How To Make An Aircrete Rocket Stove | PART 1

[@HEMIdouglas]

"Honey do" Carpenter usually test measures whether the foam generated maintains shape for a couple of hours. Adding "Water Glass" to the foam mix for combustion zones and imbedding wire mesh improves heat durability of the concrete.

[@jennings69]

awesome :) love the trippy reverse clip, made me rewind a couple times.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Ha! I’m glad you mentioned finding that little Easter egg. :-) I wanted a static shot of the finished forms there and I only had a short section where I was tossing the scrap down. I thought I’d run it backwards for discerning eyes to catch. Lol. You win bragging rights. Thanks for watching.

[@TheLuapsch]

I also caught that. (:

[@amendippanesar]

Now that aircrete rocket stove is awesome

[@ros8882]

This stuff looks so interesting, can't wait to see the results!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Me too, Ross. If the few tests I’ve done, this batch set up the best. Thanks for watching.

[@hillwooky]

I like the movie magic at minute 6:16.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Ha! I had to go watch to see what you meant. I had forgotten about that little reverse. :-) Thanks for watching.

[@motosport8851]

Great video Aircrete is something I want to learn more about. You are a good teacher I enjoy that you teach the concept of how and why it works or does not work. I have a general understanding it is lighter and more insulative than cement. I am glad to see you will have plans I am hoping for the foam generator. Thank you again for the content!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the feedback. I’ve been a little intimidated by aircrete. I had some early fails when practicing with the material. But, I think it can be simpler than it seems and sounds. I’ll tweak my foam generator for simplicity and then make a video on that. I’m convinced it can be a single piece, versus a separate reservoir and foam nozzle. Thanks for watching.

[@khhz1030]

I am looking forward to the second part of the video thankyou

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching.

[@veronicafernandezmarian1910]

Yeah, eager to see, very nice 👍

[@allenguimond4634]

Thanks for sharing, green.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Allen.

[@m4chill]

I think the mixing was to intense and destroyed the airbubbles. Greetings from the netherlands Mark

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the feedback. So far it is holding up nicely. But, ideally, I think I needed to have the right proportion of cement and foam to start. Less mixing I think. Thanks for watching.

[@NBryanBlack]

If you are looking for the generally accepted foam to cement ratio for building domes or other aircrete structures, it's about 5 parts foam to 1 part cement- that is to say that you start with a volume of mixed cement, and add foam to make it 6 times that volume. You might also consider (next time) to cover your poured forms with plastic to slow the drying vs. curing of the aircrete. I'm wondering if those panels are going to be thick enough to hold up even if they cure properly. I was also wondering why you didn't just make a few mods to your older 5 gallon bucket style of rocket stove design. Of course, having a bottom and an actual J-tube do seem to be decent reasons to do something differently. I am interested in your Frankenfoam wand, but didn't see a video yet on that.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Hi Bryan. Thanks for the details and suggestions. I appreciate knowing the best ratio. I’m also curious about how the half inch slabs will hold up. If they survive unforming. I meant to add a release agent, but forgot that step. I do plan to try the 5-gallon bucket version too. I might make all my rocket stove over again with aircrete. No video on Frankenfoam yet. I’ll make that soon. Thanks for watching.

[@sleeptyper]

This is genius level stuff!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Ha! Thanks for the encouragement. Let’s see how it comes out of the forms. I meant to add a release agent, but forgot in my excitement to pour. Lol. Thanks for watching.

[@sleeptyper]

@@GreenShortzDIY I was thinking that the elements could use a layer or two of chicken fence as rebar.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Nice work Tom! 😃👍🏻👊🏻

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Fred. Hope you are well. By the way...where are you located (if you don’t mind me asking)? You’ve been a great supporter and I’d like to know a little more about you.

[@FredMcIntyre]

@@GreenShortzDIY I'm doing well, hope you are too... I live in the Gerritsen Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn NY, I'm a Sanitation Worker in The NYC Department of Sanitation, I primarily work in the neighborhoods of Gravesend, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, and Seagate in South Brooklyn, my District is only 1of 59 in the Department which services all Five Burroughs of NYC. Depending on number of routes in a particular area on a given day and however many people are off on that day in a particular District, if other Districts happen to have a surplus of manpower, they can send you out to another district to work, so I have also worked all over the entire City, probably around 70% of the Districts over the 15+ years I've been on the job.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Cool Fred! Thanks for telling me more about your life. Helping keep the NYC running is no small task. I bet you have seen some interesting things. :-) One more question...Yankees or Mets? Thanks for the ongoing support.

[@FredMcIntyre]

@@GreenShortzDIY I haven't really followed any sports since the late 1980's, but back then it was the Mets.

[@emmaslow]

If it’s like a cake mix when using stiff-whipped eggs, then you would ‘fold’ the foam into the cement mixture, slowly, with a spatula, and not mix it at all - folding in preserves the air in the stiff eggs, whereas mixing would make it go flat. Also, I would only ever mix cement with clean water, in a clean bucket. I know nothing about aircrete so have no idea if either of these points are relevant!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Interesting thoughts. I’m not sure how the comparison with egg whites and cake batter compares to the aircrete mixture. I have had practice aircrete batches fall during the setting process, so a similar result can happen. I think that more to do with the density of my initial foam. The mix in this video held up long enough for the cement to set, so I’m happy with the results so far. The true test will come when I take off the forms. Thanks for the feedback. Thanks for watching.

[@emmaslow]

GreenShortz DIY thanks for the videos 🙂 I was just musing on possibilities, really.

[@phylismaddox4880]

@@GreenShortzDIY There are some cakes (chiffon!) that use egg whites exactly like the foam in aircrete - the egg whites are whipped into a stiff foam (a little stiffer than shaving cream) to add air to the cake batter. Watching you take a power tool to such a 'batter' - every baker watching was cringing. With cake batter, combining the foamy egg whites is done very gently - or the foam collapses. I have to admit, I was thinking the same thing as Tort oise - that you were ruining the foam! And I've watched Aircrete Harry - with much the same reaction. Soap foam seems to take more of a beating than egg white foam does, but I'm not sure how much more. I admit my bias - I've made too many angel food cakes to not freak when someone uses a power tool on that hard won foam! Anywho, looking forward to part two! Thanks for the great videos!

[@emaglott]

I've worked more with cement than cake batter but I also thought the same thing about egg whites. also had the thought of using actual egg whites with the cement lol.

[@emmaslow]

Phylis Maddox, ha ha ha - exactly the anxiety that racked me as I saw the whisk go into the mixture! I wanted to reach into the screen and gently fold it in with a soft spatula 🤣

[@catgynt9148]

Looks like a great beginning of a multiparty series. Hidden any of the foundation material that you studied suggest adding any strengthening materials into the forms? Beyond the two screws; remember the plastic mesh that you separated from the silt fence, it could have been pressed into the foamcrete for additional integrity. As always, a terrific presentation. Thanks for sharing this. Maintain your family’s safety as the pandemic continues to evolve. Wishing you Peace, health and happiness. Cheers,

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you, JW. The mesh could have worked, but I wonder if it would melt and off gas. Not sure how this material behaves yet. Would be worth a test. Thanks for watching and the continued support. Thanks for your well wishes. Stay safe, my friend.

[@catgynt9148]

GreenShortz DIY Just trying to use items from your Stash. Perhaps scraps of chicken wire cutoffs from other projects. Stay safe Tim. I appreciate you sharing your education insights. Peace brother, John

[@자유인-n3f]

👍👍응원합니다 👍👍🇰🇷

[@GreenShortzDIY]

시청 해주셔서 감사합니다 :-)

[@ddhddhddh]

Have you tried scotch bright pads instead of steel wool? I’m getting ready to make one using the scotch bright pads. I’ll let you know how it worked out.

[@nie_bać_tüska]

"Dzien dobry"... Good day by polish :)

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you my friend. Thanks for watching. Dzien dobry to you.

[@dustinandrews89019]

Everytime I see you do something I want to do it differently. Not because you do it wrong, but because there is something (wrong?) about me. :) For example, when I saw you use the frankenfoam I was thinking, "I bet I could get the same shaving cream with micro bubbles by mixing or aerating with a screen." Like using a milk foamer with the handle that goes up and down. Or you could inject air directly into the water like you were making foam for a latte. (Yes, I love coffee.) Ever since I saw you make the cob oven I have been slowly working on making one that's strait up ceramic which will be waterproof. I've processed about 10 pounds of clay from the yard so far, but sort of stalled out on what I want to do about a kiln. Ideally, I would make everything from what I have on hand. I got a leeeetle sidetracked testing "Starlite" heat resistant materials. (Mixed results, don't think it's great for making a kiln). By the way you have lovely clay there, you should consider processing some. I wonder if you can get your pizza oven hot enough to fire it?

[@dustinandrews89019]

Update: Quick experiment with a french-press and 40:1 soap and water very successful. Got 2 cups of shaving cream consistency in about 2 minutes of working the plunger up and down.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Hi Dustin. You absolutely should always have a different way to do it. :-) Lots of ways at everything. Glad my work inspires your creativity. The French press solution sounds excellent. Inside my foam generator are 5 stainless steel pot scrubbers, effectively a very wide screen. I’ll do a video about that soon. Thanks for the feedback. Would love to hear your clay processing method. Thanks for watching.

[@alexc1105]

Them ain't pizza boxes and I didn't see you greaze the forms....

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Ha. True. I had some WD-40 for the forms, but I forgot to use it. Will just have to see how it goes. Thanks for watching.

[@bellasmom2597]

No pearlite?

[@GreenShortzDIY]

The air pockets in the aircrete act as the insulation. That is basically what the perlite does, is form air pockets. Thank you for watching.

[@gebhardt244]

What ist that. I have no idea. Never heared that. Thought it was a joke.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Hi Johannes. The concept is to entrain air bubbles into the cement mix using a dense foam. The foam supports the matrix until the cement can cure enough to hold up on its own. The result is a light weight and highly insulated material. It can be cut with a saw and connected with screws, but mainly it is very resistant to fire. It is still fairly brittle and can be crushed. I’m still learning about the material, but look forward to more experimentation. Thanks for watching.

[@edieboudreau9637]

Don't know about aircrete . cake batter you add egg white foam to should be less vigorously mixed & should be a bit loose. That being said...you brought up cake batter. ... This is probly different

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Hi Edie. My cake batter reference was about consistency. But, I hadn’t considered that there could be further similarities. Ha! The foam did support the cement until it cured enough to support itself, so it worked. I don’t think I’ll add frosting and have a slice of this stuff, though. Lol. Hope you are well.

[@edieboudreau9637]

@@GreenShortzDIY I hope you don't either. Lol after dental visit you would need your stomach pumped. Lol

[@garybrown4753]

Foaming agent... you use it as a plastersizer lol

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Hi Gary. Thank you for the vocab lesson. :-) I'm still learning. But, I am about to do some more aircrete, so it will be good to know the terminology.