Major Project - 'Stoked' Bio-fuel Camping Stove by Peter Gray at Coroflot.com

Major Project - 'Stoked' Bio-fuel Camping Stove

Major Project - 'Stoked' Bio-fuel Camping Stove from Peter Gray

Major Project - 'Stoked' Bio-fuel Camping Stove

This Project formed the primary focus of my degree and was conducted to cover all areas of the design process from initial market research through to protoyping and development and then on to the final concept and the necessary procedures needed to make the product manufacturable.

Research methods included professional interviews, questionnaires and focus groups to understand the market, consumers and product needs. From this research the concepts could be generated and tested through various prototypes and evaluated for further development.

The focus of this product is the use of fire and heat in the outdoor market. What this product aims to achieve is to bring together the practicality and reliability of the gas camping stove and pair it with the user experience and interaction of the traditional camp fire. The resulting product is a user centred piece of design that can consistently produce and contain a locally sourced bio-fuel fire without the need for additional tools.

This is the Stoked Biofuel Camping Stove. Scroll down to see the project go from a single idea, through development and testing and on to become a complete and proven piece of contemporary product design.

Initial Shapes and Forms

Initial functionality ideas

Early development

Further development

Early concepts

Tinder Production methods

Ignition methods

Handle development

Base/elevation methods

Tripod development

Many, many prototypes were devised in the development of the stove such as this rocket stove prototype trialled and tested in the Derbyshire peak district.

Extensive testing was done concerning all aspects of the products technical performance including, most importantly, its performance under intense heat.

Handle temperature readings

Final Concept - the stove packs down neatly with all additional components fitting snuggly within it. Dimensioned similarly to large drinks bottle, the stove will fit snuggly in the side pocket of a rucksack or such like.

Fully extended, the stove will fully support itself and any standard cooking utensil placed upon it. All components are easily removed, operated and maintained for reuse again and again.

The stoves handles are cleverly tucked underneath the outer wall, concealed when not in use. Once in operation the upper half of the chimney is extended upwards and supported in place by the two halves of the handle as they meet half way between the two, forming one solid and dependable handle that supports the entire structure.

The stove's lid makes innovative use of a pencil sharpener type arrangement, capable of reducing any larger biofuel, such as sticks and twigs, into a finer material with a larger surface area, ideal for catching the ignition sparks and nurturing the early flames.

All shavings and additional biofuel can be collected in the shaving pot that fits snuggly onto the sharpener lid.

With all of the necessary tinder and fuel prepared and in place with in the stove the lid can be placed into the top and the stove turned upside down. The striker wheel is then placed in the base and with a single, sharp twist of the striker, the fuel is showered in sparks and the fuel begins to catch.