# serious firepower - US Army Cannon Heater #20



## cycloxer (Mar 12, 2010)

This is what my buddy uses to heat his entire bike shop all winter. This is a U. S. Army Cannon Heater #20 that'll take 24" splits of pretty much any size. The amount of heat this stove throws is truly incredible. You need to stand next to it to appreciate its size (over 4 foot tall). Apparently they were used to heat army barracks. They are built like tanks and they seem to last forever. I believe they were manufactured from 1900-1920 and were used in both WW1 & WW2 as well as the Korean War. He bought it from a shop around here that specializes in restoring old stoves like this.


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## REF1 (Mar 12, 2010)

I've been to a bunch of sites which show restored stoves from the period. You have to admire the craftsmanship and longevity of these stoves, even when forgotten and weathered, they can be brought back and used.


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## Backwoods Savage (Mar 12, 2010)

We had a couple when I was a kid that were very close to that.


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## cycloxer (Mar 12, 2010)

I guess there is a slightly smaller #18 variant as well. I am sure they are not as efficient as our EPA stoves. The guy went with this stove after trying a few others because it holds a massive amount of wood at it takes huge splits. His shop must have 25 foot ceilings and he says it heats the whole place and the ceiling fans circulate the heat.


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## mtarbert (Mar 12, 2010)

I had one stamped......US Army space heater. It would burn coal like a champ


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## cycloxer (Mar 13, 2010)

The other day I walked in and he had the thing running at 900 degrees. I was like, OMG, it is going to blow up. He said, relax, we burn that way everyday in the winter. That is one tough stove. He tried a few other large stoves before picking this one up this year and he said this one blows them all out of the water.


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## Todd (Mar 13, 2010)

I saw one of those US Army potbelly stoves at a local trailer sales and hardware place, I was impressed at the radiant heat is was throwing off but was told it really eats the wood.


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## BrotherBart (Mar 13, 2010)

Todd said:
			
		

> I saw one of those US Army potbelly stoves at a local trailer sales and hardware place, I was impressed at the radiant heat is was throwing off but was told it really eats the wood.



Yep. A barrel stove is a barrel stove even if you make it out of cast iron and stand it on end.


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## daveswoodhauler (Mar 13, 2010)

cycloxer said:
			
		

> I guess there is a slightly smaller #18 variant as well. I am sure they are not as efficient as our EPA stoves. The guy went with this stove after trying a few others because it holds a massive amount of wood at it takes huge splits. His shop must have 25 foot ceilings and he says it heats the whole place and the ceiling fans circulate the heat.



Gearworks? I gotta get riding soon....waiting for the snow to melt up here.


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## cycloxer (Mar 13, 2010)

Yeah it is at Gearworks. I rode down to the shop yesterday and Gene had the stove running. He got it from the guy in Littleton by the train tracks who has all of those rusted old wood stoves outside the station. I guess these #20's are getting tougher to find these days and in good condition they now go for big bucks. The thing throws serious heat. You can't get anywhere near it without getting blasted when he has it cranking.


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## Backwoods Savage (Mar 13, 2010)

That is one nice looking bike shop!


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## daveswoodhauler (Mar 13, 2010)

cycloxer said:
			
		

> Yeah it is at Gearworks. I rode down to the shop yesterday and Gene had the stove running. He got it from the guy in Littleton by the train tracks who has all of those rusted old wood stoves outside the station. I guess these #20's are getting tougher to find these days and in good condition they now go for big bucks. The thing throws serious heat. You can't get anywhere near it without getting blasted when he has it cranking.



Yeah, he has a big shop there....so I bet that thing heats it up nicely....just don't want to be in the corner of that building where the cannon is....probably 85 degrees in that corner 
Gene is a nice guy, only rode with him a few times around the mid 1990's...your avatar makes me want to get back on my bike....thanks for reminding me


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## oldspark (Mar 13, 2010)

ilikewood said:
			
		

> cycloxer said:
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Three things I like to do, burn wood, ride bicycle, race slot cars, (four actually-spend time with grand kids) so any body on here race slot cars, that is a very nice bike shop but I wonder if he has ever thought about getting a more efficient stove. What kind of bikes do you guys ride?


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## cycloxer (Mar 13, 2010)

He has tried a few different stoves over the years and they all proved to be too small and required frequent re-loading. This #20 was new for this year and he said he likes it the best simply due to the heat it throws and the amount of wood it holds. This is a very big stove standing 4 foot tall. It was originally designed to heat army barracks with a stove placed at either end.


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