A couple of DIY projects for Preppers

10/25/13 | kartographer

[Kartographer]

Here's a couple of good DIY projects for preppers.

[Kartographer]

Build your own Ammo Can Rocket Stove

The Ammo Can I used was for 20mm rounds.



Remove the rubber seal from the cans lid.
Then using the 6” black stove pipe that I had brought as a template I drew a circle about a 1 1/2 from the bottom of the can. I placed a piece of broken tile to mark the distance from the bottom. (I then later used the broken piece as a spacer and pipe support on the inside of the can)

I then drilled hole large enough to fit a metal cutting jigsaw blade on the inside edge of the circle and used my hand held jigsaw to cut out the circle in the front of the can.

I then repeated this procedure and cut the same size circle 6” from the back edge of the cans lid.

I then measured the distance from the can front to where the 6” black stove pipe elbow to the front of the can and the top of the lid and cut the pieces about a inch longer. Place the spacer/support (Note the piece of tile I used as a spacer/support allows you to make sure when you add the insulation the it completely surrounds the firebox. It is the insulation which makes the Rocket Stove efficient.)and assemble the pipe and then mark the pipe off to fit snuggly with tin snips.



I picked up two 8 quart bags of Perlite (http://www.perlite.net/)from the garden center and filled the can. Tamping the can a couple times to make sure all the space was full.

I found the silver ‘face plates) duct connectors in the duck works section of the Home Depot. And used them to connect the pipe. They also helped seal the area around the cut to make sure no Perlite leaks out.

I used some scrap threaded rod pieces to make a grill over the top hole. You may want to look around for a used grill from a old junk gas stove.

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

You can read about my test run of this stove here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2914240/posts

Here’s another good easy project for Freepers. I got the filters and the spigots on EBay.

*Home Made Berkey Water Filter*

http://www.alpharubicon.com/kids/homemadeberkeydaire.htm

Please consider this our weekly Preppers’ Thread to post progress, good buys, DIY projects, questions, ...

[Kartographer]

Ping!!

[G Larry]

What is Perlite and it’s purpose in this application?

What is the function of the hole in the side and the grate sitting there?

What is the fuel and how do you light it?

[loungitude]

Note that if galvanized pipe is used, it will give off very toxic gas when heated sufficiently.

[Kartographer]

What is Perlite and it’s purpose in this application?

Insulation http://www.perlite.net/

That’s you Fire box.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_stove

You light it in the same way you light any wood stove.

The grate, I used what’s called a mending plate (4”X6”) raise the fuel up and allows air to flow around it making for a more complete burn.

If you go to the links provided you will get a better idea of how it works.

[onona]

Great stuff Karty ! Thank you SO much !!

[Old Sarge]

The Bride and I have started a new project here at The Bunker: a greenhouse!

The Bride found a PVC greenhouse at Big Lots on clearance. It’s a simple 8’x10’ structure but now that it’s up, we can start taking advantage of the cooler weather to do more outdoor work.

Brainiac has also taken a shine to the new greenhouse. She is already drawing up seed lists, soil content and figuring out space available for vertical plants as well. Florida has unique soil, and we want to take advantage of it.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Perlite is a mineral so it has a very high ignition point. It is mainly used in horticulture as an aggregate in soil to provide aeration...same as vermiculite.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Note that if galvanized pipe is used, it will give off very toxic gas when heated sufficiently.

Yes. Blued stove pipe...or if your budget allows, black enameled...should be used. Not galvanized.

Of course, if you can find or afford stainless steel...

[IMR 4350]

Galvanized will burn off, just don’t breath it while it does.

If you do breath it do what welders do, drink some milk.

[Marcella]

I bought a rocket stove from the company who made the first one and they continue to make different ones according to your need. Look at the way they work on this website and if you think you can make one that does this, have at it. Their link is:

http://stovetecstore.net/index.php/

I bought a “Big Berkey” a few years ago over the net. Many on line companies sell them, just look for the cheapest price based on how many black filters you want in it, two or four.

I would not attempt to make a Berkey - purified water keeps you alive. Frankly, I believe, a homemade Berkey is not possible to eliminate the dangers a professional Berkey does. There is a reason they are No. 1 in the world to purify water. My son is a director of documentary film and has been in the African jungle many times plus the Amazon wading water with Piranha in it, and on the ice cap heading to the north pole and in Siberia in Russia several times, and he has used a Berkey for his film crew in these arm pit countries and none ever got sick from the filthy water in these places.

As backups, I have three Katadyn siphon filters for large amounts of water, not the small bottle Katadyn filter.

[Marcella]

Do you want greeneyes to put you on the gardening thread ping list? She starts a new one every Friday. It is a congenial group and we all learn from each other.

[Old Sarge]

Already on it, and taking furious notes, too!

[JoeProBono]

Swiss Man Installs Wood Burning Stove In A Car

Maybe unusually cold winter led Pascal Prokop, a 38-year-old Swiss man, to install a wood burning stove in his 1990 Volvo 240 station wagon.

[BenLurkin]

What exactly is this contraption used for?

[dfwgator]

"Habemus Papam."

[MrB]

Very efficiently burn twigs & small sticks and heat/cook on top of the “chimney”.

Very little smoke or smell.

[Marcella]

There are pictures of my garden on the one that started last Friday. Johnny put them on there for me. I think maybe now I can post pictures myself.

If you have read much on there, you know I only started trying to grow plants about last March. Freaking squirrels and birds and insects/crap in the ground killed everything I planted, so I studied and now have a producing container garden and a “net room” in the garden with containers in it so freaking squirrels and birds are out of luck. I have been hoping the squirrels would commit suicide since they can’t get in the net room to destroy my food plants.

[Southack]

Sand is less toxic and gives better insulation than perlite.

Generally cheaper, too.

Don’t cook or breathe over galvanized pipes, either.

Ammo cans can also have lead content that isn’t fit for cooking. Simple discarded tin cans from food items like corn are cheaper and safer to use for building rocket stoves.

If you are welding a rocket stove for cooking, then you must use food safe welds.