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Culvert type chimney


lcb

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Hi,  I have noticed that Brian Brazeal and Alec Steele have what look like culverts for chimneys.  I know Brian got his near his home in Mississippi and Alec is in England, does anyone know where I can get one in the New England area?  I am almost finished a new smithy and I think I would like to try one of these.  It would be less expensive and I just might find that it is a permanent solution.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

 

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Galvy culvert isn't less expensive than stove pipe if you compare new prices. If you can scrounge it, it's . . . well, salvage priced and that's goooood.

 

Culvert is considerably heavier and can be almost impossible to seal through a roof. An alternative to either is vent ducting and is less expensive even new.

 

Try checking with the local highway maintenance department, they aren't likely to let you scrounge the yard for insurance reasons but if you are a likeable character some MAY fall of a truck at a convenient time though. Regardless they'll be able to tell you who the private sector contractors who do the same work are. They'll be a little more likely to let you pick through the drops and such but they'll charge scrap price. Oh and speaking of scrap prices try the scrap yard, culvert isn't going to come in often but one of the yard guys may be willing to give a likeable cuss a call rather than feed it to the shredder. Especially if a box of donuts, maybe a couple forged doo dads or an after hours sixpack of beer were to appear during negotiations.

 

NO beer to a government facility! If something BAD happens at any public facility and beer is present guys are going to be losing their jobs so it isn't going to win you points.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Go to an air conditioning / heating supply house...not the local jobber. Although the local guy may be of help. 12 inch minimum or 15 inch , spiral wrapped tunnel. It is quite strong and yet not so heavy. Supposed to be 2 feet above the ridgerow of the roof but many just have it several feet above the roof (if it is on a slight slope). Once the hot air starts flowing it will suck out all the smoke and fumes.

 

Brian does not use a "super sucker" hood either...just a straight pipe starting right above the forge...with enough room to carry on business  with the coal.

 

 

carry on

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Heating and air supply company will have heating and air duct work, not culvert pipe. Heating and air duct pipe does work but succumbs to heat and rot rather quickly in a humid inviroment. Mine lasted about 9-months with a rain cap on it, and with the pipe itself 3-feet away from the firepot, via a hofi style side draught hood. 15-eett of the stuff cost me like $65 though, so it's cheap.

 

Try a hardware store or a building supply warehouse for culvert pipe.

Culvert pipe is technically called "road tile." It is much, MUCH heavier than heating and air duct. I am currently using culvert pipe and it is showing no signs of wear at all after over a year of use. I paid nearly $200, delivered for a 20 foot section so in order for it to be the same price as the heating and air duct it needs to last me about 3.5 years. I think it probably will last that and probably more than that.

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Thanks for the relies.  This spiral duct is just what I'm looking for.  Is it stiff enough for transporting on a roof rack? 

 

This is where I am in the building process.  I used to have an 8x8 area and this will make it 10x20.

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I got my spiral seamed duct work from the Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store, 2 10" diameter 10' long for $4 a piece.

The local scrap yard wanted $10 a piece for it. I'm kicking myself as previously they were remodeling a commercial building near my Dr's office and they had a 40 yard construction dumpster overflowing with 10" and 12" duct pipe.

I can't help with the roof penetration question because I have mine stuck out the side wall of my shop at a steep anvil (the used propanel actually had an appropriate sized hole right where my forge is. I made a sheet metal shroud that fits around the pipe and can be moved up of down to touch the bed of the forge on 3 sides of the firepot---nothing fancy just a piece bent into a U and held together with baling wire. The springiness is what holds it in place.

Pretty much *anything* you buy new is going to be costly. Research the cost and then check out scrapyards, craigslist, Heating and Cooling companies (they often have a scrap pile of good stuff), house demolition companies, architectural salvage companies, etc and hold out for a discount of at least 1/2 of the new price!

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Thanks everyone.  Dave, the only power hammer I'll ever have in there is the one I made with Brian :) .  The door is 3ft wide and the big windows are for light of course.  I got them on Craig's List and paid $10 for the door and the windows were thrown in for free.

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I picked up my spiral duct today.  It's 16ft long and 12 in. in diameter and cost $50 new.  Now I will (with your help) figure out a way to put it through the roof.  I know that Brian somehow wedged his through a rectangular metal frame.  I think he said it was a "cam" effect.  Any ideas?  Thanks for your replies, my building is ahead of schedule.

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