question about Sgt. Rock Cat Stove

[Mike Drinkuth]

I made the cat stove from instructions on your site and this puppy ROCKS! I like it for its fast boil time and easy assembly and the simmer ring and cover are pretty cool too. Of all the alcohol stoves i've made (6 or so), this one is going with me on the trail next march...it's so easy and efficient!
Here's my question...do I need to change the insulation inside the stove?
If so, how often?
Would it be better to just make 3 or 4 of them ahead of time and have them mailed to me on the trail next year as needed?
Thanks in advance, Sir!

[brian]

I have made a 2 cat stoves, but I like the soda can stoves: more elegant and involved. I have had comments that the Cat stove is just a homemade sterno:\. But in regards to the insulation, I think that keeping an extra "wick" in your first aid kit would be good, just so you know that you have it. Then shipping them to you at certain points along the trail.

Or, use a soda can stove w\o a wick;) Problem solved:)

Brian

www.geocities.com/gearskinpics

[Dances with Mice]

do I need to change the insulation inside the stove?



Nope. I've used cat stoves for a couple of years. For insulation I use a pinch of home insulation fiberglass and there's no need to ever change it. I take care not to store the stove inside my pot because it probably sheds small amounts of loose glass fibers that I don't want to ingest, but not enough to affect the stove's performance. I store the stove inside my food bag since all food is wrapped.

I modified my stove a little - I only cut 4 triangular openings in each can then used a hole punch to make extra holes along the bottom of the exterior and the top of the interior can. I believe the extra ventilation yields a hotter blaze. I also found it doesn't matter if the wick is carefully lined around the side of the interor can as the instructions detail, or just spread on the bottom of the can.

I've also used pepsi can stoves but I prefer the cat. Like all equipment choices, it's just an individual preference.

Someday I'll have to post how I built my combination windscreen/ pot stand / heat exchanger. And a pot cozy made from an insulated pizza carrier. E-mail me if interested.

[SGT Rock]

Never replace it. It works better as it gets older. Just try to keep water out of it LOL.

[Trail Yeti]

Well, I've been using the stove Rock sent me on my thru-hike and I have never replaced the insulation. Matter of fact, it seems to work even better now (after lots and lots of use) than it did when he first sent it to me. Don't know why that is, could be that I am so used to using it now...