also has its disadvantages:

• Low efficiency of the stove - without proper modernization, most of the heat will fly into the chimney;
• Not the most respectable appearance - although some craftsmen make real works of art out of potbelly stoves;
• High body temperature can cause burns;
• High fuel consumption - in order for the stove to retain heat for a long time, without requiring the burning of tons of wood, you will have to resort to tricks.

Despite some disadvantages, simple wood-burning stoves are still in demand among those who need heat in the absence of a gas main.

Features of a potbelly stove - pros and cons

A good master can easily make a Bubafonya stove in one day, this is a significant plus. The maximum you have to buy is a cylinder and pipes from scrap metal. Other advantages of a potbelly stove:

• burning duration on 1 load is 6…10 hours;
• omnivory - waste wood, garbage, sawdust, freshly cut branches are placed in the firebox;
• ease of repair, any burnt part can be easily replaced.

On the left in the photo is the manufacture of a boiler jacket from a bent steel sheet, on the right is an assembled boiler

The disadvantages of Bubafoni are much more unpleasant:

1. The stove is difficult to regulate. When working with high-quality dry wood, the damper helps you choose the optimal mode. If you burn with garbage and damp wood, the air duct must be opened completely.
2. The potbelly stove's omnivorous nature is a double-edged sword. From burning low-quality fuel, the chimney becomes clogged with soot literally within a day.
3. Without good draft, the stove will begin to smoke into the room. Hence the requirement for the height of the chimney - at least 4 m, counting from the grate, pipe turns 90° - no more than two.
4. You can’t throw logs “on the go”, unless you pour a handful of sawdust through the air channel. This means we learn to dose the amount of fuel correctly.
5. A potbelly stove made from a 200 liter iron barrel is very bulky and inconvenient to use. The piston is too large and heavy, the thin metal quickly burns out. Fortunately, the housing is easy to replace.

Why is “Bubafonya” dangerous: a well-heated firebox cannot be extinguished using a damper. Air seeps through the cracks, and the wood continues to smolder. The heater should not be left unattended or act radically - lift the lid and pour out a bucket of water. Is there a smoke screen in the room?

Potbelly stove in the army

The army stove-stove has accompanied soldiers since ancient times; it was used to heat small rooms and carriages.

The design of the army potbelly stove has not changed, it remains the same. Various grades of cast iron are used for its manufacture.

The question of where to buy where to buy a potbelly stove is extremely simple. You can buy it in construction stores or markets. With advanced technologies, you can purchase potbelly stoves from different manufacturers via the Internet, prices and the material from which they are made.

Kuznetsov boiler or stoves for heating greenhouses

Kuznetsov’s heating stoves are of particular interest for greenhouse premises. The brick miracle boiler has good efficiency, approximately 80%. 2 steel registers are built into the furnace body. The brick boiler body must be insulated with basalt fiber. A large number of dome models of stoves have a built-in modern technical solution that ensures afterburning of fuel, which constitutes flue gases.

Such equipment:

• Reliable;
• Durable;
• Effective.

To ensure afterburning, a secondary air supply is organized under the roof of the hood from above or in another place, depending on the modification of the stove. When using wood of the appropriate quality, such a stove will work as a pyrolysis heating structure. The thing is that the installation of stoves according to the Kuznetsov system is carried out using not 1 cap, but 2, which are connected to each other by a vertical channel.

Stoves for heating greenhouses are reliable and durable

High-temperature combustion products go under the arch of 1 bell and give off heat to the walls. As a result, the gases are cooled and go down under their own weight and the pressure of the upward hot flow from the furnace. A water furnace can also provide watering in a winter greenhouse.

Design features for better heating

If you need to heat a large building, then it is advisable for the exhaust pipe to run horizontally in the room. After all, if it comes out of the oven straight up and out, then all the heat will also quickly end up outside with the smoke. Therefore, the temperature in the room will quickly drop. And if the pipe from the stove extends horizontally throughout the room, the smoke remains in it much longer: the hood is like a battery with a fairly high temperature. And in this case, a potbelly stove, made with your own hands, becomes like a cauldron.

To prevent the surface of the potbelly stove from burning, a box is attached to it. These are additional plates that are installed on three sides of the stove at a distance of 5–10 cm. The surfaces of the potbelly stove and the box should not touch. The air gap between them does not allow the box to heat up too much. This, firstly, protects the room from fire, and secondly, allows you to feel more comfortable near the stove. It is more convenient to make such protection for a rectangular structure, but it can also be made for a potbelly stove made from a cylinder. Moreover, the box can be built from an ordinary piece of tin, because it does not heat up enough to burn out.

How to make a stove for a greenhouse with your own hands?

Almost any stove for heating a greenhouse space consists of a fuel compartment, a second bottom (located above the specified compartment), an opening with a door and a blower. In addition, we must not forget about the organization of the chimney (it must have a metal valve and a lid). Wood chips, sawdust and small firewood are often used as fuel, so we suggest considering a homemade version of such a stove.

Preparatory work

To construct a long-burning furnace, in the simplest version, you will need the following tools and materials:

• a sealed barrel with a volume of 200 liters;
• a thick metal circle (with a diameter slightly smaller than a barrel);
• 4 corners or the same amount of channel, slightly shorter than the radius of the pancake;
• a piece of metal pipe for blowing with a diameter of 100 mm (5 cm longer than the barrel);
• a piece of metal pipe for a chimney with a diameter of 150 mm and a length of 5 m;
• welding machine;
• Bulgarian;
• sledgehammer;
• chisel;
• pliers;
• hammer.

When finished, a sawdust or small wood stove should look something like this:

The finished brick oven will look something like this:

Sequencing

A homemade long-burning stove is an economical option for a factory design, which often has a long working life. However, you can achieve the most positive results from its work only if you design it correctly.

Therefore, we propose to consider the sequence of actions for manufacturing the simplest, “barrel” heating system:

1. Take a barrel prepared in advance, cut off the weld on its upper end and straighten the sharp ends with pliers. The result is a cylinder with a lid.
2. Using a sledgehammer, bend the edges of the cylinder inward, and, on the contrary, leave the remaining side outside.
3. Turn the lid over and put it on the prepared cylinder, just so that it sits tightly on it and does not slip off.
4. Using a chisel, carefully cut a hole with a diameter of 102 mm in the center of the lid (later the blower pipe will be inserted into it, which should move freely up and down).
5. In the upper part of the future firebox, mark a hole for the chimney and cut it out (a part of the chimney, no more than 30 cm long, will be welded to it).
6. When the installation body is almost ready, you can work on the air supply device. To increase the rigidity of the previously obtained pancake, it is advisable to bend its edges, but if you use part of another barrel as a lid, then the existing plug hole will have to be welded.
7. Weld corners or channels on the inside of the cover, and install a damper in the upper part of the pipe hole (it is better to fix it with a wing nut; by loosening or tightening it, you can adjust the amount of air supplied.
8. Install a chimney made of a pipe with a diameter of at least 150 mm, otherwise the smoke from the firewood will not be completely discharged outside. To ensure good draft force, the length of the chimney must be at least 5 m.
9. In addition to the already manufactured device, you can weld a ball valve, which is suitable for draining accumulated condensate from the inside of the installation.
10. The ignition point should be at the bottom of the barrel, so cut a rectangular hole in it and make a drawer or tray to clear the stove of unburned wood. Above the door level, install a perforated partition with a hole in its central part (it should correspond to the lower end of the blower pipe).

Using the finished product is easy: insert a blower tube into the prepared hole, fill the barrel with sawdust and remove it so that the hole remains. Next, throw firewood into the lower firebox and set it on fire so that over time the fire spreads to the layer with sawdust.

Design and principle of operation

A distinctive feature of the design of a long-burning potbelly stove compared to a conventional one is two combustion chambers separated by a partition. In the first (it is a fuel receiver) slow smoldering occurs under a small air flow. During this process, coal and unburned pyrolysis gases are formed, which, under the influence of draft, rise and burn out in the second chamber with an additional supply of oxygen.

Unburned gases mixed with air burn out at a very high temperature, thereby increasing the efficiency of the stove. The remaining coal also gradually burns out, transferring heat. Together, these processes form such a high heat transfer.

A long-burning potbelly stove does not require additional intervention during heating, as it operates without access to oxygen

How to choose a heater for a summer house

Previously, we found out that a convection cast iron oven is suitable for periodic heating and is not afraid of long downtimes

Like any potbelly stove, it is “omnivorous”, that is, it can burn wood of different species, sizes and humidity, which is very important for dacha owners. It remains to understand which stove from the offered range to choose based on operating conditions

The selection criteria are as follows:

• thermal power of the unit;
• its dimensions and purpose;
• additional functions.

Power is an important characteristic indicated in the technical data sheet of any heater. It needs to be correlated with the size of the room where you plan to install the stove. For example, the technical characteristics of the Russian-made Bavaria PK 004 cast iron stove shown in the photo indicate a power of 12 kW and the cubic capacity of the room for which it is designed is 90 m3. This data should be relied upon when choosing a heat source.

Bavaria stoves PK 004 and PK 153 of the Russian brand Ecofireplace

Before choosing a stove for a country house made of cast iron, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our recommendations in this regard:

1. For a small house or a cabin located on a summer cottage, it is worth buying a small-sized, or better yet, collapsible model of the stove. Then it can be loaded and taken away in a car, so that the wood-burning heater is not stolen in your absence.
2. If you need to heat 2-3 rooms, then it is better to take a stove with a water circuit and connect it to radiators installed in adjacent rooms. But you need to understand that this is due to increased consumption of firewood and constant monitoring of the operation of the heat generator.
3. In a country house you can purchase and install a beautiful stove - a fireplace with wide panoramic glass.
4. To cook and heat up food, look for a stove with a cast iron hob.

Modifications of “Bavaria” with a water heat exchanger (left) and with natural stone trim (right)

Among the many different cast iron stoves, you can also choose a unit with an oven, various additional drawers and original cladding made of natural stone.

Basic rules for lighting a stove from a cylinder

The furnace is started according to a certain scheme. It is important to take this into account in order to achieve an optimal result and ensure an ideal level of safety.

You should do the following:
• For effective kindling, you initially need to completely remove the existing lid and then remove the special device for supplying air masses.
• The fuel used is added, but its volume should not be greater than the chimney line located below.
• If a potbelly stove or bubafonya operates on wood, then in a vertical position it can accommodate much more than if it is laid horizontally.
• It’s worth sprinkling the top part of the firewood you’re using with a small amount of wood chips and putting paper on it.
• The damper opens and paper or rags are thrown into the pipe. After the fuel is completely ignited, the damper closes.

In this position, the oven is able to operate for a day or more, that is, constant human intervention is not required.

Solid fuel heating stove Professor Butakov Student

Modern solid fuel equipment is constantly evolving, improving its appearance, design and technological processes. Despite this, simple metal stoves remain quite popular among ordinary consumers. The Professor Butakov series of stoves, named after its designer, is one of the few examples of domestically produced equipment that has created full competition with foreign analogues, and in some respects, surpassed them.

For heating small areas up to 150 m#179, an excellent option would be to install a wood-burning stove, Professor Butakov Student, with a power of 9 kW. Despite the modest thermal power, the room is heated in the shortest possible time, no more than 2-3 hours from the moment of startup. The speed of heating is ensured by the special design of the air heat exchanger, which ensures uniform convection heating.

Furnace structure and operating principle

The heating stove Professor Butakov Student is equipped with a combustion chamber capable of burning wood and afterburning pyrolysis gas generated as a result of combustion of the main fuel. The use of this technology made it possible to obtain a significant increase in efficiency and increase it to 90%, which is an excellent indicator for stoves operating on conventional wood.

To obtain the maximum effect and the largest volume of pyrolysis gas, it is necessary to use natural, as dry wood as possible.

The heat exchanger of the heater is made of steel pipes surrounding the firebox. In essence, the fire tube heat exchanger is the body of the combustion chamber, absorbing the maximum heat generated as a result of wood combustion. The lower air intake ends of the pipes are located almost parallel to the floor, this allows cold air to be drawn in. Air entering the heat exchanger pipes quickly heats up, leaving through the upper free ends of the pipes, creating constant draft and convection flow.

To ensure long service life, the bottom of the firebox is equipped with a cast iron grate that is resistant to long-term thermal influences. Through the grate, residual combustion products in the form of ash, ash, and unburned fuel fractions enter the ash box, which allows the stove to be cleaned of debris directly during its operation.

The upper plane of the oven is a cooking surface that allows you to heat or cook food on it.

Some model differences

Currently, this heater model is available in three configurations:

1. Heating stove Professor Butakov Student with a cast iron door and glass. Glass makes it possible to observe the living flame in the firebox.

Heating equipment with a blind damper. Butakov Student stoves with the possibility of a rear chimney connection. Compared to the classic design, where the chimney pipe is located on the upper plane, the rear connection increases the area of ​​the cooking surface and ensures the connection of the stove to the chimney built into the wall.

Advantages and disadvantages

Despite a number of disadvantages inherent in such equipment, solid fuel heating stoves by Professor Butakov Student have a wide list of advantages.

Wood is a natural fuel that does not pollute the environment during processing.

The use of a fairly simple design and reliable materials, steel, cast iron, ensures long service life. Wood is the most economically advantageous fuel for many regions. Increased efficiency rates of at least 90%. Easy to use. Possibility of cyclic use only when necessary, unlike most heating devices that require constant operation at minimum power. Low cost.

Among the disadvantages of the equipment, Professor Butakov Student’s heating stove is not equipped with automation, therefore it is necessary to constantly monitor the presence of fuel in the firebox and, for safety reasons, it cannot be left unattended for a long time.

Installation

The entire line of heating equipment by Professor Butakov does not require lengthy preparatory work during the installation process. The stoves are installed and attached directly to the floor. One of the mandatory conditions is maintaining an air gap between the stove body and the nearest surface, especially important for wooden houses. The heaters can be equipped with any suitable chimney system with a height of at least 5 meters to ensure normal draft and, accordingly, a constant fuel combustion process.

How to use the stove correctly

Only dry wood is suitable for use in pyrolysis heating stoves. This is due to the fact that when wet fuel is burned, a lot of water vapor is released, which reduces the temperature in the working area. Of course, in this case, there can be no question of effective combustion of pyrolysis gases. In addition, there are other unpleasant aspects associated with incomplete combustion of volatile components. Firstly, when cooling in the chimney, they fall out on its walls in the form of tar, creosote and other difficult-to-remove substances. Secondly, the content of hazardous chemical compounds at the outlet of the chimney exceeds all permissible standards, which negatively affects the environment and human health. And, on the contrary, when burning well-dried wood, the exhaust gases consist mainly of carbon dioxide and water vapor, and the operation of a potbelly stove from the outside can only be judged by the slight movement of heated air at the upper end of the chimney.

Before adding fuel, the piston is removed and put aside, and the space inside the stove is filled with firewood. It should be remembered that the thermal power and duration of operation of the heating device depend on the density of the stacking, therefore all gaps between the logs must be filled with shavings, chips, wood husks, etc. Place a rag soaked in kerosene or diesel fuel on top, install the air distribution piston and close the unit lid.

For ignition, you can use a rag dampened with a flammable liquid.

The stove is ignited with the damper of the air supply pipe fully open by throwing burning rags into it, which have been previously soaked in barbecue liquid or the like. After the wood burns, reduce the air supply.

In order to make the operation of a potbelly stove safe, follow a few simple rules:

1. If flammable substances are used to ignite wood (gasoline, kerosene, solvent, special products for wood-burning stoves), then it is necessary to install the piston and close the stove with a lid before throwing a lit match.
2. It is not recommended to use plastic, rubber, foam and other household waste as fuel for two reasons. Firstly, this is due to the release of extremely toxic substances that cannot burn even during the process of pyrolytic decomposition. Secondly, during high-temperature oxidation of such materials, a huge amount of soot is released, which means that the chimney will have to be cleaned several times a month.

Often, in order to make a potbelly stove more presentable, its body is primed and painted in the desired color. It should be understood that during operation of the stove the paint will fade, so it is better to use only protective compounds designed for operation at high temperatures.

Despite the fact that pyrolysis decomposition promotes the most complete combustion of fuel, a small amount of soot and ash is still formed during operation of the furnace. To remove carbon deposits, you can use a metal scraper and brush. As for ash, the most convenient way to clean a potbelly stove from a barrel is with an iron scoop with a short handle. There is no need to remove all the ashes. A layer of ash 2–3 cm thick will act as thermal insulation, preventing the bottom of the heating device from burning out.