Introduction: Miniature Camp Stove

About: Professional work in various electrical and mechanical fields, obscure sense of humour and typically willing to help... Currently under contract designing environmental monitoring equipment.


While looking at camp stoves I thought that I needed a tiny one.

This is a wood burning (tea Light Alternative) miniature camp stove.

The stove is made from scrap copper tubing and about 3 hours of my time.

I used 2 5/8 copper tube and basic copper plumbing tube. all connections are brazed using my Smith Mini Torch.

When completed It will boil water and keep going for up to 25 minutes.

All that is missing is a laser etched maple leaf

Step 1: Materials


I used scrap copper tubing that was 2 5/8 inside diameter. Along with small sections of regular 3/4 and 1/2 inch rigid plumbing copper.

You will need a section of flat copper. I used a section of the scrap tube to provide this. Flatten using scrap pieces of wood and a hammer rather than just a hammer since this will deform the metal. You want an even, flat surface.

Cut a section roughly the diameter of your tube for the burner box then another section that is the diameter of the pipe for the top and bottom caps.
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Step 2: Make the Burner Box

Using an appropriate tool (Dremel) cut a rough opening about 1/4 of the tubing diameter wide and leave 1/ inch at top and bottom. This is the access door.

Using 3/8 inch tubing, make two hinge pivots ant are 1/4 inch wide. Flatten one side with a file than braze to the side near the opening that was cut.

Cut a small section of 3/4 inch tubing that is about 1/4 inch wider than the the section that is cut out of the body tubing. Curve this to match the curve of the body.

  Placethe 3/4 inch tubing over the opening of the body and mark the perimeter and index one side.

Step 3: Prepare and Fasten the End Caps.


Enclose the body with end caps.

Drill one of the end caps with a 1/2 inch hole for toe top and braze the end caps on.

Use a file to clean up the edges.

Step 4: Make the Door, Grate and Legs.


Using the semi-flattened 3/4 inch tube. Drill 3 hole ans elongate the center hole into a slot. Cut a section of the removed section of the main body to work as a damper. Drill a 1/8 inch hole and braze a bent rod into the hole. This is now your damper.

It will fit behind the door.

Cut a small section of tubing in half and braze it to work as a slide for the damper.

The grate is made from cut sections of 1/8 inch brass welding rod. Cut and braze these together. Care taken to not overheat and small size.

Step 5: Make a Grate, Fit the Door.


Carefully bend small sections of the Brass rod to act as hinges for the door then braze in place.

Bend a small section of rod to act as a door stop and drill a 1/8 inch hole in the body at the latch point. Braze the rod into the hole.

Braze a small section of tubing onto the inside of the door for the damper slide.

Finish and fit the door.

Step 6: Attach the Chimney and Flue

The chimney is brazed to the 1/2 inch opening on the top plate the damper is placed in the chimney about 1.5 inches from the top plate. It is made from a bent piece of 1/8 welding rod and a copper flap.

The chimney is made from 1/2 inch copper plumbing tube that is swaged to 1/2 inch id at the joints. The chimney is not welded th the uprights.

Step 7: Assemble, Burn, and Enjoy


You can boil water with a small amount of wood. A te light should provide adequate fuel for heat

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