Question: if you were to choose one alcohol stove to bring on your thru-hike, which one would you select, and why?

Ion stove. Low weight, low fuel consumption.

Some version of a Turbo Tea-lite. Low weight, low fuel consumption, easy to measure fuel use.

Did you mean to post a poll?

I own 4 alcohol stoves.

I'll probably never use them again. Too inefficient, fuel to heavy, too hard to actually cook with.

geek

Supercat. What you see is what you get. Utter simplicity.

What I'm taking next Spring.... 1.875 oz. 2 Tablespoons of fuel to boil 500ml in under 5 minutes at 32*.
Very durable and easy to use and pack in the pot with the fuel bottle.

Made by Skidsteer...Thanks again Skids.

Click to enlarge

Supercat, no contest. Simplest to make of all that I've made. Lightest, too. Requires no pot stand. Pot sits on top. Easy to operate. Pour in fuel, light, put pot on top, place windscreen around pot. Boils 16 oz. cold water in 5 min. on a little over .5 oz. denatured alcohol. Maybe not the strongest, but all you need to make a new one is a hole punch and an empty small cat food can.

I might have trouble choosing a stove if fuel is not the determining factor, however. I'm currently using my Esbit beer can stove nearly exclusively whenever it's above freezing.

I would take Sgt Rock's ion stove again

A simple Trangia (but with my SS wire mesh stand) for its "Fill it & forget it" , non-fumbling fuel capacity, for it's miserly fuel consumption, for it's simmer capability, and because it just looks cool while cooking!

Last winter I was teaching my son about experiments. I made about 6 stoves: supercat, pepsi, redbull, and several others. We spent half a day testing each one in the fireplace. Controlled conditions but consistent for all. They all worked fine but there was not a discernable difference between the redbull and the supercat. The others were to big for my small pot. I ended up chosing the supercat. It's reliable and dirt simple with nothing at all that can fail.

I really like the Rock Ion and would choose it for a solo hike, but the Dinos are a team. For Team Dino I'd have to go with the Vargo Ti Triad (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39152096). The reasons:
Titanium is really durable (important to He-Dino)
A larger fuel reservoir (1.75 oz) than most alky stoves (important to She-Dino - there are two Dinos to cook for)
The stove, pot holder and legs for stabilization are one piece (important to both Dinos because losing part of your stove during a hike would be a real pain)
The legs double as spouts allowing you to pour unused fuel back into the fuel bottle
The flame pattern is especially suitable for larger pots (cooking for two means bigger pots)

Added- whoops - just realized I'm in the homemade forum. Delete if this entry is not acceptable

Caldera Cone and .9 litre pot. Love this system.

Cheers,

PKH

Caldera Cone and .9 litre pot. Love this system.

Cheers,

PKH

Me, too. Great system.

http://traildesigns.com/gallery03.html

Caldera cone and an MSR 0.85 for now, but storing that cone is a major PITA. for that reason I'll probably keep looking. A pepsi can stove uses a LOT of fuel IME, I guess I should try a supercat, or one of Zelph or Skids cool designs.

Supercat, easy to make and boiled water in 3 or so min (60F water though) 2 cups.

I might start playing with a different design to get some simmering capability, but right now I'm content.

another vote for supercat

and another for the super cat.

Antigravitygear (http://www.antigravitygear.com/products.php?cat=40)

been using my pepsi can stove for 3 years now, no need to change.

:) i quit using them in favor of my jetboil:cool: neo

I like Skids Tealight stove. Hoping to whip one up this week.....or when ever I find a Sterno lid. I thinks Skids sees all things in life as a possiable stove:-?

Personally, I like the one that www.antigravitygear.com (http://www.antigravitygear.com) sold me.

My Trangia was great this past spring. I particularly enjoyed it when I had to heat water for the guys with Jet Boils that had their stoves freeze up. Another guy stumbled and stepped on his pepsi can stove, flattening it into the ground. Unlikely to happen with a Trangia.

My Trangia was great this past spring. I particularly enjoyed it when I had to heat water for the guys with Jet Boils that had their stoves freeze up. Another guy stumbled and stepped on his pepsi can stove, flattening it into the ground. Unlikely to happen with a Trangia.I can't think of any good things that happen when feet and stoves get together. They should always be kept separated. But if he stumbled and stepped on a Trangia he might have broken his ankle! Crushability might be a safety feature.

I'm partial to my 'kitten' stove.

Coss,

if your thinking about getting into alcohol stoves and are looking, it may help to know what you want or expect from a stove. Not all stoves are the same and some suit the needs of an individual better than others as has been pointed out. If you wanted a stove you don't have to wory about killing accidently a Trangia is a good one, if you want to go so easy to build anyone could do it - then the basic tealight or some other open container stove would do it, if you want to have fun building a stove that gives good performance and realativly easy to build pepsi stoves or something like that would be good. If you plan to make big meals, cook for multiple people, etc. all that sort of plays into where you should look.

I highly reccomend you start by building a few for free and see where that leads you.

Question: if you were to choose one alcohol stove to bring on your thru-hike, which one would you select, and why?

=====================================

Trangia ...

A little heavier but totally dependable and pretty darn near indestructible. O-ring sealed reservoir so that unburned fuel can be transported inside the stove.

'Slogger

If you go with the Trangia, I suggest you throw away the lid with the O-ring. Over time, the O-ring may leak. Not worth carrying fuel in the stove if you know there's a chance of that happening. One less moving part to deal with.

If you go with the Trangia, I suggest you throw away the lid with the O-ring. Over time, the O-ring may leak. Not worth carrying fuel in the stove if you know there's a chance of that happening. One less moving part to deal with.
=============================

I agree that you have to keep an eye on the O-ring in terms of wear ...but that's one of the advantages of the Trangia burner. I just went ahead and bought a couple extra O-rings. After each trip I take out the O-ring, wash it off and add some silicon lubricant.

I've been using the same Trangia burner since 2001 and have never yet had a failure or any fuel leakage.

'Slogger

Could you take some silicone caulking and make a more permanent seal on the inside of the lid?

Could you take some silicone caulking and make a more permanent seal on the inside of the lid?

==================================

Not a bad idea Rock. Never even thought of that. When it wore down or fell out you could just scrape it all out and lay down an new bead of silicon.

Might try that ...if my O-ring ever fails.

'Slogger

for the reasons mentioned above, I like my Trangia.

Supercat for me.

Zelph's StaryLyte...duh!

Caldera Cone and .9 litre pot. Love this system.

Cheers,

PKH

Ditto that.

Caldera cone and an MSR 0.85 for now, but storing that cone is a major PITA. for that reason I'll probably keep looking. A pepsi can stove uses a LOT of fuel IME, I guess I should try a supercat, or one of Zelph or Skids cool designs.

I open my Caldera up and put it in my bag (REI UL60) flat against my back. It is held in place by my other gear. My alky stove, matches, etc. fit inside my cooking pot.

Supercat, easy to make and boiled water in 3 or so min (60F water though) 2 cups.

I might start playing with a different design to get some simmering capability, but right now I'm content.
My favorite too. simple to make on trail (i use Vienne Sausage cans) I cant get a cat stove to simmer either. even the ion burns spots. so i went the steamer way. aluminum bottom in pot raised up about a 1/2 in. cut it out of a boy scout mess kit. use the alumium cup from the kit for eggs and soup. 1/2 in. of water i can cook eggs, heat soup, steam veggies (nothing burns). im working on cooking corn bread:)

Another guy stumbled and stepped on his pepsi can stove, flattening it into the ground. Unlikely to happen with a Trangia.


That's why I carry two stoves. They weigh nothing so there's no problem with carrying two. Came in handy one year when a hiker left home without his stove. I think his name was Crutch cause he was hiking with a limp. This would have been in '05.

If you crush one, you can make a new one if you know how. The raw materials are all over the place.

Wow. I posted this question yesterday, went away for 24 hours, and there are now 37 responses. Thanks, folks.

To date, I've made about 15 stoves, about 3-4 each of the Pepsi, V8, and Ion categories, one Supercat, and a few forgettable variants of my own design. All of my cooking is from the classic thru-hiker dinner menu--mac and cheese, ramen noodles, stovetop stuffing, instant potatoes, etc, which require two cups of boiling water and no need for simmering.

So far, one of the Pepsi-Gs, the Supercat, and an Ion work about the same, but I might be doing something wrong in the construction of the Ion, because it is more sensitive to alcohol temperature than the other two. I'll keep trying. (This might not have been a fair test of the Ion--I used 14F alcohol stored in the garage and it was cold enough that I had to stick the match nearly into the liquid fuel to get it to light, and the flame went out when I put the pot over it)

Also, I made the Supercat out of a 3 oz steel tuna can. Are there Supercat cans made from aluminum? (I suppose I could bring a magnet to the supermarket to test the contenders, but I might get funny looks from the grocer.)

Making stoves is enjoyable for the casual hobbyist, but I'm blown away by the dedication of Zelph and Skidsteer, among others. They do things I can't do.

Thanks again.

Coss

Also, I made the Supercat out of a 3 oz steel tuna can. Are there Supercat cans made from aluminum? (I suppose I could bring a magnet to the supermarket to test the contenders, but I might get funny looks from the grocer.)

Try a potted meat can or small cat food can. @ 2 3/8" diameter x 1 7/16" tall. Very lightweight and aluminum.

If you are going to use an Ion at that temperature, "spill" a little alcohol (about 1ml) around the base of the stove to prime it.

How do you like the jetboil? I'll be using mine next year.

Try a potted meat can or small cat food can. @ 2 3/8" diameter x 1 7/16" tall. Very lightweight and aluminum.

That "potted meat" thing threw me off when I went to get a can to make a stove. I got a Vienna sausage can, realized it was the wrong dimensions, but used it anyway. That's much trashier than a stove made out of a cat food can.

Bottom line, almost anything you can burn alcohol in will work as a stove. You could even dispense with the stove entirely and just squirt alcohol onto a rock under your pot and cook that way.

The beauty of the SuperCat and some of the other alcohol stoves is no pot stand is needed and it is so compact and light. If you cut your windscreen to fit in your pot you have a self-contained system, especially if you're on a short hike and can use a small bottle of alcohol that will also fit into the pot. (It might be best to use a plastic bag to keep poisonous alcohol out of your pot.)

Caldera cone and an MSR 0.85 for now, but storing that cone is a major PITA.

I've played around with several ways to carry it. The most recent is to put the cone in the styrofoam cup it was mailed in, invert that, and jam it into kettle. It's a tight fit and stays well. Inside the cup/cone/pot package are the stove, measuring cup, matches, tea bags...

It might be best to use a plastic bag to keep poisonous alcohol out of your pot.

Does evaporated denatured leave a toxic residue? Would it be unwise to use the same spoon for measuring fuel and eating your soup?

Does evaporated denatured leave a toxic residue? Would it be unwise to use the same spoon for measuring fuel and eating your soup?

Very unwise, like Tater said in an earlier post, I wouldn't even store the windscreen in my pot unless I put it in an oven bag first.

Does evaporated denatured leave a toxic residue? Would it be unwise to use the same spoon for measuring fuel and eating your soup? It's never wise to mix fuels with food-contact surfaces. But denatured leaves no residues. I should say none that a gas chromatograph can detect at the part per billion level. I believe Tater was using the plastic bag to contain possible fuel spills.

Having said that, I've used boiling methanol to clean a groddy coffee cup and I'd have no problem rinsing my spoon with denatured but I work in a chemical lab so familiarity and experience often overrides wisdom.

If something worries you and you can avoid it then don't do it. It's just one less thing to worry about.

Very unwise, like Tater said in an earlier post, I wouldn't even store the windscreen in my pot unless I put it in an oven bag first.
===================================

Here's my Trangia set-up ...and I alway store my winscreen inside my cookpot, along with my drinking cup, Trangia burner, spoon and matches.

'Slogger

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/5/0/Trangia1.JPG

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/5/0/Trangia2.JPG

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/5/0/Trangia3.JPG

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/5/0/Trangia4.JPG

Sorry I'm late, :D

I would take along a few "StarLyte" burners. One for me and a few extra for those that have a hard time lighting theirs in cold weather. No need to dump precious fuel around this little burner to get it goin.

I made this little movie this morning to show a few things as to why I would choose the "StarLyte"

In the beginning of this movie the camera is set on maximum pixels and it is then changed to the lower pixel setting to get a longer exposure time to record the raising and lowering of the pot.
The beginning shows the temperature on the little digital unit at 18 degrees in my garage testing facility :geek: . Outside temperature was at 11 degrees. Brrrr!!! :o
The temperature of the alcohol was at 18 degrees also. Brrr!!!
The test was to show alcohol will light in cold weather. The alcohol vapors are right there at the surface of the burner. Easy to light, no need to dump alcohol around the base to prime it/coax it into starting.
The test also shows how the Flame-O-Meter raises the pot up and down to determin the sweet spot/distance from pot to burner. It shows the change of flame color as it is raised and lowered. Someday I'll set up a tripod above the pot to show a birdseye view of the flame under the pot through the water.
At the end movie it shows how if the burner is accidently tipped over there is no fuel that is splashed about and the burner will extinguish itself.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/th_coldstarlyte.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/?action=view&current=coldstarlyte.flv)

Caldera Cone!!!! Totally and completely!

Pot/windscreen, super efficient stove, and if you buy from Tin Man you get a 4 cup plastic cosy to store the cone and feed someone while you boil for tea or coffee!! Woo hoo!!!

I love both my Trangia’s they would be my choice.

They are Perfection, but then why do I still build stoves???? Just to play with I guess…

My YACC stove... been using them for a while and I like the integrated pot stand and that it fits a can pot well.

Another supercat.....

Caldera cone and an MSR 0.85 for now, but storing that cone is a major PITA.

I put the cone in an old plastic Crystal Light container along with my spoon, lighter, stove, and reusable wiper.

I put the cone in an old plastic Crystal Light container along with my spoon, lighter, stove, and reusable wiper.

Thanks, I'll check that out, I'm using a cut off 24oz Gatorade bottle now but it won't hold anything else. That caldera cone works well enough to put up with a little extra bulk, it is so effecient you'll save on fuel weight what that extra container weighs.

Vargo Triad. Already in my Medical Reserve Corps "Go To" Pack. Super lightweight, dual fuel (at least: methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol).

Vargo Triad. Already in my Medical Reserve Corps "Go To" Pack. Super lightweight, dual fuel (at least: methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol).

Some like it but mine won't light without one ounce of HEET, so you have to boil 20+ oz of water or you waste fuel.

Mine well start up on 1/2 oz i put a wick under it 5 or 6 drops starts right up

Knee Taken: I found that problem too and I once asked in WB if anyone else had an alternative solution. Never got one.

Oops, how does one wickatize that? Type slowly, I'm a slow learner.

Oops, how does one wickatize that? Type slowly, I'm a slow learner.

If there is a solution, Oops will know what it is, I should have thought to ask him.

Another vote for the YACC stove, has never let me down, no matter what the temp or conditions.

On top the wick is put on not glued light this one and it start stove on 1/2 oz or more same with the round one just hold it under the stove just before it goes out bring up to burn holes it light up these are fiberglass wicks.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/oops62/stoves%202/vargotriad.jpg

Oops, so you pour 1/2 oz in the Vargo and light it, then lay the wick over the holes like in your picture? I'm guessing this slows down the vapor leaving the holes so it'll burn and get up to tempurature?

No not on the holes just out side of edge

Umm...Trangia?

SuperCat...simple...works like a charm.

I've made a few of other stoves and in the end its just fancy packaging...SuperCat was the best but then thats just MHO.

:-)

It's never wise to mix fuels with food-contact surfaces. But denatured leaves no residues. I should say none that a gas chromatograph can detect at the part per billion level. I believe Tater was using the plastic bag to contain possible fuel spills.

Having said that, I've used boiling methanol to clean a groddy coffee cup and I'd have no problem rinsing my spoon with denatured but I work in a chemical lab so familiarity and experience often overrides wisdom.

If something worries you and you can avoid it then don't do it. It's just one less thing to worry about.

Does denatured alcohol evaporate with no residue, burn with no residue, or both? I carry my alcohol outside of my stove, but have a bag for my stove, scrubbie, and lighter just to keep the inside of my pot clean. I do worry a little about ingesting denatured, my understanding is it is even absorbed through the skin. Don't want a pickled liver!

You'd have to ingest a LOT of methanol to get poisoned - much more than just trace amounts on a pot. Many fruit juices(especially with apples) have small amounts of naturally occuring methanol in them from the pectin in the fruit. The slight traces of methanol that might get on your cookware from a stove will most likely evaporate before you use it. The bigger problem would be any heavier petroleum distillates(oils) that might be present in gasoline additives. And some methanol thinners, like some of the Big Box store brands have MEK, xylene, and other chemicals mixed with them as well, most are volatile, but their combustion byproducts and vapors are more harmful.

A simple Trangia (but with my SS wire mesh stand) for its "Fill it & forget it" , non-fumbling fuel capacity, for it's miserly fuel consumption, for it's simmer capability, and because it just looks cool while cooking!

Me too, for all the reasons you stated to like the burner.

Question: if you were to choose one alcohol stove to bring on your thru-hike, which one would you select, and why?

I'd take a Trangia. Why? Reliability, ease of use, design, sturdiness, this stove has been around a while.

---Man is always looking to build a better mousetrap...but what he often comes up with is identical to the original.

Man is always looking to build a better mousetrap...but what he often comes up with is identical to the original.

Wouldn't the original mouse trap be the cat?

Wouldn't the original mouse trap be the cat?

Nope! It would still be the Trangia!

And, for many reasons:

It has it's own storage reservoir-no more fumbling or metering out 'guestimates' for alcohol where one under (or, worse, over-measures out) alcohol. One just 'fills it 'n forgets it'. No further need to either pour out onto the ground that portion not used or to 'over-add- for a 'guestimate' not done correctly.

Efficiency is one of it's main attributes in that it will bring to a 180F "boil" a 16 fl oz cup of water ~65-70F (where we hear the 'boil' going along nicely, with just a 1/2 ounce (by weight) or 15ml (by volume) of alcohol.

Simmers- with it's simmer ring, which even more miserly meters out extremely small quantities of alcohol to maintain the same warmth for the cooking pot, with just a small flickering flame, for whatever is in the pot. I have had it simmer for 30 minutes while using an amount so small it was difficult to weigh and my scale is graduated 3/100ths of a pound.

Weight vs efficiency. Because of the above the heavier weight of the Trangia obviates the advantage of most other lesser-weight alcohol stoves.

Fill in & forget it. Another advantage in that the amount of alcohol needed to boil one's water is never guessed at as it is always there, in the reservoir, without the over or under disadvantages. Over guessed and one has to determine how best to save the over guessed fuel; or under-guessed and one has to add more fuel to get the boil, leading almost certainly to the first part of this sentence).

Price-It loses out there as it costs about $20.00, give or take some, as compared to a super cat stove, for example but the contents of the aluminum can could be used.

Efficiency-since it is so efficient, then its weight to carry is lighter. In other words, this means it weighs less to carry a Trangia for multiple days, even though the stove weight is higher, because one requires less alcohol weight top maintain it.

Does this make sense?

So, do not get so hung up on the weight of the stove itself as being singularly important that one forgets that the weight of the alcohol required to maintain it is more so! It is NOT the weight of the stove that is of paramount importance but rather the efficiency of the stove itself that is!!

Nope! It would still be the Trangia!

And, for many reasons:

It has it's own storage reservoir-no more fumbling or metering out 'guestimates' for alcohol where one under (or, worse, over-measures out) alcohol. One just 'fills it 'n forgets it'. No further need to either pour out onto the ground that portion not used or to 'over-add- for a 'guestimate' not done correctly.

Efficiency is one of it's main attributes in that it will bring to a 180F "boil" a 16 fl oz cup of water ~65-70F (where we hear the 'boil' going along nicely, with just a 1/2 ounce (by weight) or 15ml (by volume) of alcohol.

Simmers- with it's simmer ring, which even more miserly meters out extremely small quantities of alcohol to maintain the same warmth for the cooking pot, with just a small flickering flame, for whatever is in the pot. I have had it simmer for 30 minutes while using an amount so small it was difficult to weigh and my scale is graduated 3/100ths of a pound.

Weight vs efficiency. Because of the above the heavier weight of the Trangia obviates the advantage of most other lesser-weight alcohol stoves.

Fill in & forget it. Another advantage in that the amount of alcohol needed to boil one's water is never guessed at as it is always there, in the reservoir, without the over or under disadvantages. Over guessed and one has to determine how best to save the over guessed fuel; or under-guessed and one has to add more fuel to get the boil, leading almost certainly to the first part of this sentence).

Price-It loses out there as it costs about $20.00, give or take some, as compared to a super cat stove, for example but the contents of the aluminum can could be used.

Efficiency-since it is so efficient, then its weight to carry is lighter. In other words, this means it weighs less to carry a Trangia for multiple days, even though the stove weight is higher, because one requires less alcohol weight top maintain it.

Does this make sense?

So, do not get so hung up on the weight of the stove itself as being singularly important that one forgets that the weight of the alcohol required to maintain it is more so! It is NOT the weight of the stove that is of paramount importance but rather the efficiency of the stove itself that is!!

The Trangia Rules!


There are worse alternatives:cool:

I purchased a Military issue Trangia to do some testing in cold weather. It did not perform well. difficult to light under freezing temperatures. In the attached movie you will see the trangia barely light. It had a small piece of wick fabric sticking out the seam of the inner wall that caught fire from the match. If it was'nt for that small wick I would have had to do a small song and dance to get it to fire up. I then inserted fiberglass into the fill hole of the burner and converted it to being wickatized. It starts easy in freezing temps.

Read the entire thread on the testing (http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=357)and disection of this military issue trangia. All of you Trangia owners tell us how you light them in cold temperatures. Do they all need to be primed in order for them to getagoin?

Here is the movie: View it in full size, click on upper left corner when at the photobucket site.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_trangiadisection.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view&current=trangiadisection.flv)

Here some small alcohol stoves and they all boil 16 oz. water on 1/2 oz. alcohol the quarter for size


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/oops62/stoves%202/peeweestoves.jpg

here a few more

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/oops62/alcohol5.jpg

I purchased a Military issue Trangia to do some testing in cold weather. It did not perform well. difficult to light under freezing temperatures. In the attached movie you will see the trangia barely light. It had a small piece of wick fabric sticking out the seam of the inner wall that caught fire from the match. If it was'nt for that small wick I would have had to do a small song and dance to get it to fire up. I then inserted fiberglass into the fill hole of the burner and converted it to being wickatized. It starts easy in freezing temps.

Read the entire thread on the testing (http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=357)and disection of this military issue trangia. All of you Trangia owners tell us how you light them in cold temperatures. Do they all need to be primed in order for them to getagoin?

Here is the movie: View it in full size, click on upper left corner when at the photobucket site.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_trangiadisection.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view&current=trangiadisection.flv)

First of all, put some fuel in it. Why do you screw around trying to work with 1/2oz of fuel? Are you going to measure your fuel while freezing your dangly-bits off in the woods? Remember, you don't need to screw around measuring fuel with a Trangia because it is self-storing.

Secondly, touch the fuel with your match. Or you can just lay the match in there and shake it out later.

And you will find that Alcohol with a high methanol percentage will light easiest in cold weather. So SLX( and yellow bottle Heat) is better than Park( and Everclear), and much better than any Isoprophyl.

I've frozen the civy Trangia with fuel in a block of ice to 0*F, and "yes" ice will cool to temps below freezing. The stove lit and ran while encased in ice. I've used it under a pine tree, on the dirt, temps in the upper 20's, and it lit and worked fine.

First of all, put some fuel in it. Why do you screw around trying to work with 1/2oz of fuel? Are you going to measure your fuel while freezing your dangly-bits off in the woods? Remember, you don't need to screw around measuring fuel with a Trangia because it is self-storing.

Secondly, touch the fuel with your match. Or you can just lay the match in there and shake it out later.

And you will find that Alcohol with a high methanol percentage will light easiest in cold weather. So SLX( and yellow bottle Heat) is better than Park( and Everclear), and much better than any Isoprophyl.

I've frozen the civy Trangia with fuel in a block of ice to 0*F, and "yes" ice will cool to temps below freezing. The stove lit and ran while encased in ice. I've used it under a pine tree, on the dirt, temps in the upper 20's, and it lit and worked fine.

I had 2 ounces of denatured alcohol in the military trangia and it's hard to light. Doubt very much if anyone can light it with their bic. Matches are the ignitor of choice and probably manditory. I seriously doubt if it would light with one ounce of fuel in it.

The 'civilian' Trangia is a more reliable stove than the military Trangia, IMO.

Wouldn't the original mouse trap be the cat?

Not sure, snakes probably eat more mice than cats. Birds of prey take their share, fox, coyotes...so nope..it'd probably be the snake.

[quote=zelph;470124] All of you Trangia owners tell us how you light them in cold temperatures. Do they all need to be primed in order for them to getagoin?

Have you found this to be a Trangia specific issue ?

I had 2 ounces of denatured alcohol in the military trangia and it's hard to light. Doubt very much if anyone can light it with their bic. Matches are the ignitor of choice and probably manditory. I seriously doubt if it would light with one ounce of fuel in it.

It holds about 4oz of fuel - fill it up. Touch the flame to the fuel.

Nobody can light anything downward with a bic - bics suck. Use a match or fill your stove up.

If you can't manage this, then you could slosh a little fuel onto the edge and light that instead. Or I suppose you could use your wick.

I think you are struggling with the self-storing aspect of the Trangia. You don't need to measure and there's no reason not to fill it up.

They are made in Sweden and it is quite cold there and it is issued to their military! Do you suppose they would if it were hard to light in cold conditions?

I used to use a bic lighter but now use a flint and steel, "light my fire" I believe it is called, extremely hot shower of sparks and likely will last forever and is lighter than a Bic. If it is really cold it might be necessary to put the little stove in your pocket so as to warm up the alcohol so as to more easily convert liquid alcohol to vapor-which is what burns. Frankly, though, a few strokes of the steel on the flint seems to warm the surface enough-at least to the 20's F or so.

I haven't had problems. No need to prime. Works fine in the cold. I have more trouble with my brasslite.

[quote=zelph;470124] All of you Trangia owners tell us how you light them in cold temperatures. Do they all need to be primed in order for them to getagoin?

Have you found this to be a Trangia specific issue ?

========================================

I've never had to "prime" my Trangia. I carry the stove inside my cookpot, wrapped in a bandanna. I do what has been suggested by some others. I add fuel to the burner, strike a match and touch it directly to the liquid fuel. It lights every time.

Trick with the Trangia is to keep all the holes open. I carry a large paper clip (advanced technical tool ...available in any office supply store) and regularly use it to keep the burner holes open.

'Slogger

It holds about 4oz of fuel - fill it up. Touch the flame to the fuel.

Nobody can light anything downward with a bic - bics suck. Use a match or fill your stove up.

If you can't manage this, then you could slosh a little fuel onto the edge and light that instead. Or I suppose you could use your wick.

I think you are struggling with the self-storing aspect of the Trangia. You don't need to measure and there's no reason not to fill it up.

dla you are mistaken!!! I like the self-storing aspect of the Trangia thats why I made the Zengia. You know that I like to make my own stoves out of scrounged parts. I made the Zengia before I purchased the military trangia. I'm glad I made the purchase. As you have seen in the movie, I wickatized it and now it can be lit easily with a match and a Bic.

You advocate having a filled trangia in order for it to light easily and I can see why. Thats good advice for those that might be thinking of purchasing one.

I go out on alot of 2 nighters and am considering using my military Trangia because of the self-storing aspect.

I look at all aspects of a stove dla. The Zengia is lighter!!!!

Here are some photos of the Zengia with pot stand and you can read all about it in this thread (http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=285)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_stnax074.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/stnax074.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_stnax073.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/stnax073.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_stnax071.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/stnax071.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_stnax070.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/stnax070.jpg)

[quote=zelph;470124] All of you Trangia owners tell us how you light them in cold temperatures. Do they all need to be primed in order for them to getagoin?

Have you found this to be a Trangia specific issue ?

I was just passing on some information on my findings with the Military Issue burner. I watch the sale of them on Ebay once in a while. Always someone there to purchase them. They are being sold seperate from the kit.

I've asked the Trangia people in Sweden for operating instructions for the Military version and receive only basic instructions that seem directed at the current modern version. I'm specificaly looking to see if the instructions say to prime the burner by pouring a little fuel around the indented ring around it's upper section of the burner. If it's necessary to prime it in cild weather it should be considered when figuring the amount of fuel to bring on a specific hike.

Highway, I'm not questioning the quality or anything about the burner. I just want to know how to light it in freezing temps. I'm just talking about the burner I have and my experience with it. I JUST WANT TO KNOW< THATS ALL:(

Something that slogger said: just add fuel to it and touch a match to it. Shows that it needs to be topped off to get it light easy. Thats ok, as long as we know up front when we buy one of these burners.

Thanks for everyones imput.

You may find this info interesting about the winter attachment for the Trangia.


In severe cold, a winter attachment can be useful. A pre-warmer is placed under the burner. The stove can stand on the accompanying plate to prevent it sinking into the snow. The pre-warmer is filled with fuel that is lit to warm the burner.


They don't really go into detail what severe weather is. We can speculate it to mean freezing temperatures. Do we all agree on that?

Read more about the Trangia here: http://www.blacktoe.co.uk/


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/t_919.jpg

Something that slogger said: just add fuel to it and touch a match to it. Shows that it needs to be topped off to get it light easy. Thats ok, as long as we know up front when we buy one of these burners.


No, I don't have to top it off to light it. I think you do :)

My guess is that slogger and I can light our Trangias just fine in the cold by touching the fuel with the flame of a match. If I'm using the mini-Strike Anywhere matches, I'd guess the burner needs to be about 1/2 full for me to reach the fuel with my match. It's easier with a full-size match. And if you have an adjustable Bic that you've modified the limit, I suppose you can shoot the flame down in the burner cup - but I've not tried it.

I've seen those $10 military cooksets for sale, and I passed on them because I could make http://mysite.verizon.net/abernathey/id1.html which was more general purpose. I use the same setup for my lunch-making gear that I toss in the back of my pickup for fishing etc.

The real key to all of this is that the Trangia-style burner was born in the cold. Trangia cook systems are very popular in Europe for a reason. Not sure why they have been so slow to catch on here in the states.

By the way, I don't know what "severe" means to the folks at Trangia. Given that it works encased in ice without a primer cup, I shudder to think how cold it has to be to need that primer cup. Definitely colder than I plan on camping.

[quote=dla;471533]No, I don't have to top it off to light it. I think you do :)

My guess is that slogger and I can light our Trangias just fine in the cold by touching the fuel with the flame of a match.

=========================================

YUP ...that's correct. My earlier comment didn't mean "topping it off". I was just referring to pouring in a little fuel before I lit the burner. The container I use for my alcohol (booze flask) has a 1 ounce cap that can be used as a "shot glass". I typically hold that cap over the open reservoir of the Trangia, fill it up and dump it in. Then I strike a wooden stick match and point it down inside the reservoir. Just like a BIC ...lights first time, every time. In the rare occasion that I don't have a match to strike I take a small stick, dip it into the Trangia reservoir, pull it out and light it with a small butane lighter and then place it back inside the Trangia to ignite the burner.

'Slogger

And if you have an adjustable Bic that you've modified the limit, I suppose you can shoot the flame down in the burner cup - but I've not tried it.

With similar stoves, I've sometimes taken twig, dipped it in the fuel, lit that with my bic and used it to fire off the stove.

I've seen them use a similar method for lighting the diesel boilers in an aircraft carrier -- you know, only bigger.

I've seen them use a similar method for lighting the diesel boilers in an aircraft carrier -- you know, only bigger.

I didn't know there was a supply of twigs on aircraft carriers! Cool.
Oh, you said bigger, so I'll assume branches?

:D

The twig idea is good - thanks.

I didn't know there was a supply of twigs on aircraft carriers! Cool.
Oh, you said bigger, so I'll assume branches?
:D

I think it was a pipe with a rag at the end. It interesting that they douse the torch by immersing it in a bucket of diesel oil. The oil won't burn unless it's atomized.

With a supercat I believe it lights as easily when cold but you have to let it burn a few seconds longer before putting the pot on it.

Supercat. What you see is what you get. Utter simplicity.

agreed...also my only alcohol stove:D

my cat-food can one (with fiberglass filament) isn't the most glamorous or fuel efficient but it's as cheap as it is light!

On my super cat a jb weld a wick around it set pot on light wick in few sec. the stove fires up

personally, i like my little stove, fresh off the assembly line...
for whatever reason i love the penny stoves...
1/2oz den. alc. = 2 cup 32* h2o to 212F in less than 5 minutes using ghetto jetboil ensemble.
red bull type can, small; i don't have a scale here so i can't weigh it though..

can you tell i'm a proud new stove maker?:p

personally, i like my little stove, fresh off the assembly line...
for whatever reason i love the penny stoves...
1/2oz den. alc. = 2 cup 32* h2o to 212F in less than 5 minutes using ghetto jetboil ensemble.
red bull type can, small; i don't have a scale here so i can't weigh it though..

can you tell i'm a proud new stove maker?:p

You did good, be proud. I like your style!!!:)

...I love the penny stoves...
1/2oz den. alc. = 2 cup 32* h2o to 212F in less than 5 minutes using ghetto jetboil ensemble.
red bull type can, small; i don't have a scale here so i can't weigh it though..

can you tell i'm a proud new stove maker?:p

Your stove uses 1/2 oz (15 ml?) ethyl alcohol to bring 16 fl oz of 32F water to 212F in less than 5 minutes? I'd say you have achieved a hands down record for alcohol stoves, bar none!

So, would you please be a little more specific as to how you achieved it ( as well as how you determined same) as i would like to do so as well.
Thanks, in advance

Your stove uses 1/2 oz (15 ml?) ethyl alcohol to bring 16 fl oz of 32F water to 212F in less than 5 minutes? I'd say you have achieved a hands down record for alcohol stoves, bar none!

So, would you please be a little more specific as to how you achieved it ( as well as how you determined same) as i would like to do so as well.
Thanks, in advance
Me too i hate penny stoves if it can do it i might like it now

hey i just listened to you guys :), i never claimed to be good at this and I was under the impression that 2cups with 1/2oz in the 5 minute range was standard, not special. i got some great advice from all of you and had never touched stove making prior to this - read my very first stove post titled "help with a penny stove" (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30741). i made 15 of them in two days going through 1.5 quarts of SLX, lol, i drove my wife crazy...

here is the link to my site with all the stove pics and a couple of burning vids. (http://picasaweb.google.com/dneilson)
i am neither photographer or videographer... forgive me.
i would post them all here but that would take forever... sorry for those who hate the link issue.

a couple include the other 3 stoves that i was pleased with, however the larger can size (regular soda) boiled in 6-7 minutes - it was only with the smaller can that i got faster results. i'll try to add comments to the pics. it also fits inside the screen which fits inside the plastic container, which fits inside the jetboil. the larger size didn't.
.
it is a redbull sized penny stove ( 2"od- thanks oops :) with alternating 2.1mm holes (5) and "barely-piercing-the-aluminum" needle sized holes inside the ring. i placed them there to focus the flame on my narrow bottomed jetboil stove. no cuts were made or tricky stuff done to force the halves together. i really do not have the exact height as i do not have a ruler/measuring stick. i also do not have a scale or a thermometer so i also cannot provide exact measurements.
as i have said in previous postings, i'm on a travel assigment and have very limited gear/tools - literally have only what fits in my car. All I have to make stoves are hypodermic needles (RN), needle nose pliars and box-cutter blades. oh yeah, scissors too.
if any one is familiar, i used a 14 gauge IV needle... probably should't be posting this... :o

i do not know if the indents on the burner section (pierced with a safety pin) make a difference, but since they are in the instructions i included them, 8 of them.

as far as temps go, i assumed 32 degree water and gas since i leave my stuff out on the porch and it was in the low 20's when i did most of the testing. however -- the water was NOT frozen; it had been out for about 1.5 hours before i actually started burning. the stove sometimes did not start and needed another dose of primer but once it got going it stayed lit until the gas burned out.

I have a 10 ml syringe that i use for gas measurements, 1 ml for priming even if it seemed like a lot at times. that i am sure of. i have used more gas 20cc = 10.5 min burn time; 30ml = 12.75 min, but since i mainly do FBC, i probably wont be needed more. i am trying to find a way to simmer and have not been able to. there is a 2 minute period after the gas stops boiling where it goes completely silent with smallish flames that would work well for simmering, but i can't reproduce it (i believe it is just burning straight fumes at that point with no liquid gas left in base). i have tried rings and jet covers but have had no success yet.

the last time it was used, i tested a one oz fuel, one quart burn and it boiled (barely) at 12 minutes 15 secs with a total burn time of 12 minutes and 22 secs. (boil to me is full rolling, shaking and silent - again, the only way since i do not have a thermometer)
while the best time i have had for a 500ml boil was 4:45 it was with regular cold tap water. my times are plus or minus 5 secs; it is really by the time i get the lid off, take the jetboil off and stop my watch...
boil times are never consistent, mostly within 45 secs of each other, but strangely enough, that boil sound you get (engineers can explain...) occurs relatively close to the 3 min, 10 sec mark almost every time.
as far as wind goes, this was all done on my porch (the pics with brown carpet obviously not) and wind was pretty mild. never blew my windscreen away or anything.
the pot stand is some ghetto fabricated bird feeder from lowes... i had some issues with soot and sought some advice with that (see "sooty pot stand thread). (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30890) thankfully that is resolved, however now i'm getting a sooty pot!!!

when the little bastard really gets going the flame has some yellow in in (seen in videos) which i hear cause soot build up. i don't know how to fix that and really am not sure what needs to be done to burn "leaner". removing the screen does nothing at this point.

alright, that is enough for now. i hope you guys understand that I do not attribute this to any skill or knowledge on my behalf, only to your recommendations and suggestions. if this is a super duper stove then so be it, it was not created by a super duper stovie :rolleyes:

i will be heading out for 3 days after christmas where i will be "officially cooking" with it.. i'll let you know how it went.

cheers


(http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30890)

You did good, be proud. I like your style!!!:)

thanks zelph, you made my night

oh yeah, i apologize if you wanted a video with visual proof of temp, volume and time. my dig. camera serves as a quick vid camera but doesn't take full videos. i hope you guys understand.

final ps, i promise.

just so you know, i have tried to boil 500ml of cold water (again, 32* or "very very cold") with 15ml of slx denatured alcohol using the same stove but replacing the jetboil cup with the kmart grease pot that i just picked up (all other variables and pieces remaining constant) and was unable to. i could get close with 20 ml (6.5 minutes) but no rolling boil - plenty of bubbles coming up but not a true boil. with 25 ml i had a rolling boil in 7 min 15 secs, for 30+ secs and burn time of another 2 minutes or so (i took the pot off).

these are not exact numbers, but the point is that the stove needs almost twice as much fuel to boil the same amount of water if used with a broader based pot. using a regular sized penny stove on the wide grease pot, i have shorter boil times than with the small stove, but still not as fast as the jetboil + small stove.
in other words, the stove is only as good as the system it is used in.

...in other words, the stove is only as good as the system it is used in.

Bingo!

That be true. Most folks never get that concept.

... i had some issues with soot and sought some advice with that (see "sooty pot stand thread). (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30890) thankfully that is resolved, however now i'm getting a sooty pot!!!

when the little bastard really gets going the flame has some yellow in in (seen in videos) which i hear cause soot build up. i don't know how to fix that and really am not sure what needs to be done to burn "leaner". removing the screen does nothing at this point.


You must have something in your fuel or zinc burning off of galvanized metal. The only way I can get soot is to burn Isoprophyl. SLX, which is roughly a 60/40 mix of methanol/ethanol, never leaves a trace of residue, let alone soot. When the mixture is too rich and not burning completely, the excess fuel will actually condense on any cool surface, like the bottom of a pan of cold water.

i am currently storing my fuel in a gatorade bottle, think the fuel is leeching out nasty plastic chemicals?

i am currently storing my fuel in a gatorade bottle, think the fuel is leeching out nasty plastic chemicals?

Yeah, probably. But if you're not drinking it, don't see why it would matter.

i was thinking that the plastic could add impurities to the gas...

have you tried drinking slx???

i was thinking that the plastic could add impurities to the gas...

have you tried drinking slx???

I don't know what slx is.

I stopped worrying about water in plastic bottles when I realized that much of my plumbing and probably the plumbing at our water treatment plant is PVC.

brasslite turbo is he one I have usedfor several years work well good burn time

sorry, s-l-x is the brand of denatured alcohol that is available at hardware stores in my area... i've seen it refered to by that abreviation and thought it was an A.K.A that was somewhat common

I don't know what slx is.

I stopped worrying about water in plastic bottles when I realized that much of my plumbing and probably the plumbing at our water treatment plant is PVC.

It is hard to believe what ?"they" say anymore. Home plumbing was once through pipes soldered with pure lead, too!

It is hard to believe what ?"they" say anymore. Home plumbing was once through pipes soldered with pure lead, too!

Until they said lead was harmful:D

It is hard to believe what ?"they" say anymore. Home plumbing was once through pipes soldered with pure lead, too!

Home plumbing used to be pure lead. The word plumbing comes from the latin word plumbum where the periodic table symble for lead Pb comes from.

Putting it in gasoline and burning it didn't help, either. Don't keep your stove fuel in lead bottles.

Attached cartoon from Nearing Zero (http://www.nearingzero.net/)

How many pop can stoves can get 1 gallon of water boiling? I tried it just for kicks and I was sucessfull. Just goes to show the superiority of the Trangia burner.

http://mysite.verizon.net/abernathey/id5.html

How many pop can stoves can get 1 gallon of water boiling? I tried it just for kicks and I was sucessfull. Just goes to show the superiority of the Trangia burner.

http://mysite.verizon.net/abernathey/id5.html

The Ring of fire and the Fancy Feast stoves will. Both are complete stoves no separate pot stand required. That makes 2. I can make a couple more just for kicks:D

.

How many pop can stoves can get 1 gallon of water boiling? I tried it just for kicks and I was sucessfull. Just goes to show the superiority of the Trangia burner.

http://mysite.verizon.net/abernathey/id5.html

Is that a rolling boil or did you actually measure the temperature? Did you use denatured alcohol and how much? I am going to try to achieve a rolling boil of 1 gallon of tap water with my supercat. My supercat weighs less than 1/4 oz. Cost $0.42. So if I can boil 1 gallon of water with it, then it is a superior stove also.

Well my supercat didn't make it. It only holds 50ml of fuel. But I can boil 12oz. of water with 15ml of denatured alcohol in 5 minutes with an additional 1 minute until burnout. My supercat may not be "superior", but it does what I need it to do.

Go ahead - I think it is interesting. Yes that was a rolling (or roiling) boil. And I also measured the temperature along the way. It takes a long time on the kitchen stove to get 4qts boiling in that stainless pot.

I had to refill the Trangia once, so I'm going to guess that it took 5oz of SLX to get it boiling. Outside temp was 39*F, so this wasn't an indoors stovetop test.

The Ring of fire and the Fancy Feast stoves will. Both are complete stoves no separate pot stand required. That makes 2. I can make a couple more just for kicks:D

.

Prove it.

The stove that best fits my needs is superior - I don't care which ones boil a gallon of water b/c I don't need that on the trail.

I've been going back and forth between something like the bushbuddy and the caldera cone, but I wanted to start with a homemade version. Did some experimenting but I'm not satisfied yet.

The woodburning caldera setup might be just the ticket. Marta - have you used the woodburning kit with the caldera?

Why don't you all trow them time pieces away and just pore by the eye and get down to eating or drinking

Most of the earlier (two or three years ago) alcohol stove recommendations were for ultralight solo hiking where small amounts of water were necessary to heat. In my personal experiments, alcohol stoves work better and better as you decrease the amount of water in your pot. It takes less alcohol to boil 2 cups of water two times than it does to boil a quart all at once. Try it.

Most of the earlier (two or three years ago) alcohol stove recommendations were for ultralight solo hiking where small amounts of water were necessary to heat. In my personal experiments, alcohol stoves work better and better as you decrease the amount of water in your pot. It takes less alcohol to boil 2 cups of water two times than it does to boil a quart all at once. Try it.
You got that right Tinker

Go ahead - I think it is interesting. Yes that was a rolling (or roiling) boil. And I also measured the temperature along the way. It takes a long time on the kitchen stove to get 4qts boiling in that stainless pot.

I had to refill the Trangia once, so I'm going to guess that it took 5oz of SLX to get it boiling. Outside temp was 39*F, so this wasn't an indoors stovetop test.

5 oz is 147ml. I used 50ml with my supercat and started to see bubbles at the bottom of the pot before flame out. I am going to try it with only one refill, or 100ml. But using 3 times as much alcohol I should be able to get a rolling boil. How long did it take boil, 5oz is a lot of alcohol. 45 minutes??

5 oz is 147ml. I used 50ml with my supercat and started to see bubbles at the bottom of the pot before flame out. I am going to try it with only one refill, or 100ml. But using 3 times as much alcohol I should be able to get a rolling boil. How long did it take boil, 5oz is a lot of alcohol. 45 minutes??

Yep it took about 45 minutes. I found that bubbles appear at less than 170*F. I live at near sea-level.

I didn't time or measure the fuel consumption accurately, so it might have brought to a boil in less time and less fuel. But it was at a rolling boil at ~45 minutes and when I picked the pot up the burner looked like it was down an ounce or so.

With that Sterno stove setup I have the burner closer than optimal for boiling water, and I see some soot buildup on the crossbars. My own experiments confirm a test by Sgt.Rock(I think) showing the optimal distance to be around 1.5-1.75". The reason I moved it closer was to allow better use of the simmer ring. Funny, but I wonder if I could've brought it to a boil with simmer ring in place? The crazy thing will simmer for over an hour (I stopped timing) at 40% opening. I'm bored today so I think I'll give it a try.

I tried it with the simmer ring on but fully open. The burner ran for 1.5hrs on a single fill of fuel, but the water never got above 180*F. It was a little colder and there was a bit of a wind, but it didn't get 1 gallon boiling.

I wonder just how long the Trangia will simmer? If it did 1.5 hours with the ring fully open, how long will it go with ring at 50%? I don't have the patience to find out. I do know that you can bring a quart of beans to a boil, and then simmer for a very long time.

Why do you need to bail a gallon water. Need a bath or somthing.

Why do you need to bail a gallon water. Need a bath or somthing.

I was just goofing off. I wanted to find the practical limits of a single Trangia burner.

The Ring of fire and the Fancy Feast stoves will. Both are complete stoves no separate pot stand required. That makes 2. I can make a couple more just for kicks:D

.

Prove it.

Oh man.

I love it when people say stuff like that to Zelph. Let the fun begin.

Oh man.

I love it when people say stuff like that to Zelph. Let the fun begin.

I thought the same thing. Pass the popcorn, the videos are about to start.

Now this may be hard to believe 2 days ago i made a new alcohol stove did test in house ok. So i went out to shop to test in cold it was 30f out i had no water all was froze in my pots oh well just need any pot to try.It was a side burner with a prime wick put 1/2 oz. fuel lit it up got pot was alum. 4 in. o d hard 16 oz. froze water oops ice. Burn time 5 min plus it melted the ice into water all but a piece the size off a small donut.All i am saying a 1/2 oz. fuel goes a long way at doing it.

I thought the same thing. Pass the popcorn, the videos are about to start.

what russb said. this should be fun.

i'm a novice stovie, and i think i can get a design or two of my own to boil a gallon... not that i need to. i'm happy with 1.5 to 1.75 oz of fuel boiling 35 oz of cold water with time to keep it going.

(cue fight scene music... and let the radio city music hall bananas enter stage left... :banana:banana:banana:banana)

With a limit of a 5 oz. fuel supply just about anything should be able to boil a gallon of water. Maybe I will do my test after work today.

Prove it.

Sorry Charlie, I can't prove it!!!!!

I can only give you some links to some tests that I did with the two.

matthewski, South Markmark and Todd Heyn will back me up on wether or not I tell the truth about my stove tests.

Read about the Fancy Feast tests (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=402412&postcount=8)in this thread post.

Read about the one gallon boil Ring Of Fire in this post (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=374802&postcount=140). The stove in this test was the one with four pot supports and used only 2 ounces at a time. The original design of a solid ring of stainless pot support was used in the pressure cooker test and had the capacity of 3 ounces of fuel. That one I believe would do the 1 gallon with only one fill up.

This Ring Of Fire post (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=375394&postcount=145)has some photos of the gallon test done in a 5 litre, steel Heinekin keg. If I were to use the same aluminum pot as in the FF test I'm sure 3 ounces of fuel would boil the 1 gallon of water.

My findings are it is more efficient to boil 6 cups of water at once than it is to boil 2 cups at a time, three times. The efficiency goes up because there is no heat loss in the cooling of the pot when filling it in multiples will cool the smaller pot when doing 2 cups at a time. Something like that!!:)

Sorry I could'nt help you out dla, salute:banana

Sorry Charlie, I can't prove it!!!!!

I can only give you some links to some tests that I did with the two.

matthewski, South Markmark and Todd Heyn will back me up on wether or not I tell the truth about my stove tests.

Read about the Fancy Feast tests (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=402412&postcount=8)in this thread post.

Read about the one gallon boil Ring Of Fire in this post (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=374802&postcount=140). The stove in this test was the one with four pot supports and used only 2 ounces at a time. The original design of a solid ring of stainless pot support was used in the pressure cooker test and had the capacity of 3 ounces of fuel. That one I believe would do the 1 gallon with only one fill up.

This Ring Of Fire post (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=375394&postcount=145)has some photos of the gallon test done in a 5 litre, steel Heinekin keg. If I were to use the same aluminum pot as in the FF test I'm sure 3 ounces of fuel would boil the 1 gallon of water.

My findings are it is more efficient to boil 6 cups of water at once than it is to boil 2 cups at a time, three times. The efficiency goes up because there is no heat loss in the cooling of the pot when filling it in multiples will cool the smaller pot when doing 2 cups at a time. Something like that!!:)

Sorry I could'nt help you out dla, salute:banana
What in the world do you need one gallon of hot water for?

What in the world do you need one gallon of hot water for?

The boiling of 1 gallon of water measures the superiority of your stove/burner. dla's trangia is far superior to all of our inferior pop can stoves.:banana

The boiling of 1 gallon of water measures the superiority of your stove/burner. dla's trangia is far superior to all of our inferior pop can stoves.:banana

Boiling one gallon only proves how it boils one gallon. Since most backpackers don't need to boil one gallon, it's not a very useful test.

Boiling one gallon only proves how it boils one gallon. Since most backpackers don't need to boil one gallon, it's not a very useful test.

My tests were to show versatility. Not all backpackers go solo. The Dino's do more. Many of us use our stoves off trail. In an emergency situation your stoves can be used to purify water by the gallon. We can be versatile, dual purpose.

knowing that if boils a gallon or 2 cups in a certain amount of time is really only relavant to the type of backpacking or cooking you are doing - and the mental gymnastics you like as part of your gear.

personally, i don't ever see myself measuring out to the ml my fuel, and timing my boil time on the trail or on a bike tour... if i'm carrying just enough fuel to make it to the end of my trip i'd be a bit foolish - esp if the weather were to turn, or i spill something. i like building a stove that will do the required burns as a baseline - but beyond that - everything is relative - the pot, the stand, the windscreen, ambient air temp, how many i'm cooking for, water temp, altitude, fuel temp, etc. etc. etc.

this kind of thing is like working out in a gym vs. working out on the trail... sure, you build similar muscle groups and confidence... but beyond that nothing substitutes hiking or cycling or climbing or camp cooking like doing it out in the real world.

this kind of thing is like working out in a gym vs. working out on the trail... sure, you build similar muscle groups and confidence... but beyond that nothing substitutes hiking or cycling or climbing or camp cooking like doing it out in the real world.



amen.

nuff said

this kind of thing is like working out in a gym vs. working out on the trail... sure, you build similar muscle groups and confidence... but beyond that nothing substitutes hiking or cycling or climbing or camp cooking like doing it out in the real world.

I agree. So why do so many people post results of funky stove creations tested in their kitchens?

I know why: "cause its' fun".

My guess is that 90% of the stove creations posted on this forum are never used in the real world. But that doesn't matter "cause its' fun".

I agree. So why do so many people post results of funky stove creations tested in their kitchens?

I know why: "cause its' fun".

My guess is that 90% of the stove creations posted on this forum are never used in the real world. But that doesn't matter "cause its' fun".

probably true.
at least we're not arguing about handguns on the trail and talking about alien spaceships in maine. ;)

how many rounds can you get off before your water boils...? cuz i need my ak47 out here 'just in case' them funny alien guys try to abduct me - but i need to travel light so i'll carry my alky stove with .5 oz of fuel per day...

i see a triathlon of sorts here - waterboiling, target shooting, hiking.

why not make it a bit more competitive and edgy - while hiking try to shoot out the other guys stove before it boil...

back OT, i found a trangia burner on sale at the local outfitter and love it.
no, i haven't timed it running the mile...

but i do like it. esp keeping the unused fuel contained - for a weekend summer S24O there's no need for a fuel bottle.

What's an S240?

sub 24 hour overnight - get out, hang out, get back

I only have experience with 2 alcohol stoves. A tuna can stove and a pepsi can stove. If I were to choose between the two I would take the pepsi can stove. Smaller, lighter, seems more efficient and looks alot cooler :)

I really like the one form antigravity gear. I've even bought them for my friends and they love it as well.

I really like the Brasslite Turbo. (www.brasslite.com (http://www.brasslite.com)) I like the built-in pot stand. It's also doubles as a work of art.

I really like the Brasslite Turbo. (www.brasslite.com (http://www.brasslite.com)) I like the built-in pot stand. It's also doubles as a work of art.

I got one not to hot i use mine to make char cloth 1/2 oz. is the right burn time to do it.

Are all these named alcohol stoves commercially available for purchase, or are some of them just popular designs used to DIY?

Are all these named alcohol stoves commercially available for purchase, or are some of them just popular designs used to DIY?

A mixture of both, I suppose, although it's an old thread and I don't recall all of them.

Definitely the Caldera Cone Stove!!! I love this stove for the great fuel efficiency and the wind proof qualities.

As far as storing the thing: I already use an Orikaso Mug (12 oz model). The mug has some flexibility when assembled. I wrap the rolled up cone in a very small stuff sack that has the string removed--tucking the lose fabric down in the cone. I stick the cone down into the mug--narrow (or top) side down. The mug keeps the cone from uncoiling to much inside the stuff sack. I then place the alcohol fuel bottle down inside--tight fit keeps the stuff sack in place. Sounds complicated but it takes me no time at all to actually do--it's just awkward to explain. I place this whole setup in the side pouch of my G4 or G5 pack. Stove goes inside pot.

GlazeDog

Fuzzy's Li'l Stove. Despite having dozens of others, I keep going back to it because it is totally reliable and easy to make with practically nothing but a Swiss Army Classic (the little one).

Coss,

if your thinking about getting into alcohol stoves and are looking, it may help to know what you want or expect from a stove. Not all stoves are the same and some suit the needs of an individual better than others as has been pointed out. If you wanted a stove you don't have to wory about killing accidently a Trangia is a good one, if you want to go so easy to build anyone could do it - then the basic tealight or some other open container stove would do it, if you want to have fun building a stove that gives good performance and realativly easy to build pepsi stoves or something like that would be good. If you plan to make big meals, cook for multiple people, etc. all that sort of plays into where you should look.

I highly reccomend you start by building a few for free and see where that leads you.

Sounds like sound advice! I will take your recopmmendation to heart! THANX!

I built my new stove last weekend, a couple of guinesses and it works great for me. It is the pepsi can design.

A simple Trangia (but with my SS wire mesh stand) for its "Fill it & forget it" , non-fumbling fuel capacity, for it's miserly fuel consumption, for it's simmer capability, and because it just looks cool while cooking!

I completely agree, i have the trangia westwind and i have nothing to complain about. i love how the stove fit perfextly into the pot stand and that i can save all of the un-used fuel

I own 4 alcohol stoves.

I'll probably never use them again. Too inefficient, fuel to heavy, too hard to actually cook with.

geek

Just wondering why you will never use another alcohol stove? I love them. What were the specifics. Maybe there's something I don't know about. What do you use instead?...if anything.

I switched from homebuilts and a Minibull stove to the PackaFeather FeatherFire last year. Love the ability not only to control the level of heat, but also the economy of fuel that it uses. I recently switched to the PackaFeather XL which is equally good, but has what I consider a better pot stand for my Firelite 550 SUL Titanium pot. Recovery of unused fuel is so easy with either stove that no initial measuring is really necessary.

I switched from homebuilts and a Minibull stove to the PackaFeather FeatherFire last year. Love the ability not only to control the level of heat, but also the economy of fuel that it uses. I recently switched to the PackaFeather XL which is equally good, but has what I consider a better pot stand for my Firelite 550 SUL Titanium pot. Recovery of unused fuel is so easy with either stove that no initial measuring is really necessary.

I just got an XL, like it better than the original as it works well with a heine pot. Also like the mbd blackfly as it fits inside the heine pot.

For DIY, just made a supercat using the potted meat can, left the lid on and cut the hole out of the bottom (now the top) works great when not using the heine. want to try one one of the tea lites next.

like someone said stoves (fire) = fun:cool: