Electric water heater evaporator?

[Keyes Hollow Gold]

On the "Mother Earth News" website they have a woodstove that was manufactured from an old electric water heater tank. They claim that the tank makes a much better woodstove than a 55 gallon drum(steel 3 times thicker). Has anyone here tried making an evaporator out of one these tanks?
Here is the link(hopefully that works).
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1978-01-01/The-Amazing-500-Wood-Burning-Stove-That-You-Can-Build-for-35-Or-Less.aspx

[KenWP]

Most water heater tanks are not that big around. They tend to be tall and skinney. Dosn't leave much room inside after you cut the side for the pan. That is why some guys go to old fuel oil tanks instead of barrels. I have worked one of the larger water heater tanks to make a turkey scalder and it worked but I had to cut the wood short because the tank is not very wide.

[Haynes Forest Products]

What kind of a person sits around scalding turkeys next thing you will be pushing baby ducks in the water. Now if you want to do something good come get all your dang Geese of my golf course