I got sick of seeing an empty Coffee Can sitting on my junk pile (local store brand still sells coffee in stainless steel cans).  I can't in good conscience throw out good steel, or even recycle it; well, not to give someone else to recycle anyways.


I have a camping trip planned this weekend, and since we are in "NO OPEN FIRE" burn conditions, I figured I needed some kind of stove.  Stoves are ok, I checked.


Problem is, I don't have a portable camp-stove.  I checked the local sporting goods/camping store.  They only have the white-oil and butane/propane stoves.

Screw that; I live in a national forest.  I have fuel all around me, I ain't paying for something that's laying around as dead-wood all over the place.


I want a good, wood-burning camp stove dangit!  


So I made one.  Check it out:


Front view


Front/Top Angle view


Higher Front/Top Angle view


Vertical Top view


Vertical Bottom view


Fuel Access Door in use


Shown in simulated use


How it works:

You stick fuel (sticks, bark, bits of wood, dry grass, etc.) in the larger, top half.  As it burns, the holes in the bottom plate and the around the base of the cylander-rim allow air to come up and feed the fire from the bottom.  The base is raised off of the ground to allow for proper air-flow for the fire.  This allows you to place a skillet, pan, pot, etc. on top and essentially cover the entirety of the fire.  The spaces around the closed fuel access door allows extra gases and soot out so it doesn't cake up too heavily on the bottom of your cooking container.

As you cook, the fuel-door can be opened to continually feed the fire with fuel.

It is stainless steel, so it is inert and a lot more resistant to corrosion.


What I used:

Empty Coffee Can, Stainless Steel (I peeled the label off, obviously)
x4 machine screws
x4 washers
x4 Nuts that fit the machine screws
A Pair of Tin-snips (metal cutters)
Hammer
Awl or Sharp Punch
Can Opener
Wire Hanger
Plyers (x1 Needle Nose and x1 Box End)
Juice-Puncher (one that makes those triangular punches)


What I did:

I took the label off, and started punching holes in the bottom with the can upside down on my lap using the awl and  hammer.  I made these holes in the bottom to let air into the fire when being used.

Then, I punched 4 large holes in the 4 "cardinal" directions close to the edge but not TOO close.  Once I tested the machine screws, and they fit snug, I cut the bottom plate out with the can opener.

Then I bent the 4 screw-hole ends of the loose bottom plate down @ 90 degree angles so the holes were horizontal.  I stuck the lid inside the can, found the elevation I liked (I went with around 3" off the bottom) and punched a single hole at the right elevation.

Then I used the awl as a temporary axle, and stuck it through the one hole and a side hole on the bottom-plate.  I then eye-balled where the other holes should be and marked them with a permanent marker.

I punched small holes, made sure they lined up and then opened them up appropriately to match the inside bottom-plate mounting holes.

Then I stuck in the machine screws with washers on their heads (to avoid punch-through), and lined up the nuts on the iside and screwed them snugly in place (not too tight).  Now the bottom-plate is fitted to the stove.

Then I took the Juice-hole puncher and poked some triangular holes in the bottom rim to let air in (to feed the fire from the bottom).  Then I used tin-snips to cut off the inside sharp points and the pliers to roll the remainder in and flatten them out so there are no sharp edges.

I could have finished at this point, but I wanted an access door to put in fuel (wood, sticks, bark, etc.) without needing to lift up the pot/pan.

I poked 4 holes and connected the dots with the tin-snips, cutting out the square.  Then I used the plyers to fold in the sharp edges (this was a pain) on both the can and the door.  Then I poked 2 holes above the access door and 2 seperate holes in the door itself.

Then I took the wire-hanger and cut a few lengths and rigged it to raise and lower on a pivot of around 90 degrees, and rigged the bottom to "snap" closed.


All in all, took about an hour of work and I have a good, solid, stainless-steel camp-stove that cost me nothing.


It may be a little large, but there is a lot of negative space, and you can fit some smaller stuff inside it (and even use the lid to retain stuff in the fuel section, not the air-flow section).  I tested and I can fit a few small cans of soup or stu inside the negative space of the fuel section.  If your backpack is big enough, it works quite well.  

--Last edited by Kyrottimus on 2007-09-07 00:34:01 --

Looks like a variation of the 'hobo-stove'. http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/1984-03-01/Make-It-and-Take-It-Hobo-Stove.aspx


Very nice.

The hobo stove seems like it's easier to make, however it doesn't get air to the fire from the bottom.

This will limit it's temperature potential and increase cooking time.

The basic design I used was to get the flame off of the ground, and surround it's base with air-flow.

So at the top, it concentrates heat while at the bottom it concentrates air-flow.

I might wind up putting a few juice-cuts (the triangular cuts) at the top, maybe 3-4 just to allow for the excess gasses and soot to vent out.