Cardboard Stove Modification

Well, Mark over at The Sharpened Axe has posted the instructions on how to make a cardboard stove here.
The stove is a very good one (i'd say excellent...) so when i saw the post of Mark's field trip I immediately thought of a modification using a tin can so you don't have to find tree stubs or level ground or dry ground or whatever....

So without delays here are some steps and items of importance while creating the stove first and then i'll move on to the mod...

It is importan to try and find a similar can because it has no seams at the bottom. This prevents wax leaks and wear and tear on the solder when it heats up......( I believe they are the same used originally by Mark, though i went for honey roasted...) These are a Californian brand and luckily i chose them in the supermarket for their can, not for the flavour. Later i saw that they are the same can as Mark's...I followed the instructions and after a while had this in my hands...

I filled the stove with wax after i finished beacuse it was lighter to handle during the mod

Note : I found that the tighter you fit the cardboard the more smooth and uniform  is the flame.

The stove is ready and i am also ready to attack the tin can that will be the mod...

The can i used is 3inches and 7/8 of an inch  in diameter..It contained peach halves in syrup...

The tools you will need are mostly these...

Pliers, cutter, steel wire (thickness is irrelevant but try not to get something that is too thin or too thick, about 1mm should do it...)felt tip pen, can opener, sharp pointy thing, or old knife, some form of padding to help manipulate the can and puncture holes easier and of course a ruler or triangle with measuring...

Now, i didn't document this but first you want to cut the bootom of the can off. I chose a can that has one of those pull-the-ring-thing opening tops so the top opening is perfect. Cut out the bottom of the can using either a can opener and/or power tools (i used a Dremel to smooth the bottom opening).

The bottom is cleared and the can is ready for the template....

I put the can on a piece of paper and traced the outline with a pencil. Then i designed the interior lines of midsections and the square that is formed...Now, i work as an Industrial Designer so i am a bit of a spaz on detail, you dont have to be as weird as me... Even if you do it approximately, with your eye as a guide, it wont matter much as everything will be tight and neat at the end.

I marked the 4 points on the can (remember...we work at the bottom side of the can)...

 Then, I made a mark 1/2 of an inch above the bottom lip...(x4 times)

And punctured the 4 holes around...I sanded the insides of the holes as the torn can would affect the handling of the wire...You don't need a large hole, just enough so that 2 wires can pass together.

Then i started looping 2 pieces of wire as seen in the photos...

Sloppy artwork...I am using the pc on my workbench so there are no fancy photo editing progs in this one...

Pulled them tight to the can initially with my hands... then i fitted the stove and twisted the ends with the pliers. After you install the stove it is important to tighten up real good with the wire as it will retain the shape of the stove and it won't come loose with use...Dont tighten too much because the wire will snap...

The stove now can fit inside the can and the wires snag at the lip of the stove holding it in place...
I repeated the fitting of the wires at 1 grove below the middle of the outside can, so there are two levels of spacers for the stove...

Marking and punching the holes...

...passing the wires...

...fitting the stove....

...tightening the wire....

...cutting excess wire...

...sanding the ends...

...and the stove is pushed down to the middle wire stop.

After all that i punched holes at three places on the top of the outside can and fitted wire hangings as seen on the above photo...along with some double hooks made from a wire clothes hanger, i had this...

I used my small pot as a template...The sweet thing with this setup is that the stove heats the water as you hold the pot...You dont even need a peg to hang the pot...just a stick to extend the handle....Note that i left some space between the pot and the can so that the air can circulate...

The stove gets ample of air circulation from below...

A picture of the neatness inside...

There are more photos of the uses and versatility of this setup...

If you flip the can over and insert the stove from the bottom you get a nice distance from any surface you place it on and can be used conventionally but with the benefit of insulation  against cold ground or snow...

Hang your pot from a stick and you're done...

Instead of wire hangings i will install key rings at the holes at the top and add small chain to help adjust the hanging size easily to fit all pots...

If you are doing this in the middle of the night(as i did and the stores where closed...) you can make a paperclip chain...you get the idea....

Well, this was a lot of work posting as it was making it...This setup works fine! and if i drill holes at the sides the can acts as a wind shield and helps light the stove... The completed Hobo Stove System(copywrited...) can be packed nice and small, it fits neatly into the pot and can be stored into your backpack...

The lid secures the stove...

...wire hangings or chain tucked away at the bottom...

...and everything goes inside the pot.

Flame test...It burned good and strong..No smoke whatsoever.(i did this in my workshop) I think the tight packing of the cardboard has these effects...

So, if you like it, build it, test it and generally let me know what you think of this...There will be more postings about this as it evolves..(and as the stores open Monday morning...)
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