Rustler stove revisited

CONCRETE RUSTLER STOVE  Homemade for about 1250 pesos ($25.)
(prepper 101)



The rustler hole fires have been around for ages. They were upgraded to wood stoves and forges a few hundred years ago. Those which are commonly called Rocket Stoves and featured on you tube are just remakes of the original wood stove. Create a draft; AIR+FUEL=FIRE, the more air (oxygen)the hotter the fire and the combustion will eliminate smoke and increase the BTU’s. There’s really no new science — just new materials, designs and applications. 

I built my rustler stove for several reasons. I’m in the tropics and need to burn lawn refuse now and again. The synergy of burning junk and cooking down sea salt plus drying oregano is shown in one photo. Creating something out of nothing appeals to me.

One does not need a large fire — a hot fire is what is needed. The fire pit is only four inches in diameter. Once combustion reaches almost 100 percent, however, the heat created encompasses the entire chamber. Of course the heat rises, so the end result is a fire which is cylindrical(4”x 13”). Harness the heat with an iron pot, a skillet, or grill, and it becomes the off-grid — free energy stove.

When I want to B-B-Q a hamburger or chicken, I use charcoal made from coconut shells. I added an air intake into the feed hole and inserted an aluminum tube to convert the trash burner into a forge by adding a small air pump. I have a foot pump that I can use when the power goes out.

It’s multipurpose but not portable.(I included handles, so it can be moved around the yard, but it’s heavy.) I’ve made a similar unit out of stainless steel in the past. They are perfect for packing to the beach, but too small for my yard refuse.

I had to sell my dutch oven before I left Panama for the Philippines. That would be perfect for an oven for this unit. I’m looking, but in the meantime I will craft some sort of oven — either out of clay or steel.

Future experiments will be canning with a pressure cooker, baking with a crafted unit, and perhaps adding a basin for larger forge capacity.

Future photos — roasting our coffee using the coffee husks as fuel. Actual step by step building of the units and the enhancement of the forging capabilities.

Note the grate inside the steel feed tube, the pot ring and the grill.

Rebar reinforcing placed inside each unit before concrete is poured into the plastic bucket 

Steel parts primered with anti rust paint.


 

Ozonated sea water being rendered down to sea salt.  Fresh oregano being dried by the extra heat.