Barrel Stove kit - what did you use?

[Leverwalker]

I did search but came up empty - though I'm sure it's been discussed, sorry if so. Likely too late for this year, but with a good chance of it being really cold for our N. Wisconsin rifle hunt, anticipating next year it will be a wall tent and wood stove. Always like building out stuff (particularly learning a new skill doing it - like welding together a 20 gallon, 3 vessel home brewing system), so was curious what brand in barrel stove kits are good ones to take a look at.

 

[rm06]

Vogelzang parts kit on 35 gallon drums

 

[huntsman22]

Sotz, or bust..... vogelzang or us stove are about the only ones a feller can get easily now. And they suck.

 

[BRTreedogs]

And add a used oil gravity drip

 

[Leverwalker]

Thanks guys. Looking up drums now.

 

[Leverwalker]

Sotz, or bust..... vogelzang or us stove are about the only ones a feller can get easily now. And they suck.

I actually had come across the US Stove ones. What don't you like about the current makes?

 

[huntsman22]

not as airtight, efficient, lightweight, or as sparkproof. For starters.....

 

[huntsman22]

 

[Leverwalker]

not as airtight, efficient, lightweight, or as sparkproof. For starters.....

Thanks. Looks like they went belly up in '88? Shame so much manufacturing has gone to crap over the years.

 

[huntsman22]

Still see them for sale on ebay and craigslist, but they want stupid prices for them.....The vogelzang or us stove are the easy buttons, but just aren't in the same category.

 

[huntsman22]

The smaller Sotz round door kit will fit any drum bigger than 15 gal. The square door only fits 55's. Mine is built on a 15 gallon drum cut back to the first ring. Perfect size for a 12x14 tent or smaller. Build a grate for the bottom and you can burn charcoal for an all night burn. And my stove weighs 20 pounds all up, compared to 70+ for the like sized cylinder stove.....

 

[Leverwalker]

The smaller Sotz round door kit will fit any drum bigger than 15 gal. The square door only fits 55's. Mine is built on a 15 gallon drum cut back to the first ring. Perfect size for a 12x14 tent or smaller. Build a grate for the bottom and you can burn charcoal for an all night burn. And my stove weighs 20 pounds all up, compared to 70+ for the like sized cylinder stove.....

Things of beauty. Bummed I can't find the Sotz but will keep looking. Funny - in poking around saw your discussion on 24 campfire.

 

[ADKHTR]

Do yourself a favor and skip the Vogelzang kit idea, I made 3 stoves with that kit, they all were a big POS, I finally broke down and bought a metal stove from 4 dog, A Metal Works or something it’s called now, Little Dog I believe, unbelievable the difference, a stove you can regulate and packs together so much nicer, if your handy check out his designs, being air tight is so important and his are.

 

[Leverwalker]

Do yourself a favor and skip the Vogelzang kit idea, I made 3 stoves with that kit, they all were a big POS, I finally broke down and bought a metal stove from 4 dog, A Metal Works or something it’s called now, Little Dog I believe, unbelievable the difference, a stove you can regulate and packs together so much nicer, if your handy check out his designs, being air tight is so important and his are.

OK, thanks. Bookmarked them and will do some digging. Noob question, but the pipe configurations they offer. Unclear what each means and digging around the site, didn't see any discussions. Pretty much just looking for a straight pipe up through the roof - unclear on the placement they describe in the options.

 

[ADKHTR]

OK, thanks. Bookmarked them and will do some digging. Noob question, but the pipe configurations they offer. Unclear what each means and digging around the site, didn't see any discussions. Pretty much just looking for a straight pipe up through the roof - unclear on the placement they describe in the options.

The stove pipe is multiple sections that nest together for easier packing, it’s straight when assembled, if you need a funky angle somewhere in your pipe they sell an adjustable elbow for this, I have it for mine, don’t overthink the pipe it’s pretty simple, if you don’t care about the nesting feature you can probably get the same stuff at Lowes or Home Depot and probably cheaper, I like a stove pipe that nests together and fits in my stove for storage and ease of transporting it, I’m sure there are other stoves that people like out there, I’m telling you though that little dog stove or whatever it’s called from A Metal Werks (4 dog) is the best I’ve used, I’m done looking at stoves it’s the one for me, I have lived off wood heat my whole life and have a Jotul in my house currently, for tents the 4 dog stuff is where it’s at in my opinion, if I ever need another one I won’t even think twice I will be ordering another 4 dog stove of some variety, a pice of **** stove can ruin a whole trip. Good luck!

 

[SaltySailor]

Kimbak Barrel Stove Kit for Sale in Wasilla, AK - OfferUp

Open Box (never used), Kimbak Brand Barrel Stove Kit Just add barrel. $40obo. Make an offer!;

offerup.com

If you can find a Kimbak Products stove kit, you struck gold. These are the absolute best. With both doors having gaskets, you can shut them down so low you can go to bed at 11pm, wake up at 5:30 am and there are still coals going. All of our stoves at various camps have these kits, they are just getting harder and harder to find.

 

[ADKHTR]

The cheap barrel kits like from Vogelzang leak air like a pasta strainer, your fire takes off like a jet engine and you wake up suffocating, then you open the tent doors and fall back to sleep only to wake up again freezing to death and the whole process repeats itself all night, it sucks… bad.. the legs are held on to that thin metal of the barrel by some cheap ass bolts so the legs flex like they’re on rubber, it’s huge and a pain to even pack in the back of a truck, I hated everything about that thing, I’m sure the better barrel kits like above are in an entirely different league than the ones I used, but I prefer a medium sized, square, air tight, heavy duty box stove that everything fits inside of, makes life way better for storing in the back of a truck or a small boat like I use all season, I have no doubt anyone handy could build a super nice stove like the 4 dog metal version, I chose not to because I’m not handy and when something is readily available and made in the USA exactly like I want I will pay for it, my friend has used the same style stove but a diy version for years and it’s bullet proof, that’s when I knew I needed a change.

 

[Leverwalker]

The stove pipe is multiple sections that nest together for easier packing, it’s straight when assembled, if you need a funky angle somewhere in your pipe they sell an adjustable elbow for this, I have it for mine, don’t overthink the pipe it’s pretty simple, if you don’t care about the nesting feature you can probably get the same stuff at Lowes or Home Depot and probably cheaper, I like a stove pipe that nests together and fits in my stove for storage and ease of transporting it, I’m sure there are other stoves that people like out there, I’m telling you though that little dog stove or whatever it’s called from A Metal Werks (4 dog) is the best I’ve used, I’m done looking at stoves it’s the one for me, I have lived off wood heat my whole life and have a Jotul in my house currently, for tents the 4 dog stuff is where it’s at in my opinion, if I ever need another one I won’t even think twice I will be ordering another 4 dog stove of some variety, a pice of **** stove can ruin a whole trip. Good luck!

OK great, thanks. I think I was just confused by what they meant when they say "pipe set end wall" v. "straight out," but that's probably blindingly obvious. Thanks again.

 

[Leverwalker]

Kimbak Barrel Stove Kit for Sale in Wasilla, AK - OfferUp

Open Box (never used), Kimbak Brand Barrel Stove Kit Just add barrel. $40obo. Make an offer!;

offerup.com

If you can find a Kimbak Products stove kit, you struck gold. These are the absolute best. With both doors having gaskets, you can shut them down so low you can go to bed at 11pm, wake up at 5:30 am and there are still coals going. All of our stoves at various camps have these kits, they are just getting harder and harder to find.

Awesome, thanks!

 

[Leverwalker]

The cheap barrel kits like from Vogelzang leak air like a pasta strainer, your fire takes off like a jet engine and you wake up suffocating, then you open the tent doors and fall back to sleep only to wake up again freezing to death and the whole process repeats itself all night, it sucks… bad.. the legs are held on to that thin metal of the barrel by some cheap ass bolts so the legs flex like they’re on rubber, it’s huge and a pain to even pack in the back of a truck, I hated everything about that thing, I’m sure the better barrel kits like above are in an entirely different league than the ones I used, but I prefer a medium sized, square, air tight, heavy duty box stove that everything fits inside of, makes life way better for storing in the back of a truck or a small boat like I use all season, I have no doubt anyone handy could build a super nice stove like the 4 dog metal version, I chose not to because I’m not handy and when something is readily available and made in the USA exactly like I want I will pay for it, my friend has used the same style stove but a diy version for years and it’s bullet proof, that’s when I knew I needed a change.

I enjoy DIY stuff, but my skills are limited. The 20 gallon brewing systems I built were named "Ugly Betty I" and "Ugly Betty II." Given my welding skills, any guesses why they were so named?

I hear you completely - some things to pay others who do them really well. Thanks for the further thoughts.