Wall tent/wood stove?

[Elkduds]

My 10x12 canvas tent has no stove jack. I have heated it pretty satisfactorily w a propane tanktop heater, in CO in Oct/Nov, w heat off while sleeping. I got a used and rusty sheepherder's wood stove from CL. How much better is wood stove heat than propane? My tent is set up by my truck, not packing it in. Deciding whether to put a stove jack in the tent and polyurethane fly. Also, any risk to burning a wood stove that is covered w light surface rust? As usual, thanks in advance for answers.

[Indian Summer]

I don't think there's a woodstove out there that doesn't have rust on it/in it. That's not a problem at all. Guys stash them all over the place and use them the next year. I've used ones that were nothing but rust.

Getting wood can be a little work but it's well worth it. Plus it's free other than a little saw gas. The difference in heat is night and day. Wood heat is downright cozy. I'd be getting a stove jack sewn in for sure!

[twinkieman]

No comparison, and I cook a lot on top of it also. The water tanks they have are also a huge plus.

[realunlucky]

You might miss the convene of easy to light/ use of the propane

[Indian Summer]

I used to take along a little Mr Heater. I didn't miss it when that thing wouldn't work!

I can light a fire in the blink of an eye although I realize not everyone can. Lots of times when it's not too cold we only build a fire to take the chill off when we get back and then let it go out over night. When I do that I'll rebuild the fire in the morning before I leave so all I have to do is put the lighter to it real quick when I get back.

I have a friend who keep a pushbutton ignition propane torch in his tent for starting fires. Pretty cool. You never need paper and barely any kindling. He smiles from ear to ear when he lights the fire. I've used it a few times and have to say I couldn't get the smile off my face either. Poof... fire!

[realunlucky]

Torch is an excellent idea( note to self). I would also say to try your stove and pipe combo at lest once before you go, some stoves don't draft well with certain size/length pipe. Just a thought

[Indian Summer]

The rule of thumb there, just as with a chimney on a house, is to have the stove pipe at least above the peak of the roof. Do that and you'll be fine. 4 sections of pipe does the trick.

[Elkduds]

I'll need a spark arrestor, correct? Do you use sand or something else on the bottom of the firebox? How can I protect the fly and canvas from cinder and pitch damage? I'm warming up to this idea. See what I did there...

[Indian Summer]

I don't use a spark arrestor. You could but do NOT use the type where a screen mesh goes down inside the pipe. They get creosote on them and kill your draft. You will still be able to keep the fire going but when it really counts is when you shut it down for the night. You can't really close the air off as much as you want to so it lasts through the night. Instead you have to feed it some air and as a result you'll need to re-stack it halfway through the night. Plus it burns hotter than you need or want it to.

I always have a shovel in camp unless I'm in the backcountry. Any dirt is fine for the stove bottom. Sand, topsoil, either will work fine. Minimal rocks. If you are in a spot with heavy pines you might need to dig down some so you don't get mostly needles. Evenly spread a good inch or inch and a half across the bottom to distribute the intense bottom heat evenly to prevent warping and you're set.

Do you tarp your tent? I do. It's nice to know you are 110% high and dry but it's even nicer to know that any embers that make a u-turn and land on top will hit the tarp and go out before contacting the canvas. My tent is mildew/fire retardant so a hot ash on there won't actually result in a burn hole. The only time a really hot one can go up the pipe is when you have the stove wide open and are stoking the fire.

It sounds like you're "stoked" to have a woodstove Elkduds.

[flystrait]

I used to use a old coffee can with holes in the bottom as a spark arrester. You can add more holes to get your desired draft. Just put it on the end of the pipe and there you go.

[Elkduds]

Great info, thanks for replying. I use a poly tarp, wondering if I can install a stove jack in the tarp myself, after I have a canvas shop put a jack in the tent. Most tents I see have the stove near the front door. Is that best in a 10 wide x 12 long wall tent? Also what wall clearance will I need for stove?

[Indian Summer]

Yep... inside the front door. Cots to the rear. Either side is fine. Two feet from the canvas along the front and side is more than enough. I think mine is only 18 inches from the side wall.

I tarp my tent and then just cut a hole in the tarp to line up with the stove jack. I make it small.... just big enough for the pipe, and then let it melt back however far it needs to on it's own. Don't want it any bigger than t needs to be. Tarps don't last forever so I wouldn't put a jack in one.

Here's a link to an interesting stove jack. It is one that bolts on. Two clamping plates and you just slip it in the hole, tighten down the bolts and there it is. That way when it's time to replace the tarp you can remove and reuse it.

http://www.canvascamp.us/us_en/accessor ... -mini.html

Actually I think it would be pretty easy to make one like this with some pipe flanges, sheet metal, and a few bolts and wing nuts.

[elkaholic]

Love the wood stove/wall tent combo! Kinda bummed I don't use it for my current elk camp but with lots of snakes around I don't like having to worry about them being inside with me. Adding a tarp to the top works great and if you get one long enough you can add a porch onto the front of your tent. I added an extra ridgepole and brace in the front and have about 5 ft of overhang. Great place to store gear, put a small kitchen or anything else.

[Elkduds]

Elkaholic- a hangover like this? It works fine without a vertical pole, even in wind. The frame joint @ front of tent ridge has a part extending away from the tent, and a pole runs straight out from it. I have an L joint if I want an upright pole for the tarp. Anyone know of a kit to install a stove jack in that poly tarp?

PA110004shrunk[1].jpg (255.94 KiB) Viewed 17783 times

You can see the old propane heater in the back, by the lantern.

Previous owner of the tent used a kerosene heater, which darkened the canvas.

[Indian Summer]

Man Mark that tarp is perfect. I don't hang mine over in the front but I always have one that is 2 feet wider on each side so I can have a spot that's dry for fire wood and also shady for my coolers.

Did you look at the link in my last post for a stove jack kit? I think that would work for your poly tarp.

[Elkduds]

Yes I did, Joe. Thanks. Somewhere I saw a cheap, plain jane stove jack for tarps, can't remember where, maybe an online tarp store. Something less elaborate than that deluxe one you sent. R U enjoying the holidays?

Also 4 U locals, any recommendations for a good canvas repair shop to install a jack in my tent, CO Springs area? Thanks in advance.

[elkaholic]

Elkaholic- a hangover like this? It works fine without a vertical pole, even in wind. The frame joint @ front of tent ridge has a part extending away from the tent, and a pole runs straight out from it. .

Yes, that is exactly it. I use an upright with mine. It's kind a pain, but serves well to hang a lantern on and is support in case it snows. To have it adjustable I cut the main pipe short, slid a smaller pipe inside, and welded a nut on the larger pipe. I have a bolt that threads into the nut and cinches down on the smaller on through a whole I drilled.

[Elkduds]

Here's another issue: Whether to place the jack in a roof panel; or on a vertical wall, end or sidewall. The sidewalls of my tent are short. about 42 inches. I do not want cinder burns on the tent or tarp, so angled stovepipe out the front or back would drop much fewer cinders on tent/tarp, and I would not have to run the pipe through the tarp. That is a fairly expensive tarp, I'd like to make it last. I understand the more pipe is inside the tent, the more heat is generated, which favors vertical pipe through the tent roof.

[Indian Summer]

You could do that. I see your purpose. I had a shower tent that was a Sheepherder with a side jack. In a roof jack the weight of the pipe keeps it inn place. it might sway a little on really windy nights but it always stays put. With a side jack which needs two elbows the weight is working against you. Wind will loosen it and mine even came apart a few times. If you do decide to go with that I'd suggest making a support that goes under the pipe right at the elbow. Make sure the pipe fits snug too. There is no question a side jack is more prone to problems. if I were you I'd just ad an extra section or two of pipe to get any hot ashes way up high and stick with a roof jack.

[realunlucky]

You can order a stove jack(25$)from bear paw and silicon it to the tarp.

[Aggiejon]

Newbie so I've never been in a wall tent, but I know there is nothing like a wood fire. Heat, smell, experience. I'm in the process of making a small tent stove for our 2016 trip. Would imagine a propane heater would be nice for a quick heat, but overnight, I think the wood stove would win out.

[Dr. Rx]

How do you know what size is good for a 10 x 14 tent?

Thanks
Kris

[husky390]

I ran a cheap poly tarp on top of my tent last season and no issues with embers burning through and getting to the tent. I did have issues with my spark arrestor as Indian Summer mentioned. I bought a heat robber as well but it didn't fit the pipes so that's a project waiting to happen.

My stove is equipped with a coal grate so we would start the fire off with wood, get some real nice coals burning and then toss in a couple lumps of coal before bedtime. The tent stayed pretty warm through out the night and a propane torch is the easiest way to light the fire. I loved the smell of the lump coal burning, reminded me of an old steam locomotive and pizza.

[cohunter14]

Would imagine a propane heater would be nice for a quick heat, but overnight, I think the wood stove would win out.

The wood stove wins out until it goes out in the middle of the night. Because of that, we have used a sunflower propane heater for years at night and it works great. The Mr. Buddy heaters, on the other hand, are terrible and don't help much at all IMO.

How do you know what size is good for a 10 x 14 tent?

If you are asking about stove size, personally, I would go with as large as you can get. The more wood you can put in them and the more air space, the better. We started with a smaller stove many years ago and purchased a larger one a few years back. The difference is night and day!

[Dr. Rx]

Thank you..you guys like the water heater feature?