Stove is now in the drying phase. Notice the line where I started with the increase of grass in the mix:
And a close up. Lot's of voids that I'll be covering with a thin layer of probably 1:1 mix on the outside for durability once it dries:
A 4" feed tube feeding a 6" riser:
I wanted the 4" feed can to be flush with the outside which made it entirely too long on the inside, but I figured it would burn away soon enough. I cut a slice on the top side inside the riser but there is still way too much blockage to work well. Between the cold wet mass of the stove and the merely inch or so from end of the feeder can to far wall of the riser, there is not enough fire produced to make the heat to eat the can away fast enough. And, I can't get tin snips in to cut it away very well. Oh well, lesson learned. Next time I'll either build the form from wood (my preference anyway) or slice up the can where it protrudes into the riser. Another few hours of burning should resolve that issue.
Still amazed at how clean it burns even with the above issues. I think this is going to be a nice addition to the arsenal.
I am seeing first hand what you guys with benches talk about when "driving water from the stove." I burned it last weekend and it steamed pretty good for about 4 hours. Then it sat inside for a week. This weekend I fired it for another 3 hours and it steamed more and water started dripping from the bottom after it heated for a half hour or so.
Pretty happy with it so far, but still way too heavy to move around easily. I suspect that will change once I get rid of all the water weight.