Portable Mini Camp/Survival Stove
by Henrypkc in Outside > Camping
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Portable Mini Camp/Survival Stove
This is a small but sturdy little camp/survival stove I made. I've made plenty of camping and survival mini stoves, but I've always found flaws and aspects of them that annoyed me. Two of the major ones for me were that they were not portable enough, like I couldn't easily fit them in my pocket portable, and also some of the fueling methods weren't as easy as I would like. I set out to solve these issues with this instructable. I'll show you how to make the fuel and the stove.
Note: Instead of using the candle tins that I use, you could use bottoms of soda cans that you can cut(like in a penny stove). They might be easier to find for you and will make a very sturdy, albeit slightly less portable stove. You are also more like to find soda cans in a survival situation than the candle tins
Note: Instead of using the candle tins that I use, you could use bottoms of soda cans that you can cut(like in a penny stove). They might be easier to find for you and will make a very sturdy, albeit slightly less portable stove. You are also more like to find soda cans in a survival situation than the candle tins
Materials
-At least one soda can (or at least 3 if you do the method I mentioned in the previous note)
-4 candle tins (about an inch in diameter, usually hold the little candles you might put in a Halloween pumpkin)
-One firestarter (I'll show you how to make it and you can use one of the four candle tins for it. You will also need about half of the small candle that was previously in the tin, some cardboard and newspaper. Also another candle and possible some tin foil)
-Altoids tin (optional: only for storing your stove and for cooking purposes)
-4 candle tins (about an inch in diameter, usually hold the little candles you might put in a Halloween pumpkin)
-One firestarter (I'll show you how to make it and you can use one of the four candle tins for it. You will also need about half of the small candle that was previously in the tin, some cardboard and newspaper. Also another candle and possible some tin foil)
-Altoids tin (optional: only for storing your stove and for cooking purposes)
Making the Firestarter
Cut some strips of cardboard no wider than the candle tin is tall and several inches long. Roll them into a spiral so they fit in the tin. Fold up strips of newspaper to fit in the holes between the cardboard. Put these aside.
Light a candle and make a stand out of the tin foil for your other candle tin to rest on. Put the half candle into the tin on the stand over the separate candle. Once the wax melts, place the cardboard and newspaper in. You want almost all the the cardboard and newspaper to be submerged in the wax. Once you have most filled all of the gaps in the cardboard spiral with folded newspaper and the wax is reaching almost to the top, you can remove the firestarter from the heat. It is finished.
Light a candle and make a stand out of the tin foil for your other candle tin to rest on. Put the half candle into the tin on the stand over the separate candle. Once the wax melts, place the cardboard and newspaper in. You want almost all the the cardboard and newspaper to be submerged in the wax. Once you have most filled all of the gaps in the cardboard spiral with folded newspaper and the wax is reaching almost to the top, you can remove the firestarter from the heat. It is finished.
Cutting Strips From Cans
Making sure the long sides are from the vertical straight part of the can, cut two rectangles that are 2.5 cm x 6 cm.
You can also cut pairs of strips of the same width but a slightly shorter or longer height. You can see what they're used for later and then come back to try making more of these.
You can also cut pairs of strips of the same width but a slightly shorter or longer height. You can see what they're used for later and then come back to try making more of these.
Cutting the Candle Tins
On the circular bottom of one candle tin, cut a circle (or as close to one as you can get) a few millimeters from the edge using a knife or scissors. On a second tin, cut another circle but this time its perimeter can be closer to the edge. One tin will remain unaffected.
Putting the Stove Together
Now it's time to put the stove together. Take the tin with the larger cut out and insert it into the tin with the slightly smaller cut out. It will be a tight squeeze, which is what you want. Make sure that the two cutouts are touching. To fit the tin in, you may need to crimp and fold the edge of the tin at the bottom so it can fit better. You still want them to fit together snugly though.
Now take the firestarter tin and squeeze it inside the untouched tin. Again it is a tight squeeze, as they are the same size, but keep in mind as you make it fit that you want them to fit together tightly.
Now take the strips from the soda can. Fit one short end in the space between the the tin with the firestarter and the tin on the outside of it. Because the two tins were so tight together the van strip will slide in nicely but not move. Do the same with the other strip opposite the first strip. Now slide the other short ends between the other two tins, with the holes, that are stuck together. Now you have a sturdy structure. If you want the place where a pot or pan would rest, the two tins with the holes, to be higher or lower, you can make your can strips longer or shorter. Just keep in mind that the longer the strips are, the less sturdy the stove will be. Making them wider, however, could add sturdiness.
Now take the firestarter tin and squeeze it inside the untouched tin. Again it is a tight squeeze, as they are the same size, but keep in mind as you make it fit that you want them to fit together tightly.
Now take the strips from the soda can. Fit one short end in the space between the the tin with the firestarter and the tin on the outside of it. Because the two tins were so tight together the van strip will slide in nicely but not move. Do the same with the other strip opposite the first strip. Now slide the other short ends between the other two tins, with the holes, that are stuck together. Now you have a sturdy structure. If you want the place where a pot or pan would rest, the two tins with the holes, to be higher or lower, you can make your can strips longer or shorter. Just keep in mind that the longer the strips are, the less sturdy the stove will be. Making them wider, however, could add sturdiness.
Finished
Now you can use your small portable cooking stove! The firestarter will burn for several minutes, especially if you use newspaper that has been folded up many times in the firestarter. You could also build a small fire around the stove if you wanted some more firepower. You should be able to rest a pot or pan on the top tins if you make it properly. Also, remember that you could cut off the bottoms of a few tin cans and make this instructable with them instead. Thanks for looking at this and check out my floss container fishing project as well! Also please vote as I have entered this in a few contests. Enjoy!