Barrel stove in a tent?

[syoungs]

So I'm fixing to build a Wood stove for my 12x20 alaknak. I've never had a stove in a tent before.

I picked up a barrel stove kit from eBay for 35$, and a stove pipe from cabelas bargain cave for 20$ this weekend. My plan was to take an old hot water heater tank, cut it down to a suitable size, weld a flat plate to the cut off section, and finish it with the door from the barrel kit.
Then I started thinking, maybe just keep it simple, and use the kit on a 30 gallon drum as designed, and lay down a fire mat to help protect the floor from heat, as it'll sit lower then most stoves sit.

I'm questioning wether a 30 gallon barrel will be to big to put in the tent comfortably though, don't have one in front of me, so I'm having a hard time visualizing it.

Anyone have any input?? I don't need a flat spot, as I don't plan on cooking in the tent, or maybe I do but don't realize I do sense I've never had one?

Also, the stove pipe is a standard 5" pipe, not a nesting pipe. It seems a bit "floppy" to me, do you need to secure the sections somehow?

[ghosthunter]

I am thinking that is bigger than you need.

You might consider a old propane tank?

[syoungs]

Yeah, that was my initial thought, to big. Ive got an old eater heater tank I could cut down easy enough, I'll probably stick to that route. Plus it's much heavier steel then a drum

[XxStarXx]

The 30 gal drum probably wouldn't be too bad... I use a Kni-Co Tundra Takedown Packer Stove ( 27"H x 15"W x 25"L) in my 12' x 18' wall tent the dimensions on my stove are a little less than the dimensions of a 30 gal. drum (27.5"L x 18.25"W) by the time you added an ash catch and wood grate I would think it would be similar in size? My stove works great and isn't too much for the tent but it does have some drawbacks which I think would be similar with using a barrel... both are made from 18 ga. steel so the biggest one is holding heat long as you don't let the fire go out you can keep it 80 deg. inside with 3' of snow on the ground if you wanted to but if it goes out then you will have icicles hanging from the roof in about 5 minutes I usually have to get up about 3 times a night or so to put wood on the fire not such a big deal I guess. The other thing I don't really like as much is the thin steel glows with a decent fire never had any problems with it just more worry than anything I suppose. So if you have the option of using the thicker tank I would use that over a drum any day. Another option that some of the people in my elk hunting party have switched to is a small wood stove for a house those are really nice and low maintenance in operation but it seems way over kill in my opinion as it make the tent uncomfortably hot also they are really really heavy and if your like me and going solo a lot of the time then its not an option to try wrestling one of those in and out of the truck by yourself.

I would recommend having a flat spot on top even if you don't plan on cooking with it... I have had cook stoves break and regulators go out and whatnot its always nice to have a backup IMO. One thing I do have to say it comes in really handy for is coffee, I keep a peculator full of coffee on the stove 24/7 its nice to come in to a hot cup if you been out all day... just a thought

so on the stove pipe... I use 5" pipe as well, I have one section of pipe over the top of the peak of the tent roof which makes it roughly 5 sections of pipe in total I think. I haven't had any issues with having to support the stove pipe or it being "floppy" last years elk hunt it blew about 50 mph and poured rain for 4 days straight on the coast and it was fine. There are guy wire kits they sell for supporting your stove pipe but I haven't need one yet I do however keep a roll of concrete tie wire with me just in case. I would also get a spark arrestor if you don't already have one last thing you want is burn holes in the roof when its raining lol

Hope this helps 

[dis_pat_]

I use an 11" x 11" x 22" in a 14' x 17' tent and it's sufficient.  Larger stoves can burn longer.

The Alaknak has the stove vent in the center so the heating should be better.

[Woodchuck]

If you are ever over here I am glad to show you what I built for mine. I do think the barrel would be excessive, physical size wise at least. You will be amazed how quickly you fill that tent up. 

[syoungs]

I use an 11" x 11" x 22" in a 14' x 17' tent and it's sufficient.  Larger stoves can burn longer.

The Alaknak has the stove vent in the center so the heating should be better.

Not sure what you mean, mine isn't centered!

Thanks for the comments so far guys!

[ghosthunter]

If you are planning to build your own. I saw one a guy made that was cool . It was a tank on end. The door high on the side. pipe in top . Vents near bottom . Took up a lot less space and it had no bottom . When he was ready to go he just picked it up. the ash stayed behind.

[syoungs]

If you are planning to build your own. I saw one a guy made that was cool . It was a tank on end. The door high on the side. pipe in top . Vents near bottom . Took up a lot less space and it had no bottom . When he was ready to go he just picked it up. the ash stayed behind.

ive seen the same idea, but the alaknak has a floor, and I would be afraid it would make a terrible mess when I when to pack up camp!

[dis_pat_]

Not sure what you mean, mine isn't centered!

Thanks for the comments so far guys!

Thought I'd recalled the Alaknaks had the stove jack near a center pole.  Guess not.

[syoungs]

Well time got the best of me. As in I have none!

I couldn't justify a 4 dog this year.  But in the next year or 2 I will be buying one most likely, to get me by, j bought a barrel stove kit on eBay.

Pretty cheap, and seems to work better then I expected. J went with a 30 Gallon drum, gonna set the stove legs on cinder blocks to raise it from the floor a bit. And run a metal catch pan under it to catch any sparks.

So to get my tent heated I'm under 140$ total now.
Stove kit 35$
Stove pipe 18$ (bargain cave)
Misc stuff 20$ (paint, metal pipe,)
Alaknak roof protector 63$
Barrel was free!

Still need a spark arrestor/rain cap. They have em at ace for 12$ though




Some paint tomorrow should spiff it up, then I'll be ready to rock!

[stickman999]

I'm only rejuvenating this thread because I had the same idea and when I went to order the kit I found out the clowns in Olympia have banned the kits from being shipped to Washington.

[Special T]

I'm only rejuvenating this thread because I had the same idea and when I went to order the kit I found out the clowns in Olympia have banned the kits from being shipped to Washington.

They are sold at harbor freight in ID. Bribe some one who is going through the area to pick one up for you.

For a tent  I think the 7-8 gallon propane tank would work really good, and you could probably use the smaller 3"venting for propane heaters and such. The piping, hats, collars and such for those are super cheap. I'm sure some one on you tube has a good DIY video on it. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[baker5150]

I'm only rejuvenating this thread because I had the same idea and when I went to order the kit I found out the clowns in Olympia have banned the kits from being shipped to Washington.

I was looking at these recently for a cabin.
Amazon Prime has them for $60 and didn't say anything about shipping restrictions, other than lower 48 only.

However they are made in China and it is Amazon

[high country]

You can also get 10 and 16 gallon drums. The 10 is short and fat....perfect for a 12x12 alaknak.