Nimblewill Nomad Little Dandy Stove

Nice bit of craftsmanship there Craig. How did you cut the slots?

The slots aren't that tough to cut with a Dremel cutoff wheel, maybe a minute each- it was all just a little tedious, as I cut out nearly all the pieces with a dremel.

Very nice work. How well does the stove run? Have you tried it out in the wind yet?

This may be a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway. What about making the stove out of the thin sheets of aluminum found in the dryer vent aisle of Home Depot? I think it would make it much lighter while maintaining the required stability. Or would the aluminum melt?

I made one out of a mirro brand aluminum baking sheet. It weights 4.6 oz and works fairly well.

If I was going to make another one though I'd make it slightly smaller, as it won't work with smaller pots.

I've only used mine maybe a half dozen times and the aluminum is holding up well, but the aluminum is pretty thick.

Yeah, I'd like one out of lighter material…I was concerned aluminum wouldn't hold up too long (this stove is a bit labor-intensive to build, especially out of steel).
Maybe I'll splurge for titanium if I find I use it a lot.

As for wind, I think it would be an issue. The stove is a very open design.

As far as other metals, just make sure they're not galvanized- they'll emit toxic fumes when burning.

I don't think this is necessarily the "best", fastest, lightest, or most efficient wood stove out there. However, I can really see myself using it on mellow solo trips as a fireplace (so I don't scar the ground/have to create a fire pit). In that regard, it might be better than some other stoves. It's fun to use, creates plenty of warmth and light for one or two people.

Craig,
Nice work, I like it. You've actually got me thinking of building one (or a version of it. My personal experience has been that when boiling a few cups of water, the complex wood burners do no better then the simple ones.
Good job.
Steve

I had to make one of these after seeing the pictures… It wasn't difficult, but a Dremel tool is practically a necessity…

I cut up a perfectly good steel baking sheet to make it. I was really surprised at how stable the stove was when it was assembled, especially considering how easy it was to bend the steel with my fingers. I just hope that it doesn't rust out too quickly. I like gear that is durable in this disposable society (and my wife doesn't appreciate all the time I spend working on all of my projects).

One thing you might try to minimize rust for longevity sake is barbeque spray paint from a hardware store (or wherever). If it was a baking sheet, maybe it had some coating on it already and you'll only need to spray the cuts, but if not you could coat the whole thing. if it's been put to use though, you'd probably have to clean it and maybe even sand it down before painting it. The stuff I've seen is in the $4-5 range and claims 1200 degree capabilities.

I built one of these a couple of years ago (using sheets of galvanized flashing) and while it worked OK it had poor draft and it was difficult to keep the fire going. I planned on making a version that was taller, but never got around to it. Thanks for *rekindling* my interest!