View Full Version : Top Ten Gassification wood Stove or Hobo stove of your choice
Wise Old Owl
10-10-2012, 20:06
Serious post a pic of your favorite Gassification stove or Hobo and why you like it ...give a few specs too... how fast a boil etc,
Llama Legs
10-11-2012, 16:00
177601776117762
the old "Four Dog" set up, titanium, no moving parts ;)
I like my Emberlit. I don't know that it's any better than others, but it works for me.
As to posting boil times,....it all depends on what kind of wood you have and the skill of the user in building a fire. :D
With a cotton ball and Vaseline, and a hand full of Rhododendron sticks,.....I can boil water as fast as an alchohol burner,....start to finish.
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff143/61panhead/Camping/Image-1.jpg
I like that it folds flat and takes up little space in a pack. The stove pieces alone are maybe 1/8 inch thick stacked together. Add the grill, some fire starting tender, cross pieces for small pot stand, and stuff sack,.....and it gets up to a whopping 1/4 inch thick.
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff143/61panhead/Camping/Image6.jpg
I'm a fan of qiwiz's firefly wood burner - especially now that he has an esbit adapter. At 2.5 ounces I think it is the lightest. With dry wood available I boil about as fast as my old alcohol stove. Wet wood or rain I don't struggle and just use esbit. I am really happy with that dual fuel flexibility.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
I'm a fan of qiwiz's firefly wood burner - especially now that he has an esbit adapter. At 2.5 ounces I think it is the lightest. With dry wood available I boil about as fast as my old alcohol stove. Wet wood or rain I don't struggle and just use esbit. I am really happy with that dual fuel flexibility.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
17770
It's a beautiful thing . . . Click on photo for really nice detailed view
slow mind
10-12-2012, 18:47
WOO,
You may already be aware..... But may I direct you to bushcraftusa.com? Reading the content in some of your posts ( fuzzsticks, sharp knife, support of fire ect...) you, if not already aware enjoy this site. As far as gassification and hobo stoves you will find the info there endless.
slow mind
10-12-2012, 18:48
We do have a Wise old Owl there but not sure it is you.
Wise Old Owl
10-12-2012, 19:57
1. nope not me... but very cool... no issue.
2 thanks for makin me aware.
3. lets keep the posts coming.
Wise Old Owl
10-12-2012, 20:17
WOO,
You may already be aware..... But may I direct you to bushcraftusa.com? Reading the content in some of your posts ( fuzzsticks, sharp knife, support of fire ect...) you, if not already aware enjoy this site. As far as gassification and hobo stoves you will find the info there endless.
I attempted to get on, but honest you are not called that or there is a spelling or spacing mistake when I use you for a referral. So please PM me so I can give you the points.
This is a link to an excellent thread on Buhwalk Australia comparing TiTri Caldera Cone and BushBuddy stoves.
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9202&p=125335&hilit=stove+wood#p125335
Wise Old Owl
10-13-2012, 22:28
Vargo titanium wood stove anyone tried it?
Wanderlost
10-14-2012, 18:49
I attempted to get on, but honest you are not called that or there is a spelling or spacing mistake when I use you for a referral. So please PM me so I can give you the points.
If you get no joy with Slow Mind, use mine... Excellent site for ALL sorts of info.... :cool:
Wise Old Owl
10-23-2012, 19:42
very cool ... I am now looking at "other" wood stoves but, are there nay Sayers to gassification or perhaps there is a time difference?
All stoves gassify wood. Your match or bic lighter starts the process. Single wall works just as well as a double wall.
I did all the comparison work and it's posted in the forums here and there and elsewhere. Not many remember nor do they care?:confused:
Wise Old Owl tell us your findings. Which is better, single or double and why.
Look how nice this one gassifies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsiEA91dtdc
Hosaphone
11-03-2012, 11:37
All stoves gassify wood. Your match or bic lighter starts the process. Single wall works just as well as a double wall.
I did all the comparison work and it's posted in the forums here and there and elsewhere. Not many remember nor do they care?:confused:
My understanding is that any time wood is burning it produces wood gas, but not all stoves burn that gas. Is this not true? Or are you saying that for backpacking purposes it doesn't make a noticeable difference in practice?
Can you post a link to your comparison work?
Wise Old Owl
11-03-2012, 12:28
Zelph - I read just about everything you have posted in the past - I just don't remember the comparison you are referring too...
My understanding is that any time wood is burning it produces wood gas, but not all stoves burn that gas. Is this not true? Or are you saying that for backpacking purposes it doesn't make a noticeable difference in practice?
Can you post a link to your comparison work?
Backpacking stoves are no where near big enough to produce the very high heat needed to ignite the gasses what so many refer to as the "Secondary Burn"
What we see in backpacking size stoves is all "Primary Ignition" burning of the twigs. The upward draft of air is carrying away any unburned gasses. Those gasses are long gone, no chance for a secondary ignition of them.
Double wall stoves of any worth are large stoves used by 3rd world countrys. Well insulated stove bodies are suppose to be of a benefit to combustion so says the designers which sell them to the local tribes etc.
I'll be back with some links to stove comparisons.
Here are 2 links to show comparisons:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?20416-Modified-Sierra-Zip-Stove&highlight=Sierra
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?41534-Single-Wall-versus-Double-Wall-Woodburner&highlight=Sierra
Hosaphone
11-03-2012, 23:47
Here are 2 links to show comparisons:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?20416-Modified-Sierra-Zip-Stove&highlight=Sierra
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?41534-Single-Wall-versus-Double-Wall-Woodburner&highlight=Sierra
Very interesting stuff. I have heard people say that backpacking stoves are too small to effectively burn woodgas. I've seen videos where you can see smoke swirling around in the firebox, but the flame above it is completely smokeless. Is it possible that backpacking hobo stoves are simply burning off the smoke and not the wood gas? (is that even possible?)
A lot of people claim these stoves run with less smoke - are they just full of it? Your tests used kiln dried wood so they might not necessarily be representative of what happens in the real world with damp wood. There's probably no good way to scientifically test "real world" conditions... I guess you just have to spend a lot of time playing around and getting a feel for the stoves.
Very interesting stuff. I have heard people say that backpacking stoves are too small to effectively burn woodgas. I've seen videos where you can see smoke swirling around in the firebox, but the flame above it is completely smokeless. Is it possible that backpacking hobo stoves are simply burning off the smoke and not the wood gas? (is that even possible?)
A lot of people claim these stoves run with less smoke - are they just full of it? Your tests used kiln dried wood so they might not necessarily be representative of what happens in the real world with damp wood. There's probably no good way to scientifically test "real world" conditions... I guess you just have to spend a lot of time playing around and getting a feel for the stoves.
That smoke swirling around in the firebox is being prevented from exiting beacuse of the amount of air entering at the holes at the rim of the firebox. Try to think of the center of the stove as the "eye" of a hurricane. There is calm weather in the eye of a hurricane as the winds encircle it. That smoke you see in the "eye" of the fire box is in the calm area. Eventually the fire underneath gets greater and consumes the "eye" area.
"Smoke" contains wood gas. In one or two of my videos I show a flame source being put into the smoke coming off a test stove and it ignites. It doesn't stay lit because of the amount of heated air rising pushes the flame up and away.(flame lift off)
People that make a wood stove can claim anything and everything about it. Burns with less smoke for instance. They will show you a nice segment of their video with the stove burning full bore with no smoke. They don't show the smokey portion of the stove starting up.
The best thing from this day forward is to practice standing twigs verticle in a single wall stove and then lighting it from the top. That method will give you the least amount of smoke. Now the stove has to have plenty of air coming in from the bottom. The grate has to be at least 3/4" from the ground and have lots of holes in it. The wall of the stove at it's base has to have lots of 1/2" holes around the outside diameter. Your twigs and tinder have to be nice and dry. Practice this on calm days and then go into the real world and practice protecting your stove from the wind/breeze.
I'll do a quick search for one of my videos and post it.
Here are videos of burning stoves:) and comparisons:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr10YjUbLYI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkmtkvrhUc0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMb4bPFYqPo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuNgt1PbGdM
I made this stove last year from a 1 quart paint can. Just today I decided to go public with the video. It's long, you will eventually see the 1 gallon of water boiling. Twigs are stacked verticle and are top lit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oj9p-9E_hw
Hosaphone
11-05-2012, 21:17
If single- and double-walled stoves are this close in performance, why are so many people drawn to the double walled ones? Marketing/reputation? The cooler-looking flame pattern? Lack of knowledge or experience with both types of stove?
If single- and double-walled stoves are this close in performance, why are so many people drawn to the double walled ones? Marketing/reputation? The cooler-looking flame pattern? Lack of knowledge or experience with both types of stove?
All of those reasons are the cause. When someone spends over a hundred dollars for a stove(bushbuddy) they are not going to admit they made a mistake. They wait for a length of time and sell it on ebay or one of the forums. Maybe they will keep it and use it as a windscreen for an alcohol stove. After all, the person that has the more expensive stove is a better hiker than the next guy that has athe DIY 1 quart can stove:D It's all about keeping up with the Jone's. Reminds me of the animated movie "Ants" Majority of the ants are lined up behind one another following the one infront of them, doing what they do. Only a few will go ogg and venture out on their own and do their thing. Those are the DIY'ers:D
I purchased a "bushbuddy" wood burner on ebay for under $50. Did some extensive testing to see how it worked and then sold it on one of the forums. I also purchased a Backcountry Boiler used on Backpackinglight.com for under $50 and after I'm finished testing it I'll sell it. Stoves are my hobby. Being in the outdoors is my way of life;)
That last video is of a stove design that is the culmination of wood fire experience. It's my best design. It's designed to be an emergency preparedness stove that uses wood pellets a fuel. Wood pellets cost $4.00 for a 40 pound bag full. Pellets can easily be stored in a dry enclosure. It is a condensed form of fuel. When you run out of pellets you've got twigs to rely on.
I'll bring over a video on the stove being used with pellets just for the fun of it:)
Here is that stove using wood pellets. Watch the top holes for the appearance of gas jets blowing into the flames. It's just plain old air coming in....no wood gas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI_e_Q2REqk
Hosaphone
11-05-2012, 22:55
Wish you had posted this stuff in the thread I made a week ago or so - I probably would have bought a single wall instead of a BushBuddy! I think I'm still going to be very happy with it, but I'm going to have to make some DIY's of different designs and see how everything stacks up. Even if performance is basically the same, there are still pros and cons to either type of stove to factor in.
I'm completely in love with how you can light some stoves from the bottom through a grate. I think that must really simplify things. Maybe not, though, once you get more experience lighting these stoves. Time will tell, I suppose.
Yes, you are correct....time will tell:) I wish you well on your wood burning adventure.
How is the Wise Old Owl doing on his DIY wood stove build?
Personally I think there are more reasons to buy a stove than how fast and efficient it burns. I would never even consider carrying one of those "trash can" style wood stoves. My first wood stove was an Emberlit and my current one is a FireFly. I am usually heating up 12 ounces of water or less .... certainly not a gallon. I am attracted to Emberlit/FireFly stoves because they are light and fold flat...taking up far less room in my pack.
Regarding efficiency....my FireFly boiled 12 ounces of water with the following results. Alky with Zelph's tiny tea light stove.... 5 minutes, 1/2 Esbit tab 5 minutes +-. With wood it varied with the quality of the wood but about 5-6 minutes. That's all I could ask out of any wood stove. Oh yeah....all my wood burns have have lasted over 15 minutes with one load with plenty of coals left over if I wanted to continue.
It weighed in at a whopping 2.8 ounces ready to burn. It's all the stove I'll ever need.
Cat in the Hat
The Soto "Element" wood burning stove is the one to watch become the most popular. As the design is improved, it's popularity will soar. The hinged design is awesome in the fact it will keep your hands cleaner. My design of the "Woodgaz" folding pocket stove incorporates the hinged principle. In one of my videos I show "how" to fold the stove to keep your hands free of soot.
The Firefly, Emberlit and others of their design(5 separate pieces) will get you so dirty you might give up the idea of burning wood as your goto fuel. Assembly and disassembly of these to types of stove will surely get your hands dirty. Expect it.
Watch the "Professor"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83WfmgOjZXQ
The Soto "Element" wood burning stove is the one to watch become the most popular. As the design is improved, it's popularity will soar. The hinged design is awesome in the fact it will keep your hands cleaner. My design of the "Woodgaz" folding pocket stove incorporates the hinged principle. In one of my videos I show "how" to fold the stove to keep your hands free of soot.
The Firefly, Emberlit and others of their design(5 separate pieces) will get you so dirty you might give up the idea of burning wood as your goto fuel. Assembly and disassembly of these to types of stove will surely get your hands dirty. Expect it.
Watch the "Professor"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83WfmgOjZXQ
I guess I'm not sure how you are getting so dirty. That has not been my experience at all with both the Emberlit and FireFly. In fact I have been amazed at how clean both stoves have been after a burn. Of course there is some minor soot left behind, usually a little on the upper inside area of the side panels. If you take the stoves apart by holding the edges of the panels down toward the bottom you will get no soot on your hands. I disassemble it and then wipe away any minor soot with some leaves. I rarely get my hands dirty at all, certainly never to the extent you suggest. If it were as bad as you suggest I don't think they would be as popular as they are becoming.
Cat in the Hat
This video will show it can be folded without touching the inside of the stove.
http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/woodgaz-folding-backpacking-stove.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC5TOOOqoHg
I guess I'm not sure how you are getting so dirty. That has not been my experience at all with both the Emberlit and FireFly. In fact I have been amazed at how clean both stoves have been after a burn. Of course there is some minor soot left behind, usually a little on the upper inside area of the side panels. If you take the stoves apart by holding the edges of the panels down toward the bottom you will get no soot on your hands. I disassemble it and then wipe away any minor soot with some leaves. I rarely get my hands dirty at all, certainly never to the extent you suggest. If it were as bad as you suggest I don't think they would be as popular as they are becoming.
Cat in the Hat
+1
I don't do this myself, because I find I don't need to (my experience is the same as Cat in the Hat), but a cheap light pair of vinyl gloves will keep your hands as clean as you like when assembling or taking down a wood burner, whether it has hinges or not. I do recommend that you have some kind of a bag or pouch to store your stove in your pack. This can be as inexpensive as a ziplock bag, or as expensive as custom cuben.
Wise Old Owl
11-10-2012, 14:16
I made a few Zelph but I am considering something that can be made flat for the pack.
I still like the "idea" of something that is ti or light - folds flat - and concentrates the heated gasses to the bottom of the pot. I kind of wish the Soto Element was an inch taller and more narrow at the top. Now maybe that would not make a difference - but with your mesh idea the heat is allowed to go in all directions. Each time I work or build a stove, the heat has to hit dead center for maximum transfer and Air needs to be able to burn with the gas. Many of the alcohol stoves are too close to the pot or the jets go sideways or they are not well thought out. Your fiberglass wick stove is fantastic. I have made several and they really do a great job.
but a cheap light pair of vinyl gloves will keep your hands as clean as you like when assembling or taking down a wood burner, whether it has hinges or not.
You guys are missing my point. You guys want to add items to your pack that's fine with me. I have a folding one piece stove to use and clean hands. No extra pair of gloves to carry and keep track of.:)
You guys should do some videos of your stoves right after a load of twigs have been burned. Take the stove apart, wipe it on some grass, put it in a sack. Take it out of the sack and assemble. will you have dirty hands....yes you will.:) Do you care....no you don't. Will others care...yes they will.:):D
Next thing I'll hear is I'm using "bad" twig fuel. That's why hands get dirty, bad fuel;)
I kind of wish the Soto Element was an inch taller and more narrow at the top. Now maybe that would not make a difference
The designer is sure to improve it as comments are fed back to him. He'll tweak it till it's perfected. Just like the designer of the emberlit and firefly, constantly making changes for the good.
The fact that the Element is hinged is is what makes it worth buying. It has the right beginnings;) Let's keep an eye on it just for the fun of it!:)
All wood stoves made by cottage industries are good stoves. We have to do our homework and make the best choice.
Single wall DIY stoves are the best:banana
Wise Old Owl
11-10-2012, 18:34
Well I appreciate that, You just kept me from spending hours in the basement making one.
Hosaphone
11-11-2012, 00:12
The element stove looks perfect except that those hinges end up making it twice as heavy as the firefly (element comes in at ~5oz). Of course, if you add in gloves with a firefly to keep your hands clean, that ~2.5oz weight saving disappears... I expect that with some practice you can minimize the amount of soot and it ends up not being a big deal. It's not like it's going to be all over your hands, just your fingertips if you're careful. Make sure you take out your contacts before cooking dinner :p
Received my BushBuddy in the mail today. Only had 30 minutes or so to play around with it before I had to run out the door, but I was quite impressed by it. Getting it lit with only shavings was as much of a pain as I expected it would be, but the flame was incredibly clean and even had a lot of blue in it which I wasn't expecting. It was cool to see lots of smoke inside the stove but none in the flame above. At one point in my quick test burn it looked like the wood was covered in a thick moss because of all the smoke, but the flame remained smokeless. I was also impressed by how easily it burned the wood I fed it down to nothing. Towards the end of the burn once the flame died down, the coals were engulfed with blue flames which was pretty cool.
I can't help feeling there IS something to the double walled stoves, but then again my only experience with single walled ones is what I've seen in videos.
Wise Old Owl
11-11-2012, 13:53
anyone want to part with an element?
anyone want to part with an element?
Wait 6 months till Soto makes changes. In the mean time make a hobo single walled stove that has 1/2 diameter holes at the top rim to focus the flames toward the center. Watch this video again and see the air coming in the top holes push the flames towards the center to concentrate the heat under the pot.
Hosaphone will someday get a "Soto Element" wood burner after he has put the Bushbuddy through it's trials.;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmynqDymI_w
I almost chose an Element but didn't like the way it folded. The sides don't/can't fold in precisely on top of one another and therefore you wind up with a much bigger and odd shaped package in the end. All the sides on Zelph's stove are basically squares and therefore are stacked on top of each evenly when folded. In the end I went with the weight and compactness of the FireFly. I too will watch the evolution of the Element. Heck I may even buy one soon just to feed my woodstove addiction.
Regarding soot....you play with woodstoves you're going to eventually get dirty but in my opinion it's VERY minor if you are careful.
Cat in the Hat
Cat in the Hat
Hosaphone
11-12-2012, 04:29
Played around a bit more with my BushBuddy today and had a lot more success getting it lit. Doing a top-down burn works out pretty well because you're lighting it up near the top where it's easier to get at the tinder. May require some huffing and puffing to get the flame to spread downwards, though. I wonder if the fact that the bottom is basically enclosed has an impact. You end up having a bunch of super hot coals collected at the bottom, whereas I think a stove with a grate on the bottom just lets the small pieces fall through and maybe doesn't build up that bed of coals?
Hosaphone will someday get a "Soto Element" wood burner after he has put the Bushbuddy through it's trials.;)
The FireFly seems fairly optimal to me as far as this type of stove goes... I think no matter how you spin it those hinges are always going to add weight and complexity. I'm sure I'd be able to figure out a system to setup and take down the stove cleanly with some practice.
I'm pretty close to just buying one... I really like how you can build your fire with tinder at the bottom and then just pick it up and light it easily with a lighter. Really that's the biggest thing for me is that it would just be a lot easier to light a pile of shavings from the bottom rather than the side-ish and hope that they catch. The firebox also appears to be a bit bigger so you can load it up more and not fuss as much with it once it gets going.
Played around a bit more with my BushBuddy today and had a lot more success getting it lit. Doing a top-down burn works out pretty well because you're lighting it up near the top where it's easier to get at the tinder. May require some huffing and puffing to get the flame to spread downwards, though. I wonder if the fact that the bottom is basically enclosed has an impact. You end up having a bunch of super hot coals collected at the bottom, whereas I think a stove with a grate on the bottom just lets the small pieces fall through and maybe doesn't build up that bed of coals?
The FireFly seems fairly optimal to me as far as this type of stove goes... I think no matter how you spin it those hinges are always going to add weight and complexity. I'm sure I'd be able to figure out a system to setup and take down the stove cleanly with some practice.
I'm pretty close to just buying one... I really like how you can build your fire with tinder at the bottom and then just pick it up and light it easily with a lighter. Really that's the biggest thing for me is that it would just be a lot easier to light a pile of shavings from the bottom rather than the side-ish and hope that they catch. The firebox also appears to be a bit bigger so you can load it up more and not fuss as much with it once it gets going.
I bought my FireFly with both the wire mesh and solid bottom. I've been playing with both and so far, much to my surprise, I'm liking the wire mesh bottom. Even though I am fast becoming a top down burner fan it is also nice being able to reach your tinder through the mesh floor if you choose to do a bottom burn. I was also vey surprised at how little ash fell through the wire mesh floor. There is absolutely no problem developing a bed of coals and keeping them there. As I stated before I'm getting seventeen minute burns on one load while still having a nice bed of coals at the end of that time. My water remained at a rolling boil from about the six minute mark +- to about the seventeen minute mark. That's with the mesh floor, door closed, top down burn with one load.
I have also found with the top down burn it is key to really let the fire get going before placing your pot on the stove. It results in a MUCH cleaner burn with very little smoke. Initially i was putting the pot on too soon and was getting quite a bit of smoke. I was afraid that I would run out of wood/time but that has not been the case. Those boil/burn times I mentioned began after placing the pot on the stove not from initially starting the fire.
Cat in the Hat
I have also found with the top down burn it is key to really let the fire get going before placing your pot on the stove. It results in a MUCH cleaner burn with very little smoke. Initially i was putting the pot on too soon and was getting quite a bit of smoke. I was afraid that I would run out of wood/time but that has not been the case. Those boil/burn times I mentioned began after placing the pot on the stove not from initially starting the fire.
You're catching on. Stay with the top lighting. Those that light from the bottom will always have to deal with their faces/eyes full of smoke:rolleyes:
In the end I went with the weight and compactness of the FireFly. I too will watch the evolution of the Element.
There are times you don't want to sacrifice weight. Woods stoves are the one time you need to think twice.
FarmerChef
11-12-2012, 12:44
I've tried the penny woodstove (double wall design) and it worked okay but tended to clog up on the bottom in practice as the holes were too small to allow the ash to fall through thus "banking" the fire. I was only able to get a quart of water to boil in perfect conditions and it took more wood than a single load.
In my case, I have to cook for 5 (soon 6) so I've been typically just making a small fire in the firepit and cooking over it. But I would really like to try an upsized but still ultralight wood gassifier that I can boil 2 quarts of water on. Zelph, any chance you could point me in the right direction for the "boil a gallon stove?"
I've tried the penny woodstove (double wall design) and it worked okay but tended to clog up on the bottom in practice as the holes were too small to allow the ash to fall through thus "banking" the fire. I was only able to get a quart of water to boil in perfect conditions and it took more wood than a single load.
In my case, I have to cook for 5 (soon 6) so I've been typically just making a small fire in the firepit and cooking over it. But I would really like to try an upsized but still ultralight wood gassifier that I can boil 2 quarts of water on. Zelph, any chance you could point me in the right direction for the "boil a gallon stove?"
Oops56 started a thread about the stove over at bplite.com. I initially gave away 5 of the stoves to see how folks would respond to them. Read all about their evaluations at this link:
http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5093
FarmerChef
11-13-2012, 11:36
Read the thread over at bplite and tried to send you a PM but your mailbox is full. I'm interested if you've still got a couple left.
Read the thread over at bplite and tried to send you a PM but your mailbox is full. I'm interested if you've still got a couple left.
Oops, I'll have to empty my mail box, thanks for the heads up.
I have'nt sold any, price is too low.;) Not made of titanium:banana
Did you see the video I posted there yesterday? Last post in the thread. Shows fuel stacked verticle and top lit.
I suppose I should invest in a roll of titanium and make a few out of it and list them for $200.00 they should sell like hot cakes;)
FarmerChef
11-14-2012, 09:05
Ha. Indeed. How about an ultralight ti cast iron skillet as well? :banana
The burn looked very good. I'd still love to give one a try. Shoot me a pm if you'd like to part with one.
Ha. Indeed. How about an ultralight ti cast iron skillet as well? :banana
The burn looked very good. I'd still love to give one a try. Shoot me a pm if you'd like to part with one.
An easy way to load a stove is to tilt the stove at a 45 degree angle and stack the twigs verticle. Try to get the entire surface top lit for a good burn. Don't depend on one match to the center of the stack.
I'll send you a PM. I have 4 left, boxed, ready to go.
Ha. Indeed. How about an ultralight ti cast iron skillet as well? :banana
The burn looked very good. I'd still love to give one a try. Shoot me a pm if you'd like to part with one.
It's in the mail and I included an alcohol burner that fits under the grate. Fill with alcohol, light, place stove on top and you have instand heat. Use the stove without the pot support when using alcohol. Let me know how that works for you. Here are some photos showing how I stack my fuel. I use 1 "Weber fire starting cube to ignite the tinder. Look at the size of twigs that can be started by verticle stacking and top lighting.
These are thge photos I took yesterday during my tests. You can see how big the twigs are and see how I stacked the tinder on top with one starter cube cut up and spread around the entire top to be sure I got an even lighting of the entire surface.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove062.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove062.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove061.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove061.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove059.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove059.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove058.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove058.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove057.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove057.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove056.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove056.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove055.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove055.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove054.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove054.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove053.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove053.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove052.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove052.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove051.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove051.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove050.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove050.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove049.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove049.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove048.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove048.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove047.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove047.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove046.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove046.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/th_Pelletstove063.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/pellet%20wood%20stove/?action=view¤t=Pelletstove063.jpg)
This is how a wood stove reacts when you light it from the bottom. Not neighbor friendly:eek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkype0mnkdE&feature=channel&list=UL
This is how a wood stove reacts when you light it from the bottom. Not neighbor friendly:eek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkype0mnkdE&feature=channel&list=UL
.
Now this is how a one piece hinged stove looks like when it's top lit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr10YjUbLYI
I almost chose an Element but didn't like the way it folded. The sides don't/can't fold in precisely on top of one another and therefore you wind up with a much bigger and odd shaped package in the end. All the sides on Zelph's stove are basically squares and therefore are stacked on top of each evenly when folded. In the end I went with the weight and compactness of the FireFly. I too will watch the evolution of the Element. Heck I may even buy one soon just to feed my woodstove addiction.
Regarding soot....you play with woodstoves you're going to eventually get dirty but in my opinion it's VERY minor if you are careful.
Cat in the Hat
Cat in the Hat
I'm going to have to teach SOTO how to fold it;) Watch this video and see how I fold the woodgaz stove to keep your hands cleaner. If you fold the Element the same way you'll be a happy camper:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC5TOOOqoHg
I'm going to have to teach SOTO how to fold it;) Watch this video and see how I fold the woodgaz stove to keep your hands cleaner. If you fold the Element the same way you'll be a happy camper:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC5TOOOqoHg
I'm not concerned about or talking about keeping my hands clean. The Element is pyramid shaped, yours are rectangular shaped therefore when you fold your stove it stacks evenly into a nice neat rectangular stack. The Element can't due to two things...one it's pyramid shaped and two, it's hinged. Take a look at a folded Element..it doesn't stack like yours and therefore takes up more space. I'd like to buy a solid sided stove that is shaped like yours.
Maybe you can answer a question for me. If a stove has non mesh sides like an Element or Emberlit, do they burn more efficiently when using the pyramid rather than a square shape like yours?
Thanks, Cat in the Hat
Maybe you can answer a question for me. If a stove has non mesh sides like an Element or Emberlit, do they burn more efficiently when using the pyramid rather than a square shape like yours?
No.
The reason they taper to do the pyramid design is to accomodate smaller diameter pots. That design is not user friendly for stacking twigs verticle. As you are finding out, verticle stack and top lighting is the best way to go.
My video was to show how to fold the toto for compacktness. I viewed the toto video again and see the reason for odd shaped flat fold is due to the stove being rectangular. We need to get them to make it square;) and the same size as mine. The size of mine boils 4 cups of water with one load of twigs.
The "firefly" stove went thru some changes before it became more user friendly. The "element" may do the same.
The progression of the "firefly" can be seen at www.backpackinglight.com (http://www.backpackinglight.com) (search firefly)
No.
The reason they taper to do the pyramid design is to accomodate smaller diameter pots. That design is not user friendly for stacking twigs verticle. As you are finding out, verticle stack and top lighting is the best way to go.
My video was to show how to fold the toto for compacktness. I viewed the toto video again and see the reason for odd shaped flat fold is due to the stove being rectangular. We need to get them to make it square;) and the same size as mine. The size of mine boils 4 cups of water with one load of twigs.
The "firefly" stove went thru some changes before it became more user friendly. The "element" may do the same.
The progression of the "firefly" can be seen at www.backpackinglight.com (http://www.backpackinglight.com) (search firefly)
Thanks for the reply...I may have to give one of yours a try after all. :)
Cat in the Hat
Thanks for the reply...I may have to give one of yours a try after all. :)
Cat in the Hat
Maybe next year:)
This video shows my first prototype. Someone (loverise) made a comment to the video(see comments) they would like it to fold flat to fit in their back pocket. I proceeded to make the change. So now the stove is pocket size. But, look how easy the first proto is assembled and disassembled and just think how clean your hands would stay if you had one like that. ;) I know you're not comcerned about sooty hands, just speaking in general terms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9DYw4aBY1g
Yeah, another wood stove video:D
This one comes from my website in the Wood Burning Stove forums. It shows a wood stove lit from the bottom. You can expect to lose some neighbors next to you while on the trail. ;) Good way to clear out a shelter:eek:
This is a photobucket video, put your cursor on the picture and click.
A quote comes with the video:
This is a photobucket video, click on it to open it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/videos/th_Video111.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/videos/?action=view¤t=Video111.mp4)
You see how much smoke. Lots of heat under the twigs is gassifing them and not enough oxygen to ignite the gas in the smoke. Once it does ignite all 3 requirements are met for a good fire. Watch when the pot is lowered onto the stove......one of the requirements is really reduced (air) so we get smoke in large quantity. Take the pot off and whooosh, great balls of fire :mrgreen:
If I remember right, I used jute twine coated with petroleum jelly as my tinder under the twigs.
Hosaphone
12-07-2012, 03:07
Holy smokey fire batman! Looks like whatever you were burning was pretty dry, too, given how quickly it flared up at first and how strong the flame was.
FarmerChef
12-07-2012, 11:28
It's in the mail and I included an alcohol burner that fits under the grate. Fill with alcohol, light, place stove on top and you have instand heat. Use the stove without the pot support when using alcohol. Let me know how that works for you. Here are some photos showing how I stack my fuel. I use 1 "Weber fire starting cube to ignite the tinder. Look at the size of twigs that can be started by verticle stacking and top lighting.
These are thge photos I took yesterday during my tests. You can see how big the twigs are and see how I stacked the tinder on top with one starter cube cut up and spread around the entire top to be sure I got an even lighting of the entire surface.
Had it waiting for me when I got back from our Thanksgiving hike but didn't get a chance to fire it up until last weekend for a test burn. Wow. It burned clean and almost smokeless (top lit) and put out enough flame to wrap around my 4 quart pot bottom which easily overlapped the stove by a good inch and a half on each side.
Based on my initial haphazard stuffing of wood, I should be able to achieve a gallon boil on a single load (much more that I would typically need). I was surprised at how short the stove was and initially had to take some sticks out and rebreak them to fit. With my next test, I should be able to get more uniform sizes and now, having looked at your photos, use even thicker pieces than I had last time.
As for kindling, I used small twigs and my personal favorite on the trail: fatsticks. I take a fatstick and cut it into very long narrow slivers. Then I break the slivers into pieces approximately 1 to 1.5 inches long (1 fatstick is probably good for around, oh, 50 slivers :D). This sliver, once lit, will hold a hot flame for about 60 seconds, more than enough time to light the rest of my kindling. And, it doesn't care if it's wet. I also usually add a small bit of vaseline soaked cotton ball wrapped in a small bit of dryer lint around the top (think a q-tip here). I use this to get it lit with my firesteel (or lighter if I'm in a hurry).
12-07-2012, 01:07
Hosaphone
Holy smokey fire batman! Looks like whatever you were burning was pretty dry, too, given how quickly it flared up at first and how strong the flame was.
Oh yes, the fuel was good and dry. That particular stove was made up in British Columbia by a friend of mine on bplite.com. The stove looked like it had enough air exit holes but wound up a little short as you can see in the video. All the smoke coming out of the stove is combustable if it had enough oxygen at the top of the stove when it came up and out. So wee see how important stove design is.
As we see from FarmerChefs post, small stoves (quart can size) can boil 1 gallon of water with one load of dry twigs. That's a single wall quart can. Double wall cans take away fuel capacity.
Glad you were able to get in some burn time with your new stove. The more you use it the better it will work for you. The stainless steel liner will protect the body of the stove in the area where it's needed the most. After the stove is used enough times it will take on a good "heated" look and that is when you can give it a spray coating of high temp stove paint. It will give you many many years of enjoyable use. It has a stainless steel pot support for a lifetime of use.
Hosaphone
12-10-2012, 01:39
After a month of testing and playing around with my bushbudy I'm.... going to buy a firefly stove :banana
Here's my current thinking, 1 month into my wood stoving career:
1) Save a few ounces.
I've been lusting over the alcohol setup of a friend who has the ti-tri ULC and an 850ml MLD pot, total weight 5oz. Here I am with a 5oz stove, 4.5oz pot, firestarting materials... My friend can carry 10 days worth of alcohol and still come in at less weight than me. I'm not primarily interested in wood stoves for the weight savings and I'm not a gram weenie, but it seems like I should be able to do better.
The Firefly is ~2.5oz less than the bushbuddy. I could also use a lighter pot with it (the bushbuddy needs to nest inside a pot with specific dimensions) - let's say I get the same MLD pot that weighs ~3.5oz vs my current 4.5oz pot. So far I've saved 3.5oz total over my current setup. Add in the tyvek envelop and an alcohol burner for the Firefly and it's down to 3oz saved. That would bring the entire setup down to a more reasonable place: 3oz for stove+alcohol stove+envelope, ~1oz for reflectix pot cozy (soot protection, alcohol efficiency), 3.5oz for the pot. About 7.5oz for the whole setup, plus some backup alcohol and a big ziplock for picking up natural tinder/kindling along the way if it's going to rain. Not too bad.
I think I will want to forgo the wind screen. I expect I will need either the wind screen OR the pot cozy to be able to fully cook meals with 1/2 an oz of alcohol. That is to say, I'll be able to boil the water more easily if I use the wind screen, but the water will stay hot longer with the cozy which would allow for cooking even if the water doesn't quite boil. Since I need a cozy anyways to protect everything from soot, it seems to make sense to leave the wind screen.
Ok, so I'm a bit of a gram weenie :p
2) Larger firebox, ability to light from the bottom = less fuss, "set it and forget it".
Here is the situation I'm thinking of: it's raining, I'm at a shelter with other people, and I want to use wood. With the bushbuddy, I would basically either have to set up my tarp and cook there or use alcohol. I'm thinking that with the FireFly I would be able to load it up with wood, start it from the bottom, and then go put it outside the shelter with the pot on top. Come back 10 minutes later and have boiling water.
The bushbuddy doesn't have enough room in the firebox to boil with one load of wood, and the top down technique is kind of fussy if you try to put the pot on too soon. I'm not sure how this will actually work, but I think that if I start from the bottom it shouldn't matter much that there's a pot on top. It will produce a lot of smoke for a while as the fire gets going but that won't matter if I put it far enough away or downwind of people.
There isn't really a good way to "set and forget" the bushbuddy - it requires constant attention. Normally I don't mind this at all, but in the situation above where it's raining and I want to hang out at a shelter, I think it might be nice to be able to just set it off to the side (but still in view of course) and let it do its thing.
3) One piece once it's put together also means easier to load. It can be a pain to load up the bushbuddy with wood. I normally leave the pot stand part on while I do it, but sometimes it gets knocked around and it's hard to put back on because there are pieces of wood sticking up, etc. I like how with the simple, open design of the firefly, you can basically just dump wood into it to load it. The wood needs to be broken up to the right size and if it's too long it might make it tough to put the pot on, but in general it looks like it should be easier.
The only downside I see is putting it together and taking it apart. I do love the simplicity of the bushbuddy here - take it out, flip the pot stand over and it's good to go. Never ever need to touch anything sooty and you can get started building your fire faster. I'm not too worried about this, though. Only the insides of the FireFly should get sooty, so I think if I pack it so that the sooty parts are facing each other, and I'm careful when handling it, it shouldn't be a big issue.
Bluefoot
12-10-2012, 17:24
Serious post a pic of your favorite Gassification stove or Hobo and why you like it ...give a few specs too... how fast a boil etc,
This stainless steel Swiss-made stove is very well made and weighs in at about 19 oz. Some stoves are lighter but I figured it was a trade-off between versatility (cooking, warmth, and use as a wind screen), ease of use, how small it packs (thin) and fits in my pack, access to fuel sources and how well made the stove is. You just open it up and it’s ready to go. Other than maybe setting the wire racks, if you need them at all, no assembly is required. This is a real plus when your hands are cold and wet, and you want to leave your mitts or paddling gloves on while setting up the stove. I have used it winter snow shoeing, and for spring to fall kayaking and backpacking trips. Finding fuel to burn has never been a problem. The stove can be adjusted into different shapes and wire racks are provided to fit various pot sizes. It can also be used as a wind screen for alcohol stoves (e.g. Trangia burner) and solid fuel stoves(e.g. Esbit) - both of which I have used.
Mine came directly by post from Switzerland, but I believe it is sold in the US through a company called CampSaver.18374
Hopefully the picture I included will come through as it shows the difference between a controlled camp fire (in the Magic Flame) and one built in typical fashion. This was on a gravel beach. I haven't done any stopwatch boil timing but a couple of liters of water takes about 5 -8 minutes depending on whether I am at sea level or in the mountains beyond 7,000-8,000 feet. The company has a good website where one can find additional information. Just Google Magic Flame wood stove and that should take you there. I would certainly recommend it. Happy Trails
You just open it up and it’s ready to go. Other than maybe setting the wire racks, if you need them at all, no assembly is required. This is a real plus when your hands are cold and wet, and you want to leave your mitts or paddling gloves on while setting up the stove. I have used it winter snow shoeing, and for spring to fall kayaking and backpacking trips. Mine came directly by post from Switzerland, but I believe it is sold in the US through a company called CampSaver.18374
Really looks like a well made stove. Can't expect anything but precision from a Swiss mfgr. What is the capacity, about 1 quart/1litre of twigs?
Hinged stoves are the way of the future. You made a good choice.
Hosaphone
12-10-2012, 23:38
Here's the website for the magic flame stove: http://www.kuenzi.com/home_e
Cool stove but 19oz is just way too much!
I like the hinges it has - it looks like they shouldn't add too much weight. I would love to see those hinges on the titanium version of the element, or added to a Firefly stove. The element's hinges seem like overkill to me. You could probably get away with just 1 tiny little hinge - it doesn't need to be bombproof and the sides don't need to be air tight.
You may be right that hinged stoves are the future... I feel like it should be possible to build a sub-3oz hinged version of a Firefly/emberlit/etc type stove given thin enough titanium and a very minimal hinge design. I don't know anything about building stoves or working with titanium though, so maybe it's easier said than done...
Bluefoot
12-12-2012, 16:03
Here's the website for the magic flame stove: http://www.kuenzi.com/home_e
Cool stove but 19oz is just way too much!
I like the hinges it has - it looks like they shouldn't add too much weight. I would love to see those hinges on the titanium version of the element, or added to a Firefly stove. The element's hinges seem like overkill to me. You could probably get away with just 1 tiny little hinge - it doesn't need to be bombproof and the sides don't need to be air tight.
You may be right that hinged stoves are the future... I feel like it should be possible to build a sub-3oz hinged version of a Firefly/emberlit/etc type stove given thin enough titanium and a very minimal hinge design. I don't know anything about building stoves or working with titanium though, so maybe it's easier said than done...
I have no doubt the stove is not for everyone. I guess it depends what trade-offs you wantfor lesser weight. For the versatilityand durability I am OK with the extra ounces. I would love to see the stove in titanium, but I gather it is successful in Europe as it is. I did some further checking and the stove is apparently made by one of the defensive contractors that does a lot of stuff for the Swiss Military - maybe that's why it appears "bombproof" (Humour :D).Something Ioverlooked including in my initial post was that small wood stoves withgrates appear to be more in-line with current thinking regarding campfire cookingand how open fires create more ground damage than most people realize. The National Outdoor Leadership School’s 4th editionof “Soft Paths - How toEnjoy the Wilderness Without Harming It” presents some interesting findings on new research and field experience on low-impact camping. We don't have a whole lot of soil cover on top of the fractured granite we camp on while kayaking/backpacking in the Pacific Northwest so the stove is great for low impact use.
Happy Trails
Here is a link that has lots of close-up pics of the Majic-Flame stove. (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/916054-Review-of-my-new-Hobo-Stove-(lots-of-pics!!))
Here is a review of the firefly:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?90473-Firefly-wood-stove-(2-7oz)-totally-badass
The 2 on the left are well known. The one on the right is made from a stainless steel salt shaker. Don't ya just love DIY stuf!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycfML0AQZdY
Larger size stainless steel wood burner made and sold in British Columbia by Daren N. Sea Cayaker of the adventureous kind.:)
I assemble and load the stove in the first video. The second one I bottom light. The pot has 2 cups of water in it and takes a while for it to boil. After the flames subside the hot coals wil finish the task of boiling the water. Have patience when using wood. Disregard the soot on my hands, pretend it's not there;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb3JOFlcV3A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Bnm3Y7EO8
Wise Old Owl
12-16-2012, 19:27
Nice demonstration - so much for flame broiled....
Nice demonstration - so much for flame broiled....
Yukk, could you imagine what a steak would look like with flames of that magnatude depositing toxic tars onto it:eek:
Now what did we learn from this last video? Here it is: Fast and hot does not mean efficient. All those nice flames went up and past the pot without bringing it to a boil. That little original "woodgaz" stove will boil 2 cups of water with one load of fuel stacked verticle and top lit.
Alright Wise Old Owl, I guess I posted it in the wrong thread.:D
The Magic Flame wood burning stove. Fuel was vertically stacked and top lit.
This one is sobadass it eats fireflys for breakfast;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XmCgUG-yiQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82p8grhxU9k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqdb_jUZA0U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIxmgX6Zbuc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZu_ITmmSws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8WGmtzlvXY
Hosaphone
01-04-2013, 22:00
This one is sobadass it eats fireflys for breakfast;)
Good thing I can carry about 10 of them for the same weight, so I can always have a backup :p
This one is so badass it eats fireflys for breakfast;)
Good thing I can carry about 10 of them for the same weight, so I can always have a backup :p
I don't advise eating FireFly's for breakfast or any other meal.
Takes a long long long time for stomach acid to get through titanium.
High risk for bezoar formation. Major newbie backpacker faux pas.
Just sayin'
I don't like the weight of either but we sometimes need to make sacrifices to make life easier in the long run. I'm willing to make the sacrifice in return for ease of assembly and disassemble. One of the major complaints is getting soot on everything. Take a look see how clean the FF is when getting it ready to pack up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82p8grhxU9k
Small capacity stoves make the user be attached to it for the course of heating up 2 cups of water. You need to be constantly there to feed in twigs or else the fire will go out and have to relight.
The smaller you go, the worse it gets.
Small capacity stoves make the user be attached to it for the course of heating up 2 cups of water. You need to be constantly there to feed in twigs or else the fire will go out and have to relight. The smaller you go, the worse it gets.
This is true (too small risks being too much trouble) but the more important question is: what is too small? And what is too big? Because too big risks being too heavy. Heavy-you-don't-really-need (for backpackers) is not good.
I think there is a "right size" in which the weight savings "benefit" and fire-starting and fire-maintaining "bother" are properly balanced. For me, "right size" means bringing 2-3 cups of water to a boil with little or no difficulty. Some like to load the stove with twigs, top light the stove, and not need to add any additional wood. A FireFly is not big, and not heavy, but can bring 3 cups of water to boil on one load of wood. Same is true for most of the other (heavier) popular wood stoves. I don't need heavier gear in MY pack. Just sayin'. :D
Take your pick, lots of designs out there. This a sample of the one that Hosaphone recently sold here on WB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdyklEdDsww
This little stove might become my favorite because it's made of Titanium. Actually it's a windscreen made for alcohol, esbit and wood burning. I turn it upside down to burn alcohol and esbit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsUx4P0tWNs
This little stove might become my favorite because it's made of Titanium. Actually it's a windscreen made for alcohol, esbit and wood burning. I turn it upside down to burn alcohol and esbit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsUx4P0tWNs
These videos explain it a little better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sVimCy5Rmg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j7Rz59l9eA
THE Hoboelite stove is an easy one to make:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_hoboelite008.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view¤t=hoboelite008.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_hoboelite006.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view¤t=hoboelite006.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_hoboelite004.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view¤t=hoboelite004.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_hoboelite003.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view¤t=hoboelite003.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_hoboelite002.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view¤t=hoboelite002.jpg)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/th_hoboelite001.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/?action=view¤t=hoboelite001.jpg)