Elk Tent Stove - Tips and Strategies?

[OregonSteeler]

I have a homemade but well built elk tent stove that it paired with my 8x10 canvas elk tent. I've had it for roughly 2 years and probably use it about a 10-12 times a year. She is one finicky BIT%C! It's your typical cylinder stove with stove pipe angled to go out the side and not the top.

There are times when it's little problem at all, and then there's time when I just can't get it from smoking out the tent every half hour or so. I'd love to hear people's general rules, tips, process, or advice to have a better quality experience using an elk tent stove. This is what I've seen that makes a difference but still haven't perfected it.

1. Wood has to be super dry and in smaller chunks.
2. Cannot overload because wood will smolder instead of burn and smoke out tent
3. Having the right amount of draft coming in is extremely hard. If I close the door and only have the 3 holes open, it seems to die, even with a good amount of coals
4. Floo in stove pipe to outside???? How the heck to you use it? I only seem to have it 3/4 open and never touch it.

It's pretty frustrating when you're sitting down playing a game of cards and all of a sudden your eyes are burning.

Thanks all in advance!

 

[huck]

If your chimney isnt tall enough it wont draw right especially with a down draft or inversion.

 

[bpa556]

Make sure you have enough stove pipe to get above the peak of the tent. Open the flue all the way up and see if she’ll breath. If still not, I think the stove pipe is probably too small for the box.


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[Customweld]

The guys nailed it above. You have to break the peak of your tent with the flue. I have to clean my chimney every 3-4 days if I'm really choking the stove down. I usually just break a green limb of a fir tree and run it through the chimney sections. There are days when mine won't draft right at all. Incoming storms (barometer drop) seems to affect that.

 

[BigNate]

You may want to modify how it drafts. I've actually been thinking about modifying the one I got for my shop.
If the only air is coming in from the door it will burn less efficiently than if you have air coming in further back.
I'm considering adding drilled pipe down each side and a valve at the back to control with. Just have to close the valve before cracking the door.

 

[OregonSteeler]

Appreciate the input thus far. I don't think it's smart to lengthen the pipe coming out of the tent. As mentioned, it's angled and the longer the pipe, the heaver it is hanging. Here's a pic of my tent with pipe.

 

[OregonSteeler]

The aluminim foil is to try and reduce wind going into the pipe. When the wind picks up and enters the pipe it belches the stove and smokes out everyone.

I've since got a cap for it.

 

[Customweld]

Appreciate the input thus far. I don't think it's smart to lengthen the pipe coming out of the tent. As mentioned, it's angled and the longer the pipe, the heaver it is hanging. Here's a pic of my tent with pipe.

View attachment 366946

This is just my humble suggestion: I would 90 it up and get the top above your tent peak and build a support for the 90 to rest on.

 

[Brock A]

Appreciate the input thus far. I don't think it's smart to lengthen the pipe coming out of the tent. As mentioned, it's angled and the longer the pipe, the heaver it is hanging. Here's a pic of my tent with pipe.

View attachment 366946

I think you need to get the stove pipe vertical.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Does the stove have adequate combustion air coming into fire box. If not you won't get enough updraft. this and other mentioned points about flue vent hight and size.

 

[Legend]

The aluminim foil is to try and reduce wind going into the pipe. When the wind picks up and enters the pipe it belches the stove and smokes out everyone.

I've since got a cap for it.

Buy yourself a cap for the end of that pipe. We almost died one night without when when a sublte breeze started blowing into the pipe and fill the tent....glad we woke up!

Pipe looks long enough to me. Get yourself some wire to run off tent frame and around the pipe to help hold it up. This can also help you get a steaper angle.

Also pipe diameter can be overlooked. If it is too big or too small the stove just won't perform. Trial and error or experience from others is the easiest way to tell the right diameter. The engineers have a calculation you can do but it makes my head hurt.

 

[OregonSteeler]

I have been thinking of stitching over the side pipe hole and having a shop put one in on the roof. Then I'd be able to get a longer pipe and wouldn't worry as much about the weight. If there's one thing I'd definitely make sure of in my next tent is having the stove pipe hole in the roof!

 

[OregonSteeler]

Does the stove have adequate combustion air coming into fire box. If not you won't get enough updraft. this and other mentioned points about flue vent hight and size.

I've fiddled with this a ton by keeping the door slightly open or closing door and keeping the vent holes open on door.

It seems that if I have the door cracked, it goes through the wood too fast and gets too hot. If I close the door and open the vent holes, it kills the fire and smolders; thus making smoke. It's a hard balance between the two.

Since this is a homemade stove (I picked it up for $100), I'm pretty sure it's not as efficient as professionally made stoves.

Another question: Once the fire is hot and burning, how often are you feeding wood into the stove?

 

[sneaky]

Yeah, you need to put another angle in the pipe after it exits the sidewall and get that pipe vertical. Then all you need to do is support the pipe underneath with a 2x4 piece or a limb cut on site. That's about as inefficient of a design as you could possibly have the way you've got it now.

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[BRTreedogs]

45 it up and ad enough pipe to get above your peak.
But some rebar and make a stand to wire to the pip to help hold it.

 

[sneaky]

Like this. They have theirs supported from wires to the external frame, but you can support from underneath as well.

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[cnelk]

Barometric pressure also affects how a stove pipe will draft.
Ever notice sometimes smoke will just hang near the ground? That's a low pressure effect.

I would definitely change the pipe and go thru the roof. I did what you have and struggled with smoke.

Many times, the stove pipe doesnt get hot enough to create a draft.
Take more time and burn small kindling and get that flue hot before adding larger wood

 

[BigNate]

We are using the same side exit style, and don't 90 it vertical. We use a crutch looking support. Going vertical might help a little but it sounds like you need more air. It's an easy fix.

 

[huck]

You can shorten your pipe outside then 45 above the peak of the tent and support it , you can patch that hole and put anew hole in so the pipe goes striaght up . Either way get that pipe a foot above the peak of the tent or or your just beatin yourself in the head .

 

[11boo]

I have been thinking of stitching over the side pipe hole and having a shop put one in on the roof. Then I'd be able to get a longer pipe and wouldn't worry as much about the weight. If there's one thing I'd definitely make sure of in my next tent is having the stove pipe hole in the roof!

I have the same tent and similar issue. I’ll be putting a roof Jack in this year.

I’ve tried just 45 ing out like you, adding another 45 to go vertical above the roof line, still get smoke.

lemme see if I can find the link, there are no sewing option roof jacks, or a regular one can be sewed on easily with the right machine.