My 5 gallon pail rocket stove idea. LOG: 2015-02-27 9:42 AM (UPDATED March 1st 2015)

GuyThaLizard 5 Gallon Pail RocketStove UPDATED March 01 2015

 5 Gallon Pail RocketStove Idea

A re-do of my 5 gallon stove idea. Using the RocketStove concept.
(you will see the changes briefly in the video below)

I put a hole in the center of the lid like a rocketstove and may later enlarge the hole to the size of my kettle, still thinking on that. A larger hole will increase the draft at the bottom but a hole that is too large may be a problem causing too much unwanted flame around the bottom of the pot making it hard to take a pot off without getting burned and cause the flames to go around the sides of the pot. Might as well just have an open firepit and hang the pot with a chain. Controlling the wood consumption in the stove is a far more efficient idea.

The tin you see is a very old tin. Probably was used for varnish or an oil of some sort back in the 1970's. I am not sure if you can buy a tin of that gauge any more. I managed to pick this one up from my dad, he had it kicking around in the yard. It is a very solid tin.

While experimenting with different ideas to keep the pot up high enough from the exhaust hole I finally settled with the backpacker\s grill that I had for kayaking trips. Using a backpacker's grill it can easily span the top of the tin can lid.

One hole in the front for feeding the fire. Also wood can be fed large amounts from the top by easily removing the lid of the tin. This works great initially to get things started with a full load. Can easily load the pail with large pine-cones and pine needles for a quick start. I am entertaining the thought of adding a feed pipe on the bottom hole, not sure if I will or not. Using it in this firepit works well already for feeding the fire from the lower hole.

This is still a work in progress. Once I get what I want I will paint it with high temperature BBQ paint. The nice thing about using the 5 gallon pail rather than a 1 gallon pail is the burn time and while at camp I would like the longer burn time for cooking dinner and relaxing by the stove for warmth in the evenings.

UPDATE March 04 2015
Well tested my new rocketstove design out this evening and it boiled one quart of cold water in under 10 minutes and barely used any wood to do it. It's a winner, now just have to clean it up tomorrow and find some BBQ paint. I think we have some kicking around here at the house.

UPDATE March 05 2015
Thinking.. if I was to put a coil of copper pipe in the tin it may make for a great water heater for maybe an outdoor hot-tub while using the stove. For an idea I added a YouTube video from someone who had the same sort of idea.

My rocketstove water heater idea for the camp shower

UPDATE: March 12 2015
The above photo is my hotwater tank. I used a 5 gallon pail two 1/2" poly pipe connectors, glued with heavy duty silicone glue. The two lines coming from the pail are slightly smaller in diameter than 1/2". I ran the tubes to the 10 foot long by 1/2" copper pipe I made into a coil. The copper coil sits in a BBQ briquette lighter.

This tin BBQ lighter I placed on top of the rocket stove. The water in the 5 gallon pail reached 80 degrees in about one hour of running the rocketstove. Then after about another half hour was at 90 degrees. Hot enough for a nice shower.  I had to remove the air in the lines and coil to get the water to naturally circulate.

So all in all this should be handy while camping on our kayaking trips. Boil water for coffee while heating 5 gallons of water for the shower or for washing dishes.
I think a priming bulb would work better, attaching the bulb on the bottom line (the cold line). from the 5 gallon pail I will pump the water using a bailing pump into the camp shower. On top of the BBQ briquette lighter tin I have my coffee kettle heating up at the same time for my coffee.

Update: March 14 2015

Used some 3M Super 77 spray on glue to stick the blue camping foam to the water container.

 BBQ spray paint for the rocketstove part.

also spray painted the container that holds the heating coil.

Giving my contraption a finished look and protect it from rust.





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