How to make a folding pocket stove for camping cooking

When going fishing or hiking, there is a need to cook hot food outdoors. Typically, a large pot suspended over a fire or a camp gas burner is used for this. In the first case, you need to collect a lot of firewood, and in the second, carry large equipment with you. An alternative to these popular methods is to use a homemade compact folding stove, which is laid with thin grass branches.

Materials and tools

The stove is made of sheet metal 1.2 mm thick. To process it you will need the following tool:

• angle grinder;
  
• engraver;
  
• drill;
  
• hacksaw for metal;
  
• file;
  
• stationery scissors;
  
• pliers.

Making a stove

The stove consists of 6 plates, which are assembled like a puzzle into a complete device. The walls of the stove are made of 4 sheets of metal 10.5x10.5 cm. They need to be cut according to the shape of the templates shown in the photo.

The templates drawn on cardboard are cut out with scissors.Before tracing paper parts on sheets of metal, it is better to assemble them in an oven to make sure that everything fits correctly and fits together well.

You also need to draw and cut out a template for the bottom on which the firewood will be placed. The design provides for its fixation in horizontal slots on the front and rear walls of the stove. This part will serve as a grate, so for better air penetration and ash fallout, more holes need to be drilled in it.

Tested paper templates are traced onto sheet steel blanks, after which they need to be cut out.

To do this, you can use any available tool. It is better to cut the external contours with a grinder, and process the internal complex parts with an engraver.


It is advisable to use the latter as little as possible, since its cutting discs quickly wear out when cutting such thick steel. In principle, you can cut out all the blanks with a hacksaw, but it will take a long time.




The edges of the workpieces must be sanded with a file or sandpaper to remove burrs and sharp edges that could injure your hands.


In principle, the stove is already ready and can be used, but if you plan to boil water in a cup on it, then you also need to make a cross grid. When installing large pots, such a stand will not be required.

You can also make a grate with small grooves for direct cooking.

The stove turned out to be so small that it even fits in your pocket.

But it’s better to sew a special leather handbag.



To make it easier to assemble the stove, you should first join its side and front walls, then insert the bottom, insert the back part and place the grate on top. To load firewood, you need to place small branches in the window and set it on fire.



All the heat from the flame will rise up onto the cookware, allowing food to cook very quickly with minimal use of fuel.

Cooking fish on the grill.


Original article in English