2025 Project Competition Winner: Adam’s Rocketship Outdoor Heater

Congratulations to Adam Brace, our 2024 Project Competition winner, for his impressive rocketship outdoor heater project.

Using stainless steel sheet, rod and elbows, and his own hard work, Adam created a rocketship outdoor heater for his Bathurst home.

The inspiration

A metalworker by trade, Adam has a wealth of experience that he puts to good use in his spare time.

“I’ve been a boilermaker for about 13 years, and I work for Truflo Pumping Systems here in Bathurst,” Adam explains.

“I’ve got my own workshop at home, and I’m always looking for something new and different to take on.

I do a lot of entertaining at home, and I’ve made a pizza oven and smokers, but here in Bathurst, it gets quite cold during the winter so I thought an outdoor heater would be a great idea.

For this project, I wanted to make something different that nobody else has. I had a few kegs lying around and thought that would be perfect for a simple pot-belly design heater.”

The project

“I tend to do a lot of things off the cuff, so my projects tend to develop as we go along,” Adam says

“Putting a door on the keg was the first step. Because a keg is a pressure vessel, when you cut a hole in it – as I did for the door – the keg springs out and deforms somewhat and doesn’t hold its shape.

So, I wanted a more rigid door that was thicker than the keg. I used a rectangular stainless steel frame for the door, not just for added strength on the door itself but to maintain the integrity of the whole keg. I used a flat 6mm stainless steel plate for the door and made the door latches myself.

For the stand, I used stainless steel elbows and tube and decided on three rather than four. A tripod setup has the advantage that it won’t rock, even on uneven ground.

I also added a stainless steel elbow with a butterfly valve, like that of a carburettor. That enables me to control the airflow into the fire and the intensity of the flames.”

After using the heater and seeing the intensity of the heat around the chimney, Adam realised that he could harness that heat.

“I decided to add a thin stainless steel sheet around the chimney to act as a heat reflector.

I rolled the steel sheet myself, and TIG welded all the components. I’m really happy with how it turned out, and it’s definitely my kids’ favourite!

It’s popular here on a cold winter night!”

Long-time customer

Adam has been a customer at our Edcon Steel Bathurst store for many years.

“When I moved to Bathurst, I had only just begun my metalworking career, so I needed to find a quality supplier. I just looked them up, and now they’re my go-to store here in Bathurst.

Edcon is also one of the suppliers for my employer, Truflo.

“I just love the guys here at the Edcon Bathurst store; they are bloody terrific.

“They’ve just been fantastic since the beginning. We’ve got to know each other over the years, and I can’t rate them highly enough!

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