Cubic mini wood stove

[Homeless in Canada]

According to the website it has a burn time of 1-3 hours. It's a nice stove I like the glass door but this wouldn't work in cold climates. Also you're going to have to empty out the ash every time you use it which is messy. You can get something a lot more practical from a camping store. There's ones that fold up for storage or you can pack the chimney inside the firebox. Lots of them have cooking surfaces and water heaters. If you're up in Canada they always have cheap ones in stock at Princess Auto.

 

[AeroNautiCal]

The American made Fatsco Pet Stove, model 450, is smaller than the Cubic Mini and requires less clearance space. It is also considerably less expensive at $223.

The Pet Stove (and it's taller sibling, the Tiny Tot) have been used in boats, cabins and vehicles for decades, and there are some very compact boat installations on Google Images (which I found helpful when I was researching tiny stoves). 

Their website, fatscostoves.com, is not the most high tech, but I found emails and phone calls to be the easiest way when I bought mine. I am not connected in any way to Fatsco Stoves, I'm just a Pet Stove owner in the UK.

I hope this helps.

 

[simply lesa]

The cubic mini has a major flaw. In order to clean the flu pipe you must remove two plates from the inside of the stove. The plates are attached with two screws that must be loosened in order to remove the plates. My screws crumbled due to the heat, and my plates are stuck in there. I can’t clean my flu pipe easily at all and makes the stove somewhat unusable. I contacted cubic, they replied with “thank you, this is how we perfect our product.” I paid a grand for my setup, only used it for 3 months. Consider this before buying a cubic mini woodstove, If I could go back I would 100% go with a Dickenson diesel boat stove.

I agree, my Grizzly made by Cubic Mini is a PIA. It's a lovely design aesthetically pleasing to look at. It prefers really good hardwood and as you said cleaning is nearly impossible - my screws were wonky from the factory. 3 inch stove pipes are inherently touchy as well, they are prone to down drafts.
I still love heat tho and with propane allergy its better than nothing.



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[ckelly78z]

This is the 50 caliber ammo can woodstove that I built for about $30. It uses 3" automotive exhaust pipe, and bent conduit for the legs. It has an elevated ash pan, along with a secondary burn chamber inside. It still needs finished, and the pint burnt off along with air supply holes.

 

[maki2]

The American made Fatsco Pet Stove, model 450, is smaller than the Cubic Mini and requires less clearance space. It is also considerably less expensive at $223.

The Pet Stove (and it's taller sibling, the Tiny Tot) have been used in boats, cabins and vehicles for decades, and there are some very compact boat installations on Google Images (which I found helpful when I was researching tiny stoves). 

Their website, fatscostoves.com, is not the most high tech, but I found emails and phone calls to be the easiest way when I bought mine. I am not connected in any way to Fatsco Stoves, I'm just a Pet Stove owner in the UK.

I hope this helps.

I am sure it is a very nice stove but you missed out of an important issue....the fuel. In a lot of camping places in the USA wood can be gathered or harvested and very often scraps of lumber shortcuts can be obtained for free from lumberyards, mills, building sites or from broken pallets. Wood is far more plentiful in supply in the USA than coal for heating. We also have a lot of natural gas hence the popularity of propane heaters.

The stoves you are showing were designed to burn coal, not wood. While they can burn briquets that is not an affordable heat source. Therefore those stoves you are recommending can be an issue since coal is not readily available in many areas of the USA. So you would have to either stay in a region where it is easy to obtain or travel with a good sized supply of it. In some areas of the country there are companies that have wood and coal fuel dealers and the location of the USA dealer of the stove is in one of them. While it is mined in 25 states that does not mean that it is always being bagged up to be sold for home heating supplies. Most of the time it is not but instead is going to factories, power plants, manufacturing facilities such as companies that use smelting furnaces for producing metals or companies that produce other metal goods that are formed and heat treated as part of the process.

 

[Cammalu]

Ckelly, that’s a really cute stove and looks like it could just start walking around on those legs. It deserves a name if you haven’t already done so

 

[flying kurbmaster]

It looks like a praying mantis

 

[ckelly78z]

Ckelly, that’s a really cute stove and looks like it could just start walking around on those legs. It deserves a name if you haven’t already done so

All of the ammo can stoves I saw online had spindly little legs that looked like they could end up tipping over if bumped. Maybe i'll call it "scrappy" because that's what it's made from.

 

[Gr8ful]

Fatsco made these in Benton Harbor, not far & made some kind of ant or innsect killer also. BH had lots of foundries & many guys had small ones at home making farm bells etc. I've used this SG stove in tents & it worked well, comes with everything needed even a spart arrester. Very good ratings for the price but wait for a good sale or if you use hney the always save me $20 & free shipping, here's the link, scroll to the bottom fot details
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/guide-gear-outdoor-wood-stove?a=1884248

 

[grahampa]

Does anyone know what to use around the flue pipe to protect the roof (insulation, reflectix and wood) from heat?

 

[highdesertranger]

for the insulation around the flue pipe you need to use Rock Wool. it is basically high temp insulation, resist temps over 2,000°F.

all the wood you need to move back the recommended distance probably 24-30 inches or use double wall flue. even with double wall flue you need a metal ring around the flue. what does the manufacturer recommend? also need a marine deck fitting, there are a few to choose from.

of course always follow the manufacturers recommendations.

highdesertranger

 

[simply lesa]

So - Just to chime in here - to install in a roof using the Dickson Marine deck fitting CAN be very helpful. If your surface is curved or uneven there is a Dektite (sp?) Silicone roof fitting that also works very well. I like the looks of the simple Dickson Marine Ceiling dress ring - which can be bought seperately even on Amazon. Don't spend the extra on the H Cap - didn't work well in my situation.

CUBIC MINI GRIZZLY STOVE: So I have been running my Grizzly all this crazy winter in North East Arizona - I got one storm of 3 feet of snow this year! Anyway - what have I learned? The biggest thing is that I LOVE MY SIMPLE LIFESTYLE - I also love SIMPLE things that are well designed and work well with relative ease and not so much maintenence. That being said, I love the Cubic Mini company, they have been great to work with. There stoves are designed for RVs and Marine (boat/ship) use. They are NOT low maintenence. They REQUIRE you to use really good wood. I am on a VERY tight budget and most of my wood I get from a local agency that provides heating assistance - it's not very good, nor very seasoned wood - much of it creates a lot of creosote. 3 inch stove pipes typically have issues with the draw (the way air travels and helps pull the smoke out the chimney) and with creosote build up because of how small they are. In order to combat some of those issues, it is best to use insulated or double wall stove pipes directly from the stove all the way through the roof.
I had tested a Sportsman's Guide outdoor cast iron woodstove - the one in the link a couple posts ago. I did like the simplicity of that stove - and the price. That one could use a gasket added to the door to improve it. And of course, it's not cute and doesn't have the window in the door like the Cubic Mini's do.
The Cubic needs the best fuel available - it worked great when I tried Mesquite chunck charcoal and with Presto-Logs, but I struggle to get a good burn on a regular basis. I have had to mix Presto-Logs with the cord wood I have to keep warm.

Now IF you are traveling and trying to stay as Stealth as possible the extra burn chamber of the Cubic Mini's is helpful because you won't see smoke from the chimney! But you have to buy compressed wood or use good chunk charcoal, they will NOT burn pellets. You have to clean these stoves A LOT! every 3 times you reload, you are scooping out ash. Every MONTH you have to sweep the chimney. I can not remove the screws that hold the baffles in the ceiling of the stove that lead to the secondary burn chamber - you are suppose to clean that area each month as well - but I can't. Cubic Mini says this is a design flaw that they haven't found a solution to yet. But it's a PRETTY stove and when I get my fuel mix just right, it's toast warm and pretty to be able to watch the fire burning for 3-4 hours before I have to tend to it again.

Make a good informed choice - I waffle a bit with my thinking about my choice, now that I have experience with my Grizzly. I wonder if I should sell this one and install the other more simple designed Sportsman's Guide one --- I simply don't know at this point.

So there it is! Honest - hopefully helpful
Enjoy your choice to have a cozy fire in or around your life!
And be especially careful - as with anything that has a flame - accidents can happen, I don't want anything to happen to any of you (or me! LOL)

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[highdesertranger]

thanks Lesa for that great report. highdesertranger

 

[ckelly78z]

Simply Lesa, how much wood/fuel are you using on a cold day to stay warm in the van ? A 5 gallon bucket full, or other ? Do you have any issues, with finding, and storing wood ?

 

[Gr8ful]

Look up Rocket stove, they are very efficient, use very little wood & put out very little smoke.

 

[maki2]

Look up Rocket stove, they are very efficient, use very little wood & put out very little smoke.

I don't know of a rocket that is small that can do a long slow burn. But they are useful for cooking because they produce hot, quick heat.

 

[maki2]

If I had a large enough rig I would buy another "Sardine" wood stove. I used to own one. They are 12" x 12". I bought mine at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. The company that makes them used to be in NY state. The stoves themselves are based on patterns from the late 1800s but updated to be airtight and they meet current EPA standards. I guess that trip to the Port Townsend, Wa boat festival really got to them. They have now relocated their business to Orcas, Island, WA. Well what can I say, it is certainly on my list of my most favorite places to spend time. These little stoves were designed for marine use. They cost more than the mini cubic but they are very nice and they use a 4" pipe. http://www.marinestove.com/sardineinfo.htm

the wood stove standards for air quality are going to change on May 15, 2020. The new EPA standards known as Step 2 requiresa 56% reduction in particulate matter (PM) emissions from the Step 1 standards for wood stoves and pellet stoves. The step one standards came into effect in 2015.

The Sardine, the little 12 x 12 size is not going to be available after May 15 2020. So I guess if you want a new one you better literally get it while the iron is still hot. That is only a year away and they might have a waiting list.

I don't know if the cubic mini will be compliant with the new standards in 2020. I have not talked to them as I am not in the market for a tiny woodstove but my best friend is so this subject is of interest to me.

I do know that the choice of what brands you can buy is going be more limited than it is this year. So chop, chop, if you want a tiny wood stove don't sit and spin. Talk to the companies that make the wood stove you want and see what is happening regarding the new regulations. That stove may or may not be available 14 months from now.

 

[simply lesa]

Ckelly78z

How much wood per day: please remember that I have the larger Grizzly not the Cub. I figured the larger the firebox the longer the burn time. 1-1.5 of this pail is standard unless unusually cold. If Presto-Logs which you buy 1 - 3 pack of logs will burn all day and night with a little kindling.

I have this installed in my 16 foot vintage travel trailer which is not road worthy and is parked on my land in North East Arizona.

I would so have installed a Cub in Vantucket, had it been available. Storage should be easy enough in one long or double size milk crate or a tub. You likely could find hardwood construction scrap or something from re- stores. BUT - you gotta gotta burn good wood or chunk charcoal in these stoves. Just picking up sticks around your travels will frustrate you!

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[simply lesa]

Maki2
Oh my no! The Sardine and it's brothers and sisters have been on my radar for years!
I must have the wooden ship stove bug! I grew up around Portsmouth NH which was a wooden shipbuilding area.
I was blessed with the gift of my Grizzly. I thought it would be more safe and simple though I am disappointed. It's still beautiful but that doesn't help much if it is cold and I have to struggle with a fire because I can't afford fancy wood

I hope your friend gets a wonderful stove!
Keep talking - I love this subject.

Oh yes, and Lou had a Tiny Tot in his 1st Gen Vardo. He told me that he never had the cook top on his. He bought wood from Home Depot when traveling, I believe.

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[Notsothoreau]

I got the same stove Paleotool used for his vardo. it's from fourdog.com. it's designed for tents but can be set up in a small space. I've used wood a lot. I fired this up outside to test it and it's very good. You can damp it right down. it has a long firebox so will hold a fire longer than those smaller stoves. Definitely worth the price.