Senior's Rocket Stove

    As I stated in my previous post, yeah I have been eyeing a rocket stove as a back-up cooking source for some time now. They are not cheap, where a deluxe model STOVETEC can run you around $140.00. Well I set out to build my own. Since I didn't not have the materials "just laying" around, I went to a local big-box home improvement store and a hardware store to obtain the materials.

1- small steel trash can with lid
1- 4" steel adjustable 90 degree elbow
1- 2' section of 4" stove pipe
2- bags of lava rocks
4- 2 inch U-bolts

 

   Next step I cut the handle off the lid and centered a 4" hole in the lid for the stove pipe to come out and cut another 4" hole in the small trash can centered 3" up from the bottom of the can. Once the holes were complete and attaching the stove pipe to the elbow, then I cut the remaining stove pipe to make the inlet chamber and internal stick tray and connected to the elbow. This was the finished result.

 

    Next step was to pour lava rocks into the bucket to help stabilize the elbow and stove pipe sections and provide some thermal insulation. I could have used perilite but the stuff I found was expensive and was mixed with fertilizer.

 

    Prior to the next step, I took a cut off wheel to remove excess stove pipe around the lid area to make more flush. This is when I attached the U-bolts to the top of the lid. I ran out of 1/2" nuts so I only have 3 U-bolts for a pot and pan stand. Once all together, I took it out back, pushed a brown paper bag, dryer lint, and 2 pine cones in through the top and lite the stove. Next I took some small sticks and put them in the top to get the fire going good along with 3 sticks though the inlet pipe.

 

 

 

     I place a pot on the 3/4 complete pot and pan stand and start the timer. The stove creates a nice flame to the bottom of the pan.

 

 

    After 10 mins, the water boils. Not bad for a bunch of sticks.

 

 

    Total cost of the materials was $38.70. I was actually surprised that after I got the water to a boil and pulled the sticks out of the inlet pipe, the water stayed hot from the coals for a good 20 mins. There are many different ways to build these stoves, just search the Internet and find one you can afford and construct with your abilities.

 

Senior