need a light cast iron stove for a TENT

[ThatDudeThere]

Hello,
I was looking at the sheet metal camping stoves, and for the money I would rather have cast iron. The tricky part is keeping the weight and budget down. I'm willing to haul about 150 lbs. I could get the US Stove US1269E, but reading here scares me. The plus side is I would have a cast iron for the house in an emergency. My MAX budget would be $1000

 

[bholler]

Hello,
I was looking at the sheet metal camping stoves, and for the money I would rather have cast iron. The tricky part is keeping the weight and budget down. I'm willing to haul about 150 lbs. I could get the US Stove US1269E, but reading here scares me. The plus side is I would have a cast iron for the house in an emergency. My MAX budget would be $1000

Why would you prefer cast iron?

 

[peakbagger]

Hard to beat one of these.

Dickinson Marine, Newport Solid Fuel Heater, 00-NEWSF

Dickinson Marine, Newport Solid Fuel Heater 00-NEWSF is a small, solid fuel heater. This heater burns one to two 1” thick wood or presto log, a handful of charcoal briquettes or coal. Removable ash drawer and damper control.

www.go2marine.com

 

[ThatDudeThere]

Hello...I think cast iron would do a better job being thick metal, but I also want the more efficient EPA stove. Expensive camping stoves do have a simple baffle in them, but those start at $950 for the stainless russian bear I like, and there is a stainless Boreal Outdoor I like for $1300 after shipping. The budget camp stove I would want is Kni-co Alaskan for $240, and is not even stainless. Just knowing that I could have cast iron with a larger fire box for the same money is a mental thing. The inconvenience of cast iron for a tent is the big negative obviously!

 

[bholler]

Hello...I think cast iron would do a better job being thick metal, but I also want the more efficient EPA stove. Expensive camping stoves do have a simple baffle in them, but those start at $750 for the stainless russian bear I like, and there is a stainless Boreal Outdoor I like for $1300 after shipping. The budget camp stove I would want is Kni-co Alaskan for $240, and is not even stainless. Just knowing that I could have cast iron with a larger fire box for the same money is a mental thing. The inconvenience of cast iron for a tent is the big negative obviously!

But cast iron isn't nessecarily thicker or more durable. Especially if the stove is going to be moved often it will actually be much less durable than a welded plate steel stove. Now yes some of the camp stoves are very thin sheet metal but that is to keep weight down. Oh and you arent going to get a good modern cast iron stove for anywhere near those prices.

 

[ThatDudeThere]

I was just thinking also, I could go ahead and install a cast iron in the house, and it is easy enough to disconnect and go with it

But cast iron isn't nessecarily thicker or more durable. Especially if the stove is going to be moved often it will actually be much less durable than a welded plate steel stove. Now yes some of the camp stoves are very thin sheet metal but that is to keep weight down.

I didn't realize or think about that. Thanks

 

[ThatDudeThere]

Hard to beat one of these.

Dickinson Marine, Newport Solid Fuel Heater, 00-NEWSF

Dickinson Marine, Newport Solid Fuel Heater 00-NEWSF is a small, solid fuel heater. This heater burns one to two 1” thick wood or presto log, a handful of charcoal briquettes or coal. Removable ash drawer and damper control.

www.go2marine.com

That looks cool! thank you

 

[Rob_Red]

I would not want cast iron. Cast iron is brittle, when trekking/camping with a stove there is potential to bang it around. I’d rather have dents than cracks. Sheet metal stoves are durable.

Also I would not want a sensitive EPA stove. You will not be burning 2 year seasoned <20% moisture content wood. You will be (I assume) burning wood you collect from the bush and burning it right then and there. EPA stoves need properly seasoned wood, NOT what I want to be worrying about when living in a tent.

I would buy a stove that’s designed for what you will actually be doing. There are stoves designed for tent use in mind.

 

[bholler]

Adding to what rob red said a modern stove will also most likely need a 6" chimney that is12' to 15' in order to operate properly

 

[begreen]

Hello...I think cast iron would do a better job being thick metal, but I also want the more efficient EPA stove. Expensive camping stoves do have a simple baffle in them, but those start at $950 for the stainless russian bear I like, and there is a stainless Boreal Outdoor I like for $1300 after shipping. The budget camp stove I would want is Kni-co Alaskan for $240, and is not even stainless. Just knowing that I could have cast iron with a larger fire box for the same money is a mental thing. The inconvenience of cast iron for a tent is the big negative obviously!

To get EPA efficiency and that weight is tough. I think the closest might be the Morso 2B. It weighs 156#. You could remove the legs, baffle, and door to reduce traveling weight. However, this stove will need dry, fully seasoned wood and a proper flue system to burn cleanly. Will you be setting up a 15' high, 6" flue to achieve this? Probably not. I think it's best to stick with a stove purpose-built for camping like the Englander Survivor series.
(broken link removed to https://heatredefined.com/collections/survivor-lifestyle)

 

[ThatDudeThere]

I'm soaking up the advise...

 

[ThatDudeThere]

So I was watching a video of the Survivor Grizzly. It seems it was going for $179 a year or 2 ago. Now it is hard to find, and $459 on ebay, including flue kit and everything for a house. I was about to get it and cut out a hole in the door and buy glass for it, like someone did in a video.
One other guy mentioned he chose it over the northwoods, which has glass in the door. Hold on...what is northwoods? My NEW STOVE!

Woodsman XL Wood Stove | North Woods

This wood stove perfect for heating a wall tent, small cabin, tiny house, etc. It gives off a great glow with its 5X8" window. This stove is made out of thick 1/8" steel and has a large firebox so it will handle standard length firewood and will last a long time between reloading. The metal is...

www.northwoodsfab.com

 

[ThatDudeThere]

Thanks everyone!

 

[bholler]

So I was watching a video of the Survivor Grizzly. It seems it was going for $179 a year or 2 ago. Now it is hard to find, and $459 on ebay, including flue kit and everything for a house. I was about to get it and cut out a hole in the door and buy glass for it, like someone did in a video.
One other guy mentioned he chose it over the northwoods, which has glass in the door. Hold on...what is northwoods? My NEW STOVE!

Woodsman XL Wood Stove | North Woods

This wood stove perfect for heating a wall tent, small cabin, tiny house, etc. It gives off a great glow with its 5X8" window. This stove is made out of thick 1/8" steel and has a large firebox so it will handle standard length firewood and will last a long time between reloading. The metal is...

www.northwoodsfab.com

What is it's intended use? I am a bit sceptical of it's specs. It claims to be made of 1/8" plate. And roughly 24 x 12 x12 and only 45 lbs? It just sounds like allot of steel for not much weight.

 

[ThatDudeThere]

I would like to do some winter camping here in the south. Until then I'll break it in out in the back yard. I'll measure the thickness with a caliper when it comes and check back for sure.

 

[sprawlnstall]

I use a guide gear stove in my tiny house camper (8x20 feet). The pipe included is an odd size 3 1/8 inch If I remember correctly. I welded a 4 inch collar to the top so I could use 4 inch pipe or even 6 inch with a 4 inch to 6 inch adaptor. The Stove works great and has good draft on a short chimney. The stove is recommended for outdoor use. The stove pipe will fit inside the stove making it easier to move it around.

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/guide-gear-outdoor-wood-stove?a=1884248

 

[stoveliker]

So I look this up (to see if it's UL listed) and I see "galvanized steel firebox". Seriously?
Yes "with a high temp finish", but galvanized won't be burned in in my place, even if the Zn is covered up.

 

[kborndale]

Light and cast iron.....kinda an oxymoron no?

 

[sprawlnstall]

So I look this up (to see if it's UL listed) and I see "galvanized steel firebox". Seriously?
Yes "with a high temp finish", but galvanized won't be burned in in my place, even if the Zn is covered up.

The stove isn't UL listed, it is advertised as an outdoor stove. I've burned several cords of wood through the stove and even overfired it once prior to installing a baffle. Is burning a stove that is galvanized dangerous?

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, galvanized = a zinc coating. Zinc has a high vapor pressure and when heating it fumes appear. Breathing metal fumes is bad for you.

That's why stove pipe should never be galvanized either.

One excuse here may be that it's covered with high-temp paint - but I don't trust that such films would prevent Zn from diffusing through and evaporating at the surface.

Another excuse is that in a tent the air-refreshing rate is high (i.e. fume concentrations will be lower), and most people don't live permanently in a tent. But a little bit of a bad thing is still a bad thing.

 

[sprawlnstall]

Yes, galvanized = a zinc coating. Zinc has a high vapor pressure and when heating it fumes appear. Breathing metal fumes is bad for you.

That's why stove pipe should never be galvanized either.

One excuse here may be that it's covered with high-temp paint - but I don't trust that such films would prevent Zn from diffusing through and evaporating at the surface.

Another excuse is that in a tent the air-refreshing rate is high (i.e. fume concentrations will be lower), and most people don't live permanently in a tent. But a little bit of a bad thing is still a bad thing.

I do recall it putting off an odor when I burned it outside for the first time. After several years of use I ended up giving it a coat of high temp spray paint. Hopefully after several years of hot fires and fumes the zinc finish is gone.