Child friendly cooktop

[luddite]

Hello All,
  My children attend an outdoor school with a hands on approach to learning.  I have volunteered to design and build a cook stove for use by carefully attended children (ages 3-10).  Looking for any suggestions.
My primary design considerations
1- low cook top surface with no open flames around pots or pans
2- semi outdoor in Maine, will be located in an open walled structure with roof so humidity is a concern. (not cob?)
3- low labor build because I cannot afford to volunteer much time during my busiest time of year (I am a mason). 
If possible it would be nice to incorporate an oven for bread baking.

My thought is to build out of ceramic fiberboard to speed things up (others will donate $) and then veneer with cheep or or used brick.  Firebrick interior where necessary for strength.  A batchbox design seems unnecessary as the kids will love to fiddle with fuel, supervised danger is not frowned upon there. 
 
Thanks for any suggestions,thoughts or relevant threads.

[matthewwalker]

Build a brick box, open top, at your desired height, with a brick wall divider making two brick bells. Ceramic fiber J inside first brick bell with wood feed protruding, brick surround. Salvage glass stove top on top. Second bell can be oven if desired. Low opening between bells, low exhaust exit from second bell. No divider and a smaller bell if you want a hot oven, divider and larger if you want a roaster/smoker.

[luddite]

thanks Matthew. I have been looking at your mini cooktop heater just now and have followed most of your posts. Just wondering how big of a J you would consider and how low I could keep the corresponding heat-riser? I do like the glass top but alternately i have some salvaged 1950's cookstoves with cast iron tops I could use unless it would be ill advised for any reason.

[matthewwalker]

Cast iron tops will be great. You can dig the core down into the ground to achieve desired elevations, and perhaps a small brick step at the base if you can't get it low enough. You could compromise a bit on riser height in the interest of the elevations, and building with ceramic fiber will allow you to get away with less riser as well. I would recommend a 6" J, which is usually over 32" from floor to riser top. You could try shorter versions until you are dissatisfied with the burn, my guess is you could maybe cut 12" off of that and still be acceptable for a clean outdoor cooking unit.

[luddite]

thanks for your . I think this would be a nice design, now must see if others agree. I had thought a lot about a vortex style stove but it seems more time intensive vs this solution and the batch feed seems unnecessary in this situation. Any other thoughts from you or anyone greatly appreciated.

[matthewwalker]

You are welcome. In my opinion a J is the most child friendly firebox. Anything else is too hot for a child to be anywhere near with the exception of the initial lighting. My home J heater was always a favorite of my friends' toddlers to poke sticks into.

[luddite]

I have to get approval but If it gets built I will share some photos.