Thinking about building one. I think I want to do a forced air setup with an electric fuel pump firing through a gasoline fuel injector. would basically be a jet engine.

I can't put a very large hole in my shop since it is rented.

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html#mwoh

theres the original waste oil heater, it uses motor oil, not vegatable oil. i think you'll have a hard time getting something that thick to run thru a fuel injector, its much more viscous than gasoline. if you make one of the oil burners, make sure all your doors/latches/fittings seal really well, otherwise, it'll cover your shop in soot...

Years ago, I was given an old oil burning furnace. Diesel fuel mixed 50/50 with just about anything heated my old shop to unbearable temps in seconds.

Look for an old oil furnace!

that is the old version, new one is here:

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me11.html

having the machine piece made and hope to have one running for the winter..

The biggest problem with WVO is that the glycerin needs very high temps to be consumed. I've read reports of the MEN type furnaces burning WVO well but I also know people who have built them and they don't so then you have a mess that needs constant cleaning. The guys at Yahoo's alt fuel furnace group seem to be the best source of real data I've seen and they are mostly using gun type burners with preheated fuel. If it were me I'd start with a WVO drip into a wood burning stove because the glycerin would have a long time to burn off and even if it didn't you could just shovel it out with the ashes. Or, just burn wood.
John...

Why is there such aversion to using regular fuel oil furnaces, a la gun type?

Mine worked fine until it filled up with water from a poor exhaust and nearly exploded. Had I put a better exhaust on it, I suspect I'd still be using it.

Why is there such aversion to using regular fuel oil furnaces, a la gun type?

Mine worked fine until it filled up with water from a poor exhaust and nearly exploded. Had I put a better exhaust on it, I suspect I'd still be using it.

There isn't really any aversion except when using WVO you eventually end up with a heat exchanger filled with dripping half burned glycerin that becomes a huge mess to clean up and reduces the efficiency of the exchanger. This is JMO but I think some sort of duplex burner that used natural gas to maintain combustion temps might be a decent way to go if it would extend your gas usage by say a factor of five or so.

There isn't really any aversion except when using WVO you eventually end up with a heat exchanger filled with dripping half burned glycerin that becomes a huge mess to clean up and reduces the efficiency of the exchanger. This is JMO but I think some sort of duplex burner that used natural gas to maintain combustion temps might be a decent way to go if it would extend your gas usage by say a factor of five or so.

I always mixed my USED engine oil with diesel fuel 50/50 to limit any issues with the used oil. I also had two filters in series to trap any crud that got carried over from the used oil.

If it were me I'd start with a WVO drip into a wood burning stove because the glycerin would have a long time to burn off and even if it didn't you could just shovel it out with the ashes. Or, just burn wood.
John...

I was thinking of setting up an oil drip into a wood burning stove setup for my shop. Wood is easy to get around here and it would be more to get rid of the used oil than to realy use it as a primary source of fuel. I just worry about having a flashback or something into the the oil res.

I worked for a farmer who had us dip all the pieces of wood into a 5 gal bucket of old oil before putting them in the stove. It worked but was messy.

I was thinking of setting up an oil drip into a wood burning stove setup for my shop. Wood is easy to get around here and it would be more to get rid of the used oil than to realy use it as a primary source of fuel. I just worry about having a flashback or something into the the oil res.

I worked for a farmer who had us dip all the pieces of wood into a 5 gal bucket of old oil before putting them in the stove. It worked but was messy.


Using used engine oil, you have no risk of the fire burning back into the reservoir. I used the drip method for years before I got my furnace.

FWIW

I made this version http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me11.html

out of an old 80 gal air tank, and it didnt work so well the demsions in the link above have to be prety close or

A: the fire flower will not touch the sides of the tank

B: the intake draft will put out the flame by not drafting the vapor correctly or by drafting the vapor to much

also Roger sells the disc and valve

if you use his valve you need a good amount of oil head to meter the oil finely enough to run low, med , and high

I went to meet Roger and look at his heater (since he is only 20~ miles away)
and his valve is 1/4 turn between high and low

with the little head pressure I have mine was 1-2 turns between high and low which made me have to constantly have to dick with it


because to much oil will put it out, to little oil will put it out..... but it works very well when set up correctly

does he have better quality drawings, like an instruction manual or blueprints that are available for purchase? Since he has done it I wonder if he has changed anything or if those dims are accurate. Would be cool to have a small set of blue prints, buy the disc and valve and just put it all together..

thanks

how did you get in touch with him? I looked around for email and adress and couldnt find anything..

does he have better quality drawings, like an instruction manual or blueprints that are available for purchase? Since he has done it I wonder if he has changed anything or if those dims are accurate. Would be cool to have a small set of blue prints, buy the disc and valve and just put it all together..

thanks

how did you get in touch with him? I looked around for email and adress and couldnt find anything..

the drawing is pretty accurate.... and the heater shown in the JTFE article is the heater I saw in his shop

Rogersanders@wispertel.net

http://journeytoforever.org/media/r/rsHeater.gif

IMO the 6 5/8" from intake to burner and the overall diameter matter most

the height of the burner lets you store up more ash before you have to trashcan it