How to Build a Small TLUD Burner and Make Tea Using Bamboo As Fuel
Prepare a typical soup can, one slightly larger can, medium size nail, small nail, can opener and a hammer., Aim for about a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) or 5mm gap between the cans. , Use the small finishing nail to poke one row of holes all around the base...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Prepare a typical soup can
This larger can had a pull top so it was flattened to allow good airflow. -
Step 2: one slightly larger can
,, If you are careful, you can also poke out the concentrator hole at the same time, in the larger can. , It is approximately 1/3 of the diameter of the actual can. , (Be careful of sharp edges here!) On the left you can see the ash grate with holes made as we prepared the concentrator. , This will allow lots of air flow from the small holes in the inner can. , It will be a little floppy at first, but when the fuel is put inside, it should be relatively level.
The nail can be used later to remove the assembly. , We used the can opener to shorten the inner can by cutting off the rim.
It can be a little tricky the first time since the can wiggles around.
Lying the can on the side helps it remain steady so the can opener makes a clean cut.
You could also elevate the outer can a little bit later on, but that might be less reliable.
One other way to do this is to leave the cans the same height and poke larger holes all the way around the top of the inner can using your large nail. ,, It was weathered at least a year or more and split very well just by stomping on it.
The piece in the image was about 3 feet (0.9 m) long and filled the small can. , This produces some splinters, so watch your fingers. , And we packed in some paper napkins and drizzled a small amount of vegetable oil on the tips of the sticks and the napkins for a hot start.
The napkins work as a little wick at first and heat up the cans and wood very well.
Poke those napkins in between the wood sticks very gently and carefully.
Use a fork or dull knife to avoid splinters. , Then light all the paper napkins and slide the outer can on top.
The fire should come out the concentrator hole very clean, with low smoke. ,, The fire should hit the middle of the pot and touch it, but should not spread out beyond the sides.
The ring of small bricks around the pot concentrates the heat on the sides of the pot very well.
At the end of burning, all the bricks were quite warm too. , I think the draft was slightly improved and heat directed even better at the pot.
Still the bricks were all quite warm too. , The water boiled rapidly after about ten minutes and boiled fiercely for at least ten minutes too.
I made two cups of tea. , I was quite surprised by that power output (hot enough to boil water outside on a freezing cold day.) The overall clean burn was also impressive.
Starting produced a little smoke though.
I think it was mostly due to the burning labels on the cans and the plastic linings in the food cans.
It produced a small amount of charcoal.
This can also be used for heat. , This forced air in through the small holes at the bottom and the charcoal burned with intense heat. -
Step 3: medium size nail
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Step 4: small nail
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Step 5: can opener and a hammer.
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Step 6: Aim for about a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) or 5mm gap between the cans.
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Step 7: Use the small finishing nail to poke one row of holes all around the base of the smaller
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Step 8: inner can.
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Step 9: Use the medium size nail to make holes in the ash grate (smaller can top).
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Step 10: Punch out the concentrator hole in the bottom of the larger can.
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Step 11: Flatten out the burs on the concentrator hole.
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Step 12: Use the metal from the concentrator punch out
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Step 13: as a space on under the ash grate.
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Step 14: Insert the larger nail and space up through the center of the ash grate.and lower the assembly into the smaller can.
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Step 15: There should be a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) or 5mm gap between the inner can and the concentrator hole.
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Step 16: The concentrator hole is on the other side
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Step 17: this image just shows that there is a now about a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) or 5mm gap in the heights.
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Step 18: We used a seasoned bamboo stick to make fuel.
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Step 19: This common brick happened to make a nice size fuel shaft when we split the bamboo into short pieces.
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Step 20: The can is full of wood sticks.
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Step 21: Place the inner can on two bricks with a nice gap between them to allow lots of air flow.
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Step 22: The working flame is about as the same height as the cans in this experiment.
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Step 23: Build a stove around the burner using bricks stood on end.
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Step 24: On another try
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Step 25: I added a small chimney made from an aluminium beverage can on top of the burner.
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Step 26: Tea Time!
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Step 27: All in all
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Step 28: this small can of bamboo burned around 30 minutes.
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Step 29: I put a long section of drain pipe on the small can to produce a high draft.
Detailed Guide
This larger can had a pull top so it was flattened to allow good airflow.
,, If you are careful, you can also poke out the concentrator hole at the same time, in the larger can. , It is approximately 1/3 of the diameter of the actual can. , (Be careful of sharp edges here!) On the left you can see the ash grate with holes made as we prepared the concentrator. , This will allow lots of air flow from the small holes in the inner can. , It will be a little floppy at first, but when the fuel is put inside, it should be relatively level.
The nail can be used later to remove the assembly. , We used the can opener to shorten the inner can by cutting off the rim.
It can be a little tricky the first time since the can wiggles around.
Lying the can on the side helps it remain steady so the can opener makes a clean cut.
You could also elevate the outer can a little bit later on, but that might be less reliable.
One other way to do this is to leave the cans the same height and poke larger holes all the way around the top of the inner can using your large nail. ,, It was weathered at least a year or more and split very well just by stomping on it.
The piece in the image was about 3 feet (0.9 m) long and filled the small can. , This produces some splinters, so watch your fingers. , And we packed in some paper napkins and drizzled a small amount of vegetable oil on the tips of the sticks and the napkins for a hot start.
The napkins work as a little wick at first and heat up the cans and wood very well.
Poke those napkins in between the wood sticks very gently and carefully.
Use a fork or dull knife to avoid splinters. , Then light all the paper napkins and slide the outer can on top.
The fire should come out the concentrator hole very clean, with low smoke. ,, The fire should hit the middle of the pot and touch it, but should not spread out beyond the sides.
The ring of small bricks around the pot concentrates the heat on the sides of the pot very well.
At the end of burning, all the bricks were quite warm too. , I think the draft was slightly improved and heat directed even better at the pot.
Still the bricks were all quite warm too. , The water boiled rapidly after about ten minutes and boiled fiercely for at least ten minutes too.
I made two cups of tea. , I was quite surprised by that power output (hot enough to boil water outside on a freezing cold day.) The overall clean burn was also impressive.
Starting produced a little smoke though.
I think it was mostly due to the burning labels on the cans and the plastic linings in the food cans.
It produced a small amount of charcoal.
This can also be used for heat. , This forced air in through the small holes at the bottom and the charcoal burned with intense heat.
About the Author
Samuel Watson
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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