Originally published in September, 2009
“I came across this photo the other day while looking for Bunkhouse reference material. While I’ve made potbelly stoves in the past I’d never considered a box style. It’s clear that the fellas gathered around this heater are not Cowboys but it would be an easy matter to make some substitutions and come up with a real interesting western scene.
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When making a scene I almost always start with the main detail and then work in the other parts and characters. In the associated photos with this post you will find the measurements of my stove along with pictures of the raw blank and the finished product. In sawing out the blank I left the overall block square and cut out the shapes of the legs first. Next I sawed off the bottom of the stove with the legs attached. This left the stove in two pieces. I did this so I could make an ash pan opening at the front of the bottom which extended back underneath the box. It also makes it much easier to carve.
Once the bottom was complete I whittled out the top and then the box shape and finally the details. I didn’t concentrate too much on the outside stove ornamentation as it just isn’t necessary. What little I did will be enough. To make the circular lid opening I used two forstner bits: a larger one to make the retaining ring and a smaller one to make the actual opening. I then cut a thin wooden circle for the lid to match the larger hole and then made a metal handle out of some steel rod.
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To finish it up I made the front latch out of a piece of coathanger wire and a piece of wooden dowel. The stove pipe is just some scrap wooden dowel from what I have no idea but it works.
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With the stove complete I’ll now just set and wait until some character or characters show up to tell me what to do next.”
Comments welcome as alwlays.
