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I saw a folding stove at Wally World that was made of cheap ass aluminum and figured that I could make one better and not have to spend the 10 bucks to buy that hunk of trash. So at work I drew up some plans and set out to the shop. i started with a sheet of 1/16" stainless steel. cut out three pieces 6"x5". i marked the base 1/2" in on opposite sides and bent them up 90 degrees, then popped some 1/8" holes 1/4" in and up on each corner. i marked one of the sides 7/16" in on each bend edge and 7/16" out on the third piece and bent all into 90's. punched the same 1/8" hole 1/4" in and up at two corners per piece. took a pop riviter and popped some SS rivets in all four corners, securing the sides to the base, again one side inside the base, the other outside. now i had the meat of the stove but needed something to secure the sides so they wouldnt hinge when i put a pot on it.

so i made fins, 1"x7"(i will have to check to be sure). cut out three fins and drilled a 1/4" hole through the center of each. then i cut 1/4" slots 1/2" in on each side of the fins. to make them fit the frame nicely, i also cut 1/4" slots in the mating edge of the sides of the frame to fit together snugly. you can see them in the half folded picture.

finally, i needed a way to secure the fins to the stove when it was folded. so i took a 1/4"x3/4" dowel and drilled a 1/16" hole near the end, through the center. after that, i welded the dowl onto the center of the outside (top when folded) side of the frame. i could now slip the fins onto the dowel and put a hitch pin through the hole in the dowel to secure them. it was at this point that i realized that i had cut the dowel slightly too long and the fins would flop around. they would stay on the dowel, they just spun around all nimbly bimbly like and i didnt like it. so i just simply bent the fins slightly and added a washer to secure them. and viola! i have a homemade wood, gel, gas stove that takes up a 6"x6"x1" footprint and can hold any pot i want to put on it. i assembled it and tested it out using a 50lb scale verifying weight we had laying around the shop and it held up just fine.

this is the finished product. it measures a little over 6" tall (at top of fins) and a 6" footprint


side view. notice the fins are slightly bent. that will come into play later.


and yes, it folds flat. one side inside the base, one out.


finished product folded and ready for your 72hr bag.


this is the stud that i welded onto one of the sides to hold the fins together when it is folded.


let me know if anyone wants more details or specifics on it.

And, Olly, I this needs moved, feel free to do so.

EDIT: the one time i arrange the pics for the ass bakward tapatalk posting, they post in the right order!!

Sorry for the crappy pics. They didn't look that bad on my phone.

And here is a close up of the corner and rivet.

Not too shabby

That's pretty cool.

But have ya cooked anything on it yet?

Redbeard wrote:But have ya cooked anything on it yet?

It's not for cooking on, it is for emergencies.

RonE wrote:

Redbeard wrote:But have ya cooked anything on it yet?

It's not for cooking on, it is for emergencies.

Haha!

RonE wrote:

Redbeard wrote:But have ya cooked anything on it yet?

It's not for cooking on, it is for emergencies.

Duh!

I guess I'm just too old to understand. I throw a bunch of brush and sticks in a pile and burn them, emergency or not.
While it looks like you did a great job, why do you need it? What exactly is it's purpose?
Seems like in an emergency the last thing you need is a chunk of metal to carry around.

I just wanted to see if I could make it. There is two things I can see being a benefit over just a camp fire. One, the gel fuel is virtually smokeless. Two, its easier to set a larger pan on or to boil water with that rigging up a tp to hang a pail of water over a fire.

And it's faster to light the gel and throw it in this thing than to build a fire.

And come to think of it, I could use it in my boat to cook/warm up breakfast.

QH's Paw wrote:I guess I'm just too old to understand. I throw a bunch of brush and sticks in a pile and burn them, emergency or not.
While it looks like you did a great job, why do you need it? What exactly is it's purpose?
Seems like in an emergency the last thing you need is a chunk of metal to carry around.

you really know how to make prepping uncool don't ya Mike

huntall6 wrote:I just wanted to see if I could make it. There is two things I can see being a benefit over just a camp fire. One, the gel fuel is virtually smokeless. Two, its easier to set a larger pan on or to boil water with that rigging up a tp to hang a pail of water over a fire.

And it's faster to light the gel and throw it in this thing than to build a fire.

So, you're saying you gotta carry around a container of gel too?

huntall6 wrote:And come to think of it, I could use it in my boat to cook/warm up breakfast.

I don't think building a fire of any kind on a piece of metal in your boat is a good idea.
I'm honestly not trying to bust your balls but, I just imagine the outcome being less than desirable.

Huntall that's cool.

Just ignore these natural bad-asses that can light a fire with their farts and can survive for a week with nothing but their superior intellects.

nice stove Hunt, you should do a small wood stove out of a .50 cal can to go with it

QH's Paw wrote:[





I don't think building a fire of any kind on a piece of metal in your boat is a good idea.
I'm honestly not trying to bust your balls but, I just imagine the outcome being less than desirable.

Really? You have never cooked breakfast in a boat blind before a hunt?

I know your not tryin to bust balls QH. I have a lot of time on my hands in my new job and thought this would just be a fun project and could potentially come in handy. I also built some falling shooting plates that are in no way necessary to enjoy pistol shooting, but will make it more fun:

Olly wrote:Huntall that's cool.

Just ignore these natural bad-asses that can light a fire with their farts and can survive for a week with nothing but their superior intellects.

this badass has a 100-160 pounds of propane in his garage (40 in the boat) and a plethora of burners, torches and grills. To light them I have matches, wood ones

Hell, we have a 7 day power outage here I don't even have to get out of my pajamas

jehler wrote:

Olly wrote:Huntall that's cool.

Just ignore these natural bad-asses that can light a fire with their farts and can survive for a week with nothing but their superior intellects.

this badass has a 100-160 pounds of propane in his garage (40 in the boat) and a plethora of burners, torches and grills. To light them I have matches, wood ones

Hell, we have a 7 day power outage here I don't even have to get out of my pajamas

Gotta keep the midgets warm somehow. I approve.

The midgets stay warm peddling the genny

jehler wrote:

Olly wrote:Huntall that's cool.

Just ignore these natural bad-asses that can light a fire with their farts and can survive for a week with nothing but their superior intellects.

this badass has a 100-160 pounds of propane in his garage (40 in the boat) and a plethora of burners, torches and grills. To light them I have matches, wood ones

Hell, we have a 7 day power outage here I don't even have to get out of my pajamas

wow! i seriously hope you never have a house fire, that could get really interesting!

(MT)Montanafowler wrote:

jehler wrote:

Olly wrote:Huntall that's cool.

Just ignore these natural bad-asses that can light a fire with their farts and can survive for a week with nothing but their superior intellects.

this badass has a 100-160 pounds of propane in his garage (40 in the boat) and a plethora of burners, torches and grills. To light them I have matches, wood ones

Hell, we have a 7 day power outage here I don't even have to get out of my pajamas

wow! i seriously hope you never have a house fire, that could get really interesting!

yeah, together with the 20,000 primers and 30 some pounds of powder in the basement