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Alcohol Stoves

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    • max.patch wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I'm curious about the stove guys and the stove-making subculture. Do these guys hike? Are they even interested in hiking? I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know. :)


      interesting question. bob cummings (weary) used to say that most shelter builder weren't hikers -- they just liked to build shelters.

      I know a lot of trail maintainers who aren't what you would call big time big mile hikers who for some reason or another can't do the big miles and just like getting out in the woods and that's their way of staying connected and giving back.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • milkman wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I'm curious about the stove guys and the stove-making subculture. Do these guys hike? Are they even interested in hiking? I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know. :)


      interesting question. bob cummings (weary) used to say that most shelter builder weren't hikers -- they just liked to build shelters.

      I know a lot of trail maintainers who aren't what you would call big time big mile hikers who for some reason or another can't do the big miles and just like getting out in the woods and that's their way of staying connected and giving back.


      I understand what you're saying but I'm not referring to the average hiker who likes and builds alcohol stoves. I mean the guys who appear to only be interested in alcohol stoves and nothing else. I'm just curious about whether they also hike or not.

      ETA...It's not my intention to "call anyone out" or make anyone feel defensive about their hobby or passion. It's simple curiosity.
      Lost in the right direction.

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

    • TrafficJam wrote:


      I understand what you're saying but I'm not referring to the average hiker who likes and builds alcohol stoves. I mean the guys who appear to only be interested in alcohol stoves and nothing else. I'm just curious about whether they also hike or not.

      ETA...It's not my intention to "call anyone out" or make anyone feel defensive about their hobby or passion. It's simple curiosity.


      i hope no one takes this the wrong way as it is not meant to be critical in any way, shape, or form.

      i believe there are "some" ounce weenies who get more pleasure out of the act of tweaking their pack so they can claim an ever decreasing pack weight more than they do the act of hiking.

      i also believe there are "some" stove builders whose main interest is in building the most efficient stove possible rather than the act of actually using it outdoors. as an example, think of 'the big bang theory" cast. i can see them building stoves in the interest of science without ever going hiking.

      the definition is "some" is very few. a distinct minority.
      2,000 miler

    • max.patch wrote:



      i also believe there are "some" stove builders whose main interest is in building the most efficient stove possible rather than the act of actually using it outdoors. as an example, think of 'the big bang theory" cast. i can see them building stoves in the interest of science without ever going hiking.

      the definition is "some" is very few. a distinct minority.

      Oh, definitely. "Big Bang Theory" cast - great example. Hiking may be the furthest thing from their mind. I look at it as a blessing to have them. Their way of contributing whether the realize it or not. Making gear more efficient only helps. Who knows, maybe one day one of 'em will take a hike and like it.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • The specifications in the video of VN Stand are as follows.
      500 mug cup.
      2 cup of water(480ml).
      1.2mm diameter of stainless wire.
      59mm in height(aim to 60mm but became 1mm low).
      70mm distance between the legs.
      Placed a legs at the position of the top of the equilateral triangle from top view.

      To odd man out
      I think that it is necessary to make it more firmly to stabilize it, too.
      To inform boiling by shaking may be OK as a choice.

      To milkman
      Your indication is very precise.
      It is the fate of a top burner to be poor at wind.

      To 12trysomething
      Sorry, I do not know about "deckpacking".
      The top burner needs a pot stand and a wind shield.
      Because it becomes a heavy equipment by all means, there are none for the choice of the ultra light.

      To TrafficJam
      I am not intended to walk for a long time or distance.
      I am not intended to climb a steep or high mountain.
      I only want a hot drink or a hot light meal in outdoors with a light equipment.
      I am the proposer of ULTS.

      Thank you.

    • max.patch wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:


      I understand what you're saying but I'm not referring to the average hiker who likes and builds alcohol stoves. I mean the guys who appear to only be interested in alcohol stoves and nothing else. I'm just curious about whether they also hike or not.

      ETA...It's not my intention to "call anyone out" or make anyone feel defensive about their hobby or passion. It's simple curiosity.


      i hope no one takes this the wrong way as it is not meant to be critical in any way, shape, or form.

      i believe there are "some" ounce weenies who get more pleasure out of the act of tweaking their pack so they can claim an ever decreasing pack weight more than they do the act of hiking.

      i also believe there are "some" stove builders whose main interest is in building the most efficient stove possible rather than the act of actually using it outdoors. as an example, think of 'the big bang theory" cast. i can see them building stoves in the interest of science without ever going hiking.

      the definition is "some" is very few. a distinct minority.


      I think I see what you mean. I for one always put trail function highest on my wish list when it comes to picking alcohol stove I want to buy or build, hence my interest in big, stable pot stands. And since my system is designed to meet MY needs, I don't expect it to be the best solution for anyone else. But I couldn't have gotten to where I am without the help of others who share their ideas, and I am perfectly willing to share with others.

    • odd man out is right, have noticed the same observation in that some folks obsess about their gear but never seem to use it in the real world. For example, you can build (or buy) a very hot alcohol stove, but in the real world, you really want one to have an internal wick and burn a little slowly for 15 minutes. It makes a better rice dish that way...although most of the time I am just boiling water since I am a light weight backpacker. I have actually discovered that it is the pot and the pot stand windscreen that matters more than the stove after buying a two piece titanium windscreen and a heat exchanger pot. You can put about any stove under it and it will use all the heat the stove makes. It is just a matter of how long it burns. If you are preparing water you want it hot in 5 minutes or less. If you are cooking rice you need a 12 to 15 minute burn. Not every stove will do this. Anyway, it is the titanium support windscreen for my heat exchanger pot that is more important than the stove. If you never went outdoors or used the stuff in the cold wind, you might be obsessed with the boil times indoors in a controlled environment. That is a major mistake. That stuff does not work at 32 degrees with the wind blowing at day break. It is cooling the pot quicker than you can heat it. You actually need something that holds the heat and uses every BTU that you are making. Something that is light weight, disassembles easily, and fits in your pack without getting everything else black and dirty. So odd man out, you have my vote for real world use. Let's do not obsess about a stove system that works in a controlled environment, lets get out and use the stuff. That is the only way we know what will work and what we should leave at home.

    • 100% with dedicated hanger about stoves. Almost all stoves are too hot for real cooking. The solution to my 10/12 stove was a simmer ring with a single hole punched. I start with the simmer ring sitting above the air holes and then lower the ring to simmer rice or pasta. I can cook for 15 minutes on 1 ounce of alcohol. Without that simmer ring that same ounce is gone in less then 10 minutes.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123

    • My cooking strategy for now is to keep it simple. Put about 150 g of dehydrated "stuff" in 2 cups water. Boil. Put in cozy and snuff out stove. Let set for 15 minutes. Eat. With this strategy, simmering isn't necessary, even for rice meals (Zatarains, etc...) It might come out a little soupy or al dente, but I don't mind. The ability to light without priming and snuff out the flame to recover fuel are important features for me so I don't have to guess how much fuel to use and either come up short or have to burn off extra if I don't get it just right. A lot of people don't consider this. It seems odd they go to great lengths to save a few grams, but then end up burning excess fuel priming the stove at the start and/or burning off excess fuel at the end. If I want to simmer, I have a Starlyte that has a lot less power and can be easily modified for simmering, if necessary. I haven't had the chance to use my wind screen in very cold or winding conditions yet, so I can't say how it will work in extreme conditions. It just a cylinder of Al flashing - nothing fancy, but I did make it as tall and narrow as I could and the overlapping creases at the ends snap together very easily.

    • LIhikers wrote:

      If the inner ring is made from the side walls of a drink can, you'd better not be using heavy water in that cup.
      I'm too hard on my gear for that to work for me.

      I can get a 3 cups(750ml) of boiled water with no problems on it.
      If you need more heavy situation, please try other one.
      In the world, there is no such thing as a perfect alcohol stove.
      The alcohol stove should be chosen by a purpose.

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

    • OzJacko wrote:

      From the design, I would think efficiency is very high, but it looks a little finicky to carry. I compress my pack pretty hard. :(

      It fits inside the pot with the lid on. I have not burned fuel in it yet. I filled the pot with water and set it on the stand. It holds well on a hard level surface. In the real world, it will probably tip over. I will make three more legs, for a total of six. That should improve stability, but it will still need a hard surface. The legs are made from 1/16" (0.062") music wire. I found a brass tube with a 7/32" outside diameter and a 0.014" thick wall. That means the inside diameter is 3/16", just big enough to slip over seven pieces of 1/16" wire. A 40 mm long piece of that tube and a center wire should keep the legs parallel. Six holes near the top of the burner, through which the legs pass, keep the legs from pivoting.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • I set it down on a concrete walk and tried to boil 2 cups of 72F water. After 22 minutes, it was hot but not boiling. The design limits thermal feedback. The travel size Barbasol container is only 35 mm in diameter, and I did not put any air holes in it. To speed it up, I may add a strip of aluminum around the inside for capillary action.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • I started over with a 38 mm diameter aluminum travel size (2 ounce) hair spray container. I used the bottom 43.5 mm to hold the fuel. I cut a 42 mm long cylinder from the remainder, with a slight taper at one end (where the container curves inward to meet the nozzle). I slit the side and trimmed it until it just fit inside the first piece. The tapered end meets the bottom of the first piece. I drilled six 1/16" diameter holes evenly spaced every 20 mm around the circumference and centered 3 mm down from the top edge. I pushed a leg through every other hole and pushed a spring (#24 at Ace hardware) over the ends of the three legs where they meet in the center, to keep the legs parallel.

      I formed a 57 mm tall section of a cone with a bottom diameter of 45 mm and a top diameter of 85 mm. Three #2-56 screws with nuts hold the cone together at the overlapped seam. The threads are outside the cone to minimize oxidation. I slipped three "T"-shaped brackets over the legs to support the cone. I slipped the cone past the brackets and bent the brackets to support the small end of the cone.

      Without using the pot, I burned roughly 10 to 15 ml of denatured alcohol in 4 minutes. The fuel bubbled vigorously, starting around the bottom edge of the inner piece, with bubbles at the center following. I will try a boil test when the wind calms down. The wind nearly blew my stove away. With a pot on the stove, the fuel might burn slower with less air flow, or it might burn faster due to trapped heat. Time will tell.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • Here is the stove with six legs. I removed the cone for a better view of the legs and brackets.



      The three legs that pass through the top edge of the fuel holder suspend the fuel holder with an air gap under the fuel holder. Therefore the stove can be placed on metal or masonry surfaces without draining off the heat needed to boil the fuel.

      The stove can be disassembled and reassembled without tools, but don't make a habit of this, since the brackets will eventually break due to metal fatigue.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

      The post was edited 2 times, last by WanderingStovie ().

    • I calculated other combinations of tube and leg diameters for varying numbers of legs. The general formula for the inside diameter of the tube D is given in terms of the number of legs N and the diameter of the legs d.

      D = d * (1 + 1 / sin (180 / N))

      The K&S Engineering / K&S Precision Metals tubes have a 0.014 thick wall and outside diameters varying by 1/32". I computed the inside diameter for 3 sizes of brass tubes.

      3/16 - 2 * 0.014 = 0.1595
      7/32 - 2 * 0.014 = 0.19075
      1/4 - 2 * 0.014 = 0.222

      Some practical combinations are as follows, with the first three fitting inside a 7/32" tube and the last inside a 1/4" tube:

      N = 4, d = 0.078, D = 0.1883
      N = 6, d = 0.062, D = 0.186
      N = 7, d = 0.055, D = 0.182

      N = 5, d = 0.078, D = 0.2107

      See ksmetals.com/26.html and ksmetals.com/17.html
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • I just walked in from the grocery store with these two bottles. I have seen the Coke and Diet Coke aluminum bottles, but they have the Coke conture. This is the first time that I have seen the 8.5 oz Sprite aluminum bottles and with a straight wall. I know what I am going to be playing with today.
      Images

      • 20150101_122006.jpg

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      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.

    • Tuckahoe wrote:

      I just walked in from the grocery store with these two bottles. I have seen the Coke and Diet Coke aluminum bottles, but they have the Coke conture. This is the first time that I have seen the 8.5 oz Sprite aluminum bottles and with a straight wall. I know what I am going to be playing with today.


      What is the outside diameter?
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does