Building a Rocket Stove for the Cabin

FPS combines my passion for hunting and wildlife conservation with the overall need for self sufficiency.

Here Are the Basic Materials for Our Rocket Stove.

To Start, We Must Locate and Mark the Bottom of the Hole in the Trash Can for the 6" Stove Pipe.

The Lid From a #10 Tin Can Makes the Perfect Template to Trace the Hole.

The Plastic Lid Is Flexible Enough to Lay on the Curved Surface of the Trash Can. Using a Sharpie Trace the Outline.

Now We're Ready to Cut the Hole.

Using a Pair of Tin Snips, Cut a Rough Hole Making Sure to Stay at Least 1/2" Away From the Edge of the Black Line.

The Edges Are Rough and Sharp.

Using the Tin Snips Again, Proceed to Make Thin Cuts in the Metal. We Will Be Folding These Tabs Into the Can.

Another View of the Relief Cuts.

There Are Many Ways to Cut a Hole in Sheet Metal But If You Only Have Limited Tools This Method Is More Than Acceptable and the Hole Looks "finished".

Insert the 6" Elbow Into the Hole. Place the Section of Stove Pipe Onto the Elbow and Mark It About 1" Below the Rim of the Trash Can.

Mark a Dotted Line to Guide Your Cut.

Secure a 2x4 Into Your Bench Vise and Insert the Stove Pipe Through It.

Using a Cut-off Wheel, Start Connecting the Dots. Rotate the Pipe Around and Reclamp Until the Cut Is Complete.

We Will Be Using Both Sections of Pipe. Hand File to Break the Sharp Edges.

A Rubber Mallet May Be Needed to Persuade the Two Pieces to Come Together.

Check for Fit and Proper Height.

Self Tapping Screws Will Secure the Two Pieces Together.

Attach the Short Section of Pipe to the Elbow.

Starting the Double Wall Chimney... Place a Trim Ring on First.

A Good View of the Trim Ring Inverted and Slid Into Position. My Dog Is Super Excited About This Project.

The 8" Pipe Should Be Cut a Couple Inches Below the Rim of the 6" Pipe, This Will Leave Room to Install the Second Trim Ring.

Checking Again for Fit. Notice the 1/2" Metal Plate Under the Elbow, This Keeps the Fire Chamber Off the Bottom of the Can.

Four Pieces of Threaded Rod Will Secure the Top of the Chimney. Measure From the 6" Pipe to the Edges of the Can and Add 1".

Measure, Mark and Drill the Can for Threaded Rod Installation.

Now Mark the Hole Location in the 8" Stove Pipe.

All 4 Rods Will Touch the 6" Chimney to Secure It. Adjust the Nuts and Tighten on the Inside and Outside of the Trash Can.

Another View of Securing the Chimney, the Interior and Exterior Nuts Can Be Seen.

A Piece of Sheet Metal Will Be Used for the Wood Fuel to Lay On. Measure the Widest Point of the Stove Pipe.

Notice the two screws inside that are used to hold the stove pipe to the elbow. The sheet metal can rest on those screws perfectly.

Slide the Sheet Metal in As Far As It Will Go.

This View Shows the Sheet Metal Slid Into Place. Once the Sticks Are Installed, the Fire Chamber Will Only Burn the Tips As Super Heated Air Flows in From Under the Wood and a Strong Draft Is Created in the Combustion Chamber.

Pour the Vermiculite Into the Double Wall of the Chimney. the Mini Mouse Cup Is Optional.

Once the Double Walled Chimney Is Full Put the Second Trim Ring on and Pour the Rest of the Vermiculite Around the Combustion Chamber.

This Is an Old Grate I Had Laying Around and Will Be Perfect for the Rocket Stove Top.

Ready for the First Test Burn. the Great Thing About a Rocket Stove Is That It Needs Very Little Fuel to Operate Efficiently.

Push the Sticks All the Way Into the Combustion Chamber. Newspaper, Leaves or Dry Grass Can Be Used to Lite the Stove.

At First There Will Be Smoke. Once the Stove Heats Up Not Only Will the Sticks Burn But So Will the Smoke. Smoke Is Nothing More Than Unused Energy.

The vermiculite is a great insulator and will help keep the fire so hot that even the smoke will be consumed and turned into heat.

A View Inside the Combustion Chamber. the Stove Is Almost Up to Operating Temperature, Very Little Smoke Can Be Seen.

Complete Combustion in Under 5 Minutes. No Visible Signs of Smoke and an Intense Fire Is Roaring in the Combustion Chamber.

The term "rocket stove" is used because the draft is so intense in the combustion chamber that the roaring fire sounds like a rocket taking off.

Time to build a couple quick accessories before we take the stove out for field trials.

This Is an Old Ash Bucket Shovel That I Had in the Garage.

By cutting wings in the end of the shovel and bending it over I created a reverse scoop for pulling the ashes out of the combustion chamber.

Two Pictures of the Scoop in Action.

Next We Will Make an Adjustable Metal Skirt Which Will Aid in Heating the Water Kettle.

Cut the tops and bottoms out of three #10 cans and split down the middle.
These pieces will make an adjustable skirt that can wrap around just about any sized container.
The skirts force the hot air to stay close to the sides of the container and is another form of insulation.

The Stove Is Not in Operation. These Pics Are to Show the Adjustable Skirt on the Water Kettle.

Keep the Lid on the Trash Can When Not in Use and Everything Stays High and Dry.

At the Cabin and Now Installing the Rocket Stove Pad, It's a Very Simple Sandstone Slab on Bricks.

Rocket Stove Set-up and Ready. the Stove Is Now at Waist Level, Perfect for Cooking or Canning.

Firing Up the Stove and Filling the Water Kettle.

1 1/2 Gallons of Water.... Full Boil in Under 40 Minutes.

Two More Pics of the Water Kettle Boiling. Notice the Lack of Wood Smoke.

Before Cooking on the Stove I Needed to Burn the Paint Off the Metal Grate.

Burgers and Hotdogs on a Broiler Pan. This Is Needed to Keep the Grease From Dripping Into the Trash Can.

Shadow says, "Anything that hits the ground is mine."

When the Burgers Were Almost Done I Placed Them on a Cast Iron Grate Over the Stove for Flavor.

Mmmmm.... charbroiled :)

It Is Now the Following Morning and Time for Breakfast.... Bacon and Eggs.

Breakfast Is Served..... Thank You.

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