# tin can recycler



## chimney packer (May 2, 2017)

I have a roller, shear, brake combination and a spot welder. A large supply of 20"x 48" about 12 mil thick steel sheets. I make tapered stovepipe and fittings for backpacker and larger size stoves made from recycled tin cans. I have been experimenting with stove design for the last 15 years and think I have a good one. At least it is a better, inside the tent, cook stove for a backpacker than what  can be bought in any store right now. I have many working prototype stove/chimneys and tarp shelters that I will give to any homeless person. I live 140kms south of Calgary and would like to rent a small shop in Calgary to make and show my stuff.  Or partner with a person who has a shop in calgary.


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## DPittman (May 2, 2017)

Nice to have you here!!

That's very commendable of you offering your handy work to those not fortunate enough to have a home.  You've got me thinking now....

I'd love to see your products!  I'm always dreaming of wood stoves and the like.  I made myself a stove for my hunting tent and it's DURABLE!  Unfortunately however, you almost need a crane to lift it in ( bit of an exaggeration, but really too much for one guy to handle).

Don


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## chimney packer (May 2, 2017)

DPittman said:


> Nice to have you here!!
> 
> That's very commendable of you offering your handy work to those not fortunate enough to have a home.  You've got me thinking now....
> 
> ...


I really have not sold many stoves. It is a fact that people do not like changes in what is considered the best answer ,the status quo answer, to a problem. Maybe people have so much money that they can buy expensive backpackers cookstoves and think, how could a tin can stove do the job better. Who has ever heard of a backpacker dragging around a chimney and cooking inside his tent with all the doors shut. My summer, all steel, cookstove and chimney only weigh 22 ounces and will burn any solid or jellied fuel and even animal dung. It is so much more comfortable to cook inside the tent out of the wind and cold. So there is another misconception that it is a no no to cook inside a tent, I disagree and can list all the reasons why. People today have not had much experience with burning solid fuel in a stove. The people of generations before knew how to fire a wood stove. I need a partner or partners with some bright ideas how to promote the cooking inside idea and then how to punch out the chimney/stove the fastest cheapest way. 
That is my tale of wo. Where do you live Don?
PS I also have discovered a way to pitch a square tarp with 4 corner pegs, 4 corner poles and chimney as center pole.


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## DPittman (May 2, 2017)

Interesting stuff.

I'm a bit further south than you, I'm in Warner.

Don


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## Bofobo (May 2, 2017)

It's all in the synthetic materials of the modern tent and numerous warnings about keeping heat sources, open flame and spark away from the tent written on the tent. A comparison to The canvas tents of the "old timers" is unreasonable. Should fire ever catch,  molten plastic is a nasty trip to lay on somebody.  That's why it's a no,no despite the comforts. And for most people safety over rules comfort


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## chimney packer (May 3, 2017)

Bofobo said:


> It's all in the synthetic materials of the modern tent and numerous warnings about keeping heat sources, open flame and spark away from the tent written on the tent. A comparison to The canvas tents of the "old timers" is unreasonable. Should fire ever catch,  molten plastic is a nasty trip to lay on somebody.  That's why it's a no,no despite the comforts. And for most people safety over rules comfort


The hot spark belching chimney is no more for those that follow the new so called rocket stove ideas. I use neither spark arrestor or damper and my chimney top sometimes only sticks 2" out from the fabric at the top exit. I have no spark holes in the very light thin synthetic material. The temperature of a chimney on a stove with a separate inside combustion chamber, a riser pipe and low exit chimney port is near that of steam.


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## Bofobo (May 4, 2017)

As the proud operator of a wood stove in my shop that I use daily during winter, I know that ash can be a hot as the fire and hold embers for many hours, how do you empty the ash tray when it gets full but is still cold outside? This poses the greatest risk as the "hot zone" is closest to the tarp floor. Now you just have to convince those packers with those fancy big dollar tents and fancy big dollar sleeping bags to cut a hole in the roof of said tent .... Now when camping in alberta the wind can throw a tent for quite the trip how does your design make the tent safe enough to maintain structural stability under adverse conditions?  things like wind and snow collapse suck enough as it is... Now with fire to make getting out that much more fun. 

It's a good idea in theory but myself and the other mtn bums I know feel similarly about our saftey, given the conditions we have encountered adding in the risk and required modifications to expensive equipment for convenience I've yet to talk to anyone who thinks it's a good idea ... Horse touring circles perhaps but they usually have good canvas tents in my experience and already use good sized wood stoves.


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## chimney packer (May 4, 2017)

Bofobo said:


> As the proud operator of a wood stove in my shop that I use daily during winter, I know that ash can be a hot as the fire and hold embers for many hours, how do you empty the ash tray when it gets full but is still cold outside? This poses the greatest risk as the "hot zone" is closest to the tarp floor. Now you just have to convince those packers with those fancy big dollar tents and fancy big dollar sleeping bags to cut a hole in the roof of said tent .... Now when camping in alberta the wind can throw a tent for quite the trip how does your design make the tent safe enough to maintain structural stability under adverse conditions?  things like wind and snow collapse suck enough as it is... Now with fire to make getting out that much more fun.
> 
> It's a good idea in theory but myself and the other mtn bums I know feel similarly about our saftey, given the conditions we have encountered adding in the risk and required modifications to expensive equipment for convenience I've yet to talk to anyone who thinks it's a good idea ... Horse touring circles perhaps but they usually have good canvas tents in my experience and already use good sized wood stoves.


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## chimney packer (May 4, 2017)

The ash, like a spoon full  every hour is a non issue. This is a tiny 22 ounce backpackers cook stove/chimney.
My stove will fit in any tent but I would not recommend it because a tarp is so much better for a 4 season shelter. A flexible pole tent is to hot in summer, its attached floor is a nuisance in winter. My chimney center pole, 4 peg and 4 corner pole tarp pitch is aerodynamic enough to stand wind better than any flexible pole tent. The sides can be all tight to the ground or all sides raised forming a sun shade without changing pegs or poles.
The wood burning tent stoves on the market do not have hot cooktops so cooking is slow therefore lot of their owners carry gas stoves to get their coffee hot in the morning. I have not seen a solid fuel burning tent stove that directs 100% of the flame to the cooktop like the one I make using tin cans.
My stoves are mounted vertical on the chimney and up off the ground high enough to ever burn anything on the ground. I attach a kettle to the bottom of my stove to broil food.


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## Dogpounder (May 5, 2017)

Got any pictures, I want to send them to my friends in the Himalaya who use nothing but solid fuel for cooking heating. Thanks Bruce


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## chimney packer (May 5, 2017)

Winter size cookstove 5"x 7" boiling on top and broiling on the bottom.
Quote from reply #6 The temperature of a chimney on a stove with a separate inside combustion chamber, a riser pipe and low exit chimney port is near that of steam. 
This stove has the above mentioned features.

















summer size stove 5"x 4" chimney 2"x 20" sections. Cook stove is high to get rid of the heat under a tarp shade.


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## DPittman (May 6, 2017)

Looks pretty neat!


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## Janger (May 7, 2017)

I'd like to see more pictures. Tarp? exit hole for chimney? What's inside the can? what keeps the fire from burning through the bottom? maybe a video? I'm not sure how you use it exactly.


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## chimney packer (May 7, 2017)

Janger said:


> I'd like to see more pictures. Tarp? exit hole for chimney? What's inside the can? what keeps the fire from burning through the bottom? maybe a video? I'm not sure how you use it exactly.



Here is a bigger stove that has a baffle inside that funnels the heat to the cooktop
http://www.wintertrekking.com/community/index.php?topic=1923.msg15542

Inside the smaller winter cookstove above is a smaller tin can 3" high as a combustion chamber with a little riser pipe taking the heat and smoke to within 3/4" under the cooktop.




10'x12' tarp. Room for 2 in front of the cookstove. The sides are propped up for warm weather. The sides come tight to the ground when side support poles are removed.


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## CalgaryPT (May 27, 2017)

DPittman said:


> Interesting stuff.
> 
> I'm a bit further south than you, I'm in Warner.
> 
> Don



Don - I just saw your post. Warner hey? I was born in Lethbridge, moved to Calgary at a very young age but worked summers as a teenager around Lethbridge. Strangest job I ever had was catching western Diamondback Rattlesnakes around Warner with a UofL professor for a venom study.  You are SO lucky to live there. Beautiful, gorgeous Alberta country. Lucky you.


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