I’ve been admiring some wood-burning stoves online. There are some interesting designs which seem to be simple and durable. Many stoves are relatively heavy, not being offered in titanium.

I’m considering replicating, adapting, or creating (1) a simple wood-burning stove which (2) doesn’t require moving parts for its operation, (3) has no batteries to run down, (4) is collapsible to save pack volume, (5) and is made of titanium.

This seems quite simple, probably because I don't have a clue where to start or how to go about doing it.

Does anyone know of sources for small quantities of metal, e.g. Sheets / Mesh / Wire / Hinges / Titanium / Stainless Steel / Aluminum?

Does anyone know, or have a source for information, about working with metals? More specifically, the “never do this” and “always do that” with particular metals, gauge strength for various stresses, melting points, etc?

What tools are available to cut and bend metal along straight lines, and to evenly round jagged edges?

Has anyone tried things which, simply put, didn’t work well and they'd avoid in the future?

Has anyone tried things which worked extremely well, that they'd highly recommend?

All ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

Vi

Hello Vi+. I also was curious about this, so I researched a bit. http://zenstoves.net/Wood.htm
Probably has the most types of stoves that are able to be made by amatures such as myself. I opted to make the Nomad stove from the plans on that site. Simply saved the plans, printed them, then traced onto sheet metal.

Home Depot has sheet metal in small 24"x24" sizes, different guages. I used 22 ga. for mine. Titanium sheets can be found on E-bay, and one or two online sources (They are usually larger sheet sizes.)

As for tools, working with sheet metal, Always use gloves, and eye protection. To make the Nomad, all I needed was a jig saw with a fine tooth metal blade, drill with 1/4" drill bit, and a metal file.

I have used the stove a few times now, it is easy to light, easy to feed wood to, light enough to carry(about 10oz), and folds flat the size of a post card, and I am really looking foward to using it as my main cooking stove on my thru attempt. I will be carrying a pop-can stove as back up, and where the stove would be considered an "open flame". Fuel for the pop-can is denatured alcohol, stored in a 12oz iced tea bottle(only filled to half though for weight), with 1/2" squares of medical gauze soaking in it to use as fire starters for the Nomad.

EDIT** The nomad makes a wonderful windbreak/stand for the pop-can stove as well when needed

Hope this helps you, best of luck in your descision.

Trooper, what kind of boil times are you getting with wood and are you getting any smoke taste in your food or water? Is your fire box a free burn or do you have to fan it. Sounds like a great idea.

Definetly love the Nomad stove.

Dragon, haven't checked my times in awhile but if I remember right I was getting a rolling boil in 7 minutes using mine with the pot lid on.

Good luck,
Chris

Trooper, what kind of boil times are you getting with wood and are you getting any smoke taste in your food or water? Is your fire box a free burn or do you have to fan it. Sounds like a great idea.


I am getting about the same time as C Brice is, 7-8 minute boil time with the lid on the pot(Ti900). I don't mind if it takes a little longer to boil, I like the stove just for that. I do not like to rush about, and it can be a little relaxing tending to it. I use the time while it settles to coals to hang my hammock, or filter a liter of water or two.

In making my stove, instead of cutting the side slots, I drilled eight 1/4" holes for air inlets, kind of low near where the bottom plate is fitted to the sides and back. With this set up as a free burning stove, I find I have very little fanning to do, as air seems forced in through the holes to feed the fire.

Also with the lid on the pot, there is no ash or smoke flavor I can detect. All I do is boil water for now, but as I extend my menu to allow for items I purchase in re-supply stops, I plan on regular cooked meals. As far as blackened pot bottoms it usually is the flames touching the pot bottom that causes it. I just start cooking after the flames have died down and have a nice bed of coals to work with. It does not take long with the sizes of wood used (about 4 inches long, no more than 1/2" in width). The blackening hardens after a bit, and kind of helps in insulating the pot too.

This type of stove is not for those in a rush to eat/drink. Jetboil makes a great product for that. But I find this a more practicle (wood, pinecones, bark) can be gathered along the ground (LNT) almost anywhere I plan on using it.

Trooper, thanks for the info. Have the plans downloaded and heading for the hardware tonight for the steel. Do you think the 22ga is necessary? I saw on the web site the different weights for all the way up to 30 guage. Do you think warpage becomes a critical factor above 22?

C Brice helped me when choosing this stove, glad I could pass along this info. Not real sure on warpage No Belay...I went with the 22ga because the next size seemed a little thin for this type of repeated heating/cooling and for when packing, it will not bend as easy. If you try out a thinner guage, let me know how it works for you.

Trooper,

You advised (Post #2), “... I researched a bit. http://zenstoves.net/Wood.htm.” (http://zenstoves.net/Wood.htm.%E2%80%9D)

I had looked at the "Magic Flame" stove on that site. It seemed to be VERY simply constructed - ignoring for the moment the number of hinges involved - perhaps the most simple to set up and operate, and may also be quite sturdy.

I was taken aback by the price (+/- $77.40) and weight (18.4 oz). I thought, “Hey, I should be able to make a lighter weight version, from titanium, for less money than they want. This prompted me to actually consider making a stove, and lead me to post a request for ideas.

Thanks for your advice, “Home Depot has sheet metal in small 24"x24" sizes, different guages. ... Titanium sheets can be found on E-bay, and one or two online sources ...” I have access to such places.

You advised, “I will be carrying a pop-can stove as back up, and where the stove would be considered an ‘open flame’. Fuel for the pop-can is denatured alcohol ... with ½" squares of medical gauze soaking in it to use as fire starters for the Nomad.”

Great idea. I read a post advising, the Zip Stove is allowed to be used when the “no open fires” policy is in effect, at least in the Shenandoah National Park. The logic was, while it is a fire it is contained within a stove and, thereby, isn’t an “open” fire, and doesn't violate the prohibition.

This may be a bit esoteric for a tired back country ranger or ridge runner worn thin by hikers; the additional weight of a minimal alcohol stove and alcohol may be quite reasonable and, as you point out the alcohol is dual use.

I’m at a loss, however, about making hinges and what to use as hinge pins.

Thank you for the information and your suggestions.

Glad I could be of help Vi+. I have gotten some great information from members here on WhiteBlaze.net, and am only too happy to pass it along.

I also looked at the stove with the hinges, and it was above my meager metalsmithing skills to make with any kind of success. So the Nomad it was to be lol.

Best of luck in your stove making experience, let us know how it comes out.

To: All Stove makers

Caution: when buying sheetmetal anywhere for stove use.

If you are getting sheetmetal make sure that is has no galavanized coating, it produces toxic fumes. If you do just sand or grind the surface till it looks dull.

Also check out scrap yards or building sites for sheetmetal . Also at home depot is a cheap sheetmetal tool for bend in the heating/ducting area about 14" wide.

Mike

Thru Hiker have titanium sheet at http://www.thru-hiker.com/materialsStore.asp?subcat=28-bottom&iLevel=2&txtCatName=2

You can buy a bunch of stainless steel bicycle spokes off ebay cheap. They make great hinge pins.

I made several simular to these out of Perferated steel, they have a bottom that can be inserted, leaving a 1" air space at the bottom for ashes and air.
Also...they are about 8"s tall and have a V cutout at the third hole along the top. They worked well, but were tooo heavy. Ti may work just fine. They are packed away or I would post a picture. See my Sterno Stoves at:
http://http://webpages.charter.net/fam-strick/SternoStoves1.jpg

I made several simular to these out of Perferated steel, they have a bottom that can be inserted, leaving a 1" air space at the bottom for ashes and air.
Also...they are about 8"s tall and have a V cutout at the third hole along the top. They worked well, but were tooo heavy. Ti may work just fine. They are packed away or I would post a picture. See my Sterno Stoves at:
http://http://webpages.charter.net/fam-strick/SternoStoves1.jpg

Sorry, try this one.
http://webpages.charter.net/fam-strick/web/acc.htm

Dear Vi+, I have been making wood burning stoves (or "stick stoves" as some call them) successfully out of simple large tins. Here in Australia I use a 750gram "Milo" tin as my basis for an effective stove. I tried smaller coffee tins but found them nowhere near as effective as a slightly larger tin.They don't weigh much, and boil water very efficiently! The only drawback seems to be that they blacken the pots you use with them...so I simply add some lightwieght nylon bags for Billys to go into after use and there's no problem...
Burn On Brother!
dc

I was reading up on the original 'hobo' wood stoves, which have a solid top so that you can cook directly on them. Some tins have a removable top that's quite flat and should allow reasonably effective heat transfer to a pot without any blackening.

I have to try one with just one large hole in the side near the top for exhaust and adding sticks, and one small hole near the bottom (opposite side) for intake and lighting. It wouldn't matter if it was a bit slow, since leaves and twigs are not difficult to find.