Beta Version:  29 Aug 2003
Shane Steinkamp suggested that some forest floors can not tolerate a fire built on them directly.  He suggested a pieplate under the windscreen.  I countered with a disk of material.

This version (pictured above) is made from .005 brass shim stock.  It consists of the wind screen as described in the alpha version plus a disk about 5 inches in diameter.  Three holes are drilled in the disk to accept the spokes.  Afterward, the wind screen is placed over the spokes and the fire is built.  It will be fun to see if this version works in the snow! 

Alpha Version:

In a continual quest to build a lightweight woodburning camping stove, a number of forge-like stoves have been completed.  This version was tested 28 August, 2003.  I call it the WindScreen Forge.

Total weight of the "stove" is 35 g (1.2 oz)  In addition, you will need a 9 volt battery. 
For a breakdown:
Windscreen:  12 g
3 spokes:        6 g
fan and clip:   13 g
fan shroud:      4 g
Total:            35 g

To build the stove, you will need to obtain the following:

A piece of aluminum flashing (hardware store)
Duct tape (hardware store)
Aluminum foil (grocery store)
Small (1.5 x 1.5 x 3/16 inch) computer fan (RadioShack for about $12)
9 volt battery clip (RadioShack)

3 stainless steel bicycle spokes (bike shop that does repairs)

The parts are built in the following ways:

(I built the "stove" for the small pot sold by AnitGravity.  This pot is 5.25 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches tall.  These same instructions will work for the WalMart Grease Pot.)

Cut the spokes to 5 inches long so they will fit in the pot.  The part you want to keep is the part that has the bent over end as seen in the photo below.  They cut with a pair of tinsnips.

Cut the aluminum flashing 2 inches wide and 15 inches long.  Cut a window about midway from both ends, .75 in tall and 1 in wide.  The window is .5 in from the bottom edge of the windscreen.  Either use a steel paper clip to fasten the end, or cut a slot about 2/3 of an inch tall, about 3/4 inch from the end of the strip and a matching tab, .5 inches deep into the other end. 

To build the shroud:  wrap a piece of duct tape 7 inches long around the edge of the fan with the sticky side out.  Wrap a piece of  aluminum foil, 4 x 7 in, around the fan, sticking it to the duct tape.  Finally, tear a 7 inch piece of duct tape lengthwise in half, using each half to wrap around the outside of the shroud at each end.  This will leave you with a tube into which the fan can be inserted or removed.  It stores flat in the pot.

To assemble the fan, twist or solder the ends of the fan and battery clip leads, red to red, and black to black.  Tape with a small piece of electrical tape or non-conductive duct tape. 

To use the stove,
- clear a piece of flat dirt of all combustible material.
- assemble the wind screen into a circle
- push the spokes into the ground (inside the wind screen)so that the pot will rest level on them and with about 3/4 inch of clearance so you can feed the fire.
- insert the fan into the shroud, label side inward.  It blows toward the label.
- attach a 9 volt battery to the battery clip (battery life is about 8 hours with a Duracel battery)
- orient the shroud so the air is directed through the hole in the windscreen
- start a small wood fire in the wind screen. 

I hope you enjoy this little stove.  I would appreciate a note from you if you build one of them.  If you have any ideas for improvement, let me know.  Please write me here:

rick at flyfisher-kayaks dot com.

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