So a few years ago I bought my wife a Kifaru 8 man with a medium stove. It was expensive!

But they're so friggin awesome! We have had a real tipi for years, but this lightweight (7.5 lbs,) version and the medium stove were just about perfect for her and a couple horseback riding buddies on their weekend rides.

But I had tent envy.

I wanted a smaller one for just one or two people. But this time out I wanted to save a few bucks and make one.
With some research I found that a Go-Lite SL4, (now discontinued) would make a perfect candidate for a simple structure. It's a 9'6" square pyramid floorless. About 5' tall in the center. Lots of space and packs very small and only 3.5 lbs.


With some more digging around I found some stove jack material from TiGoat. They were real nice and will sell you as much or as little as you want.
So, I got the material, found a deal on an SL4 and broke out the sewing machine...


Next thing you know, I've sewn in a new stove jack

Of course at that point there was nothing to do but try it out so I broke out the new Kifaru small stove. It's tiny! (malt beverage included for scale and minutes later consumed for pleasure.)


A quick and ugly 4 corner and post pitch and the stove is in place.
[img]http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu20/hppyfngy/sl4002Large.jpg[/img]
Burns like a charm and all the fire stays in the stove !
[img]http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu20/hppyfngy/sl4boot014Large.jpg[/img]

This was a fun and easy project to do. Big props to Evan Hill of HillPeopleGear.com for helping me with some of the details. Can't wait to really try her out.

Just wanted to post up and thank this forum for the inspiration. Lot's of good ideas in here.

Thanks,
Randy

My setup is exactly the same, though I put the stovejack in the rear vent.

You know I kind of wish I'd thought of putting the jack in the rear vent. Just seemed to want to go where I put it.

But now I'm looking at these big 'ol vents and thinking about heat loss...

Did you do anything to cover the other one?

Thanks for posting this. I have an SL3 that desperately needs a stove jack.

Watch that bunched up fabric at the peak..

Happy,

I have the SL-4 and Kifaru small stove. I had nylon covers built for the vents. She put small velcro tabs on each corner and on the vertical sides. The vents make a big difference, can be pulled completely off, or just part way.

Photos at: http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4079531/2.

Thanks ShawnRyan, that's a great solution and you don't lose your vents. Excellent!

Saw the pictures too. Nice job. I think I have some tent fabric around that I can make the vent covers out of. Cool!

B_Lance, that bunched up fabric at the peak is the fireproof flap that covers the hole in the jack when the stove is not in place.

Should be fine but thanks for mentioning it.

Looks great! I did the same with an SL-5. I have yet to try it out anywhere but the backyard, but soon I hope.

yep, I sewed a nylon cover that attached with Velcro. Rather than tabs, I ran a strip along the whole perimeter. Got it done just in time to use last fall. Been meaning to take the vent cover that I cut off and sew it into an exterior cover for the stovejack when not in use.
By using the rear vent for the stovejack I lost some ventilation, but I don't expect to use this teepee much in warm weather without the stove.

Nice setup!

I have a Vertex 5 from TiGoat that I had them put a stove jack in (don't usually put on in the smallest tipi). I've enjoyed using it with their cylinder stove (also have their small stove). Nice setup and kudos on the DIY aspect, wish I were handy!
Don

I suspect you are quite handy, you just ain't got the time. Do you think you could fit two hunters in that V-5 plus 2-3 days firewood,packs, etc and not burn a hole in a sleeping bag?

I've got the same kit, SL-4 and small kifaru stove. Just been waiting for the weather to break a little to set it up and do a test run in the backyard.

Thanks for the post,perfect timing,I have that setup but no jack yet..I was wanting to go through the vent but what about the vent cover (not the jack cover) ????

I just cut it off, and sewed the jack material to match the existing mesh. I ordered jack material from High Mountain Outfitters. They sell it on the site as 12x12 but you need about 16x16. I ordered 18x18 and that was enough for a jack in the vent and a small flap to cover the hole.

I intend to, but have not yet, re-use the vent cover that I cut off to make a velcro-on cover to go over the jack when I'm not using a stove. Haven't done that yet.

I took a bunch of pics but am lousy at up-loading a host server so can't easily post them. Search the archives; a guy on here posted some good pics that I used as inspiration.

Side vs. Vent: Nothing wrong with either option. The side is an easy install (especially if you use ti-goat's pre-made stove jack) and allows you to keep both vents for better ventilation. Looks better also. Vent-install makes it easier to use the stove in the rear of the teepee. Think about how you will sleep and where you want the stove, and how good you are with a sewing machine.

By the way, to the OP, nice job!

Thanks, and now that I look at it I'm glad I put the boot on the side and kept the vents as they are. Will for sure make velcro in covers for them though.

Oh, and believe me I'm not that handy with a sewing machine, it's just pretty easy to do this mod.

Nice work...It's not so bad once you steal yourself to the work.

On the issue of jack placement, I put my jack in the back panel below the vent. I've seen others put the jack in the same place, in the vent, and now, with happyfngy's, in the side, but up high. I put the stove just behind the center pole and turned a bit to avoid the pole. But I have moved it around and don't find that the jack position impedes moving the stove to another position somewhere near the center pole--so long as the center pole isn't between the stove and jack. The stove damper (I have both Ti-Goats and Kifaru's) allows the pipe to exit the stove at 15-20 degree of lean. Just my experience to assist those about to sew a jack in their SL-4/5.

Does anyone have any problems with the jack leaking in a particilar location when not in use....I can't imagine it not leaking during a good rain ????

When you say "when not in use," do you mean when the stove isn't in place? I can't see an reason it would leak then, the flap covers the whole completely. I guess it could blow up in a good wind.
With the stove in place there is surprisingly little leakage. I don't have any experience yet in a downpour, but the tipi has been set up through several rains and almost no moisture gets in. What does get in evaporates quickly if you have the stove going.

I think the V-5 would be a little small for two/wood/stove and gear. It's great for one, and for supreme comfort, I've carried a luxurylite cot for mine, almost as good as home.
Don

Well, my SL4 is primarily for one or one plus a dog.

At least in the cold weather.

Congratulations on a successful project. All you guys waiting for good weather to test in are doing it wrong! Nothing beats sitting in a heated shelter in crappy weather to truly appreciate that stove.

Haha, Thanks Evan. I know you're right but I'm going to make me some vent covers. I like some air flow but with velcro-in covers they will be infinitely adjustable.

Appreciate your help on this. I'm real pleased with the results and am working on my vent covers right now.

Randy

Randy what I meant was,it seems to me that the flap over jack would leak when water runs down the tipi if there wasn't some of lip or something..I wouldn't think it will leak from water hitting it but I just thought water will run down around it,if that makes any sense.... Bill

I guess it could Bill, but the infiltration of water seems to be very little.

We haven't had any real problems with water in the Kifaru, and it's essentially the same as what I did on the SL-4. And it's been out in the rain for a week now and although the boot doesn't fit "tightly" around the pipe, there hasn't been any leakage to speak of.

I guess it's not "watertight," but not enough to worry about gets in. At least not so far...

Thanks so much,i feel better about cutting into my SL5 now,I'm going to order either the material or a jack today...I'll try to post some pics when finished...Bill

It takes a little bit of a leap. But it's really pretty easy.

Good luck!