Originally published at Random Geekage. Please leave any comments there.

I was out for a wander yesterday evening contemplating Bush Buddy stoves when a flash of inspiration hit me. Bush Buddies are quite expensive and are prone to damage if not looked after (V keeps his in its wooden box). What about a simple dirt cheap design for a wood stove?

Materials list:

• Tin can (preferably clean)
• file
• cutting tool

Mark a series of crosses near the top and bottom of the can. These are for the holes for air intake and fume exit. Mark a largish rectangle lengthways near the top. I advise against cutting out the rim around the top so that the stove is more structurally sound.

Cut out the holes by pushing your cutting tool through along the lines you made.

Remember to file down any sharp edges, having to dig out a first aid kit sucks plus blood makes a mess.

Fill with twigs and small sticks the same way as the Bush Buddy, light and sit your pot on top. Voila! A cheap reusable wood powered stove.

The stove didn’t turn out as well as I hoped it would. Went out a lot and had to be rekindled. Also took a while to get water up to any sort of heat. Still, for the price it can’t be beat.