Thread: Camp stove conversion from LPG tank

Hey Khos,
I see the use of the ozpig over the weekend must have inspired you, i wish i have gone that way myself, it was bloody expensive and if i was to make a custom one i would use a bigger gas bottle. They are handle little things thats for sure!

Originally Posted by Disco_owner

Hi Mike;

they work quite nicely , with the Flu drawing air the intensity of the heat can be controlled with how far the hatch is "open" or "closed".

or how much air you blow into it with the air compressor

Originally Posted by cal415

Hey Khos,
I see the use of the ozpig over the weekend must have inspired you, i wish i have gone that way myself, it was bloody expensive and if i was to make a custom one i would use a bigger gas bottle. They are handle little things thats for sure!

for sure mate , seeing your ozpig definitely inspired me to make one, they are great not only as a heater but also a cooktop stove. one big downfall is they take up a little too much space in the truck for when we're going camping.

Originally Posted by cal415

or how much air you blow into it with the air compressor

lol. that's to get the fire going well initially then you back off and no smoke, nice clean burn

with the car space issue, i was thinking i dont really want to store it in the truck after its been used, not nice smelling ash while driving around. I was thinking it would be good to make some kind of carrier to hang off the spare or rear of the vehicle, i think mine will fit in my rear door basket but i havnt tried yet, they are not overly heavy when packed up and empty so a rear carrier shouldnt be to hard.

Hey Khos, you been playin with compressed air again Seems to be a trade mark of yours
Hmm, I have a spare 100lb bottle here

Originally Posted by Rangier Rover

Hey Khos, you been playin with compressed air again Seems to be a trade mark of yours
Hmm, I have a spare 100lb bottle here

who , me ? nah

wish I had come over a week earlier , could have cought up with you and rovercare. that 100lb bottle would make a very nice ozpig , may be next time I make it over to your joint i could get started on a nice ozpig for the rangier's shed. but then again there is the rangier rover wood heater..

...now what was that about compressed air...

Originally Posted by Disco_owner

Part 1


While I was down at the metal scrap yard this morning dropping off a heap of steel for recycling , I happended to notice a few "old LPG tanks" next to the Big Skip. I couldn't help myself so this is what i brought home with me x 3





I have seen many different variations of this cooking stove/heater.
But I thought I'd do my own and I appologise in advance if my design is a copy,
I make no attempt to go commercial with this design.

so,to mark out the hatch I make a simple Template so that it would be easier
to mark out with a permanant marker by simply placing the templet over the
face of the gas tank and drawing around it.

I had some left over gal sheets from another project and squared off 1 side
of the gal sheet with a reasonably large set square to ensure the templete is
completely square before marking out the hatch template.





cut off the excess piece marked off with tin snips.





after checking all side with the set square to make sure
the sheet is square on all 4 sides.






I placed an engineering ruler on the face of the gas tank and took some
measurements and worked out that a hatch 180 mm x 140 mm was a
reasonable size but others may make their hatch smaller or slightly bigger ,
the inside of the heater/stove will have a circular steel mesh to place firewood
on top so I didn't want to cut a hatch any bigger as hot coals would probably
fall out of the front hatch if it was open .

marking out the template for the hatch



180 mm x 140 mm Template cut with tip snips



I placed the template over the face of the gas tank and work it with
both hands so it takes the same curvature of the tank so on marking
out it is easier to hold it in place with 1 hand and mark out around it.



placed the sheet of metal over the edge of the bench and placed my
left hand on one side while trying to give it a nice gradual curve with
the other hand by pushing down and continued this until it has a nice
even curve to it until I was satisfied it followed the same curvature on
the face of the gas bottle.


I then placed the template over the face of the bottle and
marked out around the edges of the template.



there it is , a nice straight clear mark and I have a template to
mark out another one if I have to make another one.



ok , cutting a round tank on the ground can be a tricky experience
and one shouldn't attempt to do so, needs to be strapped down,
I found the best way to strapp it down was to attach it to a very
heavy cast steel base from our own fireplace with a strap for my roof rack.


now before anyone picks up from the pic below that my fingers are in
the way and I should be 1,0000,000 times more careful,the
angle grinder Wasn't running.this pic was taken for a demo only.
I still have all my fingers

you may like to drill a small hole ( say about 4.5 mm ) in each
corner for easy cutting and removal of the hatch





one side is cut



the front hatch is completely cut out.



now it's time for the handle on the top to be cut for easier
marking out of a circle that needs to be cut on top of the
gas bottle for a stove and the steel plate for cooking.



top handle cut with a thin disc on the 4 " inch grinder.



Please Note !! These Bottles are all Empty meaning the
pressure inside is the same pressure as the outside .

Looks like your a lot more careful with an angle grinder than a kitchen knife

Nice work Since you have two bottles left over why not join them together. Extenda pig

Originally Posted by Rangier Rover

Looks like your a lot more careful with an angle grinder than a kitchen knife

Nice work Since you have two bottles left over why not join them together. Extenda pig

I like the idea of extended stove , which way would you join them together thou?

2 x horizontal bottles welded together to make one with a single flue..

I like the horizontal version with a round hatch , think I will do one of these next ...



I'd unscrew and remove the valve and cut out a circle on top which will be the hatch hindged off down the side .

what do you reckon...