First of all, if anyone should be bought a beer, its you, for the hours of entertainment, knowledge and for the feeling of "the simple life" we all want to run to. Thank YOU JC. Now for the mention, it really put a stupid grin on my face. I hope one day to meet we have a lot in common, except for one, I'm happily married for 38 years. I know because my wife told me so. :-) Phil
They are really cool boss! It would be nice to have one over at our camp! I am gonna have to look up the stuff this spring to make one! Thanks for sharing! Have a good one!
Hello JC, For s**ts and giggles and keeping free in mind, I tried a rocket stove made from a hardwood cut log about 14" round and 20" tall. I plunged the chainsaw blade into the log top and side to make a chimney. Popped out the wood, cut notches on the top sides for air, a couple flat rocks to lift off the top, add another flat rock to extend burn chamber to increase length of wood and in no time was boiling water. Probably get 3 to 4 boils and when the chimney is to large, some dry fire wood for the stove. I will put a picture up in my photo section. Phil
Its been 8 yrs sunce my 1st buuld (after watching this recap). Making my 2nd set with thrifted items Ive found. Thank you again for the backwoods logic😊
You are right JC.....everyone should be prepared, we never know when a natural disaster or terrorist attack will strike....Being prepared is the way to be. Thanx again.
Don Motz I don't do a lot of prepping because I know that I can gather and preserve food without the grid, but for most folks, all they know is the grocery store and the microwave. Could get scary out there man.
Yeah, every household should have at least that 4'" Rocket stove, and a water purifier. The legs on the bottom was a smart idea, I like that. I was just emailing my two sons to watch your videos, you have some great stuff on your channel..
Made my first 4" stove two weeks ago, my Son and his girl friend stopped in and the wife and I made eight cheese steaks on it at one time in a 5 quart sauce pan, all we used was a few sticks and a pine cone. My son thought it was so cool that I made him one yesterday. I also used sand, $2.88 / bag and one bag is all thats required. I like the weight of the sand so it won't roll around in the vehicle when transporting or blow off the table. Great project. Thanks again.
Been watching your videos for some time now and I love them all. Your rocket stove videos have inspired me to build my own using your methods. You make great points about preparedness in case of the grid going down. Keep the videos coming JC, you're lifestyle and insight are both very inspiring.
I was just telling my daughter's Boyfriend he is up from NH that I want to go to Walmart and get the supplies to make this.I am glad you mentioned the price you had paid to make yours.Your so right to be prepared now.People should not wait.
KatahdinKooking Mama For such a small investment, I can't see a reason not to have one. There's no shortage of fuel out there.Have fun with your project.
I made one a year ago out of a 20lb propane tank and I love it. My wife doesnt understand why I prefer to cook over that and not the stove . But if anyone makes one of these they will find they are a joy to cook with. Thx again for your videos.
Great stove. I will be keeping my husband busy this winter between these and the water filter project. I really enjoy your videos and thank you for all the effort you put into them.
I tried to adjust the settings (unsuccessfully) to enable your comments, but I'using an old apple tablet my son gave me so I'm finding there's a learning curve, not to mention I'm not proficient enough yet with this kind of stuff. Anyway, THANK YOU! I am SO pleased to have discovered your channel today as I was searching DIY categories for the most relevant, necessary projects that would serve me in a grid-down situation - so I can be as prepared as possible. As the saying goes: "Knowledge weighs nothing." When I was [much] younger, I purchased & lived on a 60 acre parcel of land in Vermont. This was in 1981, mind you, and most people thought it strange to actually want to live in a remote or country setting. It was there that I began earnestly seeking as much of a self-sufficient lifestyle as possible & where I proudly assisted in designing & building my dream home - a log cabin built from trees from my own land, among the many other things I absorbed I lived there for 25+ years, I was able to learn many skills considered obsolete by most of society, until the past few years. Building upon that, I've continued learning, gaining functional knowledge over the decades, particularly organic gardening of food crops, food preservation, composting, various soil amendments, or really any aspect of self-sufficient living, etc., ESPECIALLY anything I can do for FREE or low cost, e.g., saving seed, sun-dried herbs & food crops, etc. I've been living in a Rhode Island city not far my adult son since retiring. Anyway, YOUR videos have inspired me to come up with a plan to return to the independent lifestyle that I love. Who knows? Maybe I will buy a small property & get out of 'Dodge' while I still can.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts Kathleen and by all means, go back to the lifestyle you're passionate about. Live it up while you can and save the "normal life" for when you you can't live it up anymore. Blessings and best of luck to you.
The big pot sit directly on the top of the wooden table, don't you worry it will burn the your table ? Nice idea and very practical. Thanks, Blessings.
I bought a Heavy Duty model back in August 2012. I showed it to my parent's because I bought it from money they gave me for my birthday and I got the usual eye roll from my mother. When Hurricane Sandy hit that year I stayed with them for a few days because they were without power...well guess what heated the hotwater and made coffee lol. Then it went from me and my "crazy ideas" to a useful tool, I took my little 15' fiberglass rv camping this weekend and made some homemade hamburger's and pulled out the rocket stove and had several people asking me questions about it lol.
If the grid goes down,no matter what the reason,stores will not open. No electricity means no cash registers,automatic doors,lighting,and almost everything else that keeps Walmart open. That's why I prep.At least one of the reasons. Thanks for your insights.Folks like you keep folks like me constantly thinking.
Its good to have both stoves. One for big pots, one for small pots. Theres a reason that kitchen stoves have two or four eyes. One for high heat and one for simmering. Two stoves allow for cooking two dishes at the same time. In grid down, boiling water will be life. A big pot will be required. We will be hauling water in five gallon buckets so a pot that will hold two to four gallons will work best. I think the next one i build i will try the insulation from a junk kitchen stove between the two layers. As long as the stove is protected from rain it doesnt matter what insulation is chosen. Once ashes or sand get wet they take a long time to dry and they will promote rust. The stove should last a longest time if they can be covered after use Pressure cookers and canners should work fine. Thanks for the videos. John Davis jax fl
YESSAH boss , there may come a day that a little solo stove for camping just wont cut it . Great ideas for when one may have to do more than just boil water in a canteen cup .
Boss I built the water purifier a couple of years ago, just am finishing up the six inch rocket stove at my cabin and I already completed the solar shower! Thank you so much.
Great job Boss! We (my son & I) are adding a "Rocket Stove" to our to do list. Keep up the great work. Say hi to Frankie! Ohh & Happy Easter! God Bless!
Awesome! Spurs my imagination on all the uses for this! I bet you could put a few copper coils with a in and out and hook it up to a tank and make hot water for a shower really fast with minimal fuel!! Possibilities are endless... with basically what most people see as trash...
Good video JC. Keeping things simple is the only way to go and using what you have and for free just makes it better.I would think you could use your canning pot on the 6 inch stove. I will be watching for you to try that. Keep them coming.
Those are very cool little stoves, I've got everything I need to make one out in my shed except the t-pipe, that looks the best way to go than some of the others, can't wait to get one made, thanks for sharing.
Great stuff mate, i will be puncking a few of these out so i can take them out fishing, they will work great for cooking all our meals with out a lot of effort, which means more time fishing and less carting shit in & out of camp. Thanks mate.
Hello JC you made mention of your pots getting black from soot . Try rubbing a bar of soap around the bottom of the pans before you cook and afterwards it with wash right off . Thank you again always enjoy the videos.
Great finish to the rocket stove videos JC! I can't argue with all of the info you shared, all very useful logic, and I am one to prepare for all scenarios like yourself, and with myself permanently living off the grid... knowing the value of propane and other fuels, this is a great back up! Thanks for sharing friend, as always, take care.
Dave Wilcox Jr What I like about these as apposed to cooking on a camp fire, is that none of the fire is wasted. It's all directed beneath the pot and the fuel needed is normally considered trash and left in the woods. Such a great concept.
Excellent stoves. I will be putting together the 6" next weekend, it will be one more thing off the list for being independent. Thanks for the experiment and all the hard work teaching us about the stoves. Cheers!!
Well JC > I sure did enjoy this ROCKET STOVE RECAP ! A handy unit to have for many uses. Your advice on being prepared for an emergency or long term off grid survival is valid. Everyone should have a basic plan in place. My Jim and I look forward to the independence of living off the grid at will. Our cabin will use electricity as the BACK UP ! As for the sand> I have always lined the bottoms of small wood stoves with sand to prevent the metal from burning out. Keep these fine videos coming ! All the best my friend>>
diane hall Thank you Diane. Yepper, the sand is a great insulator for sure. I wish I wasn't going to be so busy this spring cause I'd love to come pound nails at the cabin site with ya'll. Looking forward to meeting you folks.
I realize a lot of us offered alternatives to sand... it's just the weight that I was suggesting otherwise. Hats off to the person who suggested the ash. What an awesome idea. I've damaged my back in the job I've done for the past 15 years so sand would be really hard for me to use. In hurricane season it would be nice to have this as a back up. I like the idea of two sizes. Thanks for the update. ATB Louise :)
Louise Florida I hope you don't think I was upset or annoyed by all the suggestions I got. I tried to clarify that as I ALWAYS welcome suggestions. The wood ash idea was priceless. I'm afraid if the stove is too light as wind would blow it over and that could end up disastrous. I mixed sand with ashes for the 6" and it's perfect. I love these stoves.
Always love your Videos, Im a new subscriber, but allready ive learned so much from your videos. I am heading out to Walmart this weekend and to Home Depot to get what i need to make a few of the stoves. You speak laymans speak and do not make anything to complicated. Keep up the good work.
Sold! Thanks so much, JC. I'm gonna build one this spring - great for a streamside fishfry! On another note, I saw a glimpse of you with a guitar in a video. Let's hear some...?
dowgpatch I'm sure you'll enjoy these stoves. I love how the fuel needed can be found anywhere. I been teaching myself the guitar off and on but it'll appear sooner or later lol.
I'm glad you posted this video, it give me a chance to wish you and Frankie a blessed Easter. I'm moving tomorrow to a cheaper place. I just cleaned the entire place from top to bottom so I know there won't be any dangerous chemicals my dog will get into there. Hugs.
thebossoftheswamp I feel really bad about Umbra, I got home from work and she couldn't get up off the floor. I got here to the animal hospital within thirty minutes and they thought they could help her. Her stomach had turned I don't know why she was only four years old. My son hasn't take it well at all. Even Abby seem's to be looking for her friend. She was part of our family and we loved her very much. Hug Frankie for me and thank you.
What you're saying about the grid going down is the reason I taught my two boys (now 'supposedly' adults!) How to build emergency shelters and make fires (using tinder like birch bark..we have millions of silver birch in Scotland! ) how to make snares (although I don't really like it, I did teach them, but put heavy emphasis on remembering exactly where your snares are and checking regularly so there's the minimum of suffering involved. What you're saying is so true, the weather is all over the place, we've had days of 30°C heat in February followed by 100mph winds and -28°C temperatures in the same month, the floods, the constant wars over (as far as I can see, but I am no politician, the UK and US and a couple of other western countries need to control ALL the oil) greed on both sides but the instigation of the Super Companies and Oil Producing Countries like Saudi Arabia, has made the world like a time bomb, and in all this greed not one country has taken on board the fact that fossil fuels are the ROOT of ALL the problems both the wars and climate change. I think the only way to go forward is to learn and teach the skills that you are teaching and I attempted (fairly successfully) with my kids. I don't know what is going to happen to the majority who are just expecting the status quo to remain stable for ever! Downsizing and utilising skills like herbal medicine and which plants are edible and how to make fire and rocket stoves, big or small, is going to be the deciding factor on who will survive climate change and the inevitable end of the Grid. The stuff you've been putting up (along with some channels which deal with plants (I was very lucky to have been taught much of this by an elderly lady who lived next door to us in the Highlands) and emergency shelter construction are going to be the information that's needed by everyone but possessed by the few when the grid finally dies. Thanks again for posting because knowledge of the basic survival skills are one thing but to be able to make the basics as varied and about as far from 'normal' survival rations (you're due a five star Michelin rating for making survival look better than what you can get in a lot of restaurants) as well as you do is akin to magic!
Love your channel. Those stoves really are great! I will be making bot the 4" and 6" as they will be a great addition to my camp Dutch ovens which we have been using to cook on for years. Now with warmer weather we will be cooking more outside and these rocket stoves look like they will be a great adventure. Thanks for sharing them with us, take care.
+frank That's awesome. I figured it would since it boils water in no time at all. The "experts" say it NEEDS to be about 8" taller to work. I think differently. Cheers :-))
Excellent report on your rocket stove project Boss. You have convinced me that I should build one to have just in case that emergency need comes up.I was thinking the same thing as to longer u-bolts on the top for a pot rest, and with the longer threads you can adjust it up or down as needed. Great Job Boss. And your right, give that guy a tip of the mug for suggesting to pack the inside with stove ash. Happy Easter to you and frankie.
I like the rocket stoves we got ours with no cost at all now we need to get a big one. made one out of a big coffee can works ok butnot as good as the rocket stove lov it great video God bless would love to see more of the inside cabin.
Alice Lewis You can see lots of the interior of the cabin in my Backwoods cabin series but the homestead (where this video was taken) will be shown in closer detail when it hits the market later this spring.
I have 3 or 4 ways to cook if the grid goes down... but I sure would love one of your amazing stoves..the 6" would be great for the canning for sure.. Heaven knows I do a ton of that every year!.Thank for another great video with lots of great advice!
1994abbygirl Good for you for having some backup. Not many folks do these days. I had my doubts on the 6" because it's waaay shorter than the suggested formula for height vs width, but as you can see, it burns a hot fire. I'm thrilled :-)) Hey did you respond under a different name on my last vid? I recognized the writing style on another response. Just curious.
thebossoftheswamp Hi JC... No.. Only have one handle..or youtube name! I would be proud of the six inch cooker to.. Wish I had the strength to cut the stainless steel. You did a excellent job! Blessings!
Pretty amazing little stoves JC. I am looking forward to trying my hand at one of these in the near future. Thanks for all your insight and time. Regards Mark
Outstanding channel! The way I came about your "Boss Of The Swamp" RUclips channel was way back I found an older video of you and Frankie showing us how to cook up yummy ribs in the dutch oven and it is still today one of my favorite rustic episodes and I get the warm and fuzzies because it just satisfies the soul over and over. By the way on this particular rocket stove episode I was thinking....I am a big enthusiast of smokers and bbq and just love wood fire anything and wanted to offer a suggestion if you have considered picking up one of those simple terracotta clay chimineas that come in all sizes and could be used for any purpose such as cooking, warming and charming as it uses cheap twigs and any small branches. Best of all they are ready to go and no assembly needed. They look great too and could also be a nice companion to your wood stove.
I wanted a project to do with my granddaughter so went to our local store purchased cinder blocks that can stand heat. we made a two burner, got cooking grates for $1.50. we set out by our home made fire pit. Great fun.
I just subbed... I really liked your rocket stove vids, sat n my truck n watched em all! I like how simple you made yours, I'll have to hit the thrift stores and find an old pot with lid n make one to play with... thanks for sharing the knowledge!
thebossoftheswamp Well I found 2 pots just like yours! Also found a few stainless steel kitchen canisters that might work well for the inside guts of the stove. I can hardly wait to work on it this wknd! Thank you for the inspiration!!
You can put an alcohol burner inside where the wood sticks go encase you are in a situation when it's so rainy, or snowy wood is too drenched to burn. Using denatured alcohol is a burner can be a second option. Plus denatured alcohol has no smoke, or soot. :)
When I thought of the wood ash, I was thinking of lighter insulation readily available for a more lightweight portable stove. It would make more sense to weigh down the larger, non-portable stove for stability. I was raised with very little to nothing, out of necessity, cheap ingenious ways to get things done became a way of life. I think we should all be prepared for societies/natures temporary "bumps". Going beyond that, there will be more unprepared than prepared, therefore, there will be a lot of takers. There maybe isolated areas, but most of the lower 48 would have the same trouble, just to many people. By ones self, how long can you sleep with one eye open. IMHO to survive an indefinite period of time, a nearby community of like minded people will be needed. Phil
Woodchuckhills NY Couldn't agree more with all you just wrote. They'll be a lot of bloodshed if the grid goes down. Sad but true. We'll be fighting amongst ourselves I'm afraid.
I made my 6" rocket stove today and fired it up ... just works great for boiling water for my steam box for bending wood, better & cheaper than my LP gas stove. One thing that I have is pieces of wood & birch bark in my shop. If you ever come down to Lake George give me an email like to have you over to see the shop. Bring Frankie. Also have plenty of saw dust for you. Rick Adirondack Rustic Design Lake George
+Rick V Happy to hear it's working good for you. The EXPERTS say it needs to be 2 times taller or it won't draw. Funny how it boils water slicker than snot just the way it is. If I ever make my way out there I'll look you up for sure. Cheers .
Those are great little stoves and I'm going to have one soon. Also I thought and still do that the sand was a great idea and I'll be using some for mine despite what the nay sayers say.. And you said a mouthful at the end about people being disillusioned and not prepared at all. Oh well it will thin the herd if something does happen. Great Video...
Excellent backwoods logic for sure! Your videos are a great library source of your experience and years of knowledge and wisdom. You should compile a set into a DVD series for purchasing. I have my order in already :)
Northern Lassie Aww.... thank you kindly. I do intend to make a few DVD's in the future. I have more ideas than I have time. Blessings to you my friend :-))
Great Job Boss! I really like the stoves and I must make one this spring. Don't you love it... every time you do a project, everyone around becames an engineer; including myself!!!! thanks again for the help with the stove and talk soon.Happy Easter and God Bless!
Good points JC! During hurricane sandy here in jersey, we lost power for 2 weeks, and lots of people lost everything! The stores were cleaned out within 1 or 2 days, and those that didn't have stuff put up had to do without. That said, I work with guys whose wives won't let them prep at all because they don't like "clutter". THANK GOD I never got married! ;)
another great video. i share your view on being prepared. your videos have wetted my appetite for making things. im currently working on a weber smokey mountain grill "smoker conversion".i have a 32 qt stock pot to change my grill into a smoker. after thats done the next project could be "how to make yuengling at home". now that would be the best !!!!! tim..
First of all, if anyone should be bought a beer, its you, for the hours of entertainment, knowledge and for the feeling of "the simple life" we all want to run to. Thank YOU JC. Now for the mention, it really put a stupid grin on my face. I hope one day to meet we have a lot in common, except for one, I'm happily married for 38 years. I know because my wife told me so. :-) Phil
Woodchuckhills NY You nailed it with the wood ash buddy. Don't know why I never thought of that ha ha. We'll buy each other beers someday.
Cheers.
They are really cool boss! It would be nice to have one over at our camp! I am gonna have to look up the stuff this spring to make one! Thanks for sharing! Have a good one!
AULTimate OUTDOORS The stoves are kinda fun to make and work really well. Walmart will be selling out of pots :-)
That was absolutely "OUTTA SIGHT", JC!!!
Danno Quin Thank you buddy.
Hello JC, For s**ts and giggles and keeping free in mind, I tried a rocket stove made from a hardwood cut log about 14" round and 20" tall. I plunged the chainsaw blade into the log top and side to make a chimney. Popped out the wood, cut notches on the top sides for air, a couple flat rocks to lift off the top, add another flat rock to extend burn chamber to increase length of wood and in no time was boiling water. Probably get 3 to 4 boils and when the chimney is to large, some dry fire wood for the stove. I will put a picture up in my photo section. Phil
Woodchuckhills NY Sounds great Phil. Sounds like a fun project.
Its been 8 yrs sunce my 1st buuld (after watching this recap). Making my 2nd set with thrifted items Ive found. Thank you again for the backwoods logic😊
Excellent ! Idea.....
I'm prepared too......
Awesome stove!
Pretty cool.
Great job Boss
Free is always in the budget Boss...
You are right JC.....everyone should be prepared, we never know when a natural disaster or terrorist attack will strike....Being prepared is the way to be. Thanx again.
Don Motz I don't do a lot of prepping because I know that I can gather and preserve food without the grid, but for most folks, all they know is the grocery store and the microwave. Could get scary out there man.
Great stoves, Thanks!
Yeah, every household should have at least that 4'" Rocket stove, and a water purifier. The legs on the bottom was a smart idea, I like that. I was just emailing my two sons to watch your videos, you have some great stuff on your channel..
Thank you
I must have one of those!😇😇😇
Sorry I’m seeing this for the first time so many years later. Great video, presented nicely. All the best
Many thanks!
Made my first 4" stove two weeks ago, my Son and his girl friend stopped in and the wife and I made eight cheese steaks on it at one time in a 5 quart sauce pan, all we used was a few sticks and a pine cone. My son thought it was so cool that I made him one yesterday. I also used sand, $2.88 / bag and one bag is all thats required. I like the weight of the sand so it won't roll around in the vehicle when transporting or blow off the table. Great project.
Thanks again.
This is perfect and everyone I've referred your videos to agree.
Been watching your videos for some time now and I love them all. Your rocket stove videos have inspired me to build my own using your methods. You make great points about preparedness in case of the grid going down. Keep the videos coming JC, you're lifestyle and insight are both very inspiring.
Liam j34 Happy to hear you are enjoying my videos Liam and thanks for taking the time to say so. Best of luck with your project.
Making one very soon thanks to you JC! YESSAHHHH!
avonleanne Yessah back at ya :-)
I was just telling my daughter's Boyfriend he is up from NH that I want to go to Walmart and get the supplies to make this.I am glad you mentioned the price you had paid to make yours.Your so right to be prepared now.People should not wait.
KatahdinKooking Mama For such a small investment, I can't see a reason not to have one. There's no shortage of fuel out there.Have fun with your project.
Great video. Missed Frankie as well. Thanks for the very important information, JC
JCAJCA3 Frankie's resting up for the next production :c)~
brilliant. I love projects...so much fun working out the details
Yes indeed. Can't imagine a life without projects.
This is great. Thank you so much for posting these.
anikeshishian1 You're welcome. I love these stoves.
I truly like your strove.
Jack May Thanks Jack. They work remarkably well for something so simple.
Thanks JC Another very informative video for everyone.
Thanks Again Keith
goose2die4 Thank you buddy. See you in the Granite state :-)))
Good vid. Thanks for the education!
I made one a year ago out of a 20lb propane tank and I love it. My wife doesnt understand why I prefer to cook over that and not the stove . But if anyone makes one of these they will find they are a joy to cook with. Thx again for your videos.
Jerry Brandt Sounds like a great stove and should last a lifetime.
Great stove. I will be keeping my husband busy this winter between these and the water filter project. I really enjoy your videos and thank you for all the effort you put into them.
+Workin On It Glad you enjoy them. Thank you for saying so.
I tried to adjust the settings (unsuccessfully) to enable your comments, but I'using an old apple tablet my son gave me so I'm finding there's a learning curve, not to mention I'm not proficient enough yet with this kind of stuff.
Anyway, THANK YOU! I am SO pleased to have discovered your channel today as I was searching DIY categories for the most relevant, necessary projects that would serve me in a grid-down situation - so I can be as prepared as possible. As the saying goes: "Knowledge weighs nothing." When I was [much] younger, I purchased & lived on a 60 acre parcel of land in Vermont. This was in 1981, mind you, and most people thought it strange to actually want to live in a remote or country setting. It was there that I began earnestly seeking as much of a self-sufficient lifestyle as possible & where I proudly assisted in designing & building my dream home - a log cabin built from trees from my own land, among the many other things I absorbed I lived there for 25+ years, I was able to learn many skills considered obsolete by most of society, until the past few years. Building upon that, I've continued learning, gaining functional knowledge over the decades, particularly organic gardening of food crops, food preservation, composting, various soil amendments, or really any aspect of self-sufficient living, etc., ESPECIALLY anything I can do for FREE or low cost, e.g., saving seed, sun-dried herbs & food crops, etc. I've been living in a Rhode Island city not far my adult son since retiring. Anyway, YOUR videos have inspired me to come up with a plan to return to the independent lifestyle that I love. Who knows? Maybe I will buy a small property & get out of 'Dodge' while I still can.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts Kathleen and by all means, go back to the lifestyle you're passionate about. Live it up while you can and save the "normal life" for when you you can't live it up anymore.
Blessings and best of luck to you.
Great learning video ,,thank you.👍👍👍❤️🇨🇦❤️
The big pot sit directly on the top of the wooden table, don't you worry it will burn the your table ? Nice idea and very practical. Thanks, Blessings.
I bought a Heavy Duty model back in August 2012. I showed it to my parent's because I bought it from money they gave me for my birthday and I got the usual eye roll from my mother. When Hurricane Sandy hit that year I stayed with them for a few days because they were without power...well guess what heated the hotwater and made coffee lol. Then it went from me and my "crazy ideas" to a useful tool,
I took my little 15' fiberglass rv camping this weekend and made some homemade hamburger's and pulled out the rocket stove and had several people asking me questions about it lol.
Deryk MacLeod Rocket stoves are pretty darn cool, no matte how they are built.
thebossoftheswamp here is a link to pics of mine from this weekend. facebook.com/deryk.the.pirate/posts/10153003903156795
The sand provides stability for the pipe, so I think it was a good idea.
We did the 6" pipe. Works great. Made it the same way you did. Keep the great ideas coming.
Sounds great. I love these cookers.
Yep, I enjoyed this series, and have been sharing them on facebook, well done!!
daniellegrandpa Thank you for sharing them. All the best to you my friend.
Great video Boss!!! Great stuff. Take care my friend. God Bless
Bobby Ballengee Blessings to you as well Bobby. All the best.
Boss your an amazing Gentlemen, Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Mike ;-)
another good one. thanks boss.
PhattDawg Trapping Thank you my friend.
If the grid goes down,no matter what the reason,stores will not open. No electricity means no cash registers,automatic doors,lighting,and almost everything else that keeps Walmart open. That's why I prep.At least one of the reasons. Thanks for your insights.Folks like you keep folks like me constantly thinking.
+superpoof I can't imagine the chaos if the grid went down. So many would be helpless :-o
Great video Boss, and a great idea for a project and to prepare for bad time, or just cheaper.
just found your site...... wow what great info Sir !! This is the best build i've seen so far ! Blessings !
Welcome aboard!
Its good to have both stoves. One for big pots, one for small pots.
Theres a reason that kitchen stoves have two or four eyes.
One for high heat and one for simmering.
Two stoves allow for cooking two dishes at the same time.
In grid down, boiling water will be life. A big pot will be required.
We will be hauling water in five gallon buckets so a pot that will hold two to four gallons will work best.
I think the next one i build i will try the insulation from a junk kitchen stove between the two layers.
As long as the stove is protected from rain it doesnt matter what insulation is chosen. Once ashes or sand get wet they take a long time to dry and they will promote rust.
The stove should last a longest time if they can be covered after use
Pressure cookers and canners should work fine.
Thanks for the videos.
John Davis jax fl
Great thank I've make lot but new ideas always welcome ps uk
Good video Boss, Liked it so much I watched it twice. You made a lot of good sense also, Have a great week.
BeaverRick Thanks Rick. A good week to you also.
Once again... Awesome vid. J.c.
john hightower Thank you my friend.
YESSAH boss , there may come a day that a little solo stove for camping just wont cut it . Great ideas for when one may have to do more than just boil water in a canteen cup .
MARK HARRIS Cheap and easy to make and could be a life saver if the grid went down.
Boss I built the water purifier a couple of years ago, just am finishing up the six inch rocket stove at my cabin and I already completed the solar shower! Thank you so much.
Glad you're making use of my ideas :-D
love your videos, all of them!! thank you
Thank you for saying so :-)
Great job Boss! We (my son & I) are adding a "Rocket Stove" to our to do list. Keep up the great work. Say hi to Frankie! Ohh & Happy Easter! God Bless!
Awesome! Spurs my imagination on all the uses for this! I bet you could put a few copper coils with a in and out and hook it up to a tank and make hot water for a shower really fast with minimal fuel!! Possibilities are endless... with basically what most people see as trash...
Good video Boss....nice job on stoves....will try one..........Digger
robert k Thank you kindly.
Good video JC. Keeping things simple is the only way to go and using what you have and for free just makes it better.I would think you could use your canning pot on the 6 inch stove. I will be watching for you to try that. Keep them coming.
John Gallagher I think as long as a person paid close attention to the fire and kept it stable that it would work for the canner.
Great information and back woods logic. I'll be trying you design for sure.
mickeysmadness Have fun with your project Mickey.
Keep it upp (BOSS) i will keep watching because i love your videos.
Zane Klynowsky Thank you Zane. More on the way.
I will be watching and checking for them and good lluck and have a good Easter
Those are very cool little stoves, I've got everything I need to make one out in my shed except the t-pipe, that looks the best way to go than some of the others, can't wait to get one made, thanks for sharing.
STREETERBOYZOUTDOORS Good luck with your project.
Great stuff mate, i will be puncking a few of these out so i can take them out fishing, they will work great for cooking all our meals with out a lot of effort, which means more time fishing and less carting shit in & out of camp. Thanks mate.
+Stephen Lees The stove works great. I'm so glad I built this.
Love it. So many different ways to adjust them isn't there.
iCosmose That's for sure.
Hello JC you made mention of your pots getting black from soot . Try rubbing a bar of soap around the bottom of the pans before you cook and afterwards it with wash right off . Thank you again always enjoy the videos.
+hm mahoney I have heard that a few times but have not tried it yet. Thanks for your suggestion.
Great finish to the rocket stove videos JC! I can't argue with all of the info you shared, all very useful logic, and I am one to prepare for all scenarios like yourself, and with myself permanently living off the grid... knowing the value of propane and other fuels, this is a great back up! Thanks for sharing friend, as always, take care.
Dave Wilcox Jr What I like about these as apposed to cooking on a camp fire, is that none of the fire is wasted. It's all directed beneath the pot and the fuel needed is normally considered trash and left in the woods. Such a great concept.
Excellent stoves. I will be putting together the 6" next weekend, it will be one more thing off the list for being
independent. Thanks for the experiment and all the hard work teaching us about the stoves.
Cheers!!
Joshua Smith Good luck with your project. Can't ay that I was "teaching" anyone anything, ya'll just learning along wit me.
thebossoftheswamp
Well said, learning indeed, always learning.
Cheers!!
Well JC > I sure did enjoy this ROCKET STOVE RECAP !
A handy unit to have for many uses. Your advice on being prepared for an emergency or long term off grid survival is valid. Everyone should have a basic plan in place.
My Jim and I look forward to the independence of living off the grid at will. Our cabin will use electricity as the BACK UP ! As for the sand> I have always lined the bottoms of small wood stoves with sand to prevent the metal from burning out. Keep these fine videos coming ! All the best my friend>>
diane hall Thank you Diane. Yepper, the sand is a great insulator for sure. I wish I wasn't going to be so busy this spring cause I'd love to come pound nails at the cabin site with ya'll. Looking forward to meeting you folks.
I realize a lot of us offered alternatives to sand... it's just the weight that I was suggesting otherwise. Hats off to the person who suggested the ash. What an awesome idea. I've damaged my back in the job I've done for the past 15 years so sand would be really hard for me to use. In hurricane season it would be nice to have this as a back up. I like the idea of two sizes. Thanks for the update. ATB Louise :)
Louise Florida I hope you don't think I was upset or annoyed by all the suggestions I got. I tried to clarify that as I ALWAYS welcome suggestions. The wood ash idea was priceless. I'm afraid if the stove is too light as wind would blow it over and that could end up disastrous. I mixed sand with ashes for the 6" and it's perfect. I love these stoves.
thebossoftheswamp I agree
You sold me on the idea! - great series! :)
GoRogue84 Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.
Thanks for giving me the idea's i needed to build me one,also really like the cedar shake siding on the cabin.
notenoughprepping Thank you. This place will be going up for sale soon.
Always love your Videos, Im a new subscriber, but allready ive learned so much from your videos. I am heading out to Walmart this weekend and to Home Depot to get what i need to make a few of the stoves. You speak laymans speak and do not make anything to complicated. Keep up the good work.
+mark desrochers Have fun with your projects Mark. Cheers.
Sold! Thanks so much, JC. I'm gonna build one this spring - great for a streamside fishfry! On another note, I saw a glimpse of you with a guitar in a video. Let's hear some...?
dowgpatch I'm sure you'll enjoy these stoves. I love how the fuel needed can be found anywhere. I been teaching myself the guitar off and on but it'll appear sooner or later lol.
Great advice Boss!!!
Looks like you have the big & small of off grid cooking covered. Wink wink. Thanks again Brother Boss.
William Oneal LOL. One for boiling and one for simmering :-))
I'm glad you posted this video, it give me a chance to wish you and Frankie a blessed Easter. I'm moving tomorrow to a cheaper place. I just cleaned the entire place from top to bottom so I know there won't be any dangerous chemicals my dog will get into there. Hugs.
Rose Gillis Happy Easter to you too Rose. Keep that pupperdog safe.Again, sorry to hear about your other one. I'd be devastated losing Frankie.
thebossoftheswamp I feel really bad about Umbra, I got home from work and she couldn't get up off the floor. I got here to the animal hospital within thirty minutes and they thought they could help her. Her stomach had turned I don't know why she was only four years old. My son hasn't take it well at all. Even Abby seem's to be looking for her friend. She was part of our family and we loved her very much. Hug Frankie for me and thank you.
GREAT VIDEO BOSS THANKS FOR THE REVIEW AND THE LITTLE TALK AT THE END IS VERY VALUABLE TAKE CARE
bud moore Thank you buddy. All the best.
Clean,Simple.Effective!! Sweet!! Can’t Beat It!🤗
Agreed :-)
What you're saying about the grid going down is the reason I taught my two boys (now 'supposedly' adults!) How to build emergency shelters and make fires (using tinder like birch bark..we have millions of silver birch in Scotland! ) how to make snares (although I don't really like it, I did teach them, but put heavy emphasis on remembering exactly where your snares are and checking regularly so there's the minimum of suffering involved. What you're saying is so true, the weather is all over the place, we've had days of 30°C heat in February followed by 100mph winds and -28°C temperatures in the same month, the floods, the constant wars over (as far as I can see, but I am no politician, the UK and US and a couple of other western countries need to control ALL the oil) greed on both sides but the instigation of the Super Companies and Oil Producing Countries like Saudi Arabia, has made the world like a time bomb, and in all this greed not one country has taken on board the fact that fossil fuels are the ROOT of ALL the problems both the wars and climate change. I think the only way to go forward is to learn and teach the skills that you are teaching and I attempted (fairly successfully) with my kids. I don't know what is going to happen to the majority who are just expecting the status quo to remain stable for ever! Downsizing and utilising skills like herbal medicine and which plants are edible and how to make fire and rocket stoves, big or small, is going to be the deciding factor on who will survive climate change and the inevitable end of the Grid. The stuff you've been putting up (along with some channels which deal with plants (I was very lucky to have been taught much of this by an elderly lady who lived next door to us in the Highlands) and emergency shelter construction are going to be the information that's needed by everyone but possessed by the few when the grid finally dies. Thanks again for posting because knowledge of the basic survival skills are one thing but to be able to make the basics as varied and about as far from 'normal' survival rations (you're due a five star Michelin rating for making survival look better than what you can get in a lot of restaurants) as well as you do is akin to magic!
Love your channel. Those stoves really are great! I will be making bot the 4" and 6" as they will be a great addition to my camp Dutch ovens which we have been using to cook on for years. Now with warmer weather we will be cooking more outside and these rocket stoves look like they will be a great adventure. Thanks for sharing them with us, take care.
Rohn Stearns Good luck with your projects.
that 6 inch one looks to be a great stove, be a great stove for the cabin.looks like spring is in the air.take care
Wallace Vivian The 6" is working out slick brother. I'm lovin it.
i got most off the stuff around to make one,i going to do one for the cabin .the hot summer days be outside cooking.thanks man
I Ready enjoy your videos .very helpful.Good Job on stove n Water purifiers! Ty so much.
Glad you like them and thank you for saying so :-))
Good to know. Thanks! ~Kitty
You're welcome :-)
Well JC , YES, You can can with the 6" I canned 200 jars of smoked fish & some chicken & it worked like I was in my kitchen on the grid ! ! !
+frank That's awesome. I figured it would since it boils water in no time at all. The "experts" say it NEEDS to be about 8" taller to work. I think differently. Cheers :-))
+thebossoftheswamp Yeah , You & I think pretty much the same my friend . Ya know I really never listened to "THEM" anyway ! LOL
Excellent report on your rocket stove project Boss. You have convinced me that I should build one to have just in case that emergency need comes up.I was thinking the same thing as to longer u-bolts on the top for a pot rest, and with the longer threads you can adjust it up or down as needed. Great Job Boss. And your right, give that guy a tip of the mug for suggesting to pack the inside with stove ash. Happy Easter to you and frankie.
willie Makit I got a lot of good suggestions but the stove ash was right up my alley of cheap and easy. I love it.
I like the rocket stoves we got ours with no cost at all now we need to get a big one. made one out of a big coffee can works ok butnot as good as the rocket stove lov it great video God bless would love to see more of the inside cabin.
Alice Lewis You can see lots of the interior of the cabin in my Backwoods cabin series but the homestead (where this video was taken) will be shown in closer detail when it hits the market later this spring.
Galvanized metal puts of a poisonous gas when heated. Glad you said to burn before use. Great stoves!
I like the case of beer standard of weight and measure
+motorcityman99 That's how we do it an area where people can't read and write ha ha
I have 3 or 4 ways to cook if the grid goes down... but I sure would love one of your amazing stoves..the 6" would be great for the canning for sure.. Heaven knows I do a ton of that every year!.Thank for another great video with lots of great advice!
1994abbygirl Good for you for having some backup. Not many folks do these days. I had my doubts on the 6" because it's waaay shorter than the suggested formula for height vs width, but as you can see, it burns a hot fire. I'm thrilled :-)) Hey did you respond under a different name on my last vid? I recognized the writing style on another response. Just curious.
thebossoftheswamp Hi JC... No.. Only have one handle..or youtube name! I would be proud of the six inch cooker to.. Wish I had the strength to cut the stainless steel. You did a excellent job! Blessings!
Pretty amazing little stoves JC.
I am looking forward to trying my hand at one of these in the near future. Thanks for all your insight and time.
Regards
Mark
backcountrypipe I've never cooked on an open flame so easily. Just amazing stoves for such a small investment.
i made one and ive connected it to the bottom of my bbq and made a oven, smoker, grill and stove :)
Sounds great. Love the idea.
If you want you can also put an alcohol burner where you put twigs encase twigs are too moist to burn due to rain or snow. :)
Outstanding channel! The way I came about your "Boss Of The Swamp" RUclips channel was way back I found an older video of you and Frankie showing us how to cook up yummy ribs in the dutch oven and it is still today one of my favorite rustic episodes and I get the warm and fuzzies because it just satisfies the soul over and over. By the way on this particular rocket stove episode I was thinking....I am a big enthusiast of smokers and bbq and just love wood fire anything and wanted to offer a suggestion if you have considered picking up one of those simple terracotta clay chimineas that come in all sizes and could be used for any purpose such as cooking, warming and charming as it uses cheap twigs and any small branches. Best of all they are ready to go and no assembly needed. They look great too and could also be a nice companion to your wood stove.
I have a cast iron chiminea in my screen house. It's pipe through a chimney so I can enjoy the fire in a bug free environment. :-))
I made the 6" and it works awesome. Thanks for posting this and your design!
+James Froeliger The experts say it won't work because it needs to be twice as tall and blabbed blah. Glad I'm not an expert. Enjoy your stove :-))
I enjoy your videos...good info, looks fun bro...keep it coming.
Thank you
I love the 6" one. Thanks for sharing!
I wanted a project to do with my granddaughter so went to our local store purchased cinder blocks that can stand heat. we made a two burner, got cooking grates for $1.50.
we set out by our home made fire pit. Great fun.
Sounds like fun :-)
I just subbed... I really liked your rocket stove vids, sat n my truck n watched em all! I like how simple you made yours, I'll have to hit the thrift stores and find an old pot with lid n make one to play with... thanks for sharing the knowledge!
cillaloves2fish If you find an OLD pot, it may be harder to cut due to the thicker steel. Have fun with your project.
thebossoftheswamp Well I found 2 pots just like yours! Also found a few stainless steel kitchen canisters that might work well for the inside guts of the stove. I can hardly wait to work on it this wknd! Thank you for the inspiration!!
You can put an alcohol burner inside where the wood sticks go encase you are in a situation when it's so rainy, or snowy wood is too drenched to burn. Using denatured alcohol is a burner can be a second option. Plus denatured alcohol has no smoke, or soot. :)
great idea Boss....gonna try making one at work out of 2 or 3mm plate steel....like all your vids
plutosunshine That'll be a lifetime stove or sure. Good luck with your project.
When I thought of the wood ash, I was thinking of lighter insulation readily available for a more lightweight portable stove. It would make more sense to weigh down the larger, non-portable stove for stability. I was raised with very little to nothing, out of necessity, cheap ingenious ways to get things done became a way of life. I think we should all be prepared for societies/natures temporary "bumps". Going beyond that, there will be more unprepared than prepared, therefore, there will be a lot of takers. There maybe isolated areas, but most of the lower 48 would have the same trouble, just to many people. By ones self, how long can you sleep with one eye open. IMHO to survive an indefinite period of time, a nearby community of like minded people will be needed. Phil
Woodchuckhills NY Couldn't agree more with all you just wrote. They'll be a lot of bloodshed if the grid goes down. Sad but true. We'll be fighting amongst ourselves I'm afraid.
I made my 6" rocket stove today and fired it up ... just works great for boiling water for my steam box for bending wood, better & cheaper than my LP gas stove.
One thing that I have is pieces of wood & birch bark in my shop.
If you ever come down to Lake George give me an email like to have you over to
see the shop. Bring Frankie. Also have plenty of saw dust for you.
Rick
Adirondack Rustic Design
Lake George
+Rick V Happy to hear it's working good for you. The EXPERTS say it needs to be 2 times taller or it won't draw. Funny how it boils water slicker than snot just the way it is. If I ever make my way out there I'll look you up for sure. Cheers .
Made both 4" and 6" stoves they work great... THANKS.. Love your videos keep them coming..
Those are great little stoves and I'm going to have one soon. Also I thought and still do that the sand was a great idea and I'll be using some for mine despite what the nay sayers say.. And you said a mouthful at the end about people being disillusioned and not prepared at all. Oh well it will thin the herd if something does happen. Great Video...
eaglehill6 I'm certainly open to suggestions and welcome them. The wood ashes was an awesome idea.
Excellent backwoods logic for sure! Your videos are a great library source of your experience and years of knowledge and wisdom. You should compile a set into a DVD series for purchasing. I have my order in already :)
Northern Lassie Aww.... thank you kindly. I do intend to make a few DVD's in the future. I have more ideas than I have time. Blessings to you my friend :-))
Easter Blessings to you JC!
Great Job Boss! I really like the stoves and I must make one this spring. Don't you love it... every time you do a project, everyone around becames an engineer; including myself!!!! thanks again for the help with the stove and talk soon.Happy Easter and God Bless!
Good points JC! During hurricane sandy here in jersey, we lost power for 2 weeks, and lots of people lost everything! The stores were cleaned out within 1 or 2 days, and those that didn't have stuff put up had to do without. That said, I work with guys whose wives won't let them prep at all because they don't like "clutter". THANK GOD I never got married! ;)
matt4270 I'll never het married again. Screw that noise LMAO :-D
another great video. i share your view on being prepared. your videos have wetted my appetite for making things. im currently working on a weber smokey mountain grill "smoker conversion".i have a 32 qt stock pot to change my grill into a smoker. after thats done the next project could be "how to make yuengling at home". now that would be the best !!!!! tim..
dynaryder100 DIY Yuengling. I love it!!!