Martha Stewart Stove

[zelph]

While at Kmart today I took a liking to the Martha Stuart flour sifter. Price was 6.29. Made of stainless steel, mirror finish. It will make a good looking wood burner.

The size is 4 inches in diameter and 4 1/2 inches tall

Took it apart and cut some holes in it. It is going to be a single wall, passive burner.

It weighs in at 90 grams/2.89 ounces. as you see it. Still have to add a few pieces to support a pot. Nothing fancy, just 4 of something small. Will test burn it tomorrow with the same fuel that I used for the modified zip.

I'll keep you informed as I progress. Here are some photos.

Before the parts are removed

All parts removed

One of the screens reinserted after being cut to allow air to pass

Holes cut at base

[Skidsteer]

2.89 ozs?

Nice!

[Chaco Taco]

This is gonna be cool. Def post some pics when you are done.
Wow 2.89. One can only dream

[sirbingo]

What tool did you use to cut the square holes in the base.

[TOW]

excellent idea!

[zelph]

What tool did you use to cut the square holes in the base.

I used a "Dremel" rotory hand tool with a diamond cutoff disc. You can skipp that part by raising the stove up off the ground with 4 of something of your choice to let air in.

[Chewiegranola]

I noticed you cut some air holes in the screen. Maybe a silly question but how does this improve air flow when there area holes already from the screen?

[highway]

Now that is innovative thought. I'd like to hear how it works, too.

[highway]

How are you going to feed it & keep it fed?

[vipahman]

While at Kmart today I took a liking to the Martha Stuart flour sifter. Price was 6.29. Made of stainless steel, mirror finish. It will make a good looking wood burner.

That looks good. Martha Stewart is going to have a hit product and she will not know why?

[zelph]

I noticed you cut some air holes in the screen. Maybe a silly question but how does this improve air flow when there area holes already from the screen?

The bigger the holes, the more air can pass through, less material to get in its way. I'm a firm believer in "never deny your stove oxygen" especially a wood burner.


[quote]
Today 09:41highway
How are you going to feed it & keep it fed?Today 09:38highwayNow that is innovative thought. I'd like to hear how it works, too.

Fuel will be fed under the pot. It will be raised about 1 inch above rim of stove.

vipahman. Martha Stewart is going to have a hit product and she will not know why?

Would'nt that be something, Kmart shelves cleared of flour sifters in one weeks time

[icemanat95]

I'm not sure you really wanted to cut out that screen like that. As I understand it, the fire will be built on that screen, correct? So the screen is going to carry the weight of the burning materials (and absorb a lot of heat)

One thing that happens when steel is repeatedly heated is that carbon migrates out of it. Carbon is what makes steel, steel rather than iron. Fairly quickly on, that screen is going to turn into iron wire, something substantially less strong than stainless steel screen. With so much of the wire cut away, the strength of the structure is already going to be badly compromised before you heat it You are going to end up replacing that screen a lot. You are also going to be dumping a lot of embers on the ground under the stove so be certain that you've got the ground cleared of combustibles.

I think in the long run, you'de be better leaving the full screen.

[zelph]

A couple additions before firing it up:

1. Added a fuel cell port on the side (fuel cell AKA StarLyte") to make it into a multifuel stove.

2. Used three thin quage,.005 stainless steel pot support tabs that are removable for storage. I know I said I was going to use four!!!!! I changed my mind

Just an interesting note here about the size of the burn chamber: The inside dimensions of the Martha are: 3 3/4 inches in diameter and 3 1/2 inches deep.

The dimensions of the Sierra zip are: 4 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep

icemanat95I'm not sure you really wanted to cut out that screen like that. As I understand it, the fire will be built on that screen, correct? So the screen is going to carry the weight of the burning materials (and absorb a lot of heat)

One thing that happens when steel is repeatedly heated is that carbon migrates out of it. Carbon is what makes steel, steel rather than iron. Fairly quickly on, that screen is going to turn into iron wire, something substantially less strong than stainless steel screen. With so much of the wire cut away, the strength of the structure is already going to be badly compromised before you heat it You are going to end up replacing that screen a lot. You are also going to be dumping a lot of embers on the ground under the stove so be certain that you've got the ground cleared of combustibles.
I think in the long run, you'de be better leaving the full screen.

The sifter has three screens in its original form. Replace as needed or use as is like you suggest. For me it's the more air the merrier.

Here are some photos of the fuel cell port. Make it to fit the size of your alky stoves. The StarLyte absorbs 1 ounce of fuel so there is no spilling while trying to insert it. I left a 1/2 inch tab attached to stove and port door to act as a hinge. At some point it will detach because of metal fatigue, I'll reattach at that time.

first photo

second foto

third photo

These are photos of the pot supports on and off the stove.

On the pot

off the pot

[jasonklass]

Great idea Zelph! Please post pics of it buring when you have a chance.

[Dances with Mice]

These are photos of the pot supports on and off the stove.

So what if you were to cut slots below the top rim instead? Slots like you have on the bottom.

[zelph]

So what if you were to cut slots below the top rim instead? Slots like you have on the bottom.

That would take away from fuel capacity and draft. I found out the pot supports should be higher to allow more air flow. I charged the stove in the same manner as the Zzip and same quantity and weight.

After two min. into the burn I put the pot on. Smokin!!!!! for the next 3 min just like you see in the photo.At that point I lifted the pot an inch or so and swhoosh. At that point it burned just fine, I let it be while I tried franticly to turn the exhaust fan on, it came on and cleared the greenhouse in short order.

The 2 cups of water boiled in eight min. When it reached boiling I removed the pot with the cast aluminum spring loaded gripper that you see in the photo. There was a good amount of fuel left in chamber. The three pot supports remained stable, will make three more only a tad taller. My next test burn will be tomorrow. Same amount of fuel, will let it burn for awhile longer before the pot is put on.

We're going to see 2 cups of water boiled with less smoke and only one filling of the chamber. Not bad for a single wall hobo stove.

Wait till you see this stove modified with a turbocharger ramjet etc. etc. It's a little more sophisticated than a blow tube.

fuel left in burn chamber after boil



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[zelph]

So what if you were to cut slots below the top rim instead? Slots like you have on the bottom.

Got to thinking about that, kinda kept pokin at me. I was going to increase the height of the pot supports, but instead I cut 3 slots 2 inches long spaced equaly around to allow more air to flow. Thanks Dances with Mice!!!!! It was not Instead but Along With. Made all the difference in the world. Never deny your wood stove oxygen!!!!!!!More Is Better

After 2 min into burn flames started to appear

After 2.5 min

Going onto 3 min

Burned so hot and fast it used up most fuel and began a decline so I sarted adding tounge depressors thru newly formed 2 in. slots at the top. They worked great. The charge of wood was not the same as yesterday, no big clothespins or the 2 pcs of 7/8 dowels. I was able to see how this little hobo drafts and looks while burning so I changed tactics.

I cut up some real wood, seasoned, nice and dry, crisp when broken. What you see in the burn chamber in this photo was lit and when smoke stopped I added more fuel to level of stove top and then put the pot on.

Approaching 8 min the water temp was over the 200 degree mark and was starting to steam then boiled at 8 min. and boiled for a space of time.

The last photo shows the color of the stove after 6 burn tests and shows it was 30 degrees when last three tests were completed.

I have a bunch more photos that were taken but not used for these posts. I have in the works my own web site to post all the details of the cutting, dimensions etc. In the works means on paper It'll be a place for sharing, showing and telling. Those of you that make stoves have a fairly good idea of how this one is made just by viewing the photos. Hope you have as much fun making yours as I had making mine

This little hobo will stand tall next to the commercial ones. Spread the word, Martha Stewart Rocks when it comes to sifters

Final weight: 88 grams 2.83 ounces

[Hammock Hanger]

Per Marths, NOw that's a good thing

[Dances with Mice]

Thanks Dances with Mice!!!!! It was not Instead but Along With. Made all the difference in the world. Never deny your wood stove oxygen!!!!!!!More Is Better

No, thank you for recognizing the potential to modify a common object then sharing with us both the testing and evolution of your design.

Today I was doing an inventory of scientific apparatti I needed to load into a Hertz mini-van and drive to Corinth MS this Sunday and thinking about your stove while I was doing that kept me teetering on the right side of sanity. You've already found that cutting the slots would not decrease the burn chamber area. Having raised pot supports and the top slots certainly does create a powerful chimney effect. You've created a stove with more than enough power to accomplish your mission (boil two cups of water). Can you sacrifice efficiency of operation for efficiency of design? Or have the pot supports for use when more power is needed - to melt snow or boil a gallon of water, say?

I was just trying to urge you to have as few detachable (breakable & losable) parts as possible.

See, for my work next week in the thriving metropolis of Corinth MS I'm carrying a small tabletop's worth of testing equipment but a mini-van full of backup and replacement parts in case something doesn't work. It's a one-time only, now or never kinda event and I can't take any risks so I've got backups to backups. That's not a luxury backpackers can afford, so please continue to look for ways to simplify.

[zelph]

Can you sacrifice efficiency of operation for efficiency of design? Or have the pot supports for use when more power is needed - to melt snow or boil a gallon of water, say?

I was just trying to urge you to have as few detachable (breakable & losable) parts as possible.

See, for my work next week in the thriving metropolis of Corinth MS I'm carrying a small tabletop's worth of testing equipment but a mini-van full of backup and replacement parts in case something doesn't work. It's a one-time only, now or never kinda event and I can't take any risks so I've got backups to backups. That's not a luxury backpackers can afford, so please continue to look for ways to simplify.

Will take this little hobo one step further and put aside the detachable parts and give it a go without them. Thanks for the interest and glad to help keep you on the right side of insanity. This stove stuff helps me stay on the right side also.

Final cost of the stove is $6.29