I made my own mini wood stove today.....update: IT WORKS - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I made my own mini wood stove today.....update: IT WORKS

Posted: 10/25/2010 3:55:49 PM EDT

I had the day to kill, so I figured why not.
A couple of years ago, I bought these 2 pieces of sheet metal for something (can't remember what), but I never ended up using them. So today I decided to turn them into a little wood travel stove.
First, let me handout an automatic "cool story, bro" to anyone who decides to comment on my obviously shitty welding skills. Somebody with my level of welding skill using 22 gauge sheet metal with flux-core wire is a recipe for disaster. I admit, it's fucking ugly, but it works (I think, haven't actually fired it up yet).
Total cost? Maybe $10 for the sheet metal I already had, $5 worth of wire, $3 worth of paint and a couple hours of my time.
Just because I welded mine does not mean you need a welder to make your own. I could have just as easily have done this with a hacksaw and a hand drill and just bolted the sides together.
Anyways, here's how to build one:
Start with 2 sheets of sheet metal. You can see the cut lines I've drawn on mine.

Cut the pieces up. I used a grinder with a cutting disk, but a hacksaw would work just as well.

The 4 long strips you see were cut so that I could bend them in half and weld them onto the corners for added strength. I only had a hammer and vice to do the bending, and they didn't turn out as straight as I was hoping.

Here it is all tacked together:

Next I turned up the heat and cut some air holes in the side and bottom

Oil jug simulates a pot

I ground some of the crap off, finished welding it as best I could and sprayed it with a can of BBQ flat black paint I had lying around

It weighs about a pound all said and done and will support my weight when I stand on it (250lbs), so it's fairly strong.
I think if I were to make another, I would use thicker steel (maybe 1/8") so that I could get better welds and actually get it square(er) then it is. If I'm not working tomorrow, I'll throw an old pot on it with some water and see if it actually boils it.

Posted: 10/25/2010 4:09:15 PM EDT

[#1]

That looks like what an orc from middle earth cooks on!

Posted: 10/25/2010 4:47:24 PM EDT

[#2]

i think all things considered, it's pretty DAMN GOOD!!!

Posted: 10/25/2010 4:52:37 PM EDT

[#3]

run out of metal 5 gal buckets?

Posted: 10/25/2010 4:55:53 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

run out of metal 5 gal buckets?

Too easy. I like my equipment to look like it's been used in every scene of a Mad Max movie.

Posted: 10/25/2010 5:00:03 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

Quoted:
run out of metal 5 gal buckets?

Too easy. I like my equipment to look like it's been used in every scene of a Mad Max movie.

understood....I have used 5gal buckets for years....

Posted: 10/25/2010 5:05:14 PM EDT

[#6]

A for effort
B for functionality
D for Appearance

Posted: 10/25/2010 5:26:42 PM EDT

[#7]

+1 for taking the initiative. Well done.

Posted: 10/25/2010 5:57:18 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
That looks like what an orc from middle earth cooks on!

+1

very homemade

Posted: 10/25/2010 6:12:14 PM EDT

[#9]

Looks like shit on a shingle. Are we related?

Hope it works good.

Posted: 10/25/2010 6:14:22 PM EDT

[#10]

I think you did a good job sir. Tag to see how it does boiling water.

Posted: 10/25/2010 6:20:56 PM EDT

[#11]

Cool , practice makes stuff ,

next time you need to bend (brake) metal that is longer than your vice ....cut some 1X4 or 2x4s the length of the metal you are needing to bend and sandwich your piece between then hammer time .......also you might have better success spot welding that thinner metal instead of trying to run a bead , spot -space-spot-space etc etc and then fill in the spaces between the spotwelds until fully welded .

if that makes any sense

Posted: 10/25/2010 8:03:42 PM EDT

[#12]

Slick

Posted: 10/25/2010 8:11:23 PM EDT

[#13]

Pretty neat! Def. +1 for initiative...also +1 for working on your skillz. Good to know how to do stuff

(no offense, but I did laugh at the Orc-stove comment)

Posted: 10/25/2010 8:24:41 PM EDT

[#14]

Looking at that thing...You should sell them. With the right marketing tugging at the right strings, you could sell that to a million urban hippies and retire.

"get your own authentic country water boiler. Hand made by country simpletons. Go Green and boil your water with this quality wood boiler!" $199.99 20sec warranty.

Posted: 10/26/2010 1:25:30 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Looking at that thing...You should sell them. With the right marketing tugging at the right strings, you could sell that to a million urban hippies and retire.

"get your own authentic country water boiler. Hand made by country simpletons. Go Green and boil your water with this quality wood boiler!" $199.99 20sec warranty.

Are you a marketing major, or a direct descendant of P.T. Barnum?

Posted: 10/26/2010 5:37:19 AM EDT

[#16]

My HS shop teacher was a korean war navy vet, he would have gave me "the look" if that was my project. Have you tried it out yet? If it functions well who am I to argue.

Posted: 10/26/2010 6:00:29 AM EDT

[#17]

Well, you're not winning any cosmetic awards. Given its size and dimensions, you may be challenged to get enough wood in there to build an adequate fire and get the BTU's you need to really cook/heat. I hope it works out though.

Posted: 10/26/2010 2:53:12 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
First, let me handout an automatic "cool story, bro" to anyone who decides to comment on my obviously shitty welding skills. Somebody with my level of welding skill using 22 gauge sheet metal with flux-core wire is a recipe for disaster.

Nothing there that a little bit of practice and experience won't cure. It looks like you did most of the welding in a flat position. Next time, try positioning the weld area so that you can weld at a downhill angle. It should help keep your bead flowing without burning through. As was mentioned in a previous post, starting and stopping is OK, just fill it all in at some point. Or don't- several good tack welds would hold this project together for a long time. If you would have used some c-clamps or vise grips you could have held the pieces in place without having to deal with large gaps and the gaps can be adjusted (hammered) closer once the tack welds are in place.

I like the way you have over-built the project. It could probably double as a jack stand in a pinch.

+2

Posted: 10/26/2010 3:35:27 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
+1 for taking the initiative. Well done.

i agree +2

several questions though.

why such a complicated design?

why not a simple cone with a base? it's only 2 continuous welds.

how will you prevent it from rusting away?

Posted: 10/26/2010 3:38:29 PM EDT

[#20]

I like it. Looks pretty cool.

Posted: 10/26/2010 5:13:30 PM EDT

[#21]

Great job. Thanks for posting.

I want a GD dinner pick thread after cooking dinner on that thing.

Posted: 10/26/2010 5:38:41 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Well, you're not winning any cosmetic awards. Given its size and dimensions, you may be challenged to get enough wood in there to build an adequate fire and get the BTU's you need to really cook/heat. I hope it works out though.

I'm going to do a test this weekend, work schedule pending.

Posted: 10/26/2010 5:41:48 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:

+1 for taking the initiative. Well done.

i agree +2

several questions though.

why such a complicated design?

why not a simple cone with a base? it's only 2 continuous welds.

how will you prevent it from rusting away?

The design is simple as hell. It was a dozen cuts and that's it.

It's 22 gauge sheet metal, so it should take awhile to "rust through", if you will. It's not super heavy duty, though. I've painted it black, but I'm not sure how that will wear being in direct contact with flames.

Posted: 10/26/2010 5:47:48 PM EDT

[#24]

That's ugly as sin.

Posted: 10/26/2010 7:28:43 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
That looks like what an orc from middle earth cooks on!

LMAO! That was great.

Posted: 10/26/2010 10:44:34 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
That looks like what an orc from middle earth cooks on!

That's got Orc written all over it!!!!!!

Two thumbs up!

Posted: 10/27/2010 4:57:09 AM EDT

[#27]

Looks like it has sharp and pointy sides which can slice a finger clean off.

Posted: 10/27/2010 8:37:17 AM EDT

[#28]

I see my stove is ready

Posted: 10/27/2010 10:05:53 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
I see my stove is ready

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/588085_f520.jpg

Posted: 10/28/2010 1:44:04 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Well, you're not winning any cosmetic awards. Given its size and dimensions, you may be challenged to get enough wood in there to build an adequate fire and get the BTU's you need to really cook/heat. I hope it works out though.

I got BTU's, BABY!!!!

I bought a little stainless bowl that fits quite nicely in the top of the stove. The water wasn't covered and I did not have enough wood in the stove to bring the water (maybe 1/3 gallon) to a nice, rolling boil. So I had to reassess and hack up some more wood, and that was enough to get it boiling no problem.

The bowl was hot enough that you wouldn't want to touch it in about a minute and (the first time) the water was in a partial-boil in about 15 minutes.

Dinner pic here:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1107117&page=1

Some pictures of the stove in use:

Posted: 10/30/2010 7:16:54 AM EDT

[#31]

You need to make a way to add wood without removing the cooking vessel.

Posted: 10/30/2010 1:18:33 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Pretty neat! Def. +1 for initiative...also +1 for working on your skillz. Good to know how to do stuff

(no offense, but I did laugh at the Orc-stove comment)

ditto

Posted: 10/30/2010 2:12:39 PM EDT

[#33]

Needs more Eye of Sauron hovering on the top.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I made my own mini wood stove today.....update: IT WORKS

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