Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

Alcohol Stoves

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      Nothing new except the carbon fiber felt tipped wire "twig" that I will use to light my stove. I could post pictures of my entire setup showing details of how a typical burn evolution would go. It might prompt HB to create an ignore thread feature though.


      Nothing new relative to what? You've been through multiple design iterations, and I've lost track of the current one.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • AnotherKevin wrote:

      You've been through multiple design iterations, and I've lost track of the current one.


      Per reasonable request of AK. I have so many setups, even I get confused at times.




      Everything I use to boil water in under 9oz.



      As nested in my pot.



      Homemade 2 piece aluminum cone made from roof flashing, KMart grease pot, modified MSR pot gripper, Coleman polymer cup, pot stand made of stainless steel hardware cloth, my most efficient eCHS Frevo hybrid, snuffer made from 7.5oz soda can, white Bic mini, carbon fiber tipped wire twig, and eyedropper.



      Measure 2 cups of water into pot using cup (no picture because of easy step), fill stove to within 1 cm of top with yellow HEET (best guess, no need to measure) and arrange in cone and stand, test arrangement for stability, dip "twig" in fuel, light "twig", light stove with "twig", and set "twig" on snuffer (no need to wait until it is out).



      Put pot on stove and cover. Wait for boil. Remove pot and cover. Remove cone and snuff stove. Pour water into freezer bag for meal and cup for coffee (no picture because of easy step).



      Recover fuel with eyedropper. Sop up residual fuel in bottom of stove with absorbent tip of "twig". Light "twig" and light stove to burn off residual fuel. Eat food, drink coffee, wipe pot and cup, and restow cook setup.

      If you have questions, ask. You might have noticed that I don't build stoves much anymore. I posted in this thread like crazy as I refined my setup. I am not saying it can't be improved on. I am watching Stovie's creations with great interest. As I am satisfied with my setup, beyond answering questions, I doubt I will have much to add to this thread going forward.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      You've been through multiple design iterations, and I've lost track of the current one.


      Per reasonable request of AK. I have so many setups, even I get confused at times.




      Everything I use to boil water in under 9oz.



      As nested in my pot.



      Homemade 2 piece aluminum cone made from roof flashing, KMart grease pot, modified MSR pot gripper, Coleman polymer cup, pot stand made of stainless steel hardware cloth, my most efficient eCHS Frevo hybrid, snuffer made from 7.5oz soda can, white Bic mini, carbon fiber tipped wire twig, and eyedropper.



      Measure 2 cups of water into pot using cup (no picture because of easy step), fill stove to within 1 cm of top with yellow HEET (best guess, no need to measure) and arrange in cone and stand, test arrangement for stability, dip "twig" in fuel, light "twig", light stove with "twig", and set "twig" on snuffer (no need to wait until it is out).



      Put pot on stove and cover. Wait for boil. Remove pot and cover. Remove cone and snuff stove. Pour water into freezer bag for meal and cup for coffee (no picture because of easy step).



      Recover fuel with eyedropper. Sop up residual fuel in bottom of stove with absorbent tip of "twig". Light "twig" and light stove to burn off residual fuel. Eat food, drink coffee, wipe pot and cup, and restow cook setup.

      If you have questions, ask. You might have noticed that I don't build stoves much anymore. I posted in this thread like crazy as I refined my setup. I am not saying it can't be improved on. I am watching Stovie's creations with great interest. As I am satisfied with my setup, beyond answering questions, I doubt I will have much to add to this thread going forward.


      That turned out to be a really nice setup.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123

    • Rasty wrote:

      BirdBrain wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      You've been through multiple design iterations, and I've lost track of the current one.


      Per reasonable request of AK. I have so many setups, even I get confused at times.




      Everything I use to boil water in under 9oz.



      As nested in my pot.



      Homemade 2 piece aluminum cone made from roof flashing, KMart grease pot, modified MSR pot gripper, Coleman polymer cup, pot stand made of stainless steel hardware cloth, my most efficient eCHS Frevo hybrid, snuffer made from 7.5oz soda can, white Bic mini, carbon fiber tipped wire twig, and eyedropper.



      Measure 2 cups of water into pot using cup (no picture because of easy step), fill stove to within 1 cm of top with yellow HEET (best guess, no need to measure) and arrange in cone and stand, test arrangement for stability, dip "twig" in fuel, light "twig", light stove with "twig", and set "twig" on snuffer (no need to wait until it is out).



      Put pot on stove and cover. Wait for boil. Remove pot and cover. Remove cone and snuff stove. Pour water into freezer bag for meal and cup for coffee (no picture because of easy step).



      Recover fuel with eyedropper. Sop up residual fuel in bottom of stove with absorbent tip of "twig". Light "twig" and light stove to burn off residual fuel. Eat food, drink coffee, wipe pot and cup, and restow cook setup.

      If you have questions, ask. You might have noticed that I don't build stoves much anymore. I posted in this thread like crazy as I refined my setup. I am not saying it can't be improved on. I am watching Stovie's creations with great interest. As I am satisfied with my setup, beyond answering questions, I doubt I will have much to add to this thread going forward.


      That turned out to be a really nice setup.


      I do have a question actually.
      I always thought a Caldera Cone was supposed to hold up the pot by having a tight fit under the rim, but I see you have a pot support. Does that mean that your cone is acting as a wind block and to direct the heat right to the pot? Does that work better than a traditional wind block? If so I may have to make one,

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      BirdBrain wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      You've been through multiple design iterations, and I've lost track of the current one.


      Per reasonable request of AK. I have so many setups, even I get confused at times.




      Everything I use to boil water in under 9oz.



      As nested in my pot.



      Homemade 2 piece aluminum cone made from roof flashing, KMart grease pot, modified MSR pot gripper, Coleman polymer cup, pot stand made of stainless steel hardware cloth, my most efficient eCHS Frevo hybrid, snuffer made from 7.5oz soda can, white Bic mini, carbon fiber tipped wire twig, and eyedropper.



      Measure 2 cups of water into pot using cup (no picture because of easy step), fill stove to within 1 cm of top with yellow HEET (best guess, no need to measure) and arrange in cone and stand, test arrangement for stability, dip "twig" in fuel, light "twig", light stove with "twig", and set "twig" on snuffer (no need to wait until it is out).



      Put pot on stove and cover. Wait for boil. Remove pot and cover. Remove cone and snuff stove. Pour water into freezer bag for meal and cup for coffee (no picture because of easy step).



      Recover fuel with eyedropper. Sop up residual fuel in bottom of stove with absorbent tip of "twig". Light "twig" and light stove to burn off residual fuel. Eat food, drink coffee, wipe pot and cup, and restow cook setup.

      If you have questions, ask. You might have noticed that I don't build stoves much anymore. I posted in this thread like crazy as I refined my setup. I am not saying it can't be improved on. I am watching Stovie's creations with great interest. As I am satisfied with my setup, beyond answering questions, I doubt I will have much to add to this thread going forward.


      That turned out to be a really nice setup.


      I do have a question actually.
      I always thought a Caldera Cone was supposed to hold up the pot by having a tight fit under the rim, but I see you have a pot support. Does that mean that your cone is acting as a wind block and to direct the heat right to the pot? Does that work better than a traditional wind block? If so I may have to make one,


      Yes and yes. I prefer to not have the cone support the stove. I sacrifice the weight in order to gain an easier way to get the pot off the cone. The cone controls the environment. It all but eliminates the effects of what is going on outside the cone. Be warned though. Building a cone is much like building a stove. It has to be balanced to work efficiently. Starve the intakes. Feed the exhausts. I just wish mine was made of titanium. Titanium is a great insulator. I have looked into it. Too expensive for my tastes right now. Maybe later this winter I will splurge.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • LittleBitWorks wrote:



      I looked. I don't read Japanese. Looking at your YouTube site next to see if I can see anything.

      I looked at your YouTube site. I will build some of your stoves when I get a chance.

      I ran much of your other pages through Google translate. TetKoba and JSB are friends. I would like to hear what they say on the subject too.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by BirdBrain ().

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      BirdBrain wrote:

      AnotherKevin wrote:

      You've been through multiple design iterations, and I've lost track of the current one.


      Per reasonable request of AK. I have so many setups, even I get confused at times.




      Everything I use to boil water in under 9oz.



      As nested in my pot.



      Homemade 2 piece aluminum cone made from roof flashing, KMart grease pot, modified MSR pot gripper, Coleman polymer cup, pot stand made of stainless steel hardware cloth, my most efficient eCHS Frevo hybrid, snuffer made from 7.5oz soda can, white Bic mini, carbon fiber tipped wire twig, and eyedropper.



      Measure 2 cups of water into pot using cup (no picture because of easy step), fill stove to within 1 cm of top with yellow HEET (best guess, no need to measure) and arrange in cone and stand, test arrangement for stability, dip "twig" in fuel, light "twig", light stove with "twig", and set "twig" on snuffer (no need to wait until it is out).



      Put pot on stove and cover. Wait for boil. Remove pot and cover. Remove cone and snuff stove. Pour water into freezer bag for meal and cup for coffee (no picture because of easy step).



      Recover fuel with eyedropper. Sop up residual fuel in bottom of stove with absorbent tip of "twig". Light "twig" and light stove to burn off residual fuel. Eat food, drink coffee, wipe pot and cup, and restow cook setup.

      If you have questions, ask. You might have noticed that I don't build stoves much anymore. I posted in this thread like crazy as I refined my setup. I am not saying it can't be improved on. I am watching Stovie's creations with great interest. As I am satisfied with my setup, beyond answering questions, I doubt I will have much to add to this thread going forward.


      That turned out to be a really nice setup.


      I do have a question actually.
      I always thought a Caldera Cone was supposed to hold up the pot by having a tight fit under the rim, but I see you have a pot support. Does that mean that your cone is acting as a wind block and to direct the heat right to the pot? Does that work better than a traditional wind block? If so I may have to make one,


      Yes and yes. I prefer to not have the cone support the stove. I sacrifice the weight in order to gain an easier way to get the pot off the cone. The cone controls the environment. It all but eliminates the effects of what is going on outside the cone. Be warned though. Building a cone is much like building a stove. It has to be balanced to work efficiently. Starve the intakes. Feed the exhausts. I just wish mine was made of titanium. Titanium is a great insulator. I have looked into it. Too expensive for my tastes right now. Maybe later this winter I will splurge.


      Thanks for the info
      It's my understanding that titanium is harder to work with so maybe aluminum is the way to go anyway. And would there be any real weight savings over using aluminum flashing? If so the price per gram will be pretty high

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      LittleBitWorks wrote:



      I looked. I don't read Japanese. Looking at your YouTube site next to see if I can see anything.

      I looked at your YouTube site. I will build some of your stoves when I get a chance.

      I ran much of your other pages through Google translate. TetKoba and JSB are friends. I would like to hear what they say on the subject too.

      TetKoba and JSB are not my friends.
      They are ignoring me.
      This is because I tell the truth.
      And the truth is inconvenient for them.

      I thought that they were friends, first.
      But it was a big mistake.
      They pretend to be a friends.
      They steal an important things.
      They hold a party with stolen things.
      And they insist on the stolen things as the their original things.
      They stole the Groove from me.
      They changed its name to the Crease without my permission.
      They are going to steal even the fact that they stole it.

      Please check these.

      May 2012
      web.archive.org/web/2012070901…et/archives/201205-1.html
      web.archive.org/web/2014100402…et/archives/201205-1.html

      June 2012
      web.archive.org/web/2012070901…et/archives/201206-1.html
      web.archive.org/web/2014100402…et/archives/201206-1.html

      Their theory is full of lies, too.
      I apologize to you and all Alcohol Stove lover.
      I could not stop their bossy way.

    • LittleBitWorks wrote:


      TetKoba and JSB are not my friends.
      They are ignoring me.
      This is because I tell the truth.
      And the truth is inconvenient for them.

      I thought that they were friends, first.
      But it was a big mistake.
      They pretend to be a friends.
      They steal an important things.
      They hold a party with stolen things.
      And they insist on the stolen things as the their original things.
      They stole the Groove from me.
      They changed its name to the Crease without my permission.
      They are going to steal even the fact that they stole it.

      Please check these.

      Their theory is full of lies, too.
      I apologize to you and all Alcohol Stove lover.
      I could not stop their bossy way.


      Interesting and sad. I cannot judge a dispute that is thousands of miles away. There is a language barrier and many of the videos on those sites are no longer there. There is not enough there for me to judge you, Tetkoba, or JSB. The quarrel is between you 3 over there. I have no quarrel with any of you. I know this much. I am thankful for what I have learned from Japan. I take no credit for any of these stoves. I benefit from what comes from your country. I am thankful for what I have learned from all 3 of you. I hope to learn more from you. Perhaps you can show us how to make your latest stove that you say is better.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • 12trysomething wrote:

      To be fair, capillary action stoves go as far back as 2008. It is the same premise, just the design has changed. MrBillTroop73 deserves the credit as the innovator.


      Excellent point. It is likely he used other people's ideas to come up with his innovation. It is unfortunate that our friends from Japan have this rift. It seems obvious to me that they are building on ideas. That is what we do here. I post tons of tweaks. I could lists many things that I do that are modifications of ideas I got from other people. As I type this, I cannot recall any idea that is purely my own. I can name many where I took someone else's idea and changed it to my suiting. An example is JJ's idea to put newspapers in your wet shoes to dry them over night. I love that idea. It is very likely he got it from someone else. I am looking at it to see if it can be improved. If I find something that works better for me and if I post it, it will not be my idea. It will just be a way to use someone else's idea. That is why I am on this site. I am here to get ideas that I can change to suit my purposes. I don't see why our friends in Japan should be disagreeing. They all have made great improvements on things that likely have been around for a while.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • You're so right, the newspaper in the shoe is not my idea, I got it from reading someone's blog. But it works amazingly well. I have also adapted it to drying out my water bottles and evernew collapsible bottle after I wash them for storage. Just roll the newspaper or paper towel up thin enough that it fits down inside the bottle, leaving enough sticking out for you to retrieve it. Now my evernew will dry out overnight instead of it taking days.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • There have been several cases where I see that someone is making millions of dollars using an idea I had long ago but did nothing with. Unfortunately, they have not been very willing to share their wealth with me even though the "stole" my idea. An in case you were wondering, I was the one who invented the newspaper in the shoe trick. And the Internet. I invented that too ;)

    • I took my all aluminum adjustable alcohol burner on my Harrisburg Pennsylvania to Delaware Water Gap trip. I simmered a Knorr side dish and some rice. Except for those two meals, I boiled water with all 17 air holes open. I put 2 cups of water, a beef ramen flavor packet, and some rice in a Halulite Minimalist pot. I left 9 air holes open and cooked the rice until I could not stir the pot fast enough to keep it from boiling over. I used my bandana to lift the pot off the stove with the burner still lit. I put the pot in the cozy to finish cooking the rice. The rice did not absorb all the water. A few grains stuck to the bottom of the pot where the spoon did not reach. Next time I will leave fewer air holes open and leave more room in the pot to avoid boil over.

      I made a pot stand from the top of a small Sterno can and three screws. It sits on top of the burner. I won't be able to post a picture until sometime in November. I pried the cap off and cut the rest of the top off with a side-cutting "safety" can opener. I punched three 1/8" holes and added three #4-40 screws with nuts. The screw heads are on the trough side, and the nuts on the peak side. I tightened the nuts until the screw heads started to deform the trough. This produced a pot stand that fits the bottom of potted meat can (the top of the burner) and resists sliding off.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • WanderingStovie, have found that the stove almost does not matter if it throws enough BTU's to do what you need to do, it is how you trap that heat (with a windscreen and/or heat exchanger pot) that counts. It is how you use the heat that the stove throws and how effective the stove is at throwing that heat. Wick stoves tend to throw it slower and longer. If you have a great system to trap the heat and use it, then the stove is secondary.

    • Dedicated Hanger wrote:

      WanderingStovie, have found that the stove almost does not matter if it throws enough BTU's to do what you need to do, it is how you trap that heat (with a windscreen and/or heat exchanger pot) that counts. It is how you use the heat that the stove throws and how effective the stove is at throwing that heat. Wick stoves tend to throw it slower and longer. If you have a great system to trap the heat and use it, then the stove is secondary.

      I have tried a lot of different designs. I reject those that burn rich as inefficient. Some are hard to light. Some do not stay lit in a modest wind. Some work poorly when used on a cold thermally conductive surface. Some designs are not safe.

      I think it is good to choose a stove that does not send large flames up past the water level. I prefer a center burning stove, as do Bird Brain and Wise Old Owl, I think. Some want to keep all the flames on the bottom of the pot.

      Which do you prefer: Olicamp, Jetboil, or Caldera Cone?
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • I'm currently using a eCHS with Olicamp XTS. Can't say I "prefer" these over a Jetboil or Caldera Cone as I've not used those, but this system works for me. I agree there are a lot of factors that make the stove system effective. For me, this system gives me ease of use (no priming - add fuel, light, use). The ability to easily stuff the stove and recover unused fuel is also a big part of "ease of use" in that I don't want to have to guess exactly how much fuel to use and either run short if I use too little or have to burn off the excess if I guess too much. I previously used a Starlyte stove that meets all these requirements too, but it is a much less powerful stove. People who use sideburners often talk about the fact that they don't need a pot stand. That is not a big deal for me. I spilled a couple meals using narrow sideburning bottle stoves so I like using a pot stand for stability. Sideburners have the disadvantages of sending too much heat up the side and needing priming. I'm considering getting a Soto Windmaster to use with the Olicamp, which I hope will give the efficiency of the Jetboil and the versatility of going with gas or alcohol, depending on my wants or needs (hiking during a burn ban, eg)

    • jimmyjam wrote:

      You're so right, the newspaper in the shoe is not my idea, I got it from reading someone's blog. But it works amazingly well. I have also adapted it to drying out my water bottles and evernew collapsible bottle after I wash them for storage. Just roll the newspaper or paper towel up thin enough that it fits down inside the bottle, leaving enough sticking out for you to retrieve it. Now my evernew will dry out overnight instead of it taking days.

      I like these ideas.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      What is the easiest stove to make? For example, one that requires minimal tools and measuring.


      In decent weather, an open dish burning alcohol will work, but the efficiency is horrible and it's slow.

      If you want a stove that will bloom and actually put out a decent amount of heat, but is easy to make, the Supercat is probably a winner. It's still got efficiency issues, but it's better than an open dish (and doesn't need a pot stand). It's very temperamental when the weather gets chilly. Keeping a small amount of fuel warm inside your outer clothing helps, as does adding a primer wick.

      You can go far beyond the Supercat in terms of boil time, efficiency, and the ability to simmer. (Some people claim to have successfully added a simmer control to the Supercat.) But the more you start to improve on these aspects, the more flddly the build gets.

      Unless you get into building a capillary hoop stove (these seem to be the very latest trend for performance), you can find a good summary of most of the designs, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, at Zen Stoves.

      I use a (modified) Penny Stove 2.0, but don't recommend it for a first build. It is a little tricky, the first time or two you put one together.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      I'm not going through this thread and rereading everything so I apologize for the redundant question.

      What is the easiest stove to make? For example, one that requires minimal tools and measuring.

      Try making a stove with a wick, e.g. StarLyte or Fancee Feest - see woodgaz-stove.com/ for pictures. You can make something similar to Zelph's Fancee Feest with two cans, a can opener, a knife, and some paper towel, toilet paper, or paper napkins.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • The cat can is definitely the easiest and IMO the best stove if you're using a standard type pot, all you need to make it is a cat food can (5 oz can) and a paper punch or drill (paper punch is easiest). I often use a Foster beer can for a pot so I make a version of the cat stove using the bottom inch or so of a hair spray can, it fits snugly in the bottom of the can and is very stable. The more volume inside your stove, the slower it heats and takes more fuel, more holes = more heat.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • WanderingStovie wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I'm not going through this thread and rereading everything so I apologize for the redundant question.

      What is the easiest stove to make? For example, one that requires minimal tools and measuring.

      Try making a stove with a wick, e.g. StarLyte or Fancee Feest - see woodgaz-stove.com/ for pictures. You can make something similar to Zelph's Fancee Feest with two cans, a can opener, a knife, and some paper towel, toilet paper, or paper napkins.


      Does the paper burn and have to be replaced each time the stove is used?
      Lost in the right direction.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I'm not going through this thread and rereading everything so I apologize for the redundant question.

      What is the easiest stove to make? For example, one that requires minimal tools and measuring.

      Try making a stove with a wick, e.g. StarLyte or Fancee Feest - see woodgaz-stove.com/ for pictures. You can make something similar to Zelph's Fancee Feest with two cans, a can opener, a knife, and some paper towel, toilet paper, or paper napkins.


      Does the paper burn and have to be replaced each time the stove is used?

      If you keep the paper between the two cans, it can be reused. Any paper sticking out will burn, and after the flame goes out, the glowing red edge may travel a short way down between the cans. Unlike a candle or lamp, the wick does not need to stick out. The inner can will absorb heat, and the heat will travel down to the wick and vaporize the fuel.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does