Survival UK Forums

Old time wood stove if you've got access to oil drums..

Don't oil drums just burn through because they are so thin? Not meant as criticism.

Now that I have absolutely no idea, that is news to me.
I've got a couple of gas bottles for making mine so the metals very thick.

Come to think of it they always used top use oil drums for burning stuff at my allotment, BUT then again its the open topped chuck it in and burn it thing.
So with a door on it should just burn hotter...
Anybody got any experience of making stoves with oil drums???

It shouldnt burn through if its steel, I know they rust through quick so theres always a possibility of weak metal...

Jurys out until we cab get an expert whos made one I suppose...

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UPDATE ON THE WOODSTOVE!!!!!!

I watched another video and apparently they rust though in about 4 years...

So post shtf they'd do for a while till you can get better I suppose...

AND if you can get a regular supply...

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Still heres another design... you never know if other materials wont be available post shtf so at least it'll keep you warm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNZrd3aXAI

(17 December 2012, 12:01)Geordie_Rob Wrote: [ -> ]Don't oil drums just burn through because they are so thin? Not meant as criticism.

All the best apocalyse films have fires burning in oil drums. I would guess it depends on the fuel as well. Must be worth a try.

Yeah, we used one in the garden to burn stuff in. Good for a while, but it depends how much you're using it. We had a new oil drum for this, with a few holes in the sides at the bottom to enable air flow. By the end of the summer it had burnt through and pretty much collapsed. But we were using it every weekend and a couple of nights a week too.

I'm sure you could reinforce them somehow, bit of asbestos in the bottom etc.

I see it for temporary use. There are much better, and cheaper, ways to make a stove than building up an oil drum.

The cottage `Wilderness` [aka Gaskin],.. for any Mike Tomkins fans is close to me,... and he built one of these in that place and it lasted for years

(17 December 2012, 16:09)Highlander Wrote: [ -> ]The cottage `Wilderness` [aka Gaskin],.. for any Mike Tomkins fans is close to me,... and he built one of these in that place and it lasted for years

Inside? protected from the weather it should last quite a while. Outside, they don't last long at all

Shame cause they look pretty good, and they're a damn site easier to make than the gas bottle ones!

Mike Tomkins had his in the front room,...he never had a problem, it was still working whan it was replaced,... the contents didnt burn on the bottom of the barrow, there was a grid inside, the fire was sort of half way up, the large door served to add fuel to the top bit and take ash from the lower part

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*BARREL*... not barrow

(17 December 2012, 13:28)Skean Dhude Wrote: [ -> ]

(17 December 2012, 12:01)Geordie_Rob Wrote: [ -> ]Don't oil drums just burn through because they are so thin? Not meant as criticism.

All the best apocalyse films have fires burning in oil drums. I would guess it depends on the fuel as well. Must be worth a try.

used to burn wood/rubbish in a skip it ended up bending a little and busting open on the welds at the bottom