Door

[Overmyhead]

I have decided to build another arch this year out of an oil tank. My first arch i built i had the tank on its side. I have found another tank and decided to build one standing up. My question is about a door. I can buy a door with built in draft online for about $60. I'm wondering if it will be big enough? it is about 10" by 10". I have a welder and can fabricate a door, but for $60 that might be the way to go....

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Overmyhead:
when I was designing my arch one of the posts on here convinced me that bigger is better and I went 14 by 14 for the opening (door is 16 by 16) on my 2 by 3 and don't regret doing it. its so much easier to load. The only bad thing I've heard for a larger door is that too big cools the firebox more when loading. Jay

14995

[psparr]

I just cut a square the size I wanted then welded angle iron on the cutout piece and the opening. Used some regular 3" door hinges and insulated the door with ceramic blanket. Works great.
The vogalzang door wil work, but it makes it a pain to load wood.

[Wizbi]

I agree on fabricating your own door. I too made a new fire-pit boiler this year - outdoor concrete/block permanent construction supporting 5 full-size buffet pans and having a steel framework on top to support pans and steel plate/door on end for stoking the fire.

I studied pricing and values of commercially available doors. Most are sized for 55 gal barrel conversion kits - although you can buy varied sizes, but the prices seem to increase also. The 10"x10" doors or 12"x12" doors all seemed flimsy at the hinges and handles. I even ordered/bought two to only return them after assessing their lack of durability. I have a local amish welding/custom fab shop that can cut/bend/weld for $45/hr. As it turns, they made me a nice 14"x14" door out of 1/4" plate stock, mounted on an end-plate (opening) in a little over an hour. Door has a nice built-in slide damper able to be opened to the area equal to my exhaust flue. Door also has 1" lips on door as well as 1" lips on end plate that the door shuts to. Also hinges, and heavy-duty handle plus latching arm.

My original idea was to focus on getting a door from a Menards (vogelzang) that I could easily replace if needed. It turned not to be sufficiently sturdy enough for my liking.

Hope this helps.

[Overmyhead]

Well, that answers that question! Thanks for the input guys, off to get some metal...

[311Hemi]

I agree on fabricating your own door. I too made a new fire-pit boiler this year - outdoor concrete/block permanent construction supporting 5 full-size buffet pans and having a steel framework on top to support pans and steel plate/door on end for stoking the fire.

I studied pricing and values of commercially available doors. Most are sized for 55 gal barrel conversion kits - although you can buy varied sizes, but the prices seem to increase also. The 10"x10" doors or 12"x12" doors all seemed flimsy at the hinges and handles. I even ordered/bought two to only return them after assessing their lack of durability. I have a local amish welding/custom fab shop that can cut/bend/weld for $45/hr. As it turns, they made me a nice 14"x14" door out of 1/4" plate stock, mounted on an end-plate (opening) in a little over an hour. Door has a nice built-in slide damper able to be opened to the area equal to my exhaust flue. Door also has 1" lips on door as well as 1" lips on end plate that the door shuts to. Also hinges, and heavy-duty handle plus latching arm.

My original idea was to focus on getting a door from a Menards (vogelzang) that I could easily replace if needed. It turned not to be sufficiently sturdy enough for my liking.

Hope this helps.

Did you add an ash clean out door for the front as well?

[Overmyhead]

I just finished the door and will post some pics shortly. I haven't added the ash door yet.