Made myself a rocket stove

[Bazzworx]

I had some time to myself on Monday so decided to make myself a rocket stove. I don't really have a purpose for it but had some 4 inch box section that was left over from another project and it's been getting in my way so after seeing them online I thought I'd get the tools out.

After settling a rough design and dimensions I designed and cut some parts out of 3mm steel on the CNC plasma cutter, these consisted of the feet (or fins) the pot support and also the grate.



Next I cut the two main components and trial fitted them.



Then welded the two together.



With the main components welded I welded the feet on and test fitted the pot support. All looked ok so far.



The last thing to hot glue was the supports for the grate.



I ran out of time on Monday as I only had a couple of hours free but today I found a bit of time to get it shot blasted and painted. This is the final results.







Looking forward to giving it a try.

 

[nigelp]

Looks great. Report back when you have fired it up.

 

[TeeDee]

I had some time to myself on Monday so decided to make myself a rocket stove. I don't really have a purpose for it but had some 4 inch box section that was left over from another project and it's been getting in my way so after seeing them online I thought I'd get the tools out.

After settling a rough design and dimensions I designed and cut some parts out of 3mm steel on the CNC plasma cutter, these consisted of the feet (or fins) the pot support and also the grate.



Next I cut the two main components and trial fitted them.



Then welded the two together.



With the main components welded I welded the feet on and test fitted the pot support. All looked ok so far.



The last thing to hot glue was the supports for the grate.



I ran out of time on Monday as I only had a couple of hours free but today I found a bit of time to get it shot blasted and painted. This is the final results.







Looking forward to giving it a try.

Excellent work!

 

[TLM]

Looks good, a slightly heavy duty version it seems.

 

[Bazzworx]

Thanks guys and yeah you wouldn't want to take it backpacking

 

[TeeDee]

Thanks guys and yeah you wouldn't want to take it backpacking

I've seen some uber cool ones designed to fit 'just' inside a surplus ammo box with then a shoulder ( telescopic ) chimney and feeder pipe - very tempted.

 

[Kepis]

That's really neat

 

[Broch]

Wow, ace work. I'm looking forward to seeing that fired up

 

[Stew]

Nicely done though I’m wondering if the bottom is too open? Won’t you get lots of embers falling out?

 

[Bazzworx]

Nicely done though I’m wondering if the bottom is too open? Won’t you get lots of embers falling out?

Yes, possibly and that's a thought that crossed my mind too as well as affecting the air flow. The slots are 10 mm so not too big to let largish coals fall through but large enough to let ash out if you give it a wiggle, at least that's the plan. I saw a few online that didn't have any way of dropping the ash out unless you turned it upside down. I guess these are really for short fast burns usually. I can always play with the grate design on the plasma cutter as it's quite a quick process to design and cut out particularly if you're just modifying an existing item. I haven't got any experience of these stoves so it's probably going to be a bit of trial and error.

 

[Pattree]

Well done! Yes, let’s see it fired up and cooking

 

[Stew]

Yes, possibly and that's a thought that crossed my mind too as well as affecting the air flow. The slots are 10 mm so not too big to let largish coals fall through but large enough to let ash out if you give it a wiggle, at least that's the plan. I saw a few online that didn't have any way of dropping the ash out unless you turned it upside down. I guess these are really for short fast burns usually. I can always play with the grate design on the plasma cutter as it's quite a quick process to design and cut out particularly if you're just modifying an existing item. I haven't got any experience of these stoves so it's probably going to be a bit of trial and error.

Yeah, it looks like you’re well setup to play! I wonder if a solid plate suspended underneath might be a good next step to compare?

I do wonder how it will vary the rocket side of it both ways. I made one ages ago - about 3’ or 4’ tall. Abandoned it at my old work before playing too much but it needed some tweaks!

 

[Bazzworx]

Yeah, it looks like you’re well setup to play! I wonder if a solid plate suspended underneath might be a good next step to compare?

I do wonder how it will vary the rocket side of it both ways. I made one ages ago - about 3’ or 4’ tall. Abandoned it at my old work before playing too much but it needed some tweaks!

Yeah defiantly, I thought I might only get a chance to build my dream workshop once so done it a best as I could. Didn't enjoy the building work so much but did enjoy fitting it out and learned a lot from the experience. It's still a working progress.

I'll try and cut out a solid plate tomorrow then I'll do a boil test with each to compare.

 

[Bazzworx]

I've seen some uber cool ones designed to fit 'just' inside a surplus ammo box with then a shoulder ( telescopic ) chimney and feeder pipe - very tempted.

Just found a chap on YouTube who made one, looked really effective.

 

[Stew]

While you’re cutting out a plate for the bottom, how about cutting out something to cap the feed tube? I’m just wondering if closing that off would help force the draw through - I bet it would make it roar with that grate set up!

 

[Jared]

Just found a chap on YouTube who made one, looked really effective.

Brian Oltrogge ?

Made one a while back, though kind of sponsored by Miller so some more welding.

Also made a bird feeder more recently out of box tubing.

 

[TeeDee]

I thought this was a clever compact design. Could see it being made an living in the boot space of a rufty tufty 4x4 with ease.

Bit of extra work in sizing the box tubing down to provide a telescopic babushka but well worth it.

 

[Bazzworx]

The results are in...

I fired up the stove with a small fire just to cure the paint while I got on with some other jobs then hoofed it up with a few pieces of soft wood kindling.



I had a little play trying to cover the feed hole but this made it smoke a lot so even with the fairly open grate there still wasn't enough air to ensure complete combustion. I then tried a solid grate but this didn't seem to have much of an effect so I think I'll stick with the slotted grate as this worked well letting the ash out but keeping the embers in.

On to the boil test, I started with 1/2 a liter of water at 17c and it was boiling when I checked it a 2:57 so could have been a few seconds less. I compared this to the kettle in the kitchen and that boiled the same amount of water in 1:02



With the testing out of the way and being lunchtime I thought it would be a shame to waste the remaining heat so I grabbed some bacon out the fridge and enjoyed an alfresco bacon roll.



I suppose I better get back to work now

 

[Stew]

Nice!

 

[Pattree]

I’m a fellow stick burner, though nothing like as sophisticated as your machine. It really is splendid.

Might you be trying different woods or is it a workshop odds and ends burner.
By stove/kettle gets what it’s given at home but when out with the tent I try to take at least a hard wood with me, Ash if possible. I’m always impressed the first time I burn ash after an interval of general tree-wood.
I do not know whether you will find the same with your more efficient rocket.