ozyclint
WKR
i recently received a kifaru 12 man tipi and large box stove. i had always planned on tinkering with the stove to gain more control over the burn. here's how i went about it.
1st of all i made a flue damper flap out of some stainless steel sheet i had. i place both cinder screens in the bottom slot of the stove jack and the damper in the top slot. i shaped it to include a handle and i also removed a crescent to ensure the flue can not be fully shut off.
after the initial burn in i could see that the gaps at the top and bottom of the door needed to be shut off in order to gain a better seal meaning slower burn and more control.
i made some pieces out of stainless steel the same thickness as the stove itself, the pictures do the talking. i riveted them on and they sit level with the top and bottom edges of the door so that when the door is closed you can't see them. it turned out really neat.
i did some quick math and found that the surface area of the gaps was the equivalent of having 6.8 holes the same as the air inlet holes that are punched in the door but with no cover flap! those gaps had to be filled! i think it turned out looking like kifaru made it that way and it makes a big difference to the ability to slow it right down and get it burning low and slow.
i got a bed of coals going then loaded it as much as i could with good sized chunky pieces of ironbark and yellowbox (arguably the best fuel there is) then started timing. i had it at full flue and air for about 10 minutes to get the load going then i shut it down and waited.
8 hours later i opened it up and again and had good coals. i opened the flue and door for 5 minutes then took this photo of the bed of coals. ready for more wood in the morning!
you can make them burn for a long time you just need full control over the air in and exhaust out and excellent wood makes a huge difference. i feel sorry for you guys over there that have nothing but pine to burn... he he he he.
all up the mods including the washers under the leg bolts added 88 grams (3.1oz)
1st of all i made a flue damper flap out of some stainless steel sheet i had. i place both cinder screens in the bottom slot of the stove jack and the damper in the top slot. i shaped it to include a handle and i also removed a crescent to ensure the flue can not be fully shut off.
after the initial burn in i could see that the gaps at the top and bottom of the door needed to be shut off in order to gain a better seal meaning slower burn and more control.
i made some pieces out of stainless steel the same thickness as the stove itself, the pictures do the talking. i riveted them on and they sit level with the top and bottom edges of the door so that when the door is closed you can't see them. it turned out really neat.
i did some quick math and found that the surface area of the gaps was the equivalent of having 6.8 holes the same as the air inlet holes that are punched in the door but with no cover flap! those gaps had to be filled! i think it turned out looking like kifaru made it that way and it makes a big difference to the ability to slow it right down and get it burning low and slow.
i got a bed of coals going then loaded it as much as i could with good sized chunky pieces of ironbark and yellowbox (arguably the best fuel there is) then started timing. i had it at full flue and air for about 10 minutes to get the load going then i shut it down and waited.
8 hours later i opened it up and again and had good coals. i opened the flue and door for 5 minutes then took this photo of the bed of coals. ready for more wood in the morning!
you can make them burn for a long time you just need full control over the air in and exhaust out and excellent wood makes a huge difference. i feel sorry for you guys over there that have nothing but pine to burn... he he he he.
all up the mods including the washers under the leg bolts added 88 grams (3.1oz)
