How to Make a Wood Burning Backpacker's Stove
Small backpacking stoves are often carried by hikers and backpackers as a means of cooking in the back country. From heating water to simple food preparation, backpacking stoves are typically small and lightweight to help keep overall pack weight at a minimum. Many stoves are available for backpacking use. However, a simple and efficient wood burning stove can be made at home with only a few simple supplies and is fueled by readily available tinder. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- 46-oz. can
- Soap and water
- Ruler
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
- Permanent marker
- Drill with bit.
- Can opener
- Church key bottle opener
- File
- Metal snips
- Small diameter tubing
- Tinder
Instructions
-
-
1
Place a 46-ounce can on a work surface and open using a can opener. Remove the top from the aluminum an with a manual or electric can opener. Empty the contents and wash the inside of the can with soap and water.
-
2
Mark a V shape on one side of the can with a permanent marker and a ruler. Draw a line 4-inch line along and just below the top edge of the can. Make a small dot with the marker at both ends of the line.
-
-
3
Locate the center point of the 4-inch line and draw a 4.5-inch line straight down the can to locate the bottom of the V. Make a small dot at the bottom point of the V. Draw a line from the dot at the bottom of the V up to the dots on both ends of the top line to form a V shape.
-
4
Put on a pair of gloves and safety glasses. Drill holes in the can where all three dots were made for the V shape. Insert a pair of metal snips into one of the holes and cut out the V shape moving from hole to hole. Remove the V shape from the metal can to serve as a vent hole for the stove.
-
5
File the cut out V shape in the can with a metal file to remove any sharp edges that could cause injury.
-
6
Turn the can around so that the V shaped vent is away from you. Mark a point at the base of the can that is centered and opposite the bottom of the V with a permanent marker. Flip the can over so the closed end is now facing up.
-
7
Cut a air intake hole with the church key on a can opener. Place the lip of the key on the edge of the can above the marked point. Push the point of the key into the side of the can for form a small V shape. Bend the metal V shape back as far as possible into the can stove.
-
8
Cut four more air intake vents along the edge of the can. Position two small V shaped intakes on either side of the first centered vent. Space the additional vents out 1/2-inch apart. Turn the wood burning backpacker stove over for use.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Add a small diameter tube to the base of the stove to help introduce air into the stove.
Place paper, dry grass and other small tinder into the base of the stove and light. Add larger pieces of tinder as necessary to build the fire for cooking.
