How To Make A Fire Brick Rocket Stove

In my quest to make the perfect DIY Rocket Stove, I make one with 17 fire bricks, high-heat stove mortar and some recycled grill parts. It works great! Perhaps better than any rocket stove I've made yet...at least of the large variety. And it was easy to make. But, I also believe there is no perfect rocket stove...only what works best for you. Make one for your backyard!
My flat-pack stainless steel camping rocket stove:
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[@johnndavis7647]

Back in the burn chamber cut out a four inch square in the grate so big chunks of hot embers can fall down into a pile under the fire. Then as you feed longer, bigger wood forward the hot embers underneath will catch the big wood on fire easier. Good design. Worthy of a poured concrete foundation that will last.

[@buttonsf3293]

No suggestions, just a thank you for addressing the ash situation! Of all the videos I've watched, and good lord thee's been a LOT, you're the first I've seen address the ash. I'm glad I stumbled on your videos prior to my build.

[@sandinewton1896]

You’re a genius, no one else had used firebrick to make the stove. Everyone complained that cinder blocks crack.

[@fernandolucioocamposandy530]

Good video. One suggestion, to blow air, here in Bolivia, we used a pvc or metal tube to blow, it is more comfortable without feeling rocket stove heat.

[@dawillsworks]

This is the best rocket stove design I've seen! I'm going to attempt to build this. Thanks for your good work.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching. Good luck with your build.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Small bread pan will work well as an ash catcher. Should be a good fit too. Also, if you used a wooden or leather mallet, you can tap the bricks in place with less risk of damage.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Update: I bought some caulk tube type mortar so I can at least seal the bricks I have. Just too many air leaks causing too much wood to use.

[@patriciamattie4732]

Best stove yet , by far . Was thinking what all I could use one of these for besides eggs and simple things , and I realized that the chinese takeout places kind of cook from the same concept except of course they're using gas or propane , but the high heat is about the same . Would need a giant sized wok and chinese sauces and ingredients but I'm willing to take a stab at this , might have to weld a long handle onto the front of the wok to be able to move it around like they do . Yep I'm gonna attempt this , again keep the rocket stove ideas comming

[@gavinokabinagol7725]

This one I can build without a lot of tools, thank you so much!

[@leonpatterson8445]

Simplest stove I have done is stacking 3 building blocks on top of each other with holes matching vertically and two bricks under each end on the ground for ventilation. Worked great and can be used for two cooking areas or close off one for one! About 8 dollars.

[@boa1793]

That is an amazing array of stoves. Thanks for all the work involved . We benefit greatly.

[@jasonbroom7147]

First, let me say I really like the way you produce your videos and the honesty with which you present your information. I almost always watch the entire video when you post one, so keep up the good work. However, the CSA of the burn chamber is too large for the riser. The total volume of the riser should be 3 times the area of the burn chamber, which includes the air space under where you are burning the fuel. To get the best efficiency, add a couple more courses of firebrick to the top, alternating them to avoid the running seams in the brick. A closed door and handle on the outside of the ash tray would be notable improvements.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Jason, thanks for the feedback and info on CSA. Good stuff. I’ll do some measurements and give the fire brick rocket stove an upgrade with some more bricks. Thanks for watching. I appreciate the encouragement.

[@jmannUSMC]

What does CSA stand for? Cross section area?

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Joseph...I think that is correct. In concept, at least, if not word for word. Thanks for watching.

[@mozit6]

Sue, this build is ok for only intermittent outdoor usage for cookouts, etc. But true rocket heaters should use insulated firebrick(more expensive) which allows combustion chamber to be more efficient. It reaches hotter temps and also heats more quickly because they have less mass than heavy non-insulative type firebrick. In rocket mass heaters the heavy mass is a shell outside the insulated core.

[@peziki]

I created a KZbin list for rocket stove videos, and saved vids that looked good. Did not try any of them yet. Then I found yours and just deleted the others. Soon will build. Many thanks.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Ha! That is high praise. I do think that watching a good mix of videos will lead you to the best build for you. Lots of good content out there. Thanks for watching.

[@TheWestlandgirl]

Same here! Fire brick is the safest way to go.

[@johnrodman3864]

🎉​@@GreenShortzDIY

[@johnrodman3864]

🎉​@@GreenShortzDIY

[@pwbpeter]

That stove works great ,I made one of the 5 gallon tub versions with perlite and vermiculite , I sit out at night with a brew feeding the fire. I might make one of these too. Thanks from the UK.

[@willd5058]

Excellent. Only thing I would do is use your grinder to cut out the ring shape in the top bricks so the grate sits down, resting on the "legs" and will not slide off....

[@susancampos8959]

Green show rocket burner awesome just saw it Sept 2020. Great for heat cooking soup like menudo for out door flavors. It's Mexican soup with hominy corn and beef meat and seasonings. Tamales too! GREAT!! To know easy for construction and GREAT Price! Thank you for being Green save energy in cooking.

[@kabitenyongilocano]

This is definitely a project i wanna make during lockdown periods! Thanks for the video!

[@gijoyjoy]

Definitely my fave rocket stove of all your models. 👍🏼

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Yay! Me too Joy. Thanks for watching. :-)

[@rottiejakeluke]

Thank you for your rapid, honest, response. I truly enjoy viewing your informative videos. Thanks

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you Michael. I love the interactive part of KZbin. Minus the trolls, of course. :-) Thanks for watching.

[@garyarpin]

To cook the perfect eggs -put eggs in pan bring to boil. Take eggs off burner once boiling (cover pan for 10 to 14 minutes. )Cool eggs to stop cooking in pan of cold water. Let eggs sit in cold water for about 5 minutes then peel one by one from the pan. A little white vinegar in the water will help release the shell from the eggs when boiling them.👍

[@tinasearcy4684]

Thank you best one I have seen and I watched a lot of them great job

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks so much Tina! I think this is my favorite rocket stove so far too. Thanks for watching.

[@ronpalmer7260]

I like your design. I just put something similar together quickly after watching your video. I used fire bricks to build the burn chamber but used a four inch steel pipe for the chimney / secondary burn chamber. I put a six inch section of chimney pipe around that and packed the inbetween with dirt. My purpose is to heat a greenhouse rather than to cook so I need lots of thermal mass and really need the secondary burn chamber to get as hot as it can get, thus the steel pipe. I did extend the primary burn chamber out a little further so that it isn't almost directly under the chimney section and its all working great for my first test. Tomorrow, I will put a dome over it and run some chimney pipe from that and build that ashtray. Although, I'm making more of an oven than a stove, I settled on your design for the fire box as something I could get done quick and easy this year in December and thoroughly test through a season before building a massive masonry heat battery. Right now it will be heating the air and some 55 gallon barrels of water. Next year it will be sand inside masonry structures as heat batteries that I will use to put plants on. The stand allows much higher temps for the battery effect. I hope to be able to put seedlings on the masonry structure to get them started just that much sooner. I need to really scale it up because I'm moving from hydroponics to aquaponics this summer and need to keep the fish warm too. Thanks for the research and design videos, they are really helpful.

[@Morgan-bh5sp]

This is fantastic, really educational and well produced - keep em coming!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching and for the encouragement.

[@jesusislord3332]

I'm a 72 year old woman . I'm so excited about building a rocketstove . I'll let you know how it turns out .

[@maehay4065]

This is definitely the best Rocket Stove yet! Thank you for all the experiments you do! 👍

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the feedback, Mae. And thanks for watching.

[@terrysincheff6682]

Lots of good ideas on that rocket stove. I like the fire brick, and the ashtray. Keep it Green. :)

[@TheMikael8888]

This is the best one. Will make this one day. Appreciate. Thank you !

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Mikael Soenjoto Thank you, Mikael. It is my favorite too. When you make this, leave out the secondary air tube. It doesn’t help enough to justify the extra work. Thanks for watching.

[@jerrymatthews8968]

You did a great job on this stove, and a good video. Thank you.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching, Jerry.

[@edieboudreau9637]

This is very nice. It looks like one side of Uncle Harry's outdoor "grill" arrangement from the 60's & 70s. He built his own too. This or similar was in the center and on either side he had the traditional style brick patio grill with the big brick heat reflector behind. He did it so Aunt Lucy could boil corn or scallops or reduce a BBQ sauce. Without his giving up grill space. I remember it because he had a hole in back about the size of a 50¢ piece that he used to tease me was for his giant garden worms to hide in & that the snakes would chase them in there. Lol. He was very inventive & fun. Lol

[@GreenShortzDIY]

I'm honored to remind you of Uncle Harry. :-) He sounds like a cool guy. Thanks for watching.

[@edieboudreau9637]

GreenShortz DIY he really was. The best.

[@danteaceveda3080]

Love your Rocket Stove!! Thank you! I’ll try ti make one, and will give you a feedback!

[@dasnvps]

Great video! I am guessing that the thin galvanized emt tube might fail in the repetitive high heat. It also seems like the air enters too high in your chimney, but you have an great flame that burns high! I have seen guys use copper pipe to provide secondary air horizontally into the side of the burn chamber to feed the vortex, which creates a very hot burn with less ash. Thanks for sharing this! Your channel is interesting and inspirational.

[@droidmaldonado]

Excellent!!!! Thank you.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Tony.

[@ritahcrazy4Christ]

MY GOD,THIS IS REALLY CREATIVITY,GOD BLESS YOU SO MUCH

[@arthurjir]

Muito legal! Parabéns!

[@eugeneenslow8563]

The best masonry rocket stove I've seen online so far 😎

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the encouragement, Eugene. Thanks for watching.

[@patriciapeterson2820]

Love this stove❣️

[@judypalapar3238]

Good and best idea for simple and emergency kitchen use. Well done good job

[@GraceofGod64]

I will go get some fire bricks tomorrow, great job! Thanks!

[@pamelamorley6145]

Great! Thank you.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Pamela.

[@JERRYMCELWAIN]

i like this one better than the other one

[@patty9265]

Like the ash tray idea best fire brick rocket stove I have seen yet so far . And I have looked and study a lot. This will be the one I go with . Thank you . Great job.

[@manasj794]

feel good to see your work

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Manas J Thanks for watching. :-)

[@earlelzy7243]

I really like this one the best. I'm going to make a cinder block rocket stove because that's what I have on hand.

[@mikejohnson5900]

Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching.

[@rudisantoso3686]

You gave an option to make stove..it's cool. Thanks.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Glad you like it! Thanks for watching.

[@mikeconnery4652]

Simple design and great craftsmanship. Your explanations and video is excellent

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Glad you liked it! Thank you for watching.

[@inarios2499]

Your rocket stove is beautiful! 💕

[@jorgecastro1894]

Great, you gave me a critical info. about getting the fire bricks, thank you very much!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Glad I could help. Thank you for watching.

[@bobbiecoles629]

This is a great item to make for those people with all the tools featured in this tutorial.

[@loverofnatureandgoodthings9532]

Very informative. I might try making one. Thanks for the video. Keep making more of them. Bye

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching! If you make this stove, you can leave out the pipe element. It wasn't worth the extra effort.

[@itmemo8617]

Liked and subscribed, great channel, glad I found it!

[@Green_Heart_Family_Farm]

Really loving your rocket stove videos. I'm starting up a homestead and will have a few uses for wood burning stoves. Heating a yurt is one of them - any thoughts on adapting one of your designs to heat an interior?

[@syphwarrior]

I think I could make this for my balcony. Thx 👌🏽👍🏽

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Be careful. :-) Thanks for watching.

[@firstptr3and10_]

I live in an apartment. It is against the lease to build a fire on the balcony. The flame could be carried to the structure of the building by a number of causes. Yes. Please be careful. The video shows that flames from the stove can get high.

[@jamesgretsch4894]

Thanks for the video. Love it. Great job. Rocket 🚀 Stove. Interesting name for it.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

You’re welcome, James. It’s called a rocket stove because of the sound it makes. You may have heard the rocket roar when the stove was burning fast. Thank you for watching.

[@jamesgretsch4894]

GreenShortz DIY oh that’s why. That makes sense and the fire looks like the fire that shoots out of the Space Shuttle and other rockets when they take off. Now that you mention it the sound is just like a rocket 🚀.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Stove looks awesome Tom! 😃👍🏻🚀🔥👊🏻

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks Fred! I think it's my favorite. Thanks for the encouragement.

[@sandramaher4243]

Wonderful! Thank you! 🌹👏🌹👏🌹

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching, Sandra. 👍🏻🙌🏼😀

[@aujj1785]

Thank you it look Simple and easy.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching.

[@marktheunitedstatescitezen185]

The way you butter the brick with the cement is the way Brazilian’s do it ! That’s how they build their houses ! 👍🏼

[@ScottHead]

I've been dreaming of a huge 30 inch wok for outdoor cooking, and don't want to use propane. I've been looking around for a good wood option and this is really fantastic. I'm thinking the firebrick on mine would be covered in a traditional brick second layer for looks and for support of larger cooking gear, but I'm so glad this is a simple and efficient rocket stove. I've watched your others, this is the one I think will work for me best.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks Scott. Glad you’ve settled on a solution. You might consider using three rebar risers to hold the wok. My concrete and perlite stove used rebar and it’s been pretty solid. I’d go taller with the rebar to get the right clearance for the wok. You could make them removable in case you wanted to use a traditional pot. Thanks for watching. Let me know when I can come for gumbo. :-)

[@paulpetty9338]

What about using some charcoal in with the wood for longer lasting burns with the wood.thats a good sized wok.

[@paulpetty9338]

@@GreenShortzDIY well said....gumbo...lol

[@Endeavor545]

Well done man!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Michael.

[@sarbloh1124]

Good video mate. Thanks

[@rafaeloyola3697]

Thank you for sharing knowledge awesome show time LoL

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you, Rafael. Thank you for watching.

[@4seasonsbbq]

Awesome build, I'm gonna have to do this one. Keep up the great work my friend

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Excellent! Based on your screen name, you need to figure out a BBQ attachment. Thanks for watching.

[@4seasonsbbq]

@@GreenShortzDIY that would be great wouldn't it.

[@ianfrancisledesma4431]

Awesome stove!

[@arnonraab]

Thank you. What a beautiful, simple, well presented, working well stove. well done!!! What do you think of using cob and slip instead of paste and mortar? Thank you

[@RA-rf4nz]

I was thinking this might be the way to make a pizza oven -- build one of these easy peasy fire brick rocket stove, abscond/rescue an old Weber kettle BBQ from craigslist, remove legs and cut hole in the bottom to set on top of rocket stove, cut opening on kettle lid for pizza entry way, and add a pizza stone to set it on!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

R A I’ve got an old Weber I’ve been saving for a project. I like your idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@kuLasSa023]

Gr ea T

[@kuLasSa023]

Great🙂

[@ricklintz5742]

Today I found my new favorite channel !!! Gonna binge your vids!!! Keep up the great work

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the honor, Rick. I appreciate it. :-)

[@carolinescott3888]

Best so far 👍

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Caroline.

[@wulfclaw4921]

I like your work. Good stuff! W

[@carlbailey1301]

Bravo!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Carl. And for the encouragement.

[@LOVETHYSELFDAILY]

King of Rocket stoves!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the vote of confidence. :-)

[@luciusirving5926]

I got Mexican pumice bricks and I can't wait to get started.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Ooh! Pumice blocks should work great! Thank you for watching.

[@gecko2716]

I think you got it right this time............should work well.......and those Fire Bricks are not really that expensive when you consider all the problems they solve....Cheers

[@carterstaekwondo268]

Awesome video sir!

[@garylhedrickjr6863]

Great Job

[@CSAcitizen]

They use to make them with TWO burn holes = Two burners. and They did it with just a few blocks. They use to make good blocks that didn''t crack with heat like he ones they have now do. But we need to make the Rocket Stoves with two burners.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the suggestion. That sounds like a fun project.

[@inndeep7020]

You're a natural firebug. I love your content 🔥🔥🔥🔥👍

[@GreenShortzDIY]

I love fire. Soothing and useful. :-) Thank you for watching.

[@pastoramoscarmichael5986]

nice stove thanks

[@shijum.k4840]

Good. Thank you

[@danteaceveda3080]

Stay safe and stay healthy!

[@MaLiArtworks186]

This a beautiful rocket stove. I have just purchased my fire bricks from a brick yard and will make your version.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you. Good luck with your build. Thank you for watching.

[@MaLiArtworks186]

@@GreenShortzDIY I put it together unmortared but will get the mortar and permanently secure the fire bricks together.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

@@MaLiArtworks186 thank you for the update!

[@pnoytennis]

Very nice and neat. Please show us how to slow the heat for a slow cooking too.

[@jayshiehuuwan4711]

Que lindo esooo!!!.... Ya lo haré en mi tierra cuando me marche de España jejeje .....Muchas gracias Un saludo desde Barcelona....bye, bye....

[@bobcarson4847]

VERY COOL STOVE I LIKE IT I NEED TO MAKE ONE

[@cockeyedhomestead]

I was researching rocket stoves and stumbled across you. We're close by you. We're about an hour north of ATL. I had thought about fire bricks. GMTA!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Cool! Thanks for reaching out. Where are you located, if you’re saying? I do love this fire brick version of the rocket stove. Thanks for watching.

[@cockeyedhomestead]

Habersham Co.@@GreenShortzDIY

[@frankturco8694]

Good ideas. If one uses the standard size fire brick the measurement is 4 and 1/2 x 9 x 2 inches so no need for mortar to fill gaps

[@BrianJMader-sz7jw]

Dam son, that was a bad ass rocket stove!!!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

A complement of the highest degree. Thanks bro. :-)

[@user-rs2od4ey5j]

Keep it going

[@michaelpuglia5066]

This is the best rocket stove build that I've seen. Well thought out and safe with your use of firebrick and fire cement. Using concrete pavers in some other videos is asking for trouble. Thanks...great job.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you, Michael. If I did this again, I’d leave out secondary air tube. It doesn’t add much airflow, if any. Thank you for watching.

[@denverbasshead]

So I could build this with just the firebrick? And the grate of course

[@texaspatty4697]

What kind of trouble could be caused by using pavers? Am just now learning about this.

[@ragdeandwagyu8885]

the very best project i've seen on ur videos. green.love that much.i probably make one too !! haha.. just trying.i'm new here. i like to explore also...

[@beebob1279]

That's actually a small fireplace and chimney. I wouldn't call that a rocket stove. But it works and that's what counts

[@GreenShortzDIY]

The term rocket stove is used a bit loosely here on KZbin. So, I can’t argue with your assessment. It does make the rocket sound and pulls a convection current, so at least some criterion are met. Those are the most important two in my opinion. But, yes, not a true rocket stove.

[@ceebs83]

OMG I've always wondered why all the videos online don't build with the bricks vertically... Makes so much more sense!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Agreed. I think people are just used to seeing bricks laid flat. Thank you for the feedback. Thank you for watching.

[@ioanlupu553]

Amazing !

[@billvivianmaddox793]

I really like the ash tray component of this stove. Where did you source the tray from?

[@redwood1957]

Nice you could build a top with angle iron for base and cross pieces for larger cook top more stable thank you

[@adamsmith2719]

Just wondering if the front bricks are laid out flat would increase the draft due to reduced cross section of the chimney? If the question makes sense in the first place, still newbie in this area. Thanks!

[@fireside007]

aaaa Nice Job nice edit . . . YOU ~ ROCKET ! !

[@jellybean3731]

Fuel, Oxygen & Heat... hot stuff!

[@shannonsmith5421]

Wish I could drive my car from those sticks hahah Great video really cool , nice video ...

[@cordisbishop8116]

I like it real well

[@originaljazzgirl]

Excellent intelligently presented video. Thanks for not opening with "hi guys". :-) Really enjoyed your video, thanks!