one-day course how to build a rocket stove

venue: Windmill Hill City Farm, Bristol

The course will aim to introduce the design principles of the rocket stove designed by Dr Winiarski of the Aprovecho Research Centre. These principles will be demonstrated by the construction of a portable oven closely based on one of Aprovecho's designs.

This kind of oven has been very popular in Mexico where many have been constructed. It is made from 2 or 3 commonly-available oil drums and a few other light steel components. It uses a fraction of the wood consumed by traditional retained heat, high mass, cob or stone ovens and can be made as a portable version.

The emphasis will be on a collaborative approach to building quite a sophisticated and usable oven for event catering. The participants will be divided into groups to focus on different parts of the construction in order to complete the oven in the limited time available.

The course will cover:

• brief introduction to the philosophy and history of low-mass cooking stoves
• materials, how to select from locally-available resources
• adapting designs to local needs
• the health and environmental benefits of the rocket stove design

There will also be a display of different rocket stove designs from around the world.

more on rocket stoves

this example shows two pots sunk into the top plate for maximum heat transfer

the combustion chamber may be made from materials which are low mass, yet durable enough to
withstand the heat cycle of expansion and contraction

here's a very portable stove made from an oil can