dogfood can woodgas stove (with pics)

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conall

Tenderfoot
Aug 25, 2009
89
1
southampton
Ok so you will need 2 400gm tins I used empty dog food tins and a can of spray polish, make sure all the cans are steel as ally will just melt.


1) The outer stove:-
You will need to place the polish can on the base of one of the dog food cans & mark around the circumference & cut out using a Stanley knife “be careful of sharp edges at this point please!”
2vmvviw.jpg

Ok so now you have to use a side tin opener to cut off the base of the can.
2ue1bvn.jpg


Now on the other dog food can mark and drill 9 6mm holes at 1.5 cm spaces around the base, this should be round half the circumference of the can.
2hi6nmh.jpg





2) The burner:-
Take the polish can and insert it into the hole you cut in the base (this will now be the lid of the outer stove) and place on top of the outer stove, now slowly push the can down until you see it just above the base holes in the outer stove. mark around the polish can where it meets the lid. remove the polish can and mark and drill 16 2.5mm holes at equal spaces about 5mm below the mark you made.
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Then cut around the polish can. Drill 8 6mm holes around the base again spaced equally these where about a 15mm up, this will be where the gas is drawn out from and up the side to be ignited.
dmpmae.jpg

Turn over tin and drill a load of holes in the base, I managed 29, this will be the grate and also give a good supply of oxygen for the stove.
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3) Assembly of stove:-
If all has gone to plan slide the burner (polish can) into the outer stove lid and place on top of outer stove tin.
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I found that if you light the stove once it has gone out and cooled you can dress the lip of the burner round the lid and make it nice and neat on this tin I used 3 screws as pot supports but with the other stove I used a metal coat hanger bent to form a pot stand which I feel is more neat.
vgqt8o.jpg


4)
Place small pieces of wood into the burner and light. I used BBQ lighter fluid for this test but have also light my smaller stove by using tinder and kindling on top of it so you don’t need to take accelerant with you to light this stove.
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As soon as it charcoals on the top, the woodgas will start to be drawn down inside the tin and up the inner chamber out to the burner holes. Stick you pot on top and away you go cooking or boiling.
mjbpch.jpg



This stove needs so little fuel to cook on and I have discovered if the wood is all about the same length and placed vertically down into the burner it will burn for a lot longer. This stove is really efficient and clean. Hardly any soot or smoke and very little ash left at the end.
 

conall

Tenderfoot
Aug 25, 2009
89
1
southampton
glad you like it, the first one posted had no pics but thanks to some of the guys on the forum I managed pics with this one LOL!

going to do a meth stove that fits inside this one next so keep your eyes peeled for when I manage to get it done :)
 

conall

Tenderfoot
Aug 25, 2009
89
1
southampton
just used a bog standard drill, although if you use a drawing/thumb pin first it makes drilling the holes a lot easier ;)
 

Cobweb

Native
Aug 30, 2007
1,149
30
South Shropshire
I think I'm with firecrest on this, I'm going to have to make one of these, if only to cock a soot at the battery powered & expensive versions.

I'd better wait for my drill to turn up though :)
 

Whittler Kev

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 8, 2009
4,314
12
65
March, UK
bushcraftinfo.blogspot.com
I've just made one of the stoves but can't get it to burn the gas out of the top.
I hadn't got any BBQ fluid etc to use as an acelerant so used plenty of lint and birch bark to get it going with dry oak carving cut offs in the bottom.
It just smolders away, real smoky. I tried blowing in the bottom, top, and even putting lighted birchbark in the top (which immediatly goes out (-no oxygen?))
any ideas?
I used tesco bean tins - same size etc so shouldn't majke any difference.
It eventually burns away to very little ash left in the bottom:dunno:
 

conall

Tenderfoot
Aug 25, 2009
89
1
southampton
mmm? I put all the sticks vertical in burner and light,as soon as its going I pop pot on and away it goes. try using a splash of white spirit/meths or bbg lighter fluid....wouldnt use petrol bit to volatile. should work. will try and video it and post it to demonstrate ;)
 

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