The rocket stove

[Spindrift]

A friend of mine has a really well equipped shop. He made me a "rocket stove", from 4 1/2in stainless steel pipes.
You stuff wooden sticks into the oblique pipe. Air is sucked through the bottom pipe, creating a strong "chimney effect". It burns almost without smoke, creating an intensly focused gas flame.

I'll use it for smelting alloy.

 

[Ben]

Neat.
Just the ticket for a camping trip.

Ben

 

[Snakeoil]

Very cool. I agree, boiling water on a campfire can be a "tedious" experience. Not that I camp anymore. But I do remember those days.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

They are very efficient!

I made one come years back. Light kindling can easily make dinner.

Very neat version!!

 

[Bret4207]

They're all the rage for the prepper/hiker crowd. The concept goes back about 2K years it turns out!

 

[Spindrift]

My friend was a little embarrased about the welding spots on top (fastening the «crown», and felt the need to point out, they were done by his 6- year old son. Cool!

 

[Missionary]

That is the nicest one I have seen !

 

[RicinYakima]

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My friend Val owned a hiking and backpacking supply store and spent his vacation in Alaska, north of the Brooks Range. He introduced me to the Kelly Kettle in the early '80's. He said two handfuls of grass or twigs would heat enough water for a cup of tea and a freeze dry meal in about 3 minutes. Never owned one, but also got by with my MSR burning JP4.

 

[Spindrift]

Actually, I have a Kelly kettle, and they work very well! Last time I ised it, I was camping in the highlands with my family. It was very windy, but the Kelly kettle worked perfectly with the little twigs I could find there, over the treeline.

 

[462]

Never owned one, but also got by with my MSR burning JP4.

Back in the day and in a far off place, JP4, when used to fuel a Zippo, smoked like the dickens and left a strong aftertaste in the first few puffs of the Camels.

 

[twodot]

anybody else think it looks kinda "tippy"?
..

 

[RicinYakima]

If it were I, there would to two or three screw on legs the length of the chimney. Quarter inch studs with wing nuts to use and fold up, maybe?

 

[Jeff H]

My friend was a little embarrased about the welding spots on top (fastening the «crown», and felt the need to point out, they were done by his 6- year old son. Cool!

A few years ago, I believe it was Ian(?) who posted a pic of a little kid with a welding helmet and a stick welder, with the caption that went something like "my dad says if you have to grind your welds, you're a grinder, not a welder." If it wasn't Ian, it made me think of him anyway.

I can't fault your friend's boy's work. I'm a "grinder." I weld for five minutes and grind for twenty, which makes the low duty cycle of my little HF portable wire welder perfectly appropriate for my skill-level. Five minutes of welding, twenty minutes of cool-down, this thing will be in my estate sale, because I'll never ruin it welding too long with it.

The boy did better than I would have.

 

[todd]

this is about as good with my stick weld. mig weld is slightly better.

"i'm a welder!!!!!" said Bubba.

 

[Snakeoil]

this is about as good with my stick weld. mig weld is slightly better.

"i'm a welder!!!!!" said Bubba.

Wow, where did you find that pic?

 

[Tomme boy]

I made one years ago to heat my basement. I enclosed the main burn chamber inside a 40 gal air compressor tank. The exhaust is set to be 1.5" off the inside top to then be directed back down and empty out the bottom rear of the tank. The whole tank heats up this way. The exhaust pipe would actually be very cool compared to the rest of the heater. I had mine set up to burn wood pellets. I had a computer fan on the air intake that forced air into the heater. This made a HUGE difference on the amount of heat it generated.

I also welded a flat plate to the top for cooking if I wanted. The stove lasted about 7 years before it was needing a new tank. It formed cracks all over the top where most of the heat was at. The final was the bottom had pin holes and I just scrapped it after that. I am going to build another one. I have a new tank. This time it is going to be a old water heater tank. A lot thicker steel on this one.

 

[Snakeoil]

I made one years ago to heat my basement. I enclosed the main burn chamber inside a 40 gal air compressor tank. The exhaust is set to be 1.5" off the inside top to then be directed back down and empty out the bottom rear of the tank. The whole tank heats up this way. The exhaust pipe would actually be very cool compared to the rest of the heater. I had mine set up to burn wood pellets. I had a computer fan on the air intake that forced air into the heater. This made a HUGE difference on the amount of heat it generated.

I also welded a flat plate to the top for cooking if I wanted. The stove lasted about 7 years before it was needing a new tank. It formed cracks all over the top where most of the heat was at. The final was the bottom had pin holes and I just scrapped it after that. I am going to build another one. I have a new tank. This time it is going to be a old water heater tank. A lot thicker steel on this one.

I think I have a mental image of what you built. I would think that a big propane tank would make a good one.

 

[richhodg66]

A friend of mine has a really well equipped shop. He made me a "rocket stove", from 4 1/2in stainless steel pipes.
You stuff wooden sticks into the oblique pipe. Air is sucked through the bottom pipe, creating a strong "chimney effect". It burns almost without smoke, creating an intensly focused gas flame.

I'll use it for smelting alloy.

View attachment 29576

Very nice!

Can you give some more details of how it's made or at least some dimensions?

How does it stay upright like that?

 

[Snakeoil]

Just search rocket stove on the web. Lots of drawings and articles on how to build and how they work. Very cool concept.

 

[todd]

Wow, where did you find that pic?

i forget where i got it from, i've been using it for several years.