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Modify M45 US Military Tent Stove For Controlled Burn

I have modified the US Military M-45 tent stove so that I can fully control the burn rate and stove temperature. Before the modification the tent stove burnt out of control and was off the scale of my digital thermometer. After the modifications I can now control the burn rate and temperature of my M45 military tent stove.


I had first set up the tent stove outside for a test burn. I fully assembled the stove and set up the stove pipes on top of the barrel stove. I loaded it up and burnt it for a while. This day I did not get the proper results though because it was outside and windy. Later I set up the M-45 barrel stove in my off grid rain water and battery shed. I installed the included stove pipes properly through the ceiling of my off grid battery shed. I also used a wood stove flashing on the stove pipe on top of the shed roof to keep rain water out.


Back inside the off grid water and battery shed I tried a test burn of the wood stove. It was scary hot. The stove burnt out of control and was out of range of my digital laser thermometer. I could not use it like this.


You can watch the video of the assembly and first scary burn here: Installing M 45 Tent Stove In Off Grid Water Shed

 

 

 

I picked up some wood stove fiberglass gasket material and some wood stove cement in a tube. Back at the off grid homestead I took apart the tent stove into its two halves. I had seen a lot of fire though the gap between the two halves during the last test burn. So I ran a bead of wood stove cement around the edge of the bottom half of the M45 tent stove. Then I cut a piece of fiberglass gasket to fit and pressed it into place.


Next I put the two halves of the barrel tent stove back together and screwed down the fasteners. This should seal off the middle of the M-45 barrel stove nicely. Looking inside the stove you could see that it makes a good seal all the way around.


Now I put a bead of wood stove cement around the back access door of the military tent stove to seal it off. I closed the door. This door will not be used when I am burning wood in the tent stove.


Finally I put a bead of the wood stove cement around the opening of the front access door. Then I cut some fiberglass gasket material to fit the door opening. I put the gasket in place and closed the door to press the stove cement into place. I want a good seal but do not want the stove cement to stick to the door later so I left it open.


I ordered a 4 inch wood stove damper and waited for it to arrive in the mail.


Later when I had time, after the package had arrived, it was time to finish putting my M 45 tent stove modifications in place.

With the help of Chris who was passing by at that time we removed the bottom section of stove pipe from off the top of the tent stove.


I drilled a hole into the stove about 4 inches up from the bottom to fit the rod that goes through the damper. I put the rod through the hole and fit the damper into the stove pipe to center it. With a hammer I pounded the rod through the other side gently to make an indentation for the hole on the other side.


I drilled out this hole as well. Then I put the damper into the stove pipe and reassembled the stove pipe.


Now it was time for a final test burn of the converted M45 military tent stove to see if I could control the burn rate.


I loaded it up and lit the fire. It burnt hot at first but then when I had a good bed of coals I loaded the stove again and closed down the access door on the bottom and the damper on the stove pipe. The stove settled down into a nice, gentle burn.


I can now control the burn rate of the M-45 military barrel tent stove. It burns longer on a load of wood. And I can control the amount of heat radiating off the barrel stove. It is now safe to use in the off grid battery and rain water shed.


I stayed in the shed and checked all the temperatures with my digital laser thermometer for a couple hours to be sure that everything was going to be ok. All the temperatures were in the safe zones. I felt good about the modifications I have made to the tent stove.


You can watch the video of this work on YouTube here: Gaskets & Damper On M45 Tent Stove Burns Slower Now


While you are over there please subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow our daily videos as we strive to become self sufficient and off the grid on a budget.





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Troy Reid

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