How to Make a Wood Burning Heater from an Air Compressor Tank
Find an air compressor that no longer works, and remove the motor/compressor assembly., Figure out how you want to configure your wood heater., Lay out a door opening on the side of the tank., Mark two vertical lines at 1/3 points of the tank's...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find an air compressor that no longer works
 This should leave you a steel tank with a few holes you will need to deal with later. , Horizontal heaters can handle longer wood, but have a larger foot print, vertical ones take up much less space, and as mentioned, have a smaller fire box diameter/dimension., For a vertical heater, come up about 1/3 the tank's height, and make a level line (perpendicular to the tank sides).
For a horizontal, on one end, make a level mark about 4 inches up from the tank's lower side.
Keep in mind that once you begin laying out your cut lines, you need to maintain an orientation so all cuts will be square/plumb/level in relationship to each other for a good fit and neat appearance. , Then make a top mark, level again, for the top of the door.,, You can tap screws through the metal, or simply weld the hinges in place.
Make sure the pins are aligned and the hinges seat flat to the side of the tank., Having installed the hinges prior to cutting the whole door out will insure the door is aligned properly., This will create a door stop, and also help seal the door opening so sparks/smoke will be less likely to escape., Then insert a 5/16 pencil rod (cold rolled steel rod) through the hole.
It will be bent 90 degrees nearly flush with the inside face of the door, and have another 90 degree bend on the outside.
This will act as the latch.,, These will be for the firewood to rest on as it burns, and will keep the wood above the ash settling on the tank bottom., Â This is optional, but will support small kindling wood when lighting your fire.
This piece will just lay in place, since it must be removed to remove ash after your fire has died down., For simplicity, we will describe using a single-wall thin gauge flue pipe, available at hardware stores.
Buy the stove pipe before cutting this hole and you can use it to scribe the exact diameter/location for the flue.
Notch the metal near the edge of the hole, so these pieces can be bent upward to provide a surface to fasten the flue pipe to., Â This attachment needs to be tight, if the cut is sloppy, use fire caulk or chimney sealant around the seam to prevent sparks and smoke from escaping., Use it to scribe a matching hole which you will cut into the tank.
Cut a round piece of sheet metal to fit inside the pipe, then drill a hole through the top and bottom of the pipe to fit a rod to fasten this damper to.,, Make sure the legs or base is secure and support the tank in a plumb/level position., You can now test fire the wood heater.
Assume any paint still on the tank may emit toxic fumes, so test the stove out out doors where there is plenty of ventilation. -
Step 2: and remove the motor/compressor assembly.
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Step 3: Figure out how you want to configure your wood heater.
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Step 4: Lay out a door opening on the side of the tank.
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Step 5: Mark two vertical lines at 1/3 points of the tank's diameter (or the width of the end of the tank if horizontal).
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Step 6: Using a steel cutting wheel on a grinder or saw
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Step 7: cut one side you have marked for the door of your heater.
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Step 8: Fasten hinges centered on the cut you have just made.
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Step 9: Cut the remaining three sides of your door.
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Step 10: Cut some 1/8 to 3/16 flat stock one inch wide to weld along the inside of the door opening.
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Step 11: Drill a 5/16 inch hole through the edge of the door opposite the hinges near the center.
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Step 12: Keeping the pencil rod tight to the inside of the door surface
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Step 13: weld a 5/16 flat washer on both the inside and outside of the door to hold it in place.
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Step 14: Weld two 1/2 inch steel bars cut to fit across the side of the tank about 3 inches below the bottom edge of the door.
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Step 15: Cut a piece of heavy gauge steel expanded metal to lay on the bars welded in place in the previous step.
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Step 16: Cut a hole in the top of the tank on the opposite side from the door for your flue.
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Step 17: Weld or rivet the stove pipe to the flange at the flue hole you created at the top of your tank.
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Step 18: Cut a three to four inch piece of pipe about 5 inches long for an air inlet/damper assembly underneath the fire grate below the door.
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Step 19: Weld the air inlet pipe/damper assembly to the tank
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Step 20: centered on the hole cut earlier.
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Step 21: Attach legs/a base to the bottom of the tank to support it at the height you want.
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Step 22: Install a section of stove pipe to the flue on top so that it has enough height to draft (draw smoke up through it).
Detailed Guide
 This should leave you a steel tank with a few holes you will need to deal with later. , Horizontal heaters can handle longer wood, but have a larger foot print, vertical ones take up much less space, and as mentioned, have a smaller fire box diameter/dimension., For a vertical heater, come up about 1/3 the tank's height, and make a level line (perpendicular to the tank sides).
For a horizontal, on one end, make a level mark about 4 inches up from the tank's lower side.
Keep in mind that once you begin laying out your cut lines, you need to maintain an orientation so all cuts will be square/plumb/level in relationship to each other for a good fit and neat appearance. , Then make a top mark, level again, for the top of the door.,, You can tap screws through the metal, or simply weld the hinges in place.
Make sure the pins are aligned and the hinges seat flat to the side of the tank., Having installed the hinges prior to cutting the whole door out will insure the door is aligned properly., This will create a door stop, and also help seal the door opening so sparks/smoke will be less likely to escape., Then insert a 5/16 pencil rod (cold rolled steel rod) through the hole.
It will be bent 90 degrees nearly flush with the inside face of the door, and have another 90 degree bend on the outside.
This will act as the latch.,, These will be for the firewood to rest on as it burns, and will keep the wood above the ash settling on the tank bottom., Â This is optional, but will support small kindling wood when lighting your fire.
This piece will just lay in place, since it must be removed to remove ash after your fire has died down., For simplicity, we will describe using a single-wall thin gauge flue pipe, available at hardware stores.
Buy the stove pipe before cutting this hole and you can use it to scribe the exact diameter/location for the flue.
Notch the metal near the edge of the hole, so these pieces can be bent upward to provide a surface to fasten the flue pipe to., Â This attachment needs to be tight, if the cut is sloppy, use fire caulk or chimney sealant around the seam to prevent sparks and smoke from escaping., Use it to scribe a matching hole which you will cut into the tank.
Cut a round piece of sheet metal to fit inside the pipe, then drill a hole through the top and bottom of the pipe to fit a rod to fasten this damper to.,, Make sure the legs or base is secure and support the tank in a plumb/level position., You can now test fire the wood heater.
Assume any paint still on the tank may emit toxic fumes, so test the stove out out doors where there is plenty of ventilation.
About the Author
Mark Phillips
A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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