Metal drum for tent stove

mmcneil

Senior Member
I've been thinking about making a wall tent stove out of a metal drum, anyone done this before? You can buy the kit for about $50 minus the steel drum. Also anyone know where I could get a 35 gallon drum? I think the 55 gallon will be to big and have it to close to the side of the tent.
Thanks
 
You can do a online search-there are a lot of them available-didn't see a 35 gallon but lots of 30 gallon. Why not buy a large Buddy Heater (Safe for Indoor Use) and connect to a propane tank placed outside with a long hose ? Other than the propane usage the total cost probably wouldn't be more than the cost of the home made wood stove.
 

Miguel Cervantes

Jedi Master
You can do a online search-there are a lot of them available-didn't see a 35 gallon but lots of 30 gallon. Why not buy a large Buddy Heater (Safe for Indoor Use) and connect to a propane tank placed outside with a long hose ? Other than the propane usage the total cost probably wouldn't be more than the cost of the home made wood stove.

The initial cost of the large Buddy heater, or even the Buddy Jr is well above the $50 for the kit before you ever buy propane. I use one when camping and it is toasty while the flame is burning, but within seconds of it going out the warmth is gone.

With a drum heater the coals will keep them warm long after the fire has burned down. If I had a tent that would except a drum heater and a flu I would go that route in a heartbeat.
 

MudDucker

Moderator
Staff member
Drum heaters can be nice, but be careful of two things. If you take a kid camping, these drums are very hot and two, watch and take care of the drum burning out and dropping coals on the floor.
 

7Mag Hunter

Senior Member
Sportsmans Guide has a small tent heater with flu pipes that nest inside the stove for transport...About $100.00
or so....
 
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LYNN

Senior Member
I made one 25 years ago with a Stotz doubel barrell kit.

i put the door in one end of the bottom barrel and the flue out the other end into the second barrel to draw the smoke and heat all the way thru the top barrel where i put the smokestack out the top and away. Then on same end of the top barrel i put an access door out that Wilson Air Conditioning made in the sheet metal sho[ and put in an expanded iron grate.
We smoked some mighty fine hog, deer salmon, etc. We also gathered around it on cold nights.
 
Army tent heat will burn wood or diesel
 

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Big7

The Oracle
In a tent, NO WAY for me..

A propane cat will keep a tent pretty warm.

Mine will run 8 hours on one tank..
(one like you use on a lantern or stove)

And... if you need to go large, there are some that
fit on a #20 grill tank..

Just sayin'. :D
 
In a tent, NO WAY for me..

A propane cat will keep a tent pretty warm.

Mine will run 8 hours on one tank..
(one like you use on a lantern or stove)

And... if you need to go large, there are some that
fit on a #20 grill tank..

Just sayin'. :D
I spent many a very cold winter living in a tent. As long as a heater is well maintained and watched the tent heater is a good addition. But I have seen several tent fires. I always liked burning wood in the stoves.
 

riprap

Senior Member
Must be a heck of a tent. Medium size buddy heater at Wal-Mart is $69. Propane exchange for a 20 lb bottle is $15. That will do me fine all hunting season in my 26ft camper. It's mid 80's so it's not well insulated.
 

deadbox

Senior Member
I've seen them made from an ammo box. Really cool and compact. YouTube is the jam.
 

RossVegas

Senior Member
I've got the BigBuddy, LittleBuddy, and one a little smaller. Haven't used the little one yet. I've used the BigBuddy in a tent in 25 degree weather, in a 2 season tent. It'll go through probably 4 of the 1lb tanks in a cold night, but we stay toasty. Till it goes out, gets cold pretty quick.
 
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