Learn how to make a stealth cooking bucket. This cooking system allows you cook using fire without being highly visible. It does not produce much smoke or visible flame, and is highly fuel efficient. The system does not take up much space and can also utilize a variety of different bio fuels. The flame is contained in metal, which improves the fire safety of the system. The system can also be placed on wood and it will not burn the wood below, if constructed carefully. The system is relatively simple to operate and will work in moderate wind and in rain. It’s also easy to construct this bucket system using readily available products.

Why Do You Want A Stealth Bucket?

Sometimes it’s convenient not to advertise that you are having a cookout. It depends on the circumstance.

Applications

This system potentially has a lot of different applications. It would be great for camping or cooking in moderate rain. It also gives someone with a small back yard a viable, reasonably stealthy, low cost, relatively low skill, relatively safe, long term emergency survival cooking option. In rainy regions, cooking in rain might be necessary, because people also like to eat on rainy days. One of the big problems of doing survival cooking for someone with a small back yard the fuel problem. It is difficult to store enough propane, alcohol, charcoal, etcetera, partially because of safety reasons and partially because of space. It’s much easier and safer to store enough wood fuel for a wood gas stove, because it is so efficient. Food often has to be cooked to be eaten. Cooking takes fuel. Fuel gets used up. If you ever smell a gas leak, don’t use the stove.

Safety Issues

Always make fire safety a priority. Think ahead and ensure that your stove flame cannot start an unintended fire. Keep the stove away from anything that will burn, for example long dry grass. I wear leather welding gloves and safety glasses when handling either the hot stove or pan. Use common sense when making decisions.

Paint

I use high temperature spray paint (black matte color), the kind which is used on wood stoves.

What purpose does the bucket serve?
1. Windscreen
2. Heat reflector: The silver reflects the heat towards the pan and the bucket funnels the hot exhaust upwards, warming the sides of the pan as the exhaust exits the bucket.
3. Blocks flame visibility
4. Improves fire safety by containing flame
5. Acts as a stabilizer for the pan

What purposed does the gravel serve?
1. provides drainage for rain or spilled food.
2. acts as a spacer to adjust the height of the stove so that the pan handle is just above the rim of the bucket in order to provide stability
3. acts a heat shield on the bottom of the bucket
4. adds a little bit of weight to the bottom of the bucket, which makes the bucket less likely to tip over.

How To Deal With Visible Flame—Block Visibility

Stand some non-flammable object in front of the flame but out of reach of the fire which will block the visibility the flame. E.g. If I lay a wheelbarrow down on it’s side 10 feet from the flame, it will blocks the line of sight of anyone who can see the flame from the road.

Burning Smell Issues

The stove emits a small amount of smell. The petroleum jelly coated cotton balls smell noticeably bad for about 10 minutes when starting the stove. After the wood starts burning, there is only a slight smell of wood burning. An alternative to the petroleum jelly coated cotton balls is to take a 1 inch by 2-inch piece of cotton jean material and soak it in paraffin wax. Place a small petroleum jelly coated cotton ball on top of the jean material and light. The cotton ball lights the cotton cloth on fire and the cotton cloth lights the wood pellets on fire. The burning paraffin wax-soaked cotton material smells like burning candles or a wax garden torch—this smell does not stand out. Remember, the wind will blow the burning smell in a certain direction. Smell does not travel well upwind, smell travels downwind.

Cast Iron Pan

I use a cast iron pan when cooking on the wood gas stove.

Working Under Plastic—Keep The Fuel Dry

It’s difficult to start a fire with wet fuel. Keep the fuel dry from rain by storing it under plastic or a tarp. When lighting a fire in rain, use plastic, an umbrella or any available object to stop the fuel from getting wet. It’s easier with two people. One person holds the plastic to stop the fuel from getting wet and the other person sets up the stove and lights the fire.

Melting Snow For Drinking Water

Use clean snow when melting snow for drinking water.

Practice The Skill Before You Need It—Test Stuff

Test the stove and practice using it before you need it. Ask yourself, does this system work in my particular circumstances? If there’s ever an emergency, you are already an experienced expert, because you practiced beforehand, and know what works and what doesn’t.

Thanks for watching, stay safe and Have A Great Day!