# 55 gallon drum stove experiment



## bogydave (Sep 13, 2012)

Found an old rusty drum at moose camp with the top cut out & several holes.
It was raining so I built a fire in it on it's side, worked ok but smoke rolled out the front right at us.
Moved it so the wind blew into the front was better but when no wind smoke in the face again.
Tried knocking a hole in the back-top-side so the smoke would go out the back , no help.
Finally I put the barrel over the fire, smoke came out the big hole  I 'd made ,now near the top, it  got hot & less smoke. Better heat & no sparks.
With a drum with no bullet holes, I think I'd have a better stove but it worked pretty well.
Down side, is to add wood, I had split the wood small enough to go thru the hole i cut to let smoke out & to regulate air in, I place a rock under the bottom, 
I  cooked & boiled water on the top.
I've no idea where I'm going with this but other wood burners may relate to the playing with fire.
A good thing to remember if you are ever stranded & have a 55 gallon drum laying around.


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## fossil (Sep 13, 2012)

Whenever I'm headed into any situation wherein I feel there's even a remote chance I'll be stranded, a 55 gallon drum is the first thing I pack.


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## MasterMech (Sep 14, 2012)

Rusty 55 gallon drum, riddled with bullet holes () with gorgeous mountain views in the background. I ♥ Alaska.


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## blacktail (Sep 14, 2012)

We used to use a stove in our hunting camp that was made out of a barrel. Cut a square out of the side then reattach with hinges, then cut a hole in the top and attach a few feet of chimney pipe. That thing really put out heat. We cut the bottom out so that the ash all fell out when we picked it up to break camp.


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## bogydave (Sep 14, 2012)

fossil said:


> Whenever I'm headed into any situation wherein I feel there's even a remote chance I'll be stranded, a 55 gallon drum is the first thing I pack.


 
They fit well into the airplane too. LOL
I see them all over the state & wonder how they got where they are.



MasterMech said:


> Rusty 55 gallon drum, riddled with bullet holes () with gorgeous mountain views in the background. I ♥ Alaska.


 
We call them "Alaska roses" they are on mountains, in the middle of swamps, along river banks.
Found a cache of 4 heavy duty steel , 3 full of fuel, left by the USGS out by this camp. They will eventually rust & the fuel will leak out. Look like a helicopter sling load but they never used all the fuel.
Hard to even get a 5 gallon jug from where they, so getting & using the fuel is not feasible.



blacktail said:


> We used to use a stove in our hunting camp that was made out of a barrel. Cut a square out of the side then reattach with hinges, then cut a hole in the top and attach a few feet of chimney pipe. That thing really put out heat. We cut the bottom out so that the ash all fell out when we picked it up to break camp.


 
I may take a chisel next trip & try it.A few other barrels around there I could try it on. Don't know about hauling in stove pipe though.


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## ScotO (Sep 14, 2012)

Good idea, BD.  By the way, how'd you make out at moose camp?  'Nother set of horns fer da woodshed??


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## bogydave (Sep 14, 2012)

Scotty Overkill said:


> Good idea, BD. By the way, how'd you make out at moose camp? 'Nother set of horns fer da woodshed??


 
1/2 a set count? Off a 55 incher, 3 brow tines.
Would have liked to got close to him this year, might be close to 60 incher now 
Saw several shed caribou antlers & a few other shed moose antlers.
Brought these back for the wood shed.
Put some walnut stain on them to give them some color & keep the insects off.:


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## iskiatomic (Sep 15, 2012)

I worked on a stock car many years ago, this was the barrel type stove we used. Killer heat.

KC


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 15, 2012)

Nice KC. Reminds me of a fellow in northern MI who built one like that only on a much larger scale. He had a large garage (was a logger) that could park several big trucks inside. It was always warm in there no matter the outside temperature. He also never split wood; just threw in 4' logs.


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