# Sterno Stove Upgraded



## Cidney00 (Jul 9, 2013)

Hey everyone. I've been been lurking here for awhile and try to keep my posts to a minimum unless I have something useful to provide. That being said I completed an idea I've had for awhile to turn the cheap Sterno stoves into a more well rounded piece of gear.

I started with to obvious component a Sterno Stove.
http://www.amazon.com/Sterno-Single-Burner-Folding-Stove/dp/B000OD158E

While this a a nice simple piece of gear it's only useful obviously when you have sterno fuel available.

It does however fold into a rather small and pretty lightweight package that would fit nicely into a pack. I however want to be able to use regular wood fuel in to similar to the volcano style stove. So here's what I did to make it multi fuel.

Step one.
Assemble the Sterno stove as designed.

Step 2: Cut a perforated piece of metal ( I used scrap aluminum sheet) to the inside dimensions of the stove.

Step 3: Set the sheet in place in the stove. There are two steel risers in the stove that hold the sterno fuel cans. The sheet will sit on the risers in the middle. Scribe a line along the left and right side plates where the sheet bottom sits. Measure 1" increments along the line. Drill a 7/16" hole at each increment from 1-4" on each side plate.

Step 4: Slide a 3/8" steel rod through the first pair of holes and mark the length of the rod from left to right side plate with a little extra protruding from one end. Bend the rod 90* and mark the second hole. Make another 90* bend. Slide your now "U" shaped rod through the first and second holes. Cut the rod to length just past the side plate.

Step 5: Repeat step #4 for holes number 3 and 4. Making a second "U" rod.

Step 6: Insert perforated metal sheet on top of support rods made in steps 4&5.


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## Cidney00 (Jul 9, 2013)

Testing this was an exercise for me seeing as I decided to start the fire with flint and steel and I haven't started a fire with flint and steel in years. After a few failed attempts I got my touch back. The nice part about the setup is that you can set the perforated plate on the ground and start your small fire of the plate then insert your fire into the stove so you don't have to fight working in a confined area. Once I got the fire up and safely alive I slide the plate and fire on top of the support rods and built up the fire. Once comfortable with my fire base I set my solo pot filled with 24oz of water on the stove top. Just shy of 5 minutes later at 21 ft above sea level the water was at a rolling boil without a pot lid. Total burn time from flint and steel to boiled water 17 minutes.

Honestly the setup is a little big for my solo pot but would fit my double pot or skillet perfectly. 

As an added benefit the stove trapped a large quantity of perfect embers on the tray and could easily be transferred to another medium for transport if needed. 

I did not need to make any added ventilation holes to keep the fire running and aside from the flint and steel fire bringing to life didn't have to blow into the stove once.


For less than $20 in materials it's a viable low cost setup that transports easily and keeps things pretty simple but highly effective. It boils water at pretty much the same time as my MSR dragonfly stove that I love.

I hope you all approve. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

What a cool Idea, I'm going to do that to mine. Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum.


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