DIY Collapsible Camp Stove...

[Sytes]

DISCLAIMER: Call this my poor man's copyright of this design publicly published as of date/time of this post. Feel free to use / discuss - on a personal level.
I will be happy to craft these for Hunt Talkers - at no loss to my wallet. Feel free to craft using this design for personal use. Though please do not undercut me for financial gain.

*****************​

I am doing this away from home... My wife took / sent the pics to me via e-mail to share here. This is from recollection re: Angle Iron size, etc.
This was built upon several builds that seemed to always desire something different - once complete. Several hunting friends have been the testers of these stoves and this recent design is the one found ideal.
I've built slide in wall types, partial hinge, and designed this recent one that seems to be a result of what I found lacking of the others.

This type is 1 unit... no seperate walls... everything is attached - the ultimate goal in collapsible use. It uses good gauge steel that retains more heat than typical sheet metal types and can withstand good abuse.

Dimensions:
24" length, 18" width, 12" hight. (2 camps stoves can be fabricated from 1 sheet, 4x10.) weight: approx 30lbs. I will revise if found different. My wife assembled this quickly - that was her first time tinkering with this build to take the pictures.
Material:
16g. Steel. 1/8th inch sized ~ 3/4" and 1" Angle Iron. Piano hinge 3/4(?)
I use a argon mix shielding gas - mig welder.

General Pictures to give an idea:
This is the stove ready to pack, store, etc... It is about 3" thick. I can bring it from this folded state to ready to use in about 30 seconds. AND it can break down in the same or quicker... Easily dumps the remaining coals in a heatbeat.

This shows the general design... The main focus that makes this stove collapse is centered on the hinges along the sides of the stove. IT MUST BE centered to properly fold...

Once that is resolved then the focus is on the front and back panels (door area and rear wall.)
These must be hinged from the top plate as to collapse they fold over and lay along the top as the bottom will have the leg frames fold. An area of focus is ensuring the door wall and rear wall are less than 12" so when they fold on top, they do not overlap.
You can have space on the bottom of the front/rear wall - as the angle iron used for the legs folds up and over those walls - locking them closed.

Without going into too much detail, the only other significant area is the inside of the stove...

1. 1" flat bar ONLY attached on the top inside side wall. This allows the side walls to fold in it's collapsed manner and when the walls are up, closes off any potential for smoke drafting through the hinged connection area.
2. On the front (door side) and back wall, four 3" pieces of angle iron are welded in a position to keep the side walls locked in position. The 1" flat steel covering the side hinge line extends to measured distance of the front and rear walls... the ends of that 1" piece, slip between the angle iron and wall edge attached to the front and rear walls. This keeps the walls secure / locking them in place.

Total for the steel when purchased in a 4x10 sheet is around 130. (steel price fluctuates often) ~ remember this sheet will build two units. The remaining costs are in cutting wheels, argon gas, welding tips, the usual wear and tear items. I have a grinder, table chop saw, portable band saw (not really neessary), Drill press... Those seem to be the main tools used. Along with the usual vice, vise grips... etc.
High Heat black flat spray paint (engine or BBQ)

I find it takes about 2 days (includes beer drinkin and relaxing... )

I am sure there are potential better ways to craft such - this is the result of my prior builds - it works great! It is compact! Very good durability! Holds heat very well - depending on wood - 5 hours prob max. with damper, of course. I found myself waking up once at night to re-stuff her for the morning. It puts out a ton of heat and 2 foot cuts of quartered wood hold a lot of burn time.

Cheers.

 

[NChunter]

Thanks for posting the pictures and directions. It looks like a great design and sounds like it is well tested. If I can't find a friend with a welder, I may have to talk to you about building me one, but I bet the freight to get it to North Carolina would be expensive.

 

[Sytes]

Think the total weight is around 30 lbs. I suppose that would have been good info in the intial post. I'll edit it to show that.

 

[belly-deep]

Way cool! I'm going to have to remember this thread

 

[Brisco]

Great write up sytes. Whats the little hooks in the center of the leg braces for?

 

[Sytes]

Great write up sytes. Whats the little hooks in the center of the leg braces for?

I have a piece of 1/2" angle iron approximately 25" length. It fits into those two points. Basically, it locks the legs... that also creates a lock on the front and rear wall as the legs become one unit... the legs frame is basically the locking mechanism for the entire unit. Once the legs fold in, it allows everything else to fold.

 

[wgiles]

It looks like a well done design. So the side walls are hinged in the middle and fold in like an accordion? Need more pictures when you get a chance. It's hard to see all of the details. While I can weld the stove, I would have trouble cutting the sheet. I'd probably have the sheets sheared to size. Do you use a tapered flue pipe? A plasma torch would probably be best for cutting the flue pipe opening. Any problem with the bottom sheet burning out?

Thanks for posting your design.

 

[birddog32]

Nice design, might have to try this out myself. Thankyou

 

[Sytes]

It looks like a well done design. So the side walls are hinged in the middle and fold in like an accordion? Need more pictures when you get a chance. It's hard to see all of the details. While I can weld the stove, I would have trouble cutting the sheet. I'd probably have the sheets sheared to size. Do you use a tapered flue pipe? A plasma torch would probably be best for cutting the flue pipe opening. Any problem with the bottom sheet burning out?

Thanks for posting your design.

I use Pacific Steel. Give them a drawn design of the 4x10 sheet... I have them cut the plates to size and recently started having them place the 5"hole. The extra $12.00 for cuts is a godsend! Nice clean cuts sized to design specs.

The "accordian" action would be a good way to describe. > <

The flue pipe is tapered 5" - 4" www.Kni-Co.com has been great for these items! Great service... I have made several purchases from them.

pipe damper

Added pic of stove in operation here as I am not able to edit original post.

Suppose I should add, there is a current U.S. Patent Pending as designed for stoves. (Sheesh, they take forever... Haha!)

 

[Sytes]

It looks like a well done design. So the side walls are hinged in the middle and fold in like an accordion? Need more pictures when you get a chance. It's hard to see all of the details.

This is a portion of the recent build for HT'ers I started. It has a bit more detail in the "accordian" aspect of the design.

Once I complete these, I'll see about placing some pics of the phases to setup the stove. Should be the end of the month.

 

[Sytes]

Okay, boy - this project is about to get a .40 slug... Haha! I am taking a break from the build to get these pics for anyone interested... Hopefully it will help follow my process of this build. Note* There may be better ways to go about this... I am a hobbiest, not a "professional".

I am all about having a good time having a few beers, listening to good music - though this project - boy, It has toppled along with a MASSIVE landscape project (2 acres) retaining wall, irrigation and wiring, pine and maple trees out the wazoo, equip rentals that are close to touching that $1k mark (mini excavators / skidders...), tons and tons of dirt / river rock... Living away from home - I try and do as much possible when home before leaving for another month or so. basically I am swamped.

I'll send a PM out to the guys these are being made for to give an update that it is taking much longer then anticipated - though they will be done, sooner than later.

Anyhow for pics to help understand a bit specifically on the setup/breakdown of the collapsible stove:

This is rough complete. (no door fabbed yet). Front view.

Backside view.

Laying on one side.

Front legs folded in and front door swung open.

Rear legs folded in and rear door swung open. This enables the stove to fold, as seen in the pic.

The doors are swung around to the top stove plate and the legs are folded in along the bottom stove plate. The hinged side wall collapse and folds in, as displayed in the pic.

And "tadda!" this is the final view of the completely collapsed stove standing on edge to present the thickness.

 

[noharleyyet]

Slick piece of engineering right there Sytes.

 

[wyoming556]

Slick piece of engineering right there Sytes.

+1 . For someone who claims to be a hobbyist you sure seem to know what you are doing. Nice piece of equipment there.

 

[StHubert]

Sytes, the stoves look great.

 

[choc dogs]

Damn. I just figured out how the thought process works. I've been trying to figure it out from your descriptions, and haven't been able to envision it. Thanks, you've obviously spent time designing this, it's an ingenious design.

 

[Sytes]

Slick piece of engineering right there Sytes.

+1 . For someone who claims to be a hobbyist you sure seem to know what you are doing. Nice piece of equipment there.

Choc dogs, "ingenious" via past failures... heh!

I pride myself on multiple semi-failures for desired stoves... Haha! Thankfully the prior builds worked enough to not have "test" friends freeze while in the woods to get to this point, and they are still "friends".
Even this new build has a few minor adjustments (fine tuning) that enhance the function... Seems never ending though this build has "rave" reviews from those "test' friends.

Thanks for the compliments. Hopefully, I'll be able to make a few more for HT'ers - before this main season begins... 2 more need to be completed as they are about 3/4's done... Appreciate the patience of those these stoves are designed for.

 

[Sytes]

Well, was on the road with the patent process... Draftsman ready to detail the patent drawings and loan prepped for the patent attorney process. The draftsman happened to do a bit of research and came up with the following. I am pretty bummed... though at the same time, he saved me a TON of $$$ as I was quoted between 7-9k for the Attorney alone.
Turns out there is a stove based on the "unique" aspect I intended to shoot for with respect to the patent.
http://ellisstove.com/
Butch has placed a ton of time into making a much more refined collapsible stove and it certainly shows.
After watching the video, reading his testimonials by outfitters - it is 100% his design.

Upon this information, I contacted Butch (the designer / owner of the stove design) and he has given consent for me to complete my obligation to the three I have offered to make these stoves for. He did not have to do this at all and for that I am very appreciative!

Really great guy - with a long developed background for this stove. Reminds me of my multi semi-failures to get to where I am - yet he has gone much further.
Thought I would share his stove - collapsible much in the same fashion - stout and refined!

A very fair price for it as well.
If anyone is interested - feel free to check out his website (linked above).

Anyhow, not much more to add...

 

[idnative1948]

FWIW- I like the type of legs on your design better. Just looks to me that if would be easier to level with the post legs than his type.

 

[theat]

Thats too bad. I came up with a couple interesting ideas a few years ago that I had never seen advertised or for sale. After spending quite a bit of money on the patent process it came out that my "ideas" were already patented but not but not actually being produced or sold. It turns out there are people out there that patent all kinds of things never with the intention of selling them. They make their money off of lawsuits against people that come up with the same ideas. This is obviously not the case in this situation, but It should be something to think about for anyone starting out in the patenting process. Really looking forward to trying out one of your stoves this fall!