How to design and make a Rocket Stove Griddle

In this part 1, I show you how to design and build a rocket stove grill griddle from scrap materials (an old gas bottle) to cook food big style! This rocket stove variant is a very efficient burning cook stove ideal for outdoor kitchens and at events. It's a badass replacement for traditional slow and dirty charcoal BBQs. It's also funky and interesting and everyone asks you how it works/ how you made it.
Part 2 of this series is here: goo.gl/JrCvM6
More wood stove videos: goo.gl/nBcEn7
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[@FloweringElbow]

Friends, I have written this up into a comprehensive instructable with words and pictures. If you're planning to make something like this and are interested in the details I suggest watching part 2 of this video and checking out the instructable. Part two of this rocket stove project: goo.gl/JrCvM6 Step-by-step how-to write up of my LV Rocket Stove build. goo.gl/SorouB?

[@rsana1]

N8 tractor 1947 6 v0lt

[@rsana1]

8n tractor 6volt system

[@janice8695]

Great proportions of action, explanations and geekiness

[@tinybigbus1873]

Property of Merck. I love it. LOL!

[@FloweringElbow]

Haha, stick it to the man ;)

[@johnoz1978]

Love the Japanese safety boots. 😁

[@FloweringElbow]

😁

[@rodmackenzie9986]

How you do your videos is just fine - it is an extension of your character , thanks .

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey Rod. Thanks for the encouragement :)

[@officialWWM]

Merck called. They want their drum back 😂

[@stephenmcvay5368]

Excellent video.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Stephen 😊.

[@seyhcetin8849]

Fallen asleep so fast 😴😄

[@glbell4024]

Thank you for this video. You have proven some of my theories that I had about rocket stoves. You have explained some of the details I have been looking for as well. I am looking to build one for heat but I believe your design ideas boost the output of my build.

[@skeets6060]

Heavy steel pipe, power tools, welding and flip flops... that's a recipe for a hospital visit

[@jarretgorsh6704]

Yes! Wear some f'in shoes or boots!

[@jayedavies3686]

Love the work boots and the work clothing

[@shadow138_7]

Yes they work great on metal. Last alot longer. They are also alot saver to use less likely to shatter.

[@erilbolverkr2095]

very nicely done mate. I've been experimenting with rocket stove for a couple of years now and got a build very similar to your own out of old pipes. The best result I got was when I drilled holes along the length of the chimney on two sides then welded up rectangular pieces to cover them, then seal the tops while leaving the bottom open. This way the preheated oxygen get to mix with wood gas as heat goes up the riser and creates tertiary burns in the inside of the riser. An idea I have is to connect the two air-risers to a ring of similarly enclosed space around the top perimeter of the riser with holes in it. With sufficient amount of wood gas, this should create very clean flame at the very top of the riser although I don't think this would do much to the amount of heat that goes out. Keep up the good work mate, lookin forward to see the next one.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Eril! That's really interesting about the holes all the way up the riser. What size holes are you drilling? roughly how many? The part two is here BTW: kzbin.info/www/bejne/apy3l2aJfJpnaqM

[@allananonimozeta9345]

Great safety sandles dude !

[@samsaville8472]

Looking forward to the ROARING success of part 2, and more bbqs :)!

[@CanaldoJogosOn]

parabens amigo sou brassileiro e ganhou um inscrito no seu canal abraço

[@FloweringElbow]

Obrigado amigo, seja bem vindo. Espero que gostem de alguns dos nossos vídeos recentes :)

[@MorgsBrew]

Howzit I am stoked to have found your channel. Some awesome projects! Keep em coming!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Howzit, welcome aboard!

[@wilfridkolarik7174]

Very good ideas for burning, the top

[@GeorgeBurkhard]

Rather than go through all those cut-off wheels, why not use a plasma cutter? They're cheap and really useful; if you don't have one, I highly recommend!

[@peterlockhart2588]

Japanese safety boots - great to see

[@ianwirtz6512]

Just a quick point... Coming from a production welding background, I would like to say that you would easily be able to weld 6mm steel tubing with next no warping. Stainless steel or manganese warp like crazy though. You will have less issues with longer welds also because of the amount of tie-ins. I personally would have tried to do that saddle in 2 or 3 welds.

[@francoisdastardly4405]

Nice safety shoes !

[@ScrewDriverxxx]

More awesomeness. I am liking this channel!

[@FloweringElbow]

Thank you screwdriver!

[@wilstjames3111]

you have to cut open bottom ash ejection window for cleaning, nice vid..

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Isuzu I clean the ash out through the ignition/lighting port to the side of the burn chamber.

[@prashantnagarkatti5862]

Nice work brother.. God bless u

[@MrSnoopius]

Pretty sick bro

[@dennisconstantine624]

This guy needs a safety course. madness

[@josefco.samperio8752]

verry nice job ur a pro and the tools u have to i make my oun with recycle material pipe oil cans any kind of metal and they work to just fine .

[@PressToDigitate]

Great video, beautiful product, excellent design, well implemented. But: I'd sure as hell wear more sensible shoes when on the ground with torches, saws, grinders, etc. One slip and you could be hobbled for a month or more, and serious foot injuries can be nortoriously difficult to heal. Sandals belong no where around power tools or welding equipment at any time, anywhere, ever.

[@claudiocarrasco3373]

Super... buen video amigo y qué gran invento... Saludos de Temuco Chile 🇨🇱 😉 🖐️

[@LucasRichardStephens]

Very inspiring thanks! I have some cast iron wood burning stoves I would like to try converting to rocket. The excessive heat they produce seem to shorten the life of the burner when compared to my kitchen stove which is now about 100 years old and still working. Maybe a disposable burn chamber, secondary to the old cast iron burn-chamber....

[@FloweringElbow]

It's a very good point Lucas. 6mm mild steel should last a while with my occasional use, before burning-rusting through. If I was making a daily stove for heating it would certainly have a refractory lined burn chamber, as in the workshop stove I go on about in other vid... thanks for the comment

[@jayedavies3686]

Running some coolant on the blade will help with the cut and the life of your blade. A pressure pump sprayer for the garden will the same if the pump in the saw is broken

[@jamespeterson1148]

He talks about this in the t5 heat treating vid.

[@joshthurston1495]

Lenox diamond blade are the best. Lil expensive but last forever and cut like butter.

[@jamespeterson1148]

Do they really work for metal? Diamond is usually for concrete.

[@WannaBFree]

Fantastic project! Looking forward to view part 2. New sub here, I love watching projects like this one. Great job!

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks WannaB :D welcome aboard!

[@mikej1389]

Nice build- have you access to Lennox metal cut off disc- they are solid metal and do not wear down last longer than finer discs and coated with diamonds I believe- I found them when cutting stainless steel making a maple syrup boiling pan.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Mike, thanks for the tip, I will check these out!

[@ocrun6765]

how hot does the top flame get? Looks like a potential tuna sear station.

[@FloweringElbow]

hmm. Haven't recorded a max - easily too hot though, depending on how you feed the beast.

[@jaimejaimeChannel]

fun - great work - thanks.

[@chrisbannister2137]

Epic safety boots pmsl 👌👍🏻

[@FloweringElbow]

Ironically I do actually wear a safety boots during the welding, it's just my feet I never visible at that time in the shot. Welding splatter on unprotected feet is definitely not good. I recommend everyone wear safety boots at all times. It's just I personally like safety sandals- where your feet feel so vulnerable you're totally aware of them and can pull them away from danger superquick Lol.

[@lionelroger626]

Super un bonjour de France !!!!!

[@peteaplin8324]

Where do you get those job site rated sandals? 😳😀✌️

[@accelwell7018]

Nice shoes there chief

[@juliancortez3250]

Oxyacetylene torch to do the cutting

[@FloweringElbow]

Good morning Julian, Thanks for the tip - better than a plasma cutter for this kind of application would you say?

[@gcoin3823]

Please you ave template for hole ,or the technique to build 🤗thanks handsome good work

[@victoryfirst2878]

The best way to cut the bottles is to con your friend to do the job. Otherwise you are doing a great job, just like I would be doing and just cut. You can do whatever you like when it comes to action or humor, the choice is yours. Working with 1/4" wall tank metal is just a bit of a bitch. The metal is known for toughness. I just love the power hacksaw. Wish I could buy one just like your here in the states. The information said is solid about the rocket stove specifications. What about making a batch box rocket stove type ??? Or a combination bullerjan rocket stove ??? Would really make something special for KZbin. Good day and peace too.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi again Victory First. Yeah, the power hacksaw rocks! I'll definitely look into the batch box and bullerjan ideas, it'll need some research, but I love combining different ideas and technologies. Thanks again, Bongo.

[@victoryfirst2878]

@@FloweringElbow Any time Bongo. Peace too.

[@gustavomelendez6755]

No entendi tu idioma pero !!!!genial!!!!!!desde Venezuela

[@tonynewcombe9075]

Great video!, apart from the rubbish banging music . I am sure that engineers would rather listen to the natural sound of the work shop.😃👌.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Tony, Noted.

[@homayounshirazi9550]

Do you think that removal of rust prior to the actual construction would be of some benefit? Skillfully done as far as putting together various gometries are concerned. I am less certain about the reasoning behind your selection of different forms.

[@papajon6715]

I believe most if his materials are discarded scrap found out in a field...

[@valveman12]

Love that old bandsaw. They don't make tools like that anymore.

[@FloweringElbow]

True true :D you mean the power hacksaw at about 06:00 right?

[@valveman12]

@@FloweringElbow Yes my bad. Powered Hacksaw. Nice machine and a testament to it usefulness and longevity over all these years.

[@abhainnbeag]

Just recently become very interested in these stoves but I am struggling to get any figures in terms of % efficiency , kw output , etc , decibel level etc, are the as noisey as the name suggests , are they outdoor or shed only applications? So many questions 😅

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Pat. Good questions all. Noise wise- it's not too bad compared to anything with forced air impellers. For indoors, I think it very much depends where you live.. I would consider rocket mass heaters better for actually in the house - there are proven designs and real word example to look at there. In terms of this experimental-ish thing, I only ever intended it to be in outdoor kitchen type environment... Cant help with figures - but know from experience, for cooking it rocks, and doesn't use a ton of fuel.

[@johnnywilliams7355]

Get some boots on mate

[@jameslaw3740]

Those aren't safety sandals made in China? Everything is made in China now a days, even safety sandals!

[@be99rnm]

Great stuff and really well edited! What do you use for editing your vids? We're hopefully going to be building a masonry heater this year, which has very similar principals...

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi. Thanks for this. I'm using premier pro, not that I'd necessarily recommend that, as I haven't tried any alternatives... good luck with the masonry heater. Let us know how it goes. Peace, Bongo.

[@abhainnbeag]

Oxy-acetylene would be handly to blow out those holes but I'm guessing the old oxy-acetylene bottles were cut up long ago 🤣 only joking , it's a nice job , fair dues, Hate to be an elf & syfidfie anorak but have you ever considered steel toe cap flip flops ?

[@homayounshirazi9550]

Good designs are simple. Were your choices consistent with this axiom?

[@FloweringElbow]

Haha. I'll let you guys be the judge of that. There are simpler designs out there. I wanted most efficient burning :) and to get some play time in with the welder... and to use up the specific scrap metal bits I had....

[@handyandy4x4]

Flip flops a d a grinder ..

[@paulcosadinos1324]

Dude.. grinders and sandles?? great vid though.

[@FloweringElbow]

Thanks Paul. I am slowly curbing my hippy ways ;)

[@danthedewman1]

all saftey wearing sandals,,,lol...awesome

[@joseluiscordon5045]

muy bueno

[@antoinestsernin3212]

French je te conseille vivement d investir dans un decoupeur plasma tu travaille bien plus rapidement tu en oublie que c est un peut cher merci pour tes videos super travail good job

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Antoine. Thanks for the suggestion. I will one day... :D

[@victoryfirst2878]

I seen in the beginning of this video all the different stove type you have made. What would you say is the most often mistakes made by the builder???? Thanks and peace too.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi VF. To be honest, I'm not sure well enough how others' stoves perform. I know the mistakes I made, which I think you have mainly spotted. I would say on the workshop stove, with the separate heat exchanger: I very much like the principle of having a separate heat-exchanger and combustion chamber, but I would re-design the heat exchanger to be easier to clean and service. Thanks and peace, Bongo

[@victoryfirst2878]

@@FloweringElbow Thank you Flowering Elbow for the heads up. Peace too Sir.

[@fiskfarm]

Can you say PLAZMA CUTTER? Works slicker than snot on SS as well as steel. Not all that expensive anymore and I can't imagine having built our RMH house heater/boiler without it. For cutting that square tube I would have used my $60 14" cutoff saw. That would have taken about 20 seconds. Love that classic hacksaw but I retired mine (wonderful homebuilt I made from an old piston water pump years ago). The new cutoff saws are great. Just aim the sparks away from the wood pile lol.

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey friend, thanks for the comment. A plasma cutter sounds good - how do they roll with old painted/rusty metal - thats basically all I use ;) Also yeah, I think I may be saving for a tct metal mitre saw. The power hacksaw is rad, and I love it, but it sure does take up a lot of room...

[@fiskfarm]

@@FloweringElbow yes the plazma will melt any rust or paint. You just drill a hole to get started if you are plunging. I too use lots of scrounged materials and consider it an art to keep it cheap. The steel cabinet was more than half the total price of our RMH boiler. Watch my video when you get a chance. Sideshow format so easy to see details. Love your shop.

[@fiskfarm]

You do need good dry air for the plazma. I made a great dryer with black iron pipe, 3 three foot sections vertical with about 6" connectors and 90's at the top and tees at the bottom with a drain valve on the 3 tees. Hung on a cold wall it does a bang up job. Great for painting as well.

[@FloweringElbow]

That sounds cool. Interestingly I was just considering air drying methods for a painting job I want to do. Have very little experience with spray guns so should be fun :D I have an old motorbike radiator I was planning to use somehow...

[@fiskfarm]

@@FloweringElbow be careful. I don't think that radiator will handle much pressure.

[@quincyberman5629]

With a few modifications, that looks like it could make a nice trash incinerator.

[@FloweringElbow]

What would be the mods?

[@quincyberman5629]

@@FloweringElbow I was thinking the bottom of the barrel could have diamond mesh to keep the bulk of the trash above the burn chamber and then a lid on top with a tall chimney to help combust the gases. Maybe a bigger barrel too. If the lid were hinged that would make it convenient to add more material to be burned.

[@FloweringElbow]

@@quincyberman5629 sound like it could work. Let us know if you try it... :)

[@nealtran6844]

have you ever built a rocket stove from ammunition rocket shell?

[@FloweringElbow]

Nope, never had one to use.

[@felixpfeiffer9863]

Please tell me how you calculate a stove. I would like to design a masonry heater but I just don't get the physics... Where did you find out about this stuff?

[@FloweringElbow]

Hi Felix, check out this set of pages for lots of in depth information on the subject www.instructables.com/id/Upcycled-Rocket-Stove-Griddle-BBQ-Pizza-Oven-Attac/

[@matrayley]

Barrel ain't your property lol. Also preheating the air will make the air expand so less oxygen or am I missing the point of the preheat

[@FloweringElbow]

Good evening. Thanks for the comment. The point of the pre-heated air is to encourage secondary combustion. Air is good for the fire, but also has a cooling effect.. Idea is that pre-heating helps ...

[@timothymason3423]

Use A Diamond Masonry Blade They cut rock and Metal . You can use them for Months.

[@jagadishnavalagund7806]

Is it for sale

[@FloweringElbow]

No sorry...

[@dougaltolan3017]

Get yerself a plasma cutter. also look up engineering drawing techniques for joining pipes.

[@bobdickweed]

Cool man...;-p

[@FloweringElbow]

Pretty hot really ;) Thanks Eye.

[@jamespeterson1148]

Weld frenzy!

[@neilgillmore]

HOW VERTICALLY STABLE IS IT ???

[@mauriciohuerta7925]

Inteligente klo,wn.

[@papajon6715]

Ideas and comments from someone in the States who claims no knowledge, much less expertise, of/in anything.1. Action, I finds too much music distracting. The sounds of cutting, filing, welding, and dropping things on the floor does not offend me in any way. I spend a lot of time looking for whatever I had in my hand ten seconds before.2. That power hacksaw may be useful in cutting those cylinders, or the alligator saw with a proper blade.3. The alligator saw which is called a recipirocating saw or sawzall in the States, works much better if pushed securly onto the surface you're cutting. I've found the 'Demolition' style of blades work the best and last the longest.4. When you don't have a template for a fishmouth you can cut the Y'ing pipe at the necessary angle, hold it to the target pipe, using your soapstone/pencil outline the oval shape and cut it out. The hole will be oversized but you have a welder. There are also handbooks with all the measurements of common pipe sizes and inclusion angles. But a template is really great if you have one, I did not know they were available online.5. Amperage settings for structural welding of quarter inch pipe is about 200 amps @ 20-22v. As you are not building a bridge or skyscraper you can probably set lower powered machines at Max amperage and Max wire speed (high wire speed raises machine amperage) or whatever the chart affixed to your mig welder recommends.6. I really liked your accessory curved air guide. It could probably be cut as well with the power hacksaw if you have a way to prevent cut through. Additional airflow may be gained by another going out another side of the base in required.7. Airflow: The velocity increases as it passes through a restriction, I do not know if that is Bernoulli or fluid dynamics (same thing?).8: There should be no light visible when looking out at a welded seam, and no smoke jetting out.9. Any of the weaving patterns will give you extra heat, penetration, and a better looking weld.10. This is the first of your videos I have seen and I am quite impressed. Keep up the good work!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey papa Jon. Thanks so much for a bunch of thought provoking observations and sharing some interesting perspectives. The alligator saw did have a new meta cutting blade in, which was why I was hopeful. The power hacksaw is awesome, but couldn't quite fit the big cylinders.. Thanks again for your thoughts. . I have my fingers crossed for your comments in some of my other vids ;) Bongo.

[@tristanmoyer6171]

Should have not cut the slits in it

[@davekauffman8727]

Built a rocket stove with galvanized stove-pipe, no extra air-intakes, I had the thin steel glowing orange/red when I'd fill the J-tube with sticks and other wood.

[@HaloInverse]

Be careful where you use that... I've been reading that galvanized steel is quite dangerous in high-temperature applications. The galvanized metal can release zinc oxide fumes when heated, which are apparently much more toxic than zinc typically is. At least, try to stand upwind of it when it's burning. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_fume_fever www.bucket-outlet.com/Is-Galvanized-Steel-Toxic.htm

[@moonbluebob]

Flip flops mate aye😂😂😂

[@user-rg3ni7kf8y]

Печь для того,что бы обогревать улицу?. У меня есть подобная печь,но она обогревает гараж.И сделана не так!

[@FloweringElbow]

Благодарю. Я могу приготовить для всей улицы без особых проблем :)

[@oldschool823]

what welder should I use?

[@FloweringElbow]

What welders do you have?

[@lpainchaud]

I want that chainsaw mill sharpening video you promised

[@FloweringElbow]

It will come... give it time my friend... We have to eat, as well as saw ;)

[@FloweringElbow]

Check it... it's there now... and it only took a year or two. Now I want a comment in it from you! ;)

[@JHONNYMNEMONIC63]

hi, good job :-) u can write me e link for on line templates, please? Tnx!

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey jonny. Thanks for your question, but I am afraid I'm going to have to disappoint. I can't find the same one I used before - it was a few years ago now and I should have, but didn't, make a note of it. A quick google suggested a few different and promising looking alternatives though. Sorry I couldn't be more help, Bongo.

[@JHONNYMNEMONIC63]

@@FloweringElbow tnx :-) In this forum you can see my rochet stove, In Sardinya , Alghero , i am from Sassari city bye:-) www.energialternativa.info/Public/NewForum/Discussione.php?214494

[@henokyohannes8586]

can u provide the cutting template designer website

[@FloweringElbow]

Hey play. I can't actually remember which one I used now sorry. There are a few good ones though - just google...

[@ColinFowler]

Can we get some boots on those feet, please.

[@fmacdonald3559]

they are safety sandals, I use safety thongs / flip flops

[@customhaines2510]

And torn/ragged edged jeans are a serious fire hazard when abrasive cutting or welding.

[@ahorseman4ever1]

How come the outside barrel without insulation.

[@FloweringElbow]

It has perlite between the layers.

[@ahorseman4ever1]

@@FloweringElbow I must have missed that on the video. I'm working on a rocket wood gasifier cook stove in order to get the secondary combustion. I'm doing my mock up with cans then will weld up one

[@ahorseman4ever1]

Btw I really like your channel and I'm subscribed and following what you do.

[@itukuppoo4280]

Thars hella complicated and it doesnt even swirl the fire in a vortex.

[@paullee9160]

dude.. get some work shoes. watching your video makes me nervous

[@rodrigodelima5848]

Teria como você por legenda em português?

[@FloweringElbow]

Não, eles serão gerados automaticamente pelo youtube, infelizmente.

[@williamwigham7866]

Those are not sandals nor are they FLIP FLOPS. They are ZORI and everyone of the 20 Japanese we employed in Sendai,Japan wore them. We wore them too, when not on duty, but never on Blackmarket street aka ‘Ichi Ban Cho’(. First avenue).

[@sabastianlove1286]

Kids: sandals and power tools don't mix.

[@archiefalcon3470]

Great project. Came out very good, but PLEASE you got all but one protective gear on and you forgot your protective boots. I can see you not able to attend BGT or AGT telling jokes and ending up in a hospital with boosted toes.

[@minouche49]

Lunette, casque, gant, tong...

[@baumeimo]

@FloweringElbow where can I find these template generators at kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZDEfHypbdiMhs0

[@marcusjenkins]

I think you need to buy a plasma cutter...

[@FloweringElbow]

Haha. Hi Marcus. Me too! Any recommendations?

[@marcusjenkins]

@@FloweringElbow Money no object: Hypertherm. I have bought Technical Arc products and They Are Good. I've heard good things about R-Tech. Then you are down to "what has lots of good reviews on Amazon and is within my budget". I am probably in the latter category right now.

[@plainoldme7322]

You fool. Power saw available and you used small handheld grinder 😱

[@runesteinsnnkristoffersen5641]

When I discover the Flip-Flop , I was not impressed , and delete the channel.

[@FloweringElbow]

Sorry my friend. This was a long time ago and I was foolish. We all make mistakes... peace, Bongo.

[@zaccomusic]

good contents wanna be friend?

[@latitudeash]

Nice but a bit ugly

[@FloweringElbow]

lol, just like me :)

[@mamacherie9902]

I could do with out the music.

[@user-pl8sx7ds7n]

Мне кажется что печь неустойчиво стоит...того и гляди..свалится. Пусть автор посмотрит видео наших мастеров, изготавливающих печи из газовых баллонов б/у. Резать кислородный баллон болгаркой (как и газовый) не безопасно! Надо быть уверенным, что там ГАЗА ( кислорода) не осталось..А то еб_нет так, -мало не покажется!

[@FloweringElbow]

The google translate "It seems to me that the furnace is unstable ... and look .. it will fall down. Let the author look at the video of our masters who make furnaces from used gas cylinders. It is not safe to cut an oxygen cylinder with a grinder (like a gas one)! We must be sure that there is no GAS (oxygen) left .. And then eb_net is so, it will not seem a bit!" Hi Алексей, thanks for the comment. I welded on some leg stabilisers, so the structure is not unstable! I agree that a lot of care has to be taken before grinding old gas bottles - see here goo.gl/SorouB where I go into detail about the precautions. Привет, Алексей, спасибо за комментарий. Я сварил на некоторых стабилизаторах ног, поэтому структура нестабильна! Я согласен с тем, что перед измельчением старых газовых баллонов нужно много заботиться - см. Здесь goo.gl/SorouB, где я подробно расскажу о мерах предосторожности.

[@lionelroger626]

Attention aux pieds !!!!!!