wood stove size?

[Wink]

I am looking at buying a 12x12 Cabelas Alaknak tent for use During our WI Deer season. Temps can get below zero at night. What size wood stove would you guys recommend? I was looking at a either a 3 or 4 dog stove.

 

[Claude Mathis]

I have the 3 dog and I think it would work for you, but if money and size aren't big issues, get the 4 dog.

 

[Many Klatch]

When I lived in Wisconsin, it seemed that most campers at a primitive do had propane Mr. Heaters. If you want a wood stove, get one big enough to handle some decent sized wood but still small enough that you can pick it up and load it in the truck.

Many Klatch

 

[mark fish]

I spent many night cold night in a ten man tent in the winter here in Alaska.
I recommend the Yukon stove.
Works great on fuel oil or wood. All parts fit inside the stove itself for easy travel.Very portable.

Heat it enough to keep a golf ball size cherry red spot in the middle of the stove. it'll keep you warm down to -20 and keep you alive at -40.

Army surplus store should have them.The military doesn't use as many of these since the end of the cold war :grin:

 

[Allan Gray]

What we've done that also seems to help is to place large stones under the stove on the ground, (in the floor area cut out for the stove).
They absorb the heat and radiate it longer.

I've also filled a cast iron dutch oven with stones and placed it on top of the stove,(provided yours will hold the weight).

Do not put rocks in the stove, sometimes they may explode...not a good thing for many reasons.

The walls on those tent stoves are so thin they don't keep much heat. Anything that stores and radiates the heat through the night is a big plus...especially when you need to get out of your cozy sleeping bag in the middle of the night to throw more wood on!

 

[Waterman]

Filling a Dutch Oven with stones is one of the best ideas I have picked off this board. Thanks.

Bill

 

[Allan Gray]

Thanks...enjoy! :thumbsup:

It also helps to put the dutch oven in your camp fire for a little while before you bed down to pre-heat it.

I also suggest letting the person with the least amount of whiskey in them to perform this task.
Don't ask how I know this. :redface:

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Here are some thoughts on tent stoves, and plans, you may find interesting and useful:

http://www.hadfield.ca/Gear/stove.html

 

[Big Sky Trapper]

Seeing that link reminded me of a wood stove I built many years ago. I found plans for it in a book in the library but should be out on the net some where...

I used a large 20MM ammo can. Kept the lid hinged and locks intact. Below the hinge on one end I cut a door and used a HD hinge and basic slide lock.

On the opposite side cut a hole to match up to the small 3-4 inch stove pipe.

On the bottom I bolted on 4 Screw pipe floor supports. (the round pipe supports with a center bung)

legs were just several pc of threaded pipe the inside length of the stove roughly 18 inches or so.

Unfortunaly I have no pictures that i could post but hopefully you get the idea....was a very simple build maybe had 30-40 bucks in it including the stove pipe...

When not in use everything fit completly inside the ammo can, most tidy

 

[XXX]

Seeing that link reminded me of a wood stove I built many years ago. I found plans for it in a book in the library but should be out on the net some where...

I used a large 20MM ammo can. Kept the lid hinged and locks intact. Below the hinge on one end I cut a door and used a HD hinge and basic slide lock.

On the opposite side cut a hole to match up to the small 3-4 inch stove pipe.

On the bottom I bolted on 4 Screw pipe floor supports. (the round pipe supports with a center bung)

legs were just several pc of threaded pipe the inside length of the stove roughly 18 inches or so.

Unfortunaly I have no pictures that i could post but hopefully you get the idea....was a very simple build maybe had 30-40 bucks in it including the stove pipe...

When not in use everything fit completly inside the ammo can, most tidy

What about the rubber gasket? How long did it hold up, seems like steel that thin would wear out fast.

 

[Big Sky Trapper]

I pre burnt out the gasket, but w/o it was not an issue as far as how the stove drafted....It lasted several seasons, I ended up selling it with the tent. Those ammo cans are just as thick as all the horse packable stoves you'll ever find....

 

[XXX]

I pre burnt out the gasket, but w/o it was not an issue as far as how the stove drafted....It lasted several seasons, I ended up selling it with the tent. Those ammo cans are just as thick as all the horse packable stoves you'll ever find....

Cool. Thanks for the tip. I have a 20MM box, but I was using it for ammo and BP.

 

[oldman]

From camping in northern Wisconsin winters I have found wood fired tent stoves to be somewhat unique (not unlike women) and most require some getting used to (again, not unlike women). Almost all small enough to be portable will require careful loading before retiring at night and will require refilling during the night. I certainly agree with other posts that you should get one as large as possible so as to minimize reloading and allow use of the maximum wood size. It is very important to be able to control draft or air supply so as to control the rate of burn. Adjusting the air supply is one of the areas that will require the practice, as will learning how to load the stove at night.

 

[Wink]

I'm looking at a 3 Dog stove or a Cabelas Cylinder Stove. Anyone know which is better?