Creating an effective and durable heat source for the steam room with your own hands is a task that many craftsmen with access to a welding machine and scrap metal can do. One of the most popular and time-tested solutions is disc-storkparticularly from wheels of trucks or tractors. The use of whole-shaped discs instead of sheet metal allows you to avoid deformation of the body at high temperatures, since this steel is originally designed for colossal loads and temperature changes during operation.
The main advantage of this design lies in the unique form of the workpiece: the disc already has ready-made sides that ideally form a furnace and ash, and the central part serves as a natural place for installing spikes or a flame pass. Unlike thin-walled pipes or barrels, which often go bankrupt in a couple of seasons, cargo-discs 30HGL steel or similar alloys are able to withstand extreme heating without changing the geometry. This makes them the perfect material to create. stone-cutterIt will keep you warm for years to come.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the stages of creating such a furnace: from the selection of materials and tool preparation to the nuances of welding and the first start. You'll find out why. metal thickness of the disc (usually 10-14 mm) It is a critical parameter for the durability of your future stove, and how to properly organize the thrust so that smoke does not go into the room. Homemade structures often surpass factory counterparts in heat capacity and reliability, if all technological requirements are met during assembly.
Selection of materials and preparation of tools
The first step towards establishing a reliable bath-stoves It is a search for quality source materials. Ideal option steel wheels from trucks (for example, KAMAZ, MAZ, ZIL) or tractors, as they have the necessary wall thickness. Carbon discs are not recommended to use: they are too thin and with intense heating can quickly deform or even burst, which will lead to an emergency. You will need at least two, or better three discs of the same diameter to form a full-fledged furnace and a heater.
In addition to the discs themselves, it is necessary to prepare sheet metal with a thickness of at least 5-8 mm for the manufacture of doors, partitions and the bottom. To organize the supply of air and create a grate, you will need a valve with a diameter of 10-12 mm or a ready-made cast-iron balloon of the appropriate size. Also, don’t forget about chimney pipe: the diameter of the pipe should match the outlet of your future design, usually 115 mm or 150 mm to ensure good traction.
To work, you will need the following set of tools:
- 🛠️ Welding inverter with electrodes with a diameter of 3-4 mm or semi-automatic for quality seams.
- 📐 Corner grinding machine (Bulgarka) with cutting and stripping circles on metal.
- 🔨 Hammer, chisel and core for marking and editing metal.
- 🔥 Building level and roulette for precise geometry of the structure.
⚠️ Attention: Before starting work, make sure that the discs do not have through corrosion or cracks, especially in the area of the welded seams of the rim. The use of defective materials can lead to depressurization of the furnace and carbon monoxide entering the room.
Stoves design and drawings
Classical disk-cake It is a vertical structure consisting of several sections. The lower part is ash, where the combustion products are collected. The middle section serves as a furnace, where firewood is burned. The upper part is usually set aside under a stone, where stones are placed to create steam. This modularity allows you to effectively use the space inside the steam room and ensures uniform heating of the air.
When designing, it is important to respect proportions. The height of the furnace chamber should be sufficient to load logs, usually 40-50 cm. The diameter of a standard cargo disk is about 50-60 cm, which gives an excellent volume for combustion. If you plan to make a stove with a water tank, then it can be placed around the chimney at the top of the structure or use a separate heat exchanger.
The table below shows the approximate parameters for a furnace made of three discs from KAMAZ:
| Parameter | Meaning | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Disk diameter | 500-530 mm | Standard for trucks |
| Metal thickness | 10-14 mm | It provides heat resistance. |
| Fireplace height | 400-500 mm | One disk or two without a bottom |
| Chimney diameter | 115-150 mm | Depends on the traction in the bath. |
Features of the horizontal layout
A horizontal oven made of discs takes up less space in height but requires more space in width. In this embodiment, the disc is cut in half or used as a base for a rectangular furnace, which complicates welding work, but simplifies the loading of firewood.
Step-by-step assembly instructions
The assembly process begins with the preparation of disks. It is necessary to remove all excess elements if they interfere (for example, welded rings under the tire mounting, if they protrude too much), and clean the edges to pure metal. If you use discs with central holes, they need to be brewed with sheet metal, leaving only technological holes for spikelers or blown.
Then there's the welding of the hull. Two or three discs are placed on top of each other and boiled along the perimeter of the joint. It is important to make the seam sealed so that smoke does not seep through the microslits. At a height of 10-15 cm from the bottom of the furnace, welded stops from the valves, on which the spike bar will be laid. Instead of rebar, you can boil a ready-made cast-iron splinter, carving a hole under it in the partition between the ash and the furnace.
☑️ Stages of hull assembly
After the formation of the body, a hole for the furnace door is cut out. The door is better made of a thick sheet of metal (8-10 mm) and equipped with a reliable shut-off mechanism, since when heated, the metal can lead, and a simple latch will not keep it closed. Also in the lower part of the ashtray is a hole for the blower, which will regulate the intensity of combustion.
⚠️ Attention: When welding thick metal (10 mm or more), significant internal stresses may occur. Let the seams cool gradually, do not pour water on them to speed up the process to avoid cracks in the metal structure.
Chimney installation and traction system
Quality chimney It is the heart of any solid fuel furnace. For a disc design, the pipe outlet is usually made at the top of the last disc or in the side wall near the top. The pipe must be of stainless or black steel with a thickness of at least 2-3 mm. The most important point is to ensure the tightness of the connection of the pipe and the furnace body.
To do this, a pipe is welded to the upper disc (a piece of pipe with a diameter slightly larger than the chimney), into which the main pipe is then inserted. The joint can be further compacted with heat-resistant sealant or clay solution, but the main emphasis is on the quality of the weld. The length of the vertical part of the pipe should be at least 3-4 meters from the bell grating to create sufficient natural traction.
Inside the pipe, a slate (flipper) is often installed, which allows you to regulate the thrust and keep warm after burning firewood. However, with the shiver you need to be careful: it can not be closed completely while the coals smolder in the furnace to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- 🌡️ Use sandwich tubes when passing through the ceiling and roof for fire safety.
- 🧹 Consider the possibility of cleaning the pipe from soot (tee with condensate collector).
- 🔥 Do the first warm-up with an open door and windows for burnout of technical oils.
To improve heat transfer and protect the walls from heat, wrap the chimney pipe with a rabies net and fill the space between the mesh and the pipe with stones. This will create an additional heat accumulator.
Installation of stones and stones
In the construction of discs, the upper disc is most often used as a container for stones. If the disc is deaf (without large holes in the center), the stones are placed directly inside. If the central part is open, it is necessary to make an overlap from a metal sheet, leaving a passage for the chimney so that the stones do not fall into the furnace, but warm up with fire and flue gases.
For bath procedures, volcanic stones are best suited: jadeite, basalt, diabase. They keep warm and do not crack at a sharp temperature drop. Granite is not recommended for use due to possible radioactive background and propensity to split. The volume of a stone in such a furnace can reach 30-50 liters, which is enough for a small family bath.
Stones. It should be stacked tightly, but not tamped so that the smoke can freely pass through them (in the case of a direct current system) or that they warm up evenly from all sides. Before the first laying, the stones must be washed with water and calcined in a furnace without water to remove dust and foreign smells.
Properly laid stones in the furnace of discs provide "light" fine vapor, as the thick walls of the metal give off heat for a long time, preventing the stones from quickly cooling when splashing water.
First launch and safety
First launch bath-stoves This is a stress test for all welds and joints. You need to start the fire gradually, using small chips and paper so that the metal warms up evenly. Sharp heating can lead to deformation of the structure, especially if metal of different quality or thickness was used. In the process of primary heating, open the windows and doors of the bath: factory paint, oils and possible rust residues will burn out.
Check the room for smoke. Swipe your hand (carefully, without touching hot surfaces) along all the seams - if you feel the flow of air or smoke, then there are fistulas that need to be brewed after cooling the stove. Pay special attention to the place of exit of the chimney through the ceiling: the temperature there should not exceed the permissible norms for wooden structures.
Operation of a homemade furnace requires compliance with fire safety rules:
- 🚫 Do not leave a burning stove unattended for a long time.
- 🪵 Use only dry wood hardwood (birch, aspen, alder).
- 🧹 Clean the ash cone regularly and check the traction in the chimney.
⚠️ Attention: If you notice that the body of the furnace has turned red (except for the furnace), this indicates too intense combustion or insufficient heat transfer of the stones. Immediately reduce the air supply through the blower, so as not to burn through the metal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long will the oven from the discs last?
Provided that high-quality cargo disks are used without corrosion and proper operation, such a furnace can last 10-15 years or more. The key factor is the thickness of the metal and the absence of overheating.
Do I need to make a brick in the fireplace?
For discs 10 mm thick and more, the lining with chamot brick is not necessary, since the metal itself is an excellent heat accumulator. However, if you are sinking very aggressively, one row of bricks at the bottom will prolong the life of the structure.
What is the optimal size for a 10 m2 stove?
For a pair volume of 10-12 m3, a design of about 90-100 cm (three disks) and a diameter of 50 cm is sufficient. This will ensure rapid warming and long-term preservation of heat.
Can I install a water tank on top?
Yes, it's a common practice. The tank can be made from a stainless steel sheet or use a finished container, installing it on the upper disk. The main thing is to provide a passage for the chimney through the tank.