If you prefer to see the video without the initial safety warnings, watch this version instead: • Make Your Own Ammo Can... Safety info ends at 3:51. And a tarp teepee to use it in: • How to Make a Hot Tent...
I had two paths before me. I could choose not to do the safety diatribe and have the concern trolls on me as the anti-Christ wanting to murder their children with my fire breathing death box or I could include the safety lecture and have the "get on with it" people having to start the video at 3:51. I tossed a coin and the "get on with it" people lost. Sorry.
TimCan The Jig Man you did the right thing man. Those of us like yourself with a IQ better than room temp. Just like to be able to skip the cyoa section.
Thanx for the safety portion of the video. Never knew how much actually went into making a stove safely. Also excellent workmanship. I'll have to go with rule one. Don't try this at home😁
I am seriously impressed. Your attention to detail and efforts at maintaining form and functionality in a relatively simple build for most of us demands respect. I would have splayed those legs though.
Thank you, Frank! I gave some thought to splaying the legs but decided not to for practicality in packing it. It's just easier to fit in the duffel I use for it and the teepee. And I would have had to make another jig to get all the legs at the same angle. I appreciate the comments!
This is one of the most informative videos that I have watched when it comes to building these stoves thank you so much by the way Luke I am your father
Thanks, Joseph! There are a lot of videos out there about how to build an ammo can stove so I appreciate the comment. Not sure about the Luke I am your father part?
TimCan The Jig Man, you are an artist! I have no talent whatsoever. That is one beautiful stove. I'd give anything to be able to build that great stove, but I don't have the skill nor the tools to build anything. You ever thought of building those and selling them. You could make all the parts, then let the buyers put it together. I'd definitely buy one if they were in my price range. That is just what I need for camping in the winter.
Thank you for the compliment! No, sorry, I don't build them to sell. As noted in another comment, it costs about $100 for the materials to build one and they are very labor intensive to do them right. If I sold them for $200, it wouldn't be enough. There is a website that does sell similar ammo can stoves for about $150 plus shipping if they have them in stock. Still, you can get a Buddy heater for $70 from Amazon. That's my backup plan.
please be careful with the gloves while using the drillpress, if they get stuck they will rip your fingers clean of. :/ best is to not use gloves while using big strong spinning tools. :)
Great video. I really like the safety section at the beginning. Not enough videos focus on the safety aspect of the projects they are about. Keep up the good work and the good focus on safety.
I'm at the start to make an oven from the same type of box, so I'm glad this video popped up. You have many good advice and ideas. The oven came out nice and I think it heats well too. Thank you for making/sharing.
Now I have to say that I have seen many of these built but I can tell that yours is built with design and passion not just function great job and great video.
Thanks, dave! I watched a lot of the same videos you probably did and spent a lot of time thinking through the entire project prior to starting. Glad to hear you noticed! - Tim
Thanks for the pointers! I think I'll do the same build but invert the can with the lid on the bottom and leave the liner to protect the floor. Then just use some new metal to build a top baffle. I'll take the handle of and make that the front and use a couple of self tappers on the side to hold the lid closed to the bottom. Otherwise, the hinge could create more work for the bottom draft.
Are you producing these, or plan to make more. The plethora of jigs will make it easy enough. I was thinking the same thing, invert the can, I won’t screw it closed though I’ll keep the hinge and latch functioning for an easy clean out and access. I’d also leave majority of the liner intact and bend some upward to use it to help support the grate off the bottom…now I’ve gotta get a decent sized ammo can, some time and should have most of the other materials.
Unbelievably informative video, not only was it a great step by step instruction on how to but was really clear and concise on all aspects. Great video brother !!!!!! Been storing old tools in a 50 Cal. Ammo can for years and definitely have a new project in mind. Thank you for the great video. Shaun "Tinman" Tinsley
@@timcanthejigman7932 ,yeah i am trying to locate the silicone mat as we speak for the tent jack. Im not going with a teepee but i had purchased a cheap Walmart tent a couple of years ago an I've never had it in the field,figured i wld start with something cheaper. an with your videos help I've already finished the stove all except for the fiberglass rope .I went to every single hardware store in Sarasota County. Not a damn one had it in stock,lol. Thanks again for the video.
You could also use a silicone baking mat if you didn't want to make your own with fiberglass cloth. Do hardware stores in FL sell stoves? If you can't find the stove rope locally, there's always Amazon.
First of all I'm typically against safety advice People don't take it serious enough to give you advice correctly. But your safety lesson prior to your video was excellent. More people need to take safety serious, and hopefully you've taught them something.
Keep the can from rusting out you can go to Lowe's and pick up what they call stove / furnace cement comes in like a putty you can add a little bit of water to it so it's like a pancake batter and coat inside of the can and the outside if you like with it it will help and prolong the stove life
Good tip! I'd suggest at least coating the bottom. The POR 15 I used is supposed to have been tested up to 450 degrees so it must get hotter than that at the bottom of the stove. It just flaked off and you usually have to use a grinder to get POR 15 off of anything.
Galvinize melts at 900 degrees F and criticle temp of galvinize is 1600degrees F for the zinc to vaporize combining with o2 to form zinc oxide. Perfectly safe to use in a hot tent as long as you are not welding it in there. I'm am retired welder with 30+ years of experience and have welded galvinize having training to do so. No galvinize stove pipe on a ammo can heater will ever reach the melting point of galvinize.
Greeting from Indonesia. 👍great job 👍Ithink I wanna make one, maybe as oven or for my little can alcohol stove, and maybe you can make some video another version of this kind? Can't wait to watch. Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed your video very much. Excellent workmanship. Excellent planning skills. Making jigs enables yourself to replicate the design and possibly going into business and selling them? There's not one step that you overlooked. I've been thinking about a similar project. I have an old military heavy steel carrying case. With the top loading lid. Approximately three times as wide as your .50 can. Adding a latch to the top, removing the hasp and adding a front loading door with an ash pan underneath. Welding up rebar with very tight spacing as a bottom heat shield. And possibly using a double stainless steel lasagna pans "clamshell style" on top as an impromptu oven. Thank you for your ideas. PS not many people will have a 9/16 drill bit. Anything above half is very out of the ordinary. I have some stuff from a family member from a factory that's larger than half and has some kind of a Morse taper on the bottom. Unibits are an excellent tool for enlarging and deburring. Sorry if I'm long-winded
Thanks for the comments, Joseph! Sounds like you have your project all lined out. I'd be interested to hear about it after you've finished. As for the 9/16" bits and larger, I haven't had any problem locating them at any of the big box hardware stores. You usually buy them individually rather than in a set is the only drawback.
@@timcanthejigman7932 Yes you can buy them separately. Is there any benefit to 9/16 over a half inch when it's only a 16th more? I'm guessing you use that as a maximum diameter for airflow without exceeding metal rigidity to keep the vent disc strong and warp resistant.
To be fair anytime I take my less experienced friends to the gun range I always throw in the rules of gun safety before I hand them a firearm it’s good to brush up on workshop safety especially when working with metal. This was a really cool project and I happen to have an unused .50 cal can kicking around maybe this will be its second life. I noticed in the video you said the rust inhibitor wore off after the initial burn will the high heat rustoleum provided any protection from rust?
Yes, the stove got hotter than the POR 15 could take. There's a high temp version of POR 15 but since I've repainted the stove with the high temp paint where the POR 15 came off, I haven't felt the need for it. The high temp Rust Oleum has been awesome. Thanks for the comments and good luck with your build! I've gotten a lot of use out of mine.
I have never seen anyone so safety conscious in my life. Does he work for OSHA? “Building the stove from inside a bubble is the safest way”. But nice stove.👍
Thanks, Michael. You might have liked to watch the version of the video without the safety info here instead: m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fxSTC0vXcJs.html
Very cool stove. Now if you could just add an slide out ashtray and a gasifier for a secondary burn to improve efficiency and no smoke out the chimney. Could that be a challenge on?
Thanks for the suggestions, Chris! I've thought about both the ash tray and gasifier system. If I come up with something unique, I'll post a video of it.
Yes, it's a good idea to burn it in like I did at the end of the video to burn off the galvanizing outdoors. After the galvanizing burned off, I repainted it in high-temp paint. I've used it several times in the teepee and no issues with zinc poisoning. Thanks for commenting!
@@timcanthejigman7932 I just wasn't sure if you did that ( or I missed it ) or anyone watching and planning to build one would know to do this :) You made a great job of the stove I must say, well done 👍
Hello, great job.Is this standard 50cal box 11" or fat one? Im planing to do this tent heater for Polish Lavvu, but in Poland thers almost impossible to buy 50cal fat one, only 11" size. Can u share with templates of dimensions? I`m very begginer in pojecting this kind of things, with mechanical stuff probably i manage to do it right. I use it only for own prupose. Cheers
Hi niccowla1. I use standard .50 cal ammo cans so about 11" long and 5 3/4" wide. Watch the video at 34:37 for a picture of the graph paper showing the layout that I used. The squares on the graph paper are 1/4 inch. The holes in the circular door damper are 9/16" and the holes in the lower sliding damper are 1/2". Hope that helps you get started!
@@timcanthejigman7932 thanks a lot for advices defenetli help me started, must print it and convert to metric system used in Poland, glad to hear its classic smaller one 50cal, they are pleanty avaiable in Poland. The chimey as far i understand is about 3" OD, 2 pcs of 5ft long (about 1,52m per each) pipe, did you use both pipes? Means about 3m of chmey + spark aresstor, or only one pipe for optimal smoke draft ? Cheers
I love this idea. I have a few ammo cans lying around and will be doing this. I'm thinking of adding an ash collector that would pull out from the back.
Thanks for the suggestion, Dan! That wasn't one of the considerations when I was building mine but it is definitely another way. The bottom rusting is probably the biggest maintenance concern.
Thanks, David! I have a bunch of ammo cans in various states of completion to be stoves. I might get some isinglass or mica and make a peephole in one. Great suggestion!
Yes friend... If you're going to heat and cook with it, it'll be nice to utilize the light also. I don't know how one would keep the sight glass from smoking up though... love your creativity and precision. Thanks!
a slight gap should draw enough air in to keep the smoke off the glass. Maybe a bolt through each corner so as to adjust the glass in and out. Probably only need a 1/16in. gap .Just a thought I haven't tried yet.
Could you use refractory cement on the inside bottom and back to protect the tent floor and tent wall from too much heat in a hot tent? Focusing the heat to the sides and top?
Hey Ted, I think that's a great idea. I have to clean up my stove from its last use and will be adding refractory cement to the bottom. Probably not to the back.
Question for your chimney pipe. When using in an tent with proper sized stove jack, do you use single or double walled chimney pipe? Also at the chimney base you attached in your video with RTV, did you bend the tabs out to help secure?
Hi sandy! I'm using single wall duct. I think it helps in radiating more heat inside the tent. Although it doesn't show in the video, I did bend the tabs flat on the inside of the lid. Thanks for the questions!
Very cool little stove, but I have a few questions. How well is this holding up in the field? Is it hard to clean the ashes out? What is the purpose of having vents in the door and on the bottom? It'd be really nice to put a window in the door instead of a vent.
Thanks! I've had it out in the field a few times burning wood and just finished a video testing burning pellets and it's doing pretty well. Some warping from the heat but still works. That video should be up later today. The vents are for air flow so a fire can burn inside. The window is a good idea as long as you have enough air. It's easy to clean out the ashes, just take the lid off and turn it upside down.
One thing i would of done on this build is too put in a second door on the bottom there .so you can use it to catch and remover the ashes out of it while burning so you can then keep burning in the stove while taking care of the ashes
@@timcanthejigman7932 yes i just reduce the size of the hinges on mine . and just had a local tin knocker ( hvac pipe maker ) make me a quick draw that would fit inside . think it cost me 10 dollars USD for him to make it . it was easier for me to have him male it .
a magnet wrapped in a paper towel picks up the swarf nicely. Hmm, would the JB Extreme Heat epoxy be strong enough to attach the legs, and maybe other parts, without drilling?
Cool, I learn a tip and a new word. Thanks! No on the JB Weld extreme heat. I think the stove gets hotter than the max temperature of the JB Weld. Glued on legs giving way when the stove is burning inside an enclosed tent doesn't sound like there would be a happy ending.
I haven't made one without to verify it would leak if you left it off but without a gasket, the lid kind of rattles around and doesn't make me feel confident. I felt it was better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Not yet but thanks for the idea! It only burns about 20 minutes with small twigs. Larger stuff can burn up to about 45 minutes. I'll check out one of the compressed logs.
Does the size of the stove pipe matter too much? I’m using a slightly bigger ammo can and have a 3” diameter exhaust pipe I want to use for my pipe. other than weight (it’s heavy lol) is that too big? Should I drop it down to 2.5”?
Instead of grinding the handle off, why not turn it upside down and use the hinged lid as an access to remove the ashes? The bottom, now on the top, could be used to cook on.
A welders blanket is always a good idea to place under the stove itsself if used in a tent and a heat proof fabric to watch into the tent where the vent pipe exits the tent.
Yep, I use high temp silicone impregnated fiberglass cloth for both. I have more details in the video where I make the teepee in which this stove is used: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--642qfPkRqk.html
Awesome video i may get get kit..may not good for backpack.put to carry ..awesome.love it. Yes use goggles and proper safety.do u build these to for me or go thru vendor. What tool u you use to cut the metal..yes i would use respirator i been hazmat certified..thank u for safety tips. This conf. Will last
Thanks, Terry! I use a variety of tools to cut metal. In the video, you'll see me use a bi-metal hole saw, a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and a hand held jigsaw with a metal blade. I now also have a portable grinder. I appreciate the comments!
It would be nice if you listed websites & part sources of where you got these parts so others can build these stoves, one source (Menards) lists a 3 inch start collar for $54.00 I need to find something to smoke before I pay that !
That's for a package of 40. On their website, click the down arrow for package quantity. They're $1.68 each. They'll probably still have to be special ordered and arrive in 3 weeks. Point taken about listing sources, though. Thanks!
Initially, I had planned on making the legs foldable but decided against it. I didn't want them folding up on me while I had a fire in it in the tent. Good luck with your build!
WOW... Great Video... I have one question: Do YOU Sell these? I would be interested in buying one. I have a little Travel Trailer I'd like to put this in... This would be great for Van Campers too... Please let me know if you sell these... and how much. Thank you so much for such a GREAT Video...
Thank you, Michael! I wanted to provide enough air flow so it wouldn't be a choke point. I was trying to match the area of the cross section of the flue, which is 7.06 sq inches. When you add up the area of all the draft holes, it's pretty close at 7.12 sq inches.. Thanks for asking!
I built one similar to your. Just out of a slightly larger ammo can. I have trouble keeping it burning. It wants to just smolder. I sent a short video of it so far. It's not finished. Any suggestions? More air holes in the front?
The video was helpful. It looked like you needed more tinder and then kindling to get the fire going to begin with. Then put on those larger branches. Also, you might want to split the branches so you have more surface area to burn. I like that larger ammo can.
Hm, interesting. I've never been in the military and didn't know what a tall 50 cal ammo can was so I Googled it. They're definitely a thing. Amazon and others sell them for $25 to $30. It looks like there would be lots of opportunity to change the configuration for an ammo can stove on the size and location of the door and chimney. Maybe even a configuration where it lays on its side rather than upright. Being taller makes it more tippy. I have about 10 regular ammo cans to make future stoves so don't think I'll be experimenting with it but it would be interesting to see what others come up with. Thanks again, Olive! Keeps me thinking.
Question? The gasket sealer you are using on the starter collar is rated for 625 degrees.....Is that sufficient? seems like using some other high temp fire place caulk , etc would be higher rated heat? please explain....I am in the middle of constructing one of these and now u got me thinking?
I didn't want to use anything more permanent for that since I anticipate the start collar rusting and having to be replaced. That being said, the gasket material mostly melted away but what's left has the start collar glued down pretty tightly. It may melt away more the more I burn in it. That'll be one thing I'll monitor closely. Good luck with your build!
One thing you did wrong with the flue is the crimp on the pipe should be facing up. That is where it will leak you want your crimps going the same direction as the exhust gases go
I had that same question about the flue so checked a few websites before doing it that way, including home inspection and stove installation websites. The consensus was that the male crimped end goes down into the female end so that creosote doesn't run down the chimney and out the joints. You want the creosote to run down into the stove. Rising hot gasses will naturally draft up the chimney.
Wow thanks for thorough vid! Question: As I cant get an ammobox... I have welder stuff. Can I make one from ovenplates? I also have alot of metal sheets (from pc cabinets) Very sturdy but will they take the heat? Thanks alot I really like the design :-) regards Lisbeth
Thank you, Lisbeth! I'm not a metal worker so I can't speak to the suitability of ovenplates or pc cabinets but I can say that I wouldn't attempt it. Are you sure you don't have access to purchasing an ammo can? They're pretty ubiquitous.
I've been metal working sense I was 16, metal splinters in the eye aren't the end of the world, just pull them out. But those chemical burns are something to worry about, I got some carb clean fluid in my eye once and it ammedietly ruined my vision in my left eye. From 20/20 vision to 20/60 vision. But hell, learn and move one.
Your ammo can stove is very ingenious! Would it be possible for you to give us a webstore link to the 3 inch stove pipe adapter that you have installed on your ammo can? After many researchs, I am not able to find it... Thank you :)
I was only able to find them at Menards: www.menards.com/main/heating-cooling/ductwork/ductwork-fittings/3-start-collar-without-crimp-30-gauge-duct-fitting/01303000zlq/p-1444432193537-c-14260.htm
Beautiful little stove! Easy to follow, very clean and organized work space, and good pace with the build. Thanks for posting! Can I pay you make one for me? I am serious.
Thank you, +Kathryn Kenyon! No, I'm not making any to sell. It's cost prohibitive for me to make them one at a time but there is a website that sells similar ammo can stoves.
Thanks anyway TimCan Jig Man. You do beautiful work! I think I may have most of the tools to make one if I improvise. My biggest problem is I have no place to plug in tools as I'm staying with my elderly mother at her retirement home and I certainly don't have the awesome jigs you created...very impressed with those. Also, it's been many many years since I used a grinder for anything and I'm concerned about cutting myself. I will use your style to guide by if I ever get the chance to plug in. I bought solar panels yesterday so maybe when that's hooked up I can run my Ryobi power tools...don't know if 100w will charge the batteries. :-) Just love how organized and clean your workspace was!
It would be better to crimp the start collar (can use needle nose pliers in a pinch). Then connect non-crimped end of pipe to it. Otherwise small amounts of flue gas can escape out of the crimps in the pipe.
I had that same question about the flue so checked a few websites before doing it that way, including home inspection and stove installation websites. The consensus was that the male crimped end goes down into the female end so that creosote doesn't run down the chimney and out the joints. You want the creosote to run down into the stove. Rising hot gasses will naturally draft up the chimney. www.woodheat.org/flue-pipe-installation.html homeguides.sfgate.com/put-stove-pipe-together-40272.html usfireplaceproducts.com/tips-for-installing-black-stovepipe/ I've yet to find any source that says to do it with the crimps facing upwards.
TimCan The Jig Man That makes, never heard that before though. I do HVAC work for a living and normally it goes the other way, but then again I don't install many wood burners
I would have bet money that the crimps went up before I started this project. I happened to be in someone's home and noticed their stovepipe with the crimps down so asked about it. That prompted me to actually research it before posting a video. I wanted to get it right. I probably should have mentioned it in the video. Thanks for the comments!
Hi Robert, There are different advantages to each orientation. One person said it made emptying the ash easier. I don't find it that difficult to take the top off and turn the ammo can upside down to empty. The leg attachments would have to account for the lip of the lid. I prefer having a flat top for the stove pipe. You should give it a lot of thought before you start cutting, which way will work better for you. Fortunately, you can get ammo cans pretty cheaply.
