Rocket stove gets first fire lighted

The Rocket Stove - invented by Larry Winiarski - so simple and efficient! It was developed with Africa in mind, as it uses far less timber (by about 2/3rds less) to burn for the same amount of heat! That is a labor saving device for the local woman - as they do not have to go and collect timber from miles and miles away - and then of course carry it back to the hut.   Any how - after some Youtube-ing on the subject matter I came across a version of a rocket stove I thought I coud easily do as well.  Yes well - first stop - finding the right fire bricks! After many phone calls I found eventually a place in Invercargill that makes them - long story short - I got them from a sub-retailer in Rangiora - only 25km's away - so went and placed a order.

http://www.youtube.com/16 brick rocket stove

Larry Winiarski rocket stove making video


From there it was a small step to collect a special fire hardened insulating plate and then I got lucky. A special friend made me a metal box - just perfect fitting. Spray painting / buying Cement, etc etc - cutting a long story short eventually I got a fully made Rocket Stove.  So I invited said friend and others for a first firelighting Ceremony that involved (naturally) cooking.  Once it got going there was almost no smoke - so that is more environmentally friendly! In fact such was the clean burn of the timber inside the Rocket stove, that on the inside of the chimney stack there was no soot at all- nice and clean white bricks!!


After the first fire lighting and the intial burn settled down we put on the top a golden syrup tin full of cold water.  The 500ml liter got boiling in less then 8 minutes! Not bad really all things considered. 



 Coming back to Africa - seeing it uses less timber - it saves the local forests. There is a company in America that makes and sells them commercially and for every one unit sold, it donates one stove to the local African community - very commendable.  One can cook more then just straight of the heat - I used it the other day like a BBQ grill and if you put on a hot plate (leaving enough gap for the air to get under and out of it) you can fry etc anything. Very versatile, I'd say.  Indeed I also used my Wok on there successfully one evening.








Roasting Marshmallow. Unbelievably how much heat there is coming from there.  In fact Mamabear managed to burn her marshmallow in less then 3 seconds, unless you keep it turning over and over.







Oddly enough the couple who helped with the manufacture managed to avoid the camera all night. Stitch here seem to enjoy the occasion despite the drizzle and the "refreshing " nature of the evening.