I had two used tire rims and I decided to make a stove. They have enough holes for the fire to breathe well, and I could easily create an opening to fuel the fire.
The easiest thing to do was to put the two rims on top of each other. This gave me enough height and space inside to fuel it.
I first gathered everything I’d need:
- 2 tire rims
- A drill
- A grindstone bit for the drill
- A wire grinder bit for the drill
- A grinder
- A piece of cloth
- Acetone
- A welder
- A welder’s mask
- Protective gloves
- Heat-resistant spray paint (optional)
Step One: Cutting It to Shape
I first grabbed the two rims and put them on top of each other. With the help of a crayon, I drew out the size that I wanted the door to be. After I got that, I took the two rims apart and started cutting the door out with my grinder.
To make sure it didn’t cut my hands, I went over the edges with the drill. I put on my stone grinder bit and made it smoother.
Step Two: Taking Off the Top Layer of the Tire Rims
When I was done, I grabbed my drill and placed the wire grinder bit onto it. This will remove the paint on top and let me paint it with black heat-resistant spray paint.
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Step Three: Welding the Two Tire Rims Together
After I had removed the top layer, I got my welder and my welder’s mask ready.
Make sure to always use the mask when welding, and never look at it without protection while it’s happening. Be careful how you use it, and always wear gloves.
Step Four: Painting
I had three cooking trays that I didn’t really use, so I thought they would be perfect as a stand for the stove. The two longer ones will hold it up, while the square one will be used to take out the ashes after use. I covered them all with black heat-resistant spray paint. I did the same with the stove itself.
Step Five: Trying It Out
I prepared some wood and fired it up. I used pine wood to light it. Pine wood is full of resin, so it burns quicker and better than other wood. This was perfect to make a fire in seconds.
I stuffed it as full as I could with wood. I only needed to use one piece of paper, most likely because of the resin in the wood. 
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It was able to push the flames out at the top, which I hadn’t thought of.
I tried out different things that I could use on top of it. For example, I could cook some steak on this cooking disk.
Or make some soup in this pot.
Or cook a chicken in this cast iron cooker.
This tire rim stove was an easy and practical build that most likely will be used a lot around my house. One of the best features of it is that you can simply put it inside the car and take it anywhere you go.
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great idea
I like it!! Wish I could weld!! 🙂
I have found that the drum from a no-longer functioning washer or dryer works exceedingly well–and no welding required. The only difference, really, is that you have to load the wood from the top. I found a round grate from one of the old charcoal grills at a yard sale to lay across the top of the drum once the fire is going.
You don’t need to weld them together. Get 3 strips of 1/8″ x 2″ x 6″ metal strips, use a hammer to bend at 3 equal locations, then drill a couple of holes at top and bottom and screw them together. You could use a side grinder with a “Cut off” wheel to make the openings. Once you have the stove in place you won’t be moving it around anyway.
Awesome idea. Can be stored outside, when not in use. Taken to the campgrounds, where no open/ camp fires are allowed. Use larger rims, for, larger fire box. Will be making a couple of these soon. Thanks, for the great DIY project.
Really good idea, Thank You! Good Job!
Fantastic!!!
Great Idea! Very versatile. I will be making one soon…well, soon after I teach myself how to weld. 🙂
OK, one more idea; I have found that a WOK is the perfect cooking pot for cooking over a fire. You can throw all of your food inside, put the list on and just throw it in the fire at just about any angle. The lid will keep the food clean from ashes. The WOK, looks like it would fit perfectly inside the center of the wheels you used for this stove as well and you won’t need a stand to hold the WOK.
You beat me to this comment I was thinking the same idea as I was reading this. Was going to post use a WOK it looks to be the perfect size!
A piece of expanded metal, welded to the top rim, will give a flat cooking surface. A BBQ grill rack would also work. If you don’t have access to a welder, or welding skills, you can prepare your parts, and take to a welding shop, for the welding portion of the project.
There is a welding school nearby, and the staff welcomes ‘ready to weld’ projects for the students; the more, and varied, projects enhance the student’s training, and it’s free!
Does it need to be steel tire rims? Won’t aluminum melt?
close call… aluminum melts at 1250 F degrees (Fahrenheit) while the wood flame has 1100 F
Heating aluminum is toxic too..you don’t want to breath in or put those toxins into your food & body
Aluminums melting point is 1221 degrees F
Think of it this way. When was the last time you saw an aluminum grill, or grate? They have always been made of Steele. There is a reason for this. Stick with steel.
Why not use rebar as a cooking grate? Readily available, easy to bend (with easily made jigs) and virtually resistant to normal grill/fireplace temps. Give me 30 minutes with an attentive student, and I can teach them to use a Lincoln 225
arc welder.
Would this be to heavy for a buyout item. Should it just be used at safety camp or should it just be a source of cooking if you can’t buyout.
Yes it can be heavy. One rim is heavy enough but this is two together. Much more mobile though
Would work for solid meats but foods such as hamburger or fish they would probably tear up sticking to metal.
I just want to thank all of you guys for all the great ideas. And how to source them.
Excellant choice for wheels…with the small holes in them. I wish I had some like that.
use an iron vs an aluminum rim.
built one of these several years ago but used four rims two of which I torched the centers out of. makes a taller stove which is more comfortable to cook on and the extra radient surface makes it a great heater for patio or for the front of an adirondac leanto.
Too many of you think you’ve got to “Weld” them together….Think outside the box…make do with what you have. 3 pcs. of 1/8″ x 2′ x x 6″ metal strips. Drill 2 holes at top and 2 holes at bottom. Then drill holes in rims to match and screw them together. When the strip rust away, replace. with new strips.