Rocket stoves are thermal mass stoves for heating environments that, although they work with firewood, require very little wood. That is why they are efficient, economical and friendly to the environment.
A rocket stove basically has to have a space to put the firewood, connected to another where the heat can be maintained, and an exhaust pipe.
There are several models to build them. Here you can find an illustrative guide, with plans and materials to give you a general idea of its operation and construction.
If you are interested in building it, at the end you can find a complete 20-page manual in PDF format, which you can download to build it safely.
(For Model 1)
- A small metal “L” pipe (for measurements and specifications refer to the manual at the end of the note)
- A large “L” metal pipe
- a metal barrel
- a plate tray
- A grill or fence
- Bricks
- Mud
- sheet metal door
Blueprints
You can choose the one that best suits your needs.
1. Rocket stoves can be built in different ways. In this case, bricks, mud, and metal pipes that were welded together were used. As you can see in the plans, the important thing is to ensure that the space in which the firewood is placed, the heat containment space and the exit to the outside communicate.
2. One of the main steps is to condition the barrel. A disused sheet metal container can be used, but it must be well welded to its base and conditioned so that the heat does not escape anywhere. The barrel will be placed upside down, as can be seen on the plans. The base, which will then be on top, can be used as a surface for cooking or heating water.
3. Once the pieces are ready, the structure is built. In the images, it was made with bricks and mud. The pipes must be well inserted in it.
4. The barrel is inserted when the structure is advanced, and it continues to be built, without covering it. On some models, part of the barrel protrudes outside the construction.
5. When the stove is ready and dry, it can begin to be used by burning some wood in the compartment created for it. They are very efficient and use little firewood.
6. Now that you know how the stove works and the general guidelines for its construction, you can find here a very complete manual to build it step by step from scratch and safely. It is a slightly more complex model: Rocket Stove Construction Manual – Government of Santa Fe.