Dome stove4

Foreword

(Forgive me for writing my own foreword as I could not find an eminent expert to do it for me.)

For me, a process that is truly inventive is like knowing you are on a journey or an adventure, but you don’t know the destination until you get there. Even when you think you are ‘there’, you may find that you are not quite there.

Even then, the destination often turns out to be much closer to the starting point than you could ever have imagined.

The twists, turns, surprises, pitfalls and lessons are an important part of that journey. My posts to you (and me) are my way of recording and analysing the journey.

Consequently, I have not deleted the posts, which now may seem to be redundant. I leave them as a record of my journey and hopefully, they may be of some interest to some of you.

Introduction

This post will hopefully help to define the names, terms and ‘combustion processes’ that I have used repeatedly and somewhat chaotically in my many dome stove posts.

These evolutionary and revolutionary stoves are designed for burning little sticks to provide cooking and heating in small backpacking winter tents. All the stoves in the series are made from the same stainless steel bowls. Some of these tent stove also transform into powerful ‘blower stoves’ when required for fast outdoor cooking.

The peak stove in the evolutionary series is the KISS stove that is only a tent stove, very simple, powerful and compact for ultralight backpacking.

The packing efficiency comes from the radical compact flue pipe that fits inside the ‘fire dome’ while backpacking. The compactness is made possible by flue pipe seam optimization combined with a novel flue pipe adaptor. It is all ‘topped-off’ with innovative improvements to flue pipe rolling that is great for all, but particularly small-diameter roll up flue pipes.

KISS stove top running on 37mm flue pipe.
KISS stove top running hot on 37mm diameter flue pipe. Both the fire dome top and walls are very hot, so it makes a great cooking stove and also a strong tent heater.

However, the KISS Stove can also have full ‘blower stove’ functionality built into it if required at the expense of a little bit more complexity and very little extra weight. Mixing and matching all the various design features described in the posts is quite practical and possible. So no post is really redundant.

Simple dome stove top.
A dome stove glowing a cheery red colour. This particular stove has an additional side fuelling port that is covered but there is a little light leakage from under the fuel port cover at about 7 O clock. This side fuel port coupled with the air port (out of sight) enables it to become a blower stove when required.

As another alternative, the KISS Stove can also have a separate blower stove carried efficiently within it when required.

Blower stove for a simple tiny tent stove.
A titanium roll up blower stove that can be packed efficiently inside the fire dome of a KISS Stove. It is an ultralight alternative that can also be used independently on trips when the tent stove is not required.

Dome stove components, terms, and related combustion processes

Dome stove

This is the generic term that I use for all my stoves that use the same tough but lightweight stainless steel bowl that forms the fire dome of tent stoves. The fire dome of the tent stove can interchangeably be transformed into the fire bowl for a blower stove. Both stoves are designed to burn long bush sticks for fuel even when the wood is damp or wet.

Pudding bowl tent stove night.
A cheery red hot dome stove for tent heating and cooking.

Blower stove

This is the generic term that I use to describe all my many stick burning stoves that use a tiny removable USB powered fan to burn long bush sticks as fuel in a powerful clean-burning stove for fast cooking outdoors.

The particular blower stove (photo below) referred to in this post have been uniquely designed with a fire bowl that can interchangeably be transformed into a fire dome for a dome stove for tent heating when required.

A litre of water at a powerful rolling boil on the Simple Fiddle Free Stove.
A litre of water at a powerful rolling boil on the a blower stove. The fire bowl that forms the burn chamber can transform into a fire dome of a dome stove for tent heating.

The description of the components will be under two headings; Part A- Dome stove for tent heating and Part B- Blower stove for outside cooking. As you read the post you will see things get a bit out of place as the two stoves may share so many interdependent parts and features.

Part A- Dome stove for tent heating

Kiss stove parts4.
An example of a dome stove parts from a Kiss stove dome stove. (A) Base guard tray, (B) Flame guide, (C) Fire dome, (D) Mounting bracket, (E) V-wire pot support, (F) Fire dome base disk, (G) Aluminium base cover, (H) Fuel/burner tube, (I) Guard tube and (J) Roll up flue pipe.

Fire dome

This is a shallow stainless steel bowl that when inverted forms the core of all the dome stoves. The dome is strong and has a flange around the opening. It helps to resist distortion when the stove undergoes frequent large temperature changes. The flange is used to laterally locate the flame guide and the fire dome base disk fits on it. The aluminium base cover wraps around the flange to hold the disk and flame guide in place. In tent stove mode, the outside bottom of the bowl becomes the top of the fire dome and this can be used as a cooktop.

Simple dome stove extra fuel port cover.
The fire dome of a dome stove for tent heating and cooking. The protruding flange on the bowl provided for the attachment of the aluminium base cover. The bottom of the bowl becomes the cook top. The sidewall provides strong radiant heat for the tent occupants. A mounting bracket can be seen welded to the fire dome wall at about 8 O Clock.

Fire dome base disk

This disk of thin heat resistant metal provides support for the fuel sticks, charcoal and combustion residues in the fire dome. It fits flush on the fire dome flange. The disk provides thermal protection for the thin aluminium foil base cover that is just below it.

Aluminium foil base cover

This cover seals the fire dome against excessive air leakage in through and ash out from the stove base. It also provides the holding force for the flame guide and the fire dome base disk by crimping the malleable foil around the flange of the fire dome.

The aluminium foil base cover is a circle of aluminium that is slightly bigger than the flange diameter. For example, it can be cut from a discarded disposable tart tray or baking dish. It is partly shown in the photo below, where it is largely covered by the fire dome base disk.

The malleable qualities of the aluminium foil base cover means that it can be carefully removed and replaced many times without significant damage. It is also cheap and easy to replace when the time comes. It also will give ‘fair warning’ of its demise.

Simple dome stove showing the space available for a small cooking pot
A dome stove showing the aluminium foil base cover where it has be folded around the flange on the fire dome to seal the stove and hold the fire dome base disk and the flame guide in place.
KISS stove parts packed inside the fire dome.
The KISS stove parts packed inside the fire dome which is sitting partially on the fire dome base disk which is sitting the aluminium foil base cover with only the up-turned outer edge protruding beyond the disk.

Base guard tray

The ‘blast zone’ that is directly below the fuel/burner tube burns charcoal that becomes exceedingly hot and there is no natural accumulation of ash, to act as an insulator, in this zone. Additional protection for this zone of the fire dome base disk can be provided by placing a small sacrificial base guard tray directly under it.

The edges of the base guard tray can be folded upwards to form a tray that will hold a layer of ash. This makes an excellent refractory insulator. The end of a bean tin etc can be used for this purpose. It also can act as a drip tray to catch any liquid fuels or solid fuels that become liquid within the fuel/burner tube. This will ensure its hot, clean and complete combustion by retaining it in the blast zone..

Also, away from the blast zone, ash will settle and it also provides general thermal protection of the whole fire dome base disk and the aluminium foil base cover that is immediately below. This extra insulation will be important if the stove is to be mounted on a wood stick ‘raft’ on a snow surface.

KISS stove parts ready to be packed inside the fire dome.
KISS stove parts ready to be packed inside the fire dome. The lid of a bean can (front left) has had its edges turn up to form a crude base guard tray. It holds an ash layer directly below the blast zone of the inverted J-burner. This protects the layers of metal that lay immediately below the inverted J-burner from excessive heat damage.

Exhaust and fuel ports

The fire dome will have at least two holes in the stove top or in the wall of the fire dome to facilitate the connection of a flue pipe (exhaust port/s) and also allow the feeding of fuel sticks (fuel port/s). It may have an extra fuel port and an air port in the wall if it is to also function as a blower stove. Some dome stoves convert to a blower stove and the simplest ones do not.

When the dome stove has a top fuel port the primary source of combustion air must pass around and through the loaded fuel sticks. This action restricts the airflow rate a little, but greatly increases the air velocity and enhances the vigour of the inverted J-burner combustion process.

Fuel/burner tube. This tube can be inserted into the top fuel port on a dome stove. It is inserted some way into the top fuel port to make it stable and to convey the incoming air further down than would be the case without the fuel/burner tube penetration. It also holds the fuel stick in a somewhat vertical orientation so that they naturally self-feed.

Inverted J-burner

The fuel/burner tube greatly enhances the combustion by directing the air downwards to preferentially burn the charcoal that is leftover from the pyrolysis of wood gas from the wood sticks. This burning action is also critical to the prevention of charcoal choking that is discussed next.

The burning action uses up excess charcoal to prevent CHARCOAL CHOKING that has troubled my many previous stove designs. The turbulence greatly improves wood gas and air mixing and also greatly improves the distribution of heat to more of the surface area of the fire dome. This means that more of the fire dome becomes ‘red hot’ for cooking and the comfort of campers.

Hybrid dome stove fuelled from top port.
An example of the fuel/burner tube holding the fuel sticks upright in a fire dome so that they self-feed. The large red hot surface area is a consequence of the fuel/burner tube forming an inverted J-burner in the fire dome and improving the heat distribution, particularly to the walls of the fire dome.

The insertion depth of the fuel/burner tube can be limited by a protruding tab that is attached to the tube.

Simple dome stove improved fuel-air tube.
Fuel/burner tube for a dome stove. when inserted into the fuel port in the top of the fire dome it turbocharges the stoves combustion by making it an inverted J-burner. The shiny ring that is just above the grey portion has a tab on it that limits the penetration of the fuel/burner tube into the top fuel port of the fire dome. The fitting of the tube keeps the fuel sticks largely upright, but also allows some slack to be able to ‘jiggle’ the sticks to consolidate the fuel loading and break off the charcoal stems that form on the bottom of the fuel sticks. The long thin handle on the tube provides a means of safely adjusting the tube.

The same stove can be operated without the fuel/burner tube. In this case it will give a slower and less aggressive burn.

However, it will accumulate charcoal and eventually cause charcoal choking that could obstruct the exhaust path and prevents the stove from working satisfactorily. Also in this mode, the burning fuel sticks will be unstable, and will fall out, as the lower ends burn off, if not properly managed.

Lastly, reverse burning is likely to become an issue if the fuel sticks are dry. It should only be used as a temporary measure with very close supervision.

Regulation of burn rate with regular 40mm flue pipe by removing fuel tube and having sloping fuel sticks.
Fueling a dome stove with sticks without the use of a fuel/burner tube. It causes a slower combustion and for safety needs to be carefully managed

Reverse burning

This is my term for a particular problem for some stoves with an inverted J burner. The fundamental cause of the problem is the deprivation of the flue pipe heat and draft.

It can be caused by a wood gas ‘flame out’, but most often by insufficient wood fuel moving into the pyrolysis zone to support wood gas production and the subsequent flame and hot gas. This gas and flame are essential to sustain the critical flue pipe draft in a stove with an inverted burner. These conditions are described in detail in micro tent stove design.

The wood fuel deprivation can be caused by a suboptimal burner design and is compounded by factors such as dry and rotten fuel sticks, sticks with a shape that can get ‘hung-up’ in the fuel/burner tube and lastly by charcoal choking.

Charcoal choking

This is my term that I use to describe the build-up of charcoal in a burner such that it; (1) Starts to block the exhaust path and diminishing the stoves performance. (2) It also can simply stop the entry of fresh fuel down the fuel/burner tube. charcoal choking is described in a separate post.

Guard tube

The guard tube is an extension of the lower end of the flue pipe. It sacrificially protects the formal flue pipe by suffering the high-temperature damage that would otherwise damage a tiny portion (~50mm) at the bottom of the formal flue pipe. This would otherwise result in the damaged portion being cut off periodically to keep the pipe serviceable.

On the other hand, the guard tube can be trimmed the same way and eventually can be easily replaced when it becomes too short to be serviceable. The guard tube is described in a detailed post, guard tube.

The formed sacrificial flue pipe guard mounted in the exhaust port of a dome stove.
The formed sacrificial flue pipe guard tube mounted in the exhaust port of a dome stove. The protruding portion of the seam overlap acts to stop the guard tube dropping into the stove too far, while at the top of the guard tube it acts to stop the flue pipe slipping down too far. The holding ring in the middle of the guard tube can be adjusted according to the guard tube taper that is discussed next.

Flue pipe adaptor. The design of the guard tube means that it can be tapered. This means that it can be used as a flue pipe adaptor that allows the use of flue pipes with smaller diameters than the exhaust port. This, in turn, allows more flexible and compact stove designs such as the KISS Stove where the rolled up flue pipe and flue pipe adaptor can both be rolled up to fit neatly inside the fire dome for efficient backpacking. The flue pipe adaptor is described in detail in a separate post.

Formed sacrificial flue pipe guard tubes made from 0.1mm stainless steel foil (left), 0.4mm stailess steel sheet from cube-side kitchen rubbish (middle) and ti-plate from a coffee can (right).
Formed sacrificial flue pipe guard tubes made from 0.1mm stainless steel foil (left), 0.4mm stainless steel sheet from cube-side kitchen rubbish (middle) and tin-plate from a coffee can (right). The strip of foil from which they are formed is the same width as the flue pipe foil and so can be rolled up with the flue pipe roll for efficient and compact backpacking. They can also be tapered so that they can make a flue pipe adaptor to use with flue pipes with smaller diameters.

Mounting wires

These wire can be lashed around bush poles to form legs for the tent stove or a blower stove when required. They can be used to mount the stove up above the snow surface, the bottom of a snow pit or the ground. The mounting wires make a simple stable and insulating connection between the red hot fire dome and the wooden poles.

Simple dome stove leg ready to connect stove mounting wire.
A bush pole stove leg that is ready to be connected to a stove mounting wire.
Simple dome stove leg with stove mounting wire.
A bush pole stove leg that is connected to a stove mounting wire.

Flame guide

This is an expendable and removable folded piece of sheet metal that forms a ‘wall’ that separates the main burn chamber from a smaller chamber that leads to the exhaust port. It has a ‘foot’ bent out on the bottom of the wall. This sits on the fire dome base disk. The top is gently rolled over so that it gently caresses the ceiling of the fire dome. The flame guide is clipped to the flange of the fire dome by two tiny folded triangular tabs on the end of the ‘foot’ of the flame guide.

The flame guide attachment is done before the placement of the fire dome base disk. It sits on its wide bent foot on the fire dome base disk. It makes a dividing ‘wall’ between the fuel port and exhaust port so that the flame and gas must take the long path from the fuel port to the exhaust port. A portion of the guide is cut away at the end of this wall that is furthest away from the fuel port. This makes a path for exhaust gas to pass through. It also creates turbulence to aid the combustion of residual wood gas in the second chamber.

Dome stove flame guide.
A much-used flame guide from a dome stove. It is an older version with only one little triangular mounting tab formed on the flame guide foot (near left) that sits on the fire dome base disk. I continue to use it to test its durability, but the latest design has tabs at both the back and front to make it more secure, as shown below.
Flame guide pattern beside a replacement guide made from olive oil can tin plate.
A pattern for a flame guide (left) and a replacement flame guide, with front and back mounting tabs. It is made from olive oil can tin plate.

The attachment of the flame guide to the flange of the fire dome is demonstrated in the video below.

Mounting brackets

These are a series of brackets that are welded around the middle of the circumference of the fire dome/fire bowl wall.

These brackets serve five possible functions: (1) Mounting of the V-wire pot support on the fire dome in tent stove mode. (2) A connection point for mounting wires when the stove is to be mounted on bush pole legs. (3) Tie-down points if the stove is to be mounted on rocks or on an insulated ‘raft of sticks’ to keep the stove above the snow surface. (4) Mounting of the V-wire pot support on the fire bowl in blower stove mode to support a second pot (nesting pot/s). (5) Mounting points for another mystery stove application that will be the subject of another post.

Photo of tent stove tied to rocks

Photo of tent stove tied to a stick raft and foil insulator on snow surface

Photo of tent stove on pole legs with wood rack below.

V-wire pot support

These simple bent wire devices provide supplementary support for cooking pots. In tent stove mode it supports the overhang of a large cooking pot.

The very simple KISS Stove with only two hole. The removable wire on the side can support the overhang of a large cooking pot.
The very simple KISS Stove with only one fuel port and one exhaust port. The removable V-wire on the side can support the overhang of a large cooking pot. There are another three mounting brackets (one out of sight). These form mounting points to connect with insulating mounting wires that can connect to bush poles mounting legs. These can keep the dome stove up above the ground or snow surface.
Simple dome stove supporting a large pot.
A dome stove supporting a large dinner pot safely with the aid of a V-wire pot support.

This short video shows the assembly of the stove parts taking about 1 minute. KISS stove assembly.

Part B- Blower stove for outside cooking

Fire bowl

This is the name I give to the fire dome when it is transitioned to blower stove mode by tipping it ‘downside up’. The bowl is set with the opening upwards to become an open bowl to contain the ends of burning bush sticks.

In use, the fire bowl is normally covered entirely by a cooking pot and this closure is essential for the optimum combustion conditions within the fire bowl.

Dual purpose stove cooker boil with blower fan operating.
The fire bowl of a dome stove securely holding the custom cooking pot in place for unlimited, fast, easy and safe cooking.

Custom cooking pot

The custom cooking pot has a rebate around the bottom (shown in photos below) that fits neatly into the flange of the fire bowl. It creates a stable fit that seals against leakage of flames around most of the pot. This, in turn, creates a safe work zone for tending to the cooking without the risk of burning hands. It also prevents food from being burnt-on to the sides of the pot.

Other large posts can be used on the blower stove, but they will be unstable if they have a similar diameter to the fire bowl opening and have rounded corners. Also, if necessary, small pots can be put in the fire bowl, but this is more like cooking on a campfire, but with a bit more stability.

Simple dome stove plus inverted fire dome as the bowl set up as a blower stove.
The same V-wire, as shown above, is now connected to the mounting brackets in blower stove mode. This provides support for a second nesting pot. The round fuel port cover, with the long insulated handle, beside the stove (8 Oclock) is placed over the fuel port when the stove is returned to tent stove mode. It can be held in place by two welded cleats that are located on each side of the side fuel port.

The custom cooking pot also is designed to work well with the tent dome stove. It is designed to efficiently contain all the stove components within it while backpacking. Use of it for packing also helps to protect other packed items from damage from the flange of the fire dome that would otherwise protrude.

The above pots and their lids compactly and safely packed up with room inside for a tent dome stove and or a blower stove.s
The strong custom cooking pot with room inside for all dome stove and blower stove parts. This kit is topped with a light steel toffee tin lid that is used to cook pancakes etc for supper. I normally pack the kit in a tough plastic bag (postage) and then squeeze it into the stretchy fabric bag with light drawstring and lock (shown below the pot). This keeps the kit firmly held together and any sooty smells within.

Nesting pots

The custom cooking pot is designed to fit commonly available lightweight pots that will ‘nest’ over it. These very light pots are intrinsically weak for backpacking. However, when nested with other pots this weakness is of no consequence. With this nesting arrangement, the kit can even have a third or fourth ultralight pot within the compact kit. This is very efficient and useful if the stove is used for a group of people. There is a detailed post on pots pans lids and lifters that deals with this.

Dome stove with a second pot supported by a V-wire and two rocks.
A blower stove with a second nesting pot supported by a V-wire and two rocks. It allows fast boiling in the custom pot and simmering, slower boiling and snow melting in the second nesting pot.
Dome stove packed up in a second pot.
Dome stove packed up within two nesting pots. More pots can be efficiently added for expedition or gourmet cooking. The rebate on the bottom of the custom pot is shown. It makes for a safe fitting into the flange of the fire bowl.

Add photo of three pots nested around the stove.

Side fuel port

The side fuel port needs to be available to feed long fuel sticks into the blower stove. The port also serves a second function of allowing entry of secondary air for clean combustion. Hence, the port must be large enough to serve both functions.

The side fuel port must be covered in tent stove mode. However, it can also be used to advantage in tent stove mode. Short chunky fuel sticks can be added through this port to supplement the fuelling through the fuel/burner tube. The orientation and position of this supplementary fuel means that combustion will be slower and will leave significant charcoal residues that would otherwise be absent when only the fuel/burner tube is used. This slower ‘idle’ can be a ‘handy functionality’ during busy camping activities when an accumulated bed of charcoal is welcome for ‘holding fire’ in readiness for rapid re-starting the stove when required.

To enhance the above charcoal idle combustion a top fuel port cover or blanking disk can be used to block the downdraft action that attacks the charcoal. This can ideally be made from the curved bottom of a small aluminium energy drink can. Cooking foil, a bean can lid or cooking pot would suffice.

Add photo of top fuel port cover with long handle sitting on top port.

Blower fan assembly

This provides a forced air jet that promotes the gasification process and primary combustion of the wood gas in the blower stove.

Miniature Dome stove, in blower stove mode. An abundant source of cooking power for winter trekkers.
A dome stove transformed into a blower stove mode. showing the blower fan assembly in the foreground. The stove is operating in rain and consequently, there is very little flame exiting from the fuel port. However, a rolling boil is still achieved and the wet wood will be dried ready for combustion when inside the fire bowl

Air port

The fire bowl also needs to have another port in the wall to admit the jet of air from the blower fan assembly to make the blower stove run at full power. A cover for the hole is also required to use it as a dome stove.

Simple dome stove plus inverted fire dome as the bowl for a blower stove.
A fire bowl from a dome stove showing the small air port in the side wall of the fire bowl (10 Oclock).

Air port cover

This cover is used to close the air port when in tent stove mode. It has a long insulated handle to allow it to be safely removed and re-attached to the port on the hot fire dome.

Dome Stove 20mm hole cover.
An easily removable and replaceable air port cover for the air port for when the stove is used as a dome stove in tent stove mode.The fluoro beads make it easier to find at night time.

The air port can be used as a supplementary fuelling port in tent stove. Highly combustible fuels can be added through the port to; start, restart or to ‘rev-up’ the stove if the wood gas flame is extinguished. For example a paper waxies can be inserted and easily ignited from the outside of the fire dome and the flame will instantly be drawn in to ignite the smoke and make the combustion self sustaining once more.

A short video of the fast ignition of a smoking dome stove with a paper waxie that is inserted through the open air port.

Air entry tip

This sugar-scoop shaped cone fits into the air port and lodges tightly within the port. It provides an opening through which a jet of air can be blasted into burning sticks and charcoal to intense heat and abundant hot wood gas for combustion. The conical shape and cutaway on the tip make for easy docking of the blower fan assembly in daylight or darkness.

Conical air input port for Blower stove. This port is tapered to make easy entry of the blower assembly and has a sloping cutaway on the outer end of the cone (left ends). This cutaway makes; easy docking of the blower assembly with the port, an open venting port for blowback flames and gases and allows clearance for the anti blowback flap when it is in the raised position allowing the air jet to blow into the burner. The two tabs on the smaller end of the cone are used to lock the port into the stove body. The tab closest to the small end retains the port in the stove and the other tab stops the port being pushed in too far.
Air entry tips

The open cutaway on the outer end of the air entry tip forms a natural vent to preferentially divert blowback flames and smoke away from the plastic components of the blower fan assembly. The blowback is occasionally caused by a strong wind blowing into the fuel port when the fan is stopped.

The shape also makes it easy to quickly remove and replace the blower fan assembly to prevent blowback damage.

Simple dome stove plus inverted fire dome as the bowl set up as a blower stove.
Blower stove with air entry tip inserted and lodged tightly into the side air port (~9 O’clock). The air tube of the blower fan assembly is cradled in the air entry tip, leaving a venting space for blow back flames.
Ultralight blower stove blowback protection activated and harmlessly venting hot gas and flames into the air while protecting the plastic blower fan from damage by these gases. The critical non return flap valve operates automatically and protects the fan from damage if there is a wind gust that causes a blowback. This means that the stove can be conveniently and safely used in the battery-saving 'pulsed voltage mode' without risk of the fan being damaged by blowback gases.
An example of a venting blow back flame.

Alcohol backup stove

Alcohol stove

The dome stove, when configured as a blower stove, can also be used as a windshield and pot stand for a backup alcohol stove cooking. The burner must be very small if it is to fit inside the fire dome with all the other stove parts. It also needs to have a very low profile to fit beneath the cooking pot and leave an adequate flame clearance. A whisky or wine bottle lid can make a very effective and efficient alcohol burner for this purpose. More details can be found in alcohol burner for ultralight blower stoves.

Wine bottle lids as alcohol burners for back up cooking in a blower stove. Left to right; bare lid with sealing disk removed and screw thread rolled flat, same again with rock wool anti-spill fill and bare lid with a telescopic stainless steel chimney/flame guide

Other related posts

Dome stoves for tent heating

Tent stove- a tiny backpacking stove
Gallery index for Miniature Dome Stove- a Three-in-one stove and the Hybrid Miniature Dome Stove

Roll up flue pipes

Part 1.- DIY roll up stove pipe improvements

A dome stove that incorporates a blower stove

A convertible tent stove that can do outdoor cooking

Alcohol backup stove

Backup alcohol burner for ultralight blower stove
Backpacking pots, pans, lids & lifters

Tim

15 Comments

  1. Tested my stove this weekend. How do I post pictures?

    1. Author

      Hi Mike, I will get back to you about posting the photos when I return from my trip away. Tim

      1. Author

        Hi Mike, I am back from the walk in one piece even if a little sore and tired. I have uploaded your photos to my website Media Library and have put the links below to share with others. You may like to add a descriptive comments, particularly for #3 as I can’t quite understand all that I see. Tim
        Mike Stove1
        Mike Stove2
        Mike Stove3

        1. First picture is everything unloaded from the big pot. It all fits with room for kindling too. My flame guide covers both horizontal and vertical area. Outlet is a muffler fitting (38mm OD and 38mmID) Metal stakes hook on to the buckles of stove to make it behave. Stove pipe was a wider width and I cut it down with scissors to make it 38mm diameter. Otherwise it would not fit in stove for travel.
          Second picture is Kiss stove after just a few minutes of feeding it split pine lumber. You could hear the air roar through the pipe. After two days, the foil on stove pipe is no worse for wear some my muffler fitting is doing its job.
          Third picture was taken with a flash. See my pot stand in front and my reflector in back. It folds up and takes no room. It doubles as a windbreak and a table surface.

          1. Author

            Hi Mike, Thanks for the details. That all makes sense to me. Also, I think that your burning of pine lumber may explain why your stove burns hotter than mine. I use damp Australian gum wood to mimic what I use when bushwalking. It burns well but more slowly and makes more charcoal than pine. Tim

  2. I am making the KISS stove. After snooping around for a SS bowl, I hit the jackpot on amazon. I will attach a picture to explain a lot.
    Inverting this vessel gives be the ability to buckle the bottom (lid) down. I removed the silicon gasket. Now the buckles are loose so I am wondering if I should bend the buckles or add a stove gasket to tighten them back up. I used the smaller bowl for the KISS stove and the largest bowl for a carry case.
    For stove pipe, I went with 1 1/2″ (38mm) Main reason is to have a rolled up pipe that fits inside the stove.
    For bands, I cut metal strips and cemented them with lots of 2000degree F stove gasket silicone. I dont know if they will behave so I found some 1 1/2″ binder rigs on Amazon.
    For a flame guide, I will use 5mm SS. Lid has “rings” imbedded in them so bottom will have an irregular contour.. So the flame guide will be 90 degree bent to cover the bottom and form a vertical divider.
    Guard tube is a muffler fitting. One end is 1 1/2″ ID and other end is 1 1/2″ OD.
    This project has turned into a monster and my wife is shaking her head.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTSYJQ8Q?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

    1. Author

      Hi Mike, It sounds as though you understand the design quite well. I look forward to the photos. Reducing air leakage through unintended cracks is so critical for good performance. You could try to make a substitute gasket from a ring of twisted aluminium cooking foil. It even could be bonded with a little RTV silicone rubber as the bottom of the stove does not get so hot. Even the original silicone rubber gasket should be good up to 300C. I am sure that your wife is shaking her head in wonder. When you have this wood fired stove under control (and your wife’s approval), have a look at my latest Micro Oil Heater For A Small Tent. That should get a lot of head shaking! Keep up the good work and please keep us posted with your progress. Tim

      1. I found a stove gasket that resembles rope. I intend to unravel it to make a smaller twine that I will cement in the lid with stove gasket cement. That will make a tight seal. I can take metal tent stakes and hook them to the buckles to secure the stove to the ground. Original idea was to go with 2 1/2″ stove pipe. Decided to go 38mm. I took the wider titanium material and cut it down with scissors. I had to burnish the sharp edge afterwards. I have built this stove several times in my mind and will have finished pictures soon.

        1. Author

          Hi Mike, I look forward to the photos. Tim

  3. Where can you get access to the raw materials.

    Also can you prototype in rolled stainless or does it burn up too easy

    1. Author

      Hi Michael, I have had my fire bowls and matching cooking pots custom made as a batch. They are very fire tough!

      Rolled stainless steel foil (0.1mm thick hard alloy) is generally what I use for the other components. Similar titanium foil is also good (I have both), but it is more expensive and less available. Both will burn out slowly where there is a combination of extreme heat, excess oxygen and gas agitation or vigorous mixing (eg where the flame/gas sharply changes direction as it enters the start of the stovepipe). Consequently, I use the very tough SS fire bowl in combination with the SS foil and make the vulnerable foil parts cheap and easy to replace (eg the Flame Guide and the sacrificial Guard Tube). Even aluminium foil has its place (eg Aluminium Base Cover). I purchased my SS foil in bulk rolls. Its wide roll width makes it versatile for prototyping. I have a 10*lifetimes supply, so would be happy to share/barter/trade some. Similar applies to the fire bowls and pots. Please send me an email if you are interested.

      If you are not concerned so much about weight, stainless steel from kerbside rubbish is another rich material source. My post on DIY Replacement Stove Parts details other scrap metals that can be used. They may be heavier or decay more quickly, but are still very functional and will give many hours of pleasure.

      Even humble ‘coffee tin’ type sheet metal will give good service with careful use and an appropriate design. This is exemplified in my posts: A Tent Stove From Biscuit/Cookie Tin- A One Weekend Wonder and also Improved Oil Drum Tent Stove. They are much more than ‘one weekend wonders’ and are excellent for prototyping.

      I hope this helps,
      Tim

    2. Author

      Michael, Also I should have reminded you to sign up for my Newsletter if you would like to. It is not too frequent.
      Tim

  4. Hi Tim-
    Thanks for all the thorough post and great information! As I look a mimicking your design I”m looking at alternative dome bodies. Do you think something like this SS flan mold would work? https://www.amazon.com/Flanera-Stainless-Steel-quart-capacity/dp/B00E6BRAMA/ref=sr_1_19?crid=231JUYRBP3J5N&keywords=flan+mold&qid=1644354060&s=home-garden&sprefix=flan+mold%2Cgarden%2C79&sr=1-19

    with its clips to secure the bottom it may eliminate the need for the dome cover and aluminum base disk. Thanks, and I love your site!

    1. Author

      Hi Brian, Thanks for your comment and questions. Yes, that little pot would make a good compact stove of my design. I picked one up in a thrift shop for $2 for the same purpose. The clips and lid should make a good and simple stove bottom. I thought that the three clips for the lid could also be used to attach three legs, as I do when camping on snow. However, I like my custom fire bowl and pot/s much better as they are very tough SS and they fit together efficiently with other pots. Maybe this is not so important for you, but for me small and light is important for the backpacking that I do.
      Regards,
      Tim

      1. Thanks Tim-

        Yes, I like the idea of how well all your parts and cook kit nests together just perfectly! And that is always the end goal for sure.

        I had the same thought on the clips and legs–might do some experimenting with some barrel nuts and such.

        I really like your stepped pot setup–Reminds me a lot of an old SIGG tourist post set for a SVEA 123. I might have a stainless one kicking around somewhere actually…I think they are a little bigger size wise, but might be fun to experiment with.

        Thanks again for all the great information and our thoughtful response.

        Cheers,
        -Brian

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