cook-stove from a drum

Sheba · Guru

RE: cook-stove from a drum

jetj · Guru

Heat beads are available in most supermarkets, Big W, KMart. About 4 kg in a pkt.

Happywanderer · The Master

I just googled heat beads. found they are charcoal briquettes. Thanks for that. I see they are not too expensive.

Cruising Granny · Guru

The base looks like a steel doggy dish but the collander has a base of its own as well.
The heat beads are available at the supermarket and camp shops. They look like little lumps of fuel. Just light them, burn them down until they look like coals and you're in business.

gunnago · Senior Member

trouble with 44gall0n drum is space and wieght we also have gas cylinder and works a treat excelent fire also and fine 4 2people

Jack Mac · Senior Member

Sheba wrote:
Would love to see the Pics if you can get them up-loaded Jack Mac. I don't go to e-bay.
Cheers,
Sheba.

Having trouble uploading pics of mine.

Dimensions:

Open 500mm x 380mm

Closed 410L x 260W x 350H and very light.

I get my heat beads from SUNBRIX in Rockhampton. Have to buy a carton of 6 x 4kg but even with delivery I think it worked out about half the price of retail. They also sell charcoal, briquettes etc.

Will upload pics when able

jetj · Guru

I just went to the website of Sunbrix and found the following.

Sunbrix Announcement

After 20 years of manufacturing smokeless long burning briquettes for the local Australian market Sunbrix will cease it manufacturing operation at its Rockhampton plant by the end May 2012. Or sooner if stocks are depleted.

Out and About · Member

Try website www.idos.org for all sorts of information on dutch oven cooking. For a good article on using heat beads with dutch oven go to - Forums ; then FAQ and General Information ; then ( 5 subjects down is ) Dutch Oven Cooking 101. Happy cooking.

-- Edited by Out and About on Friday 6th of July 2012 01:59:54 PM

-- Edited by Out and About on Friday 6th of July 2012 02:00:26 PM

-- Edited by Out and About on Friday 6th of July 2012 02:01:00 PM

-- Edited by Out and About on Saturday 7th of July 2012 08:49:13 AM

countryroad · Senior Member

I somehow ended up in a caravan forum and they were using 2 colanders 1 lge and 1 small, make your fire in the little one, twigs and gum leaves they say work well..won't have to buy heatbeads.put a wire cake rack over the smaller colander then can cook. boil

billy or use the bigger cake wire for the lge colander and use as BBQ .Always using the 2 colanders, have to try this at home. in the picture it was sitting on an exterior table with a sheet of paper under and was cooking for over 30 minutes.

The smaller colander sits inside the larger plenty of air holes then .

Supermarkets sell heatbeads in their BBQ section

johnq · Guru

Maybe some remember the four gallon (18 litre) drums used by road gangs for cooking. They used to thrust steel tent spikes through a short way down from the open top to support billy or lidded pot. Cooking drums are all variations on the same theme of simplicity, portability and quick high heat for low fuel.

A smaller version is the 'hobo' stove which can be as simple as a Milo tin. These deliver fast, high heat for little fuel. The secret is in the air draft created. The road gang's drum was similarly cut to provide the air draft.

- Just Google and you will find the simple tried and true design. We used the makeshift stoves for years camping and the smaller versions when backpacking into the bush.

- Folding reflector shields for warmth fires are also a good idea that takes up little room. Saves a lot of timber fuel. Been around for many years.