Small wood burning tent stove

This is STRICTLY for use in a tent already fitted with a chimney, or outdoors.  DO NOT use this in an RV, modern, non military tent, or anything else that may catch fire.  I am not responsible if you set your self, friends, and family on fire.

That being said:  My goal was to build a cheap wood stove to pack with my 10ft military hex tent.  This tent comes with a chimney built in, but most the stoves I have found cost almost as much,if not more than the tent.  Another issue is that they were commonly cast iron, and so, not really something you pack around.  Neither is a 60lb tent, but you get where I am going.

I read a few online directions (none here, unfortunately), and set to work.

First I needed a metal vessel that was highly heat resistant.  Some of the directions I found used an old metal barrel that was cut down, and had the ring style lid re-fitted to the shorter barrel.  I wanted/needed something smaller, as my tent isn't as big as these stoves are built for.  So I looked around.  I remembered I had taken home an old fryer oil container from work. These are decent gauge metal, food safe, and what many restaurants use to store their hot oil after  closing time.  Being small, and having a similar removable top to the barrels I had seen, I was go!

Tools/supplies needed:
-1 decent sized round and fire/heat resistant metal container.  An old metal barrel would be good if cut down, but the removable lid is essential for cleaning and such.
-Drill with 3/16th inch bit and 3/8ths inch (or larger) bit.  All cut start holes are the large bit, all nut/bolt holes are the smaller.
-Pliers (or other way to bend metal)
-Saber saw (also commonly, and incorrectly called a jigsaw) with fine metal blade.
-2 small hinges (Zink was warned against, due to disflavoring, but it was all I could find)
-A sizable bunch of nuts, bolts, and washers.  get more than you think you need.  70ish is good.  DO NOT use aluminum rivets or fasteners. These can catch fire at pretty low temp and gain heat fast.  Next thing you know, you have bad news.  Go steel or MAYBE brass for looks.
-Some scrap metal. At least a 2x3foot piece so you can make mistakes.
-1 4 or 6 inch stovepipe flange.
-1 matching size stove pipe.  (6 inches is better for larger stoves, but match your tent opening.
-1 door latch. I used a lid latch that needed to be moved during the build, but plan ahead, unlike I did.
-Appropriate wrenches and screwdrivers
-Small metal grate (mine was 99 cents at the thrift store) Get creative, as this is just to act as a lower burn grate.
-A handle.  I have the hole, but have not put one on yet

Step 1: Safety

Because my vessel had been an oil container (as a barrel might have been BTW), I figured I should burn it off BEFORE doing any work.  I am glad I did this.  Had I been thinking, I would have had more than the lid and a hose (terrible idea for a grease fire) at hand for emergencies.  I DID go get my chemical fire extinguisher after I had this thought, but a bucket or two of dirt would have been good too.  BE that as it may, this was an exciting step. I filled the thing with junk mail and old newspaper, and set it ablaze.  Glad I did this, as you can see the fire burning the oil build-up on the outside of the container.  I did this twice.  The first one left some non-chared residue in the bottom, so I did a second burn out just to be safe.

Again, make sure you have adequate fire suppression for this step, and notice I did all of this in my already established fire pit.  I did not want to burn my home down, and I don't want you to either.  I WOULD recommend doing this with any barrel you acquire.  You never know what a bit of grain dust could do, or how flammable that chocolate syrup is.

Comments

[skaar]

zinc, the problem is more than disflavouring, when zinc gets hot it melts, it gets hotter it turns into a gas, it's only 700some degrees that does it. inhalation of zinc fumes=death likely imminent. if there's no choice, burn the zinc off well away from anything that could be poisoned by it.