Scott Weinberg

Matt McSpadden wrote:Question:
How do I cook a rack of lamb? Any tips or recipes?

Details:
I have had rack of lamb in a restaurant once or twice. I liked it a lot. So when I saw a small rack at the butcher shop I grabbed it. I want to learn how to cook it, but I have never cooked any kind of lamb or mutton before. Does anyone have any tips or recipes?

Somewhat surprised with some of the terms that have been used.  But in my opinion, There is such a difference in the actual lamb ( sometimes breeds, as well as how they were raised, what they were raised on- Think very aird almost desert like conditions, vs the lush midwest of the US,  cool and lush grass lands of New Zealand.)  All of this is part of the variable equation of taste.  Find something you really-really like, odds are you can duplicate the experience if you can duplicate the type of lamb you just ate)  Please read-  This is not saying one type is better than another, but am saying the difference is HUGE.

Also note that the word MUTTON was used at the beginning of this thread, in conjunction with LAMB, again completely different with Mutton basically being 2 years old or more or a wether ( castrated male) of the same age.  Of course these also vary greatly do to breed and environment. As well as the very lamb from the same farm.

I run about 400 ewes for a number of years, and often served lamb to long time "eaters of lamb"  and the first question was almost always, "what type of lamb is this"  NOT " how did you cook this"

Best of success to you all.

Just an example as to the use and design of the scaffold used to keep brick in alignment from bottom to top using a level of course for vertical and frame for maintaining size.

This frame can be stated and shown ( described in detail both imperial and metric ) in minutes with your KNOWN size.  NO rocket science here, You (the builder) tell me how long you want each side, and I can tell you how long each frame piece of wood you need.  With each piece being exactly the same. Note: They do not need angle ends as shown.

Brandon Hands wrote:

So are you going to start selling this flat pack sheet metal kit? Is it already for sale?

 

I will gladly help with your flat pack design as Peter designed it.

But, I will not design and depict every detail for every person. But this is a fairly simply explanation.

1) With Peters basic design as has been depicted here, there are just a few simple controlling factors. NO need to change these basic controlling numbers.

   A)   8 sides mean the corners are 22.5 degrees   NO changes here,  8 sides in a circle is simply 22.5 degrees on the corners

    B) it has to be bigger than the depth of your shorty + the gap between the brick and shorty depth + your brick thickness.   Please note: some have various shapes and sizes, I for example have over 1000 bricks that are 4" square, by 11" long, but many others are completely different. And as Peter has stated, I think he had some concrete blocks used.  This is where I am not going to get involved in describing what you should have, as I simply don't know what you have.  All that being said,  once this is known, the entire size can be then dictated. A quick floor layout for anyone `quickly `would tell the measurements.

   C) While I am not sure what thickness of metal Peter used, by only needing a 22.5 degree corner bend, lets us use a bit thicker metal in our brakes. than what one could get by with if bending a 90 corner.   I would offer this service but with shipping and above mentioned variability. it would simply take to much time for me to sort it out.

    D) by keeping uniform side section widths,  it becomes a simple clamp   -drill 1/8" hole    - stainless rivet assembly.  Having cleco's greatly helps but not required  (these are aircraft assembly removable rivets)

    E) Again the top and bottom are predictable in shape and size thus are simple to design and make.

If this has moved to a new subject forum title, just let me know here directly.

Peter V, Tom ( dragon tech) , and Glen in Colorado have seen what I have done in the past   If what I have done becomes something that is sold, it will soon end. This is simply my public offering of open source measurements.  If I have time, I will post a few photos in the next few days, showing what was stated above.

Peter-Having all the tools at hand, this intrigues me a great deal,  ( Casting hi-frequency vibrator plate-  Heavy bending break-lazer- large wet saw- CAD background and all the materials  I presume this was considered a success?

Warning- there is more than one question!

1) Can we cast anywhere near the same cost as fire brick itself?   Using larger bulk quantities of the castable material.

2) just an example, if I firebrick weights 2 Kg or 4.5 pounds,  Will it take roughly the same weight of castable material to achieve the same volume of area? This I guess would answer question #1

3) In this upright "mass"  was there a ISA formula that was followed for this sized shorty core?  

4) The use of the steel exterior cladding I can see have many benefits on the building ease,  does it serve as a quicker heat dissipater?

The stove looks great!

Cedric Noussan wrote:

the size of the combustion unit for this project is determined by the existing flue pipe and cannot be modified, it is a rectangular pipe 15cmx 30cm not insulated, therefore a combustion unit of 20cm, quite a dragon!
I will have to heat a space of about 100m² medium insulated with minimum external winter temperatures of about -4.
the flue pipe being about 6m long what isa will I have to calculate?

on the flue-

6.9 " x 11.8"  or 81.4 inch squared.    or 450 Cm squared  ( 15 x 30 cm)    I will let others step in here, but a couple of things,

1) I don't think with something this none square should be considered to the be of the max  square inches or Cm's  An example would be a 7" square would not be considered a larger size than a 7" round

2) I think it should be figured out or calculated the capabilities  of your  existing flue pipe.

First thing first!

Benjamin Dinkel wrote:Hi Cedric,
I don’t know how hot the bell outside gets. I’m sure some of the Permies with a bell in their house can answer that.


You could also put insulation between the bell and the stair.
Or maybe insulate a bigger part on the inside of the bell around where it will touch with some super wool.

Thoughts-
Tom said it to,  utilization of or about the super wool,  but...to the first question.

Temp-

In my opinion having the bell much above 200-225 degrees,  is approaching trying to do to much with to little.  In other words if your space is not heating up as much as you want, and you try to get it done by super heating your bell, and some point the whole efficiency is getting reduced.   Remember if you have a efficient fire as all of Peter's designed stoves are, then you need to concentrate on maximum heat collection into the bell, This range of temp can go well? Up and up.  But at sometime the flue temp gets higher and higher, where the answer really lies within? did we make a stove large enough for the desired heat.

All of these figures have been published before.

Most of these  figures have shown the differences in 4-5-6-7" stoves  with a occasional 8" monster   And I think most would agree  that in the coldest time of winter if a fire would be once or twice in the morning and once in the evening,  gives a great deal of flexibility,  such as  1 and 1 firing, instead of 2 in morning 1 evening,  down to may just one firing a day and so on. So many options. But less options if your stove is to small or to large.  ( part of the fun is to calculate this)

The real point I am making,  is this.

*Your stove should be able to do what you want without getting excessively hot.
*Insulation, can help as pointed out, in really tight spots.
*Flexibility is a huge plus when sized right
*all of the above is much simpler than a complex  Russian type stove
Best of success!

Nina Surya wrote:Thanks guys, for brainstorming with me.


After a night's sleep I'm still bummed about the faults in my build, but am a bit less drastically-minded (yesterday I wanted to tear the thing down and start again, building a batchbox).



One thing I'm still wondering about is: is this system too short in tubing and too wide in diameter, even if I'd modify the wood feed and burn tunnel, turning the L tube into a J tube ?
Initially I was worried it wouldn't draft properly, but the draft of this thing is mighty, and it was pulling fly ash even up into the flexible pipe in the chimney - which then landed, when the system cooled after use, gathering in the horizontal pipe that connects the RMH to the chimney.

I know, some things you just have to do and find out. But in the case of a more experienced someone having a clear idea about this draft thing, even if I'd modify L to J tube feed...please let me know.
Thanks again!

Nina, after reading your questions and a lot of the replies, I think there is a simple solution before you rebuild. ( if you decided to do that) and that is simply to fully design and put on paper exactly what you intend.  Go ahead and then post.  There are some great folks here with background of proven numbers that work.

A design first, and build to this DESIGN, (method)  seems to work much better than a "build and design as we go, practice"   While it can be done, it generally happens when a person has 4-6 stoves behind them.   Remember a house or even a garage is never built without a defined plan on paper first.  A good stove is no different.

It is pretty hard to design a stove on the forum in bits and pieces, nor does it have to be. Always present the whole picture and some of the sharp folks, can pick out potential problems if they see then fully in the design.

Your on the right track in asking questions.  We all have in the past.

Best of success!
Scott

Cristobal Cristo wrote:Material tables list bricks at around 840 J/(kg*C). Water is 4181, so almost exactly 5 times more. Clay/cob will be similar to fired brick.

As I stated, I don't mind being corrected, and I will have to look into this further, So these are good points to investigate.Nearly all water vessels can be made safe, so more investigation for sure, thanks all.  I guess, I will have to take 8 lb of water and 8 lb of granite/brick and heat both to 190 To show myself "the test"

Brandon Hands wrote:

one other thing I'm considering: a 55gal drum of water for thermal storage (not sealed, obviously). a full drum will be around 500lbs, but it will store the same energy as 2500lbs of brick (science rules).

thanks

I would be very much interested in your "science rules" where your calculations of 500 lbs of water, will hold as much heat energy ( BTU's ) as 2500 lbs of brick.

If 1 pound of water is raised 1 degree to equal 1 BTU  and you have a range of 80 to 200 degrees for the water?  ( 120 degrees of range in temp) so-120 x 500 for storage calculation of 60,000

And 2500 pounds  of the same 80 degrees to 200  would give a mass weight  (120 x 2500) for storage calculation of 300,000 Plus adding the fact that you could take the brick to 300-400 degrees safely and the water remains at 200 (safely)

I don't mind being corrected so please do tell,  I know there efficiency factors that could get involved, but...............just trying to keep this on a apples to apples sort of math.

kees ijpelaar wrote:I have test the rocket heater.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1Xfv737CiU

Do not perform well, stinks.

Maybe the dimensions, special the vertical tube, do these need as big as the feed and rizer?


regards

Please describe what you did not like about your test burn?
What do you consider the part that stinks?
Are you saying you DID NOT follow any particular dimensions?
Are you saying your vertical tube is smaller than your feed tube?
What sound was your "bad noise"?

I am not sure there is any help for this unless you answer these questions.  AS at least this might establish a base to start.