Here is my latest prototype... Something makes me think I wont need to make another for a long while.

I hacked up my MSR Titan Kettle then shoved some Vargo titanium stakes in it. As you might imagine, this stove cost me a bit. That said, I am very happy with the results. Well worth it to me. Other DIY's might seek cheaper materials but I really like the dimensions of the Ti Kettle for this... My last model wasn't quite right.

I started with 1.5 liters of ICE WATER for it's maden voyage:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/2/7/5/DSCF0551.JPG

I lit my stove:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/2/7/5/DSCF0553.JPG

Put my ice water in place:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/2/7/5/DSCF0554.JPG


...And chilled out for a few:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/2/7/5/DSCF0555.JPG


I know what your thinking... "But does it have any structural integrity?"
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/2/7/5/DSCF0558.JPG
Let's just say it can hold it's own. Yes, that is a 2" thick piece of sandstone.

I'm in love! There is no doubt I will be carrying that on my hike from Key West to Katadin (perhaps to Cape Gaspe). When I find out exactly what it weighs I will be sure to post that as well. Oh, and do you think I could cut the boil time down a bit if I wasnt using wood that was mostly rotted out? ;) I could almost crush them sticks to dust with my hands.

That looks sweet Rift. Do you feed it through the space between the pot and the top of the stove? Also, did you cut or drill any holes in the bottom, or are the holes for the stakes sufficient to feed the fire?

I'm in love!

With a stove?

There is no doubt I will be carrying that on my hike from Key West to Katadin (perhaps to Cape Gaspe).

Shall we place bets on that? :rolleyes:

Lots of things change in the course of a thru-hike. I used to be quite fond of my Zip stove, until one very hot nasty buggy night in Connecticut in 2006...

RZ, thats pretty Cool, er...Hot....er YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

We'll be carrying some sort of wood burner, would love to have a Ti Zip, but haven't made the mind up yet.

Will be using an assortment of fire starters made with first aid stuff: Vaseline/cotton balls, antibiotic ointment/cotton balls, mentholatum/cotton balls. Will probably not coat the cotton balls with the balm until used. We'll pack all this stuff in film canisters or equal. Thinking of carrying Swedish Firesteel for a lighter. (I've had bad luck with with damaging Bic lighters in the past)

Take a knee, Sure, But I tend to lift the pot up for a second to throw more stuff in. The slots for the stakes are in no way sufficient. I drilled holes and then linked 6 of the holes together in the center forming a little "tri" area allowing even more air in. About 40% of the bottom is gone... Bah, I'll just show ya.

With a stove?Stranger things have happened... :D

Shall we place bets on that? :rolleyes: Sure, I got a 6 pak that says it will last as long as I do. I'll even carry it (for a while;)) Paying for, carying and aquire'n fuel for other forms of stove remains far less appealing. I say it has good chances.

Thx Dakota, it would be nice to see more woodburners on the trail... more power to both of us :rolleyes:.

....Lots of things change in the course of a thru-hike. I used to be quite fond of my Zip stove, until one very hot nasty buggy night in Connecticut in 2006...
Buggy summer nights are when the ZIP comes into its own. What a joy a plume of smoke adds to supper when the bugs are attacking.

Weary

Buggy summer nights are when the ZIP comes into its own. What a joy a plume of smoke adds to supper when the bugs are attacking.

That's not the way it felt on that last night with the Zip in Connecticut. All I wanted was to get dinner cooked so I could get into my tent. (I had the year wrong, it was mid-June of 2005, not 2006.)

By the time I'd finished gathering wood, chopping it to size and starting the stove, the two hikers using JetBoils (Stick and Flying Turtle) had finished eating their dinners and were bedding down, writing diary entries, etc.

I admit my mood was in the pits that evening. I'd walked fifteen-plus miles in 100 degree heat and my body was lathered with DEET, sun block, sweat, and wood smoke. I cut that section short on the following day, at Rte. 7 south of Great Barrington.

Rift it looks great man. I figured you would go above and beyond. I'm putting my thru off until 2010, I have some woodburner ideas I'd like to run past you sometime, if you don't mind

Well worth it to me. Other DIY's might seek cheaper materials but I really like the dimensions of the Ti Kettle for this... My last model wasn't quite right.
.

Most DIY's aren't gear heads:) Only Gear Heads cut up/hack their Ti gear.

Your second try looks much better than your first.My last model wasn't quite right.

Looking forward to your next hack job. Do a double walled zip type. Titanium Turbo Fan supercharger on it. Cool:cool:

.

I'm with weary, havig that wood fire smoke around is an assett more than anything. Jet BOIL... not Jet COOK! I dont like the things. Too limited of a approach to food... Besides, that woodburner will smoke a jetboil.

2010? Sweet! I'm gonna get there about then... Maybe, LOL -I got a ways to go yet... I've only made it as far as St. Louis. And Sure thing, I'd be happy to give my opinion.

Zelph... LOL thx man.

Very nice indeed, I might have to look into making something like this on the cheap (Ti is just too rich for this man's blood).

Hrmm, maybe could put a a hole in the bottom that could sink a smaller alcohol stove in, allowing for complications and fuel diversity, and ability to cook when not willing to spend 3 minutes looking for fuel in the woods. Maybe I could just hack an old trangia to accomplish this :-?

Are you hiking that track continuosly or in parts?

It's not all hike. I biked up the coast into BC (from Sana Cruz) then back down to Seattle... Jumped to Billings, Montana to get my kayak. I need to do about 200 miles of the Mississippi (From St. Louis -where I left off) to get to the Ohio River, 50 miles up that then to the Tennesse river. Up that a ways to the Tombigbee water way... A canal channel that was completed in the 70's. I'll come out to to the gulf in Mobile Bay. Then to Key West. I start hiking in Key West. I guess "parts" is the right answer. I'm on the "work as you go" plan (fortunate for me I can build a house from ground up). I've been taking the winters off to earn more cash. I didn't trek this year because my mother's fiancee suddenly passed. She didn't take it so well, I've been with her for a while now. In fact, I'm in FL moving her out of her house this very moment. I think I'm gonna take the next year off as well. Save up some more cash so I wont need to rely on local work to get me through. I am trying to time things so I hit the AT on normal Thru-hiker schedule '10. We will see about that one.

Oh and thx Taildragger. Ya you certainly can, I wouldn't hack up a Trangia tho. Dont see much advantage to it. -But you can certainly use one as your alternate fuel burner. And as I told MtnKng, I'll be happy to share my humble geek (former astrophysics major) opinion if you so do desire.

I use the trick birthday candles (relite after blown out ) for fire starters in my Zip , never failed me yet in any weather.

Thats a heck of an adventure. I would really like to go that route working for a year and then adventure for two, but I think the closest I'll get is trying to score a job with the Forest Service relying on my criminal justice and forestry degrees I'm working on. Backcountry ranger in Yosemite or in Alaska has an awesome ring to it. I've drawn up a couple of stove designs I'll try to post pictures soon.

Thats a heck of an adventure. Thx! It has been treating me quite well... Except for the time I got my camera stolen. LOL Got it back tho! This geek was raised on the bad side of town. Homie dont play that.:cool: After I'm finished here, I'm gonna be working on getting my web site up. My signature will eventually link to my adventure. Backcountry ranger in Yosemite or in Alaska has an awesome ring to it. Yes it does! Rock on bro!I've drawn up a couple of stove designs I'll try to post pictures soon.Sweet! Cant wait to see them.

The verdict is in... The stove weighs 4.6 oz. as per a USPS scale. I'm rather pleased with that value. Most carry that much in fuel alone, not to mention their fuel bottle and stove.

Nice stove

Nice stoveWhy thank you. :) That is high praise coming from someone that knows stoves the way you do. Same to you... Keep up the good work!:sun

do you take the stove apart for travel or do you pack it assembled as is?

The stakes (legs) come out with ease. It will get packed inside my cookware, with a bandana to protect my non-stick coating.

Looks like a great stove! The only question I have about this type of stove - to include modifications of "coffee can" style models - is the bulk. If I were designing this stove as a production model rather than a DIY stove, I would make the cylindrical portion break down into three sections that would tab and slot together.

Why do people keep expecting that wood stoves will burn up? I made my DIY wood stove some time ago and it has gone on several trips with me without showing any signs of compromised integrity. I think one guy predicted that it would collapse in 3 burns - but it's still going strong.

Looks like a great stove! The only question I have about this type of stove - to include modifications of "coffee can" style models - is the bulk. If I were designing this stove as a production model rather than a DIY stove, I would make the cylindrical portion break down into three sections that would tab and slot together.

Why do people keep expecting that wood stoves will burn up? I made my DIY wood stove some time ago and it has gone on several trips with me without showing any signs of compromised integrity. I think one guy predicted that it would collapse in 3 burns - but it's still going strong.

Actually I said:

The aluminum mesh will melt is what I think. Matter of time. But I've been wrong before.

How many test burns have you done?

I cooked on fire for almost the entire PCT. I simply took four titanium tent pegs (aluminum will melt), stuck them in the ground on some non-organic soil, and built a small fire ring around the tent pegs. A very small fire (about the same size as your pot really), with a good tight and high fire ring to retain the heat and block the wind works pefectly fine.