Thread: Rocket stove

Inspired by @40mm's project I decided to quickly make a rocket stove using some short bits of 100mm box steel I had lying around.
I wasn't sure the vertical heat tube was quite tall enough to draw well so tacked the offcuts onto top. If works well I'll tidy it up, add a door, etc. Not the prettiest welding (particularly at the top) but less than 2hrs total effort so overall happy with it.
Will be interesting how it goes when try it this weekend.


Google has lots of rocket stove variants https://www.google.com/search?q=rock...active&ssui=on

Cool. Been wanting to build one of these for ages but keeps getting bumped to the bottom of the list.

There's plenty of great vids on large double burn heaters used to heat off grid homes that really interest me. Would love to build one but don't think the insurance company would be to happy.

If you can handle the yankee twang in their voices, this gives a good idea of a 'rocket stove, mass heater'
Seems like a bloody good way to heat the house.
There is a much better educational tutorial about making these but I cannot find it...

Anyway, the 200L drum gives off instant radiant heat, while the long horizontal portion of the flu, which is contained in the 'bench seat' transfers heat to the seat, which releases the heat slowly and keeps the place warm for a long time.

Also, the wood usage is super low, so a no brainer really.

If I make the move to the South Island, I will probably make one of these.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYJy...ittlehomestead

Originally Posted by uk_exile

Inspired by @40mm's project I decided to quickly make a rocket stove using some short bits of 100mm box steel I had lying around.
I wasn't sure the vertical heat tube was quite tall enough to draw well so tacked the offcuts onto top. If works well I'll tidy it up, add a door, etc. Not the prettiest welding (particularly at the top) but less than 2hrs total effort so overall happy with it.
Will be interesting how it goes when try it this weekend.
Attachment 200564

Google has lots of rocket stove variants https://www.google.com/search?q=rock...active&ssui=on

While not wanting to be a drag, this looks to be galvanised - be careful of the fumes as the galvanising burns off if you get the flue red hot. https://www.safetymanualosha.com/wel...anized-metals/

I'm looking at building one myself, but not sure whether it will be before or after the gas bottle stove, or the....

The mass heater versions are really efficient. I just built this one at play with at lake and beach. I'm keen to get that rocket roar noise going
Will be interesting how long it'll take to get the 4mm thick vertical box to glow


Will be used in open spaces so not concerned about fumes. There a were few fumes when welding though.........

one other thing I remembered from the tutorial that I cannot find......

Insulate the hell out of the burn chamber to increase efficiency.

I am in the process of making a gas bottle heater/wood burner/hot plate cooker myself at the moment and was going to have a crack at making a couple of little rocket stoves as well .
Be interested to know just how much heat is produced as I had thought about using just a small rocket stove for an outside heater rather than an open fire thinking it could be placed a little closer to the tent and less risk of fire spreading or breaking out being it is contained . Going by some of those youtube vids they would appear to produce plenty of heat quickly enough but I wonder if/how well that heat is projected and whether it could be used as a warmer/heater instead of a open fire , or more suited to simple cooking operations rather than to warm cold bodies ....

Gas bottle heater nearly done , just need to find some big tubing to make chimney...

I think the little uninsulated ones are more about cooking (and spectacle when stoked up) than for space heating i.e. heat all come out the top.
Maybe could add a deflector at top of rocket stove to project the heat in one direction? We've got a Great Outdoors vintage parabolic reflector type heater that goes on a companion style LPG camping bottle and it's surprisingly effective.

Originally Posted by uk_exile

I think the little uninsulated ones are more about cooking (and spectacle when stoked up) than for space heating i.e. heat all come out the top.
Maybe could add a deflector at top of rocket stove to project the heat in one direction? We've got a Great Outdoors vintage parabolic reflector type heater that goes on a companion style LPG camping bottle and it's surprisingly effective.

yeah, true.
I have seen rocket stoves made from digging into a clay bank and then digging a vertical flue from above.
Be handy if you knew the camp site had such a bank

Awesome! I've build one for one of the fellas working with me. 100x100 tubing

Originally Posted by Jaco Goosen

Awesome! I've build one for one of the fellas working with me. 100x100 tubingAttachment 200583

Is the grid on top to put your toast on???

Hahaha. I just liked the idea of having a flat area to place the frying pan on. Im clumsy and tend to knock stuff over.