Dover Publications Old-Time Camp Stoves and Fireplaces

Why I picked it up

I was sketching ideas for a simple, packable camp stove and a small backyard fire feature when I came across this compact, illustrated volume. I wanted measured drawings, not glossy lifestyle photos; something I could put on a workbench, smear with graphite, and use to translate proven proportions into metal and stone. This book fit the brief: 108 pages of historical designs, construction drawings, and practical notes that focus on how these stoves and fireplaces were actually made and used.

What you’ll find inside

The book is a collection of black‑and‑white line drawings accompanied by concise captions and measurements. It’s a Dover reprint, so expect clean, archival illustrations rather than modern photography. The bulk of the content covers:

• Camp and tent stoves in sheet metal and cast iron, from collapsible cookers to box stoves with stovepipes
• Open fireplaces, hooded hearths, and field-built fire pits with emphasis on proportion and draft
• Accessories like reflector ovens and trivets that make a camp setup more functional
• Basic material guidance—stone selection, simple sheet-metal patterns, and common-sense tips on placement and use

The organization is straightforward. Designs are grouped by type, and related variants appear together, making it easy to compare layouts. The drawings are large enough to work from, and where full dimensions aren’t given, the proportions are clear enough to scale reliably.

From page to project: how it built in the real world

I used two designs as test cases.

First, I adapted a box-style camp stove pattern in thin-gauge steel. The drawing provided panel outlines, flue location, and firebox proportions. I cut the panels with a shear, bent flanges on a brake, and joined with a mix of pop rivets and spot welds. I added a hinged door with a sliding draft, a baffle, and a spark arrestor in the pipe—modern additions that the book doesn’t prescribe but which slot naturally onto the historical pattern. The result was stable, efficient for its size, and easy to feed. The proportions in the drawing produced a clean draft once the pipe was up and warm. Where the book came up short was in seam allowances and a complete fastener list, so plan to add your own fabrication notes.

Second, I used one of the fireplace layouts to guide a dry-laid fieldstone fire ring for a backyard sit spot. The book’s advice on stone choice—favor dense, non-laminated stone and avoid rock that spalls under heat—proved spot on. I followed the recommended wall thickness and left appropriate air gaps for intake. The ring sheds heat safely, resists frost heave, and the fire lights without fuss. Again, it’s a book of patterns and principles, not a step-by-step instruction manual, but the drawings made the geometry obvious.

Design coverage and depth

What stood out to me is the range. You get:

• Lightweight tent stoves that break down for transport
• Simple reflector ovens for camp baking
• Hooded and chimneyed fireplaces meant for semi-permanent camps and cabins
• Stone and brick arrangements that prioritize draft and smoke management
• Variants that show how modest changes in height, opening size, and flue placement impact performance

This breadth is valuable for two reasons. First, it helps you match a design to your constraints—weight, fuel type, available materials, and intended use. Second, it gives you a vocabulary of proportions. Even if you don’t copy a plan verbatim, you can borrow the firebox depth from one design and the flue placement from another, confident that both were tested in the field before they were ever drawn.

If you’re coming from modern code-compliant masonry handbooks, you’ll notice the focus here is on practical, often temporary installations. That makes it particularly useful for camps, off-grid shacks, backyard cooking stations, reenactments, and restoration of traditional setups—not so much for building a suburban indoor fireplace from scratch.

Usability and presentation

The illustrations are clear and mechanically minded. Elevations, sections, and occasional exploded views make the assemblies understandable at a glance. The captions are sparse but purposeful: materials, thicknesses, and key dimensions where they matter most. I didn’t run into any illegible labels or muddy lines; the reproduction is crisp.

A few usability notes from the bench:

• Units are presented in the older, imperial vernacular. Plan to convert if you work in metric.
• Some drawings provide proportions instead of full dimensions. That’s fine for experienced builders but might challenge beginners. A photocopier or scanner makes it easy to scale plans to your preferred size.
• There aren’t step-by-step sequences or photos. You’re expected to know how to cut, bend, rivet, or lay stone safely.

Given its 108-page length, it’s a compact reference rather than an encyclopedic guide. I appreciated that; I could skim half a dozen viable designs over a cup of coffee and start laying out patterns the same afternoon.

Materials guidance and safety

I value the practical notes on materials selection. The stone guidance aligns with field reality: choose dense, non-porous rock; beware of layered stones that can pop under heat; keep moisture paths in mind. For sheet metal, the patterns assume common gauges that balance weight and durability.

That said, modern safety and regulatory context is on you. If you’re using a stove in a tent or enclosed shelter, you need a sound stovepipe, proper clearances, a reliable spark arrestor, and carbon monoxide awareness. For fireplaces and anything with a chimney, local codes (and NFPA 211 practices) will supersede what you see on these pages. The book is an excellent historical and practical reference, but it isn’t a code book.

Where it shines, and where it falls short

What I liked:

• Honest, buildable drawings with sensible proportions
• A wide spectrum of proven designs, from ultralight camp solutions to more permanent hearths
• Clear linework that holds up when photocopied or scaled
• Enough material guidance to select stone and metal confidently

Where it could improve:

• No cut lists or seam allowances for metal work; you’ll need to add your own
• Some plans rely on proportional cues rather than complete dimensions
• No modern safety callouts, and no cross-reference to current codes or best practices
• Purely black-and-white line art—great for clarity, but beginners may miss photographic context

Who will get the most from it

• Makers comfortable reading drawings and turning them into parts
• DIYers building camp or backyard cooking and heating setups
• Reenactors and restorers aiming for historically faithful equipment
• Educators and scouts looking for robust, field-proven designs to teach fundamentals of fire management, draft, and heat transfer

If you’re a first-time builder looking for handholding step-by-steps with photos, you may find the learning curve steeper. Pair it with basic fabrication or masonry resources and you’ll be fine.

Tips to get the most out of it

• Trace or scan the patterns and annotate them with your own allowances and fastener spacing before you cut metal.
• Build a cardboard or hardboard mock-up of doors and baffles to check fit and airflow before committing to steel.
• For stone work, lay out a dry run first and test draft with a small fire before you mortar anything permanent.
• Cross-check any indoor installations against local codes and modern best practices; treat the book as the starting point, not the final authority.

Recommendation

I recommend this book for builders and tinkerers who appreciate measured drawings and want historically grounded, functional designs for camp stoves and fireplaces. It’s not a glossy, step-by-step guide, and it doesn’t attempt to reconcile old patterns with modern codes—that’s work you’ll need to do. But as a compact, well-illustrated catalog of practical patterns and proportions, it earns a spot in the shop. It helped me translate ideas into working prototypes quickly, and the designs behaved the way the drawings suggest they should. If you’re comfortable interpreting line art and augmenting it with your own fabrication notes and safety practices, this is a worthwhile, enduring reference.