Taught me -- Twig stoves -- thanks, here it is!

unit

unit

Joined
Nov 22, 2009
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I have been doing things the hard way (open fire for making warm drinks) I think. So I would like to learn about twig stoves. I have looked at some of these nice units you can buy with secondary burn/gassification...looks interesting.

I typically like to build my own stuff and learn more about how things work...but since I am working with my youngsters, I would rather skip over some of the failed attempts if possible (I do not have a lot of luxury for going out on my own to work the bugs out).

So my request (if you want to help) is for information regarding how to make a packable twig stove that is fairly easy to use, and fairly pack friendly.

I did some searches and found some neat stuff posted up about manufactured units (the Bushbuddy in particular)...they look nice, and I will likely end up with one over time, but for now I think I would like to DIY and figure out some new ways to have fun.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Ken

PS. KGD, the one in your most recent bow drill video is what started me on this quest. Thanks
 
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not really a DIY project but the price is right... you might check out the Swiss Ranger volcano stoves if you are primarily heating water for drinks/soups... 3 1/2 inches in diameter, might not work well to hold a sauce pot/skillet...aluminum stove, bottle and cup nest to 10 1/2 inches tall...19.97 for two at Sportsmans Guide online...+shipping...I converted one for use with a Trangia alcohol stove and the other kept for twigs....
 
I made this one from some inexpensive materials found at the hardware store:

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It could be packable if the steel were thinner and more flexible.
This one packs flat and comes with a bag to store it in, and can be had relatively inexpensively:
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I made this one from plans I found in here. In fact I had about 30 of them made at a waterjet cutter locally. I might have annother batch done after the holidays. This thing worke great, from sticks and twiggs to a rolling boil in about 9 minutes. It folds down flat, measures 6x6x5 assembled and weidhs under 2 lbs
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Hi Unit,

I made my first twig stove using a 1.5 lb coffee can, however, Brian Andrews was kind enough to give me the stainless steel kitchen utensil holder from IKEA. They cost $4.00. Being of brushed SS it is resist to rust (the coffee can ones will poop out on you eventually) and it comes pre-drilled with those holes. So all you have to do is use a cutoff wheel of a dremel and cut out the bottom feeder hole. You might be able to find something similar in wallmart.

I use a couple of steel tent pegs at the top (aluminum tent pegs melt <- experience) to hold the pot, but it is better to use raised-crossing slats (Brian has his own review of his somewhere). This gives a bit more air and also allows you to shove in twigs from the top when the fire is going nicely. I just fitted mine with slats yesterday, just don't have any pictures of it. Basically, I bought one of those 'canned heat' stoves which comes with slats and cut new slots into the slats to fit the ikea stove pot.


Another nice thing about the Ikea one is that it nests on the inside perfectly within a 12 cm zebra pot. While, I'd prefer it to nest on the outside of my pot, I'm still really happy with the fit. Plus, its not the most robust thing on its own, so the zebra pot keeps it well protected. All by happen chance, I found this other camping pot on clearance that nests the outside of the zebra pot. So I have a really nice combo here.

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I sometimes use a burn plate to keep it from scarring the ground depending on where I'm at. If the stove is burning on top of wood it will leave a burn scar. Also, don't do like I did one time and start it up on a punky stump, only to have the stump turn into a giant piece of charcloth. Took lots of digging and all my water to get that thing out :D
 
kgd said:
...stainless steel kitchen utensil holder from IKEA. They cost $4.00....
Click to expand...

That is rich! I should have figured it was something else that was re-purposed. Very clever and that looks really functional.

Thanks for all the replies guys!
 
Ok guys... I just have to ask cuz I've never used a twig stove. I can understand the portable gas stoves, but why a twig stove? Why build a fire in a container? Why not builld a small fire on the ground? For ease of cooking? Sorry, just trying to understand.
 
for me it's just another option to cook on, if I don't want to build a fire, I can get water boiling in 5 minutes with my small stove....jmo...
 
A small fire with most of it's heat concentrated on a single point, the bottom of your pot, is much more efficient than an open fire which radiates heat in all directions. That means less fuel is needed to boil water and cook, less time spent foraging for firewood, and the added bonus of not leaving much behind.
 
Unit, the link to bushcraftusa is based on the Bushbuddy design which is in my experience more efficient due to the gasification than a straight stick burner can design. That might be a good project if you want to experiment.
 
dingobubba said:
Ok guys... I just have to ask cuz I've never used a twig stove. I can understand the portable gas stoves, but why a twig stove? Why build a fire in a container? Why not builld a small fire on the ground? For ease of cooking? Sorry, just trying to understand.
Click to expand...

Twig stoves are more efficient than an open fire on the ground, you will use less fuel and get the job done faster with a stove than with an open fire. Might also be some small safety factor useing a stove over an open fire
 
dingobubba said:
Ok guys... I just have to ask cuz I've never used a twig stove. I can understand the portable gas stoves, but why a twig stove? Why build a fire in a container? Why not builld a small fire on the ground? For ease of cooking? Sorry, just trying to understand.
Click to expand...

Fair question...and until you dive in like I have, the answer may not be clear.

Gas stove:
Ups: Fantastic, clean, works nice.
Downs: easy (no sense of accomplishment for me), Must carry your own fuel (weight and seems silly when there is literally billions of pounds of free fuel laying around everywhere I go)

Enter the twig stove. it allows me to make a fire the hard way (I enjoy this challenge), I feel like more of an outdoorsmen because I burn what I find and smell that smoke (which I greatly prefer over fuel smell). Sound cheesey? Yeah, but that is the truth (shrug).

Small fire on the ground:
Ups: very cheap and you carry NOTHING so it is quite light weight
Downs: Makes a lot bigger foot print and a lot more smoke (not always great for some of the places I go). Also it requires you to set the cup in the fire which can be problematic (in wind you can get a lot of ash in your food, the fire might settle and topple your food into the fire).

Additionally, a well designed stove will boil water quickly and you can then carry it (and the associated fire) and dump it in a safe place and kill the fire entirely (since it is small). By contrast a small fire does not direct the heat and will take longer to boil water, and wind can be a nightmare...you can build a wind screen...but I am working with kids under 10 years old and their attention span is quick...want to get a fire fairly quickly, and get rid of the fire fairly quickly...I realize I am contradicting the points above about a gas stove being too easy and therefore less desirable to me...but hey, I am human and therefore contradict myself frequently (I LIVE in the gray area between extremes;))

you could write a lot of books with what I do not know (and they have), but from what I do know (and prefer) this is an avenue I want to explore. I hope my ramblings are somewhat accurate and help you understand why I am heading this way.

Cheers,
Ken
 
SIXFOOTER said:
Twig stoves are more efficient than an open fire on the ground, you will use less fuel and get the job done faster with a stove than with an open fire. Might also be some small safety factor useing a stove over an open fire
Click to expand...

Exactomundo! You'll have your cooking fire up and running far faster than it will take to build a bed of coals in an open fire and you can really get away with lower quality wood. Turning the feeder hole towards the wind cause a really fast and hot burn that will ignite soaked twigs in no time. Key is not to over pack them with wood. Just put in a little at a time and let it burn to fully

Plus they are a very convenient pot stand. Not quite as efficient as the double walled gasification stoves, but they burn hot, and are very easy to make. I usually end up with white ash at the end of it all.

Finally because they burn hot and fast you aren't tied to caring for a long term fire. This makes them less enjoyable to sit and stare at, but more convenient to stop and have lunch or make a quick cup of tea. So much more enjoyable than lighting a multi-fuel stove, not dependent on carrying fuel and doesn't force you to build a fire pit and take care of a ground-based fire over a long time period.
 
this is the tutorial i used to make a wood gas stove
http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6270
it was simple cheap and easy to do
if you are working with youth this might be a good project
tho you need a drill or metal punch to make holes, a can opener to remove bottom from paint can(got one for $1.99 at the local hardware store)
maybe some tin snips to cut bits for the screen inside to hold wood up
and whatever you use to make a pot stand
and it works! very efficient little bugger
the pot stand i made fits into the can
i kept the lid and replace while carrying
used an old ragwool sock to stow in
have fun!
 
I've seen a twig stove made of heavy duty aluminium foil (the stuff that caterers have access to). The person rolled it up in the pack, then unrolled it enough to go around a billy. A couple of tent pegs stuck through about halfway up to hold the billy (in other words, the bottom part of the billy was inside the roll of foil to keep the heat in.

I'll try and find pictures.
 
I thought I would pitch out an update and a giant thanks to all for the helpful replies!

I used the plan (link to Bushcraftusa forum) to build a stove. Holy cow! This thing is crazy-simple to make!

A couple days ago I went to the hardware store and bought the empty 1 qt paint can for $1.99 then headed to the local grocery store and picked up some soup for $1.25. Returned to work inside my hour lunch brake and ate the soup (saved the can).

The next day I ate another can of soup and had time left over to drill a bunch of 3/8th inch holes as shown in the link (http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6270)...then used a can opener to remove the bottom of the can and pressed everything together by hand. It was that easy!

Supplies: One quart empty paint can, one empty soup can (Progresso seems to be a perfect friction fit in the underside of the paint can "neck") A drill with a 3/8th inch bit, and a can opener.

It took perhaps 20 minutes?

So today I used a portion of my break to test it out. A pile of sticks and 10 minutes later I was enjoying some hot coco! This thing generates almost no soot and almost no smoke. I cleaned everything up by wiping off the black smudges with a cloth (no more sticky/tar like soot on my cookware).

Hardly a bushcraft setting, but it was nice to test it out.

Cheap, easy, functional...what more can you want?

In fairness, I failed to mention the stand that you see on top of the paint can...this is a strip of exhaust hanger that we had laying in the scrap pile that I bent to shape and it works pretty well. The wire screen shown in the link probably works great too.

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Some interesting observations from a newb:
I can hear the air rushing through this thing as it burns (I suppose as it recirculates the gasses?), it sounds like someone blowing through a straw.
There is smoke if you pack sticks above the upper row of holes in the soup can...if you feed in sticks as needed and keep the level below the top row of holes you can not really see or smell any smoke (I was burning cedar BTW...I am sure there was some smoke, but very very little)
The sides of it DO get hot...some reported that you could pick it up by the bottom of the outer can (I can NOT do it while the stove is lit without a glove).
It seems to make a LOT of heat for such a small amount of wood (I am use to open fires...which I am learning are VERY inefficient)
It burns the wood to white ash.
The paint can lid works well as a cap for the 16 ounce stainless steel cup you see here, and decreases boil times.
 
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