Stove question-very specific

[Bluedog225]

Hi all

i thru hiked the California section of the PCT back in 1997. I am thinking of finishing the last thousand miles in a couple of years.

I'm spending hours and hours (and hours) researching alcohol stoves.

One detail I'm trying to pin down his relates to the cat cans.

I see we've moved away from punching holes in the sides. My question relates to using a stainless steel mesh as a pot support versus a solid aluminum cylinder. Was there a reason for this evolution? And do I need a wicking material between the cylinder wall and the can wall? If so, will black felt work or does it have to be Fiberglas? I hate fiberglass.

I hope some of you guys who have been monitoring this issue over the years can point me in the right direction. I'm just running out of steam trying to find the specific posts on my own. Many thanks. Tom

[July]

Hi all

i thru hiked the California section of the PCT back in 1997. I am thinking of finishing the last thousand miles in a couple of years.

I'm spending hours and hours (and hours) researching alcohol stoves.

One detail I'm trying to pin down his relates to the cat cans.

I see we've moved away from punching holes in the sides. My question relates to using a stainless steel mesh as a pot support versus a solid aluminum cylinder. Was there a reason for this evolution? And do I need a wicking material between the cylinder wall and the can wall? If so, will black felt work or does it have to be Fiberglas? I hate fiberglass.

I hope some of you guys who have been monitoring this issue over the years can point me in the right direction. I'm just running out of steam trying to find the specific posts on my own. Many thanks. Tom

Just an option, no more, no less. Punch some holes in the side of a Red Bull can... and take off Can find RB everywhere, and the lil' stove weighs 3grams.

[TrilliumTrekker]

Bluedog, I am no expert. But having used alkie stoves for years I'd like to suggest it really doesn't matter so much which stove you pick. The steel mesh pot support you refer to I assume is hardware clothe. It is readily available, cheap and easy to work with. It allows free air flow to the burner. You will need to use a windshield with it also. The windshield, pot support combo is still a viable option if you like the way it packs up.
Double wall beverage can stoves are made with both a wicking material between the walls, and without wicking. If no wicking is used the seals between the walls has to be precisely fitting...I'd buy one rather than try to make it if I preferred no wicking. As to black welding clothe, I have not seen that used for a wicking material.
Finally, I have recently purchased a cottage industry stove (side burner low pressure beverage can) with an optional priming tray. I selected a stove maker who has sold over 5000 stoves, has the jigs to consistently produce stoves which perform as the maker intends. Point, click, and it is delivered to my front door.

[overthinker]

Point, click, and it is delivered to my front door.

+1 to that. I made some stoves, they worked fine, but the fit and finish of a shop-made piece is worth a couple of bucks. And, as far as I know, lots of hikers still use the side punched cat can - it's what Andrew Skurka still has up as his go to.

[zelph]

Hi all

i thru hiked the California section of the PCT back in 1997. I am thinking of finishing the last thousand miles in a couple of years.

I'm spending hours and hours (and hours) researching alcohol stoves.

One detail I'm trying to pin down his relates to the cat cans.

I see we've moved away from punching holes in the sides. My question relates to using a stainless steel mesh as a pot support versus a solid aluminum cylinder. Was there a reason for this evolution? And do I need a wicking material between the cylinder wall and the can wall? If so, will black felt work or does it have to be Fiberglas? I hate fiberglass.

I hope some of you guys who have been monitoring this issue over the years can point me in the right direction. I'm just running out of steam trying to find the specific posts on my own. Many thanks. Tom

The original steel mesh was available for a low price at Kmart. They were selling at clos-out the aftermarket lantern globes used to replace the glass globes.

Many do it your selfers use aluminum bottle material or the pot supports and works well for them.

Carbon felt acts more like cotton rather than a wick material I my tests. Felts ha a tendency to hold to a small amount of alcohol after the stove has gone out. Fuel continues to slowly evaporate.

[OhioHiker]

Can you elaborate on the no hole punching ?

I built a cat food can stove after trying the penny stove.

I can't believe how simple the cat food design is. My only complaint is the time it takes to boil. Roughly 9min.

[Sacchoromyces]

Can you elaborate on the no hole punching ?

I built a cat food can stove after trying the penny stove.

I can't believe how simple the cat food design is. My only complaint is the time it takes to boil. Roughly 9min.

The "no-holes" versions are with an inner sleeve that is crimped and acts like a wick. They do provide for a fast start up (mere seconds as opposed to dozens of seconds), and do not require a pot stand. The drawback to them is that they over-pressure too easily. I'm still a proponent of a standard cat can (aluminum is better than steel as it heats up to bloom faster) for simplicity, or a Trangia burner and any number of pot support/wind screen combos for their versatility.

I still use my Optimus 199 kerosene stove too if I'm not going long distances, or needing to actually cook something.

[Sacchoromyces]

Also this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...MWssLwhbDCgDjQ

[Connie]

I don't know why zelph wouldn't mention his website store.

CLICK

[Odd Man Out]

Also this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...MWssLwhbDCgDjQ

That's what I use. Great stove. No wick.

[burger]

Can you elaborate on the no hole punching ?

I built a cat food can stove after trying the penny stove.

I can't believe how simple the cat food design is. My only complaint is the time it takes to boil. Roughly 9min.

That's a really long time to boil. Is that for 2 cups of water? Mine boils in 5-6 minutes every time. Are you using a windscreen? How wide is your pot? Cat stoves work better with wider pots. We use ours with a a wide 1.3 L pot.

[zelph]

Shug likes cat food can stove as his GOTO stove.







http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/fancee-feest.php