Large Camp Stoves in Madagascar (Mandriambero, Antananarivo)
Mary Barber June 18 2007

Smoke from 3 Stone Fires

A couple of months ago I wrote asking for advice on making large institutional stoves for our camp and school centres in Madagascar. Thanks for all those who replied.

We didn't make copies of any one design but ended up using what was available to us.
We ended up making 7 of varying hole sizes to fit the aluminium cocottes.
We have also started making reducers for smaller pots from old charcoal stoves, which had been made from car wheels!

We have included pipes to make hot water, which fascinates everyone!

The chimneys go out through the boundary wall and look like a set or organ pipes from the road, made of galvanised steel. One problem was the first trial was so hot it melted the solder joints! So we used rivets and bolts.

The stoves are in full use every day and seem to be working very well with a huge reduction in smoke in the kitchen. The air space under the fire was very important.
The only problem is the room fills with smoke when the fires are lit. Any ideas please? Also because the pots are not completely circular occasional smoke seeps out around them. Also the pots expand and get stuck sometimes!

Thanks for ideas
Mary

Select photos to enlarge

Original Request in May:
I need some help please!
We need to build about 7 wood institutional stoves for varying size large pots for a campsite and school in Madagascar.

The pots have sloping sides (aluminium cocottes) rather than straight sided. Most designs seem to be for straight sided.

We don't have access to ceramic making. We have bricks and cement available, and some metal.

We also want to include chimneys as they are surrounded by smoke. Also a hot water providing system.

Has anyone tried using granite blocks rather than bricks in building large stoves? We have an abundance of them here and I thought they might last longer than the bricks which are often not too hard. Or would they soak up too much of the heat?

All other ideas welcome.

Very urgent as work starts soon!

Many thanks
Mary Barber barber@wanadoo.mg
Madagascar (May 2007)Mens Flynit Trainers