DIY Wood Gasifier Camp Stove

Intro: DIY Wood Gasifier Camp Stove

This is a cheap and easy camp stove that can be made from things you normally throw away. This design can be carried in a backpack, produces enough heat to cook most things, leaves very little ash and burns with almost no smoke.

STEP 1: Gather Your Tools and Materials

For this project you will need:

2 cans, one large, 4" diameter and one small, 3" diameter.

Drill, (Corded or cordless, it doesn't matter)

2 Drill bits, 3/16" and 3/8."

Sharpie marker.

File.

Tin snips.

Belt sander.

Soldering iron, blow torch, or other soldering tool. *Optional*

Solder. *Optional*

You will also need gloves and safety glasses, especially the gloves, because the edges of the cans are extremely sharp.

STEP 2: Cut Your Large Can to Fit Your Small Can.

Trace the bottom of the small can onto the bottom of your large can, as shown. If the small can has a lip on the bottom, sand that off so it is flush with the sides of the can, but leave the lip on the top. Now, puncture the big can and cut on the line you drew. The small can should now slide into the large hole you just made, but the top lip should not slide through.

STEP 3: Drill Some Holes!

I hope you're in the mood for drilling, because you've got quite a bit to do! For starters, turn your small can upside down, so the closed end is facing up. Now, drill 3/16" holes all over it so the entire bottom is covered in them. Now, tip the can on its side, and drill a row of 3/8" holes around it on the bottom end. (See picture two.) Now, on the top end, drill a row of alternating holes, 3/16." (Picture three.) Now for your big can. For this can, simply drill a row of alternating 3/8" holes on the originally open end, NOT the end you cut out. (Picture four.) Now, slide the small can bottom first into the cut end of your large can. Your assembly should now look like this: The originally open end of the large can now sits on the ground with the alternating 3/8" holes just above ground level. The small can should be sitting upright inside the big can.

STEP 4: Solder It Together.

This step is optional. If you wish to make the assembly more durable, simply solder around the rim where the two cans meet. If you use a blowtorch or any other flame device for soldering, it is likely that the heat of the flame will burn the inner coating out of the small can, which will smell bad and look really awful (Okay, a bit of exaggeration there, but it will still give off black smoke and smell unpleasant) This is totally fine, and it won't last long. If you use a soldering iron, or choose to skip this step, it will happen on the first burn of this stove, which isn't a problem either.

STEP 5: Light It Up!

To light the stove, simply fill it with small, dry sticks, and toss a match in. If you wish, a small amount of lighter fluid makes starting easier. I will show how to make a pot stand, and things to do with this in the future.

I hope you enjoyed this project! If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below

Comments

[Desk_of_Dave]

So I noticed your title was "Wood Gasifier". I thought gasifiers heated a sealed container of wood with an outside source (maybe even wood) until a chemical reaction occurs and releases flammible gases which are then either burned immediatly through a nozzle or contained and pressurized for later use, leaving behind an almost pure carbon deposit.

Or something like that?

[SteS2]

those camping gasifiers are designed around burning from top to bottom, thus heating the wood underneath the flame which more or less runs off the woodgas. if you fill it up and ignite on top, the flame is almost entirely fueled by woodgas from the hot wood beneath.

[ChemNerd13704]

You can lookup a diagram, but I will try to explain. The fire in the small can super heats the air between the two cans causing it to rise. The superheated air is then forced through the alternating holes in the small cans, which then ignites the smoke, or, wood gas. That is why this design burns with so little smoke. Wood gasifier stoves burn 10 times more efficiently than an open fire.

[ChemNerd13704]

Also, if you make this, you will notice that the large flame this produces is very even, and it looks like a burner. This is the smoke burning.

[ChemNerd13704]

However, wood gas is also made by heating wood in an enclosed container, causing the wood to char (carbonize) and release wood gas.

[DanieleZ]

Can I use this for indoor heating? I love the smell of burning wood

[ChemNerd13704]

From the author, my answer is, it it depends this design burns with almost no smoke. However, this could still produce carbon monoxide. So you probably shouldn't burn this in a totally enclosed area, however, you maybe could in a tent with the windows open. Ventilation is the key. Another thing is that, once this gets going, which only takes from 30 seconds to a minute, it burns with no smoke, but when you first put wood on, or if you put tons of wood on it, it may start smoking, and it will do so quite rapidly, until the smoke ignites, which can take up to 45 seconds, enough time to smoke out your house, and fill it with carbon monoxide. So basically, the answer is no, not in the house. Maybe in a tent.

[crickleymal]

Not really. Not unless you want your room filled with smoke and fumes.

[DIY Hacks and How Tos]

These are great. I remember making them when I was a kid. Maybe it is time that I taught my son to make a camp stove.