To begin the project, you will need a 26 oz can of coffee and a 12 oz can of tuna.  A pair of tin snips, pliers, a marker, a drill, and gloves are also essential. For safety, eye protection must be used - either eye glasses or safety goggles, as appropriate for cutting thin metal with snips and drills.  

Whenever i work with tin cans I put on a pair of gloves.  The cut edges can be very sharp.  Because I want to be able to make two stoves from a single coffee can, I open the center of the top of the can to remove the contents.  Then I cut the coffee can in half.  An easier way to do this is to open the can normally and then use tin snips to spiral up to the height required.  The tuna can must also be emptied.  It works best if you can find cans which have labels that can be removed.  Note that the tuna can is the type which has a rounded bottom edge, not a pressed edge.

The next step is to cut the bottom of the can 2 3/4 inches below the rim.  Here I use a tin snip to make this cut.

Next step is to mark the top of the can using the rim of the tuna can and a marker.  Spiraling out from the center, I cut to within about a millimeter of the mark.  This allows the bottom of the tuna can to be pushed into the opening with a tight fit. 

The opening is now just right to allow the tuna can to be pushed through.  You can see from the waste, that I approach the final fitting about a mm at a time. 

Next step is to make the holes for air to reach the inner can.  I do this with a drill and a panel cutter to make a neat job.  If you do not have access to a panel cutter, just use a drill between 1/4 and 3/8 in size.  If 1/4 inch holes, make 8 of them.  If larger, try 6 holes. 

This is the 3/8 panel cutter I use and the resulting smooth hole in the can.

All those sharp edges need to be made safer.  To do this, I make 1/8 inch cuts every half inch or so around the cut rim and inside the hole cut for the fan.  Then the tabs are bent in, and finally bent flat to make the edge safe.  Marking the square hole for the fan is also required at this stage. Mark it the size of the fan, then cut 1/8 inch inside the cut; make tab snips; then bend to the marked line.

Final fitting out requires cutting 3 pieces of tubing, 3/4 inch in length from an inexpensive steel tube.  The tubing is smashed slightly to allow it to be wedged between the rim of the coffee can and the tuna can.  On these supports the pan rests during cooking.  They can be substituted for by a small coil of the excess material you cut away during the trimming process above.  Notice that the fan is held upright with a match stick through one of its mounting holes.  It works best if the fan is not in contact with the fire pan.  This puts less thermal stress on the fan and allows changing of the amount of air (by moving the fan a half inch, an inch, or two inches away from the opening), which allows simmering while cooking. 

Final packing of the stove, fitting inside a 3-cup AntiGravity pot.  The stove fits in the pot, allowing the top and cozy to fit inside the larger AntiGravity pot so the whole can be packed well.  Lighter and fire starter can be packed under the stove. 

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.

Risk's Ultralite Hiking Page

Flyfisher  Home