View Full Version : Are Wood Burning Stoves Worth the Savings in Weight and Money???
I'm seriously considering making my own wood burning stove for my thru-hike, but is it really worth it? Am I going to become seriously annoyed at gathering wood and keeping a fire lit every time I cook? I plan to cook once or twice a day.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Slo-go'en
01-09-2013, 14:37
There are pros and cons.
Pros: You don't have to carry fuel or go looking for it in town.
Cons:
1) Your probably going to have to carry a reliable way of quickly starting the fire, like petroleum jelly soaked cotten balls or the like. Without some kind of fire starter, getting one going in a little wood stove can be tricky. Especially if your starting out with damp wood.
2) It takes longer. Getting the wood together, starting the fire, constantly feeding it and making sure it doesn't go out all takes time and extra effort. This isn't bad in the evening, but can seriously slow your start in the morning.
3) The soot. Your pot will become black and you need to be carefull not to get it on all your gear. It can be messy.
4) Cooking in the rain is a real PITA. Your not going to be able to cook in a shelter like everyone else, so you better have a decent tarp you can set up to cook under or have a back up stove like a little alcohol one.
If your going to a remote area where getting or carrying enough conventual fuel is a problem, then a wood stove makes a lot of sense. For the AT, I found a wood stove to be more of a pain to deal with then it was worth.
The main issue is whether or not you love the challenge and reward of burning sticks and stuff. Good to have backup though. I use first-aid grade alcohol and vegetable oi as backups because they have alternative uses. I use hemp twine as wick when using vegetable oil. It is slow and sooty for making soup or tea, but makes a lovely lamp, and is good for simmering.
There are pros and cons.
Pros: You don't have to carry fuel or go looking for it in town.
Cons:
1) Your probably going to have to carry a reliable way of quickly starting the fire, like petroleum jelly soaked cotten balls or the like. Without some kind of fire starter, getting one going in a little wood stove can be tricky. Especially if your starting out with damp wood.
2) It takes longer. Getting the wood together, starting the fire, constantly feeding it and making sure it doesn't go out all takes time and extra effort. This isn't bad in the evening, but can seriously slow your start in the morning.
3) The soot. Your pot will become black and you need to be carefull not to get it on all your gear. It can be messy.
4) Cooking in the rain is a real PITA. Your not going to be able to cook in a shelter like everyone else, so you better have a decent tarp you can set up to cook under or have a back up stove like a little alcohol one.
If your going to a remote area where getting or carrying enough conventual fuel is a problem, then a wood stove makes a lot of sense. For the AT, I found a wood stove to be more of a pain to deal with then it was worth.
As a wood burning fan, I want to add a few thoughts . . .
In Eastern woodlands (AT country) there are almost always plenty of twigs to be had, so not carrying fuel weight is the major benefit.
If/when you are above treeline, in a fire ban area, or just don't feel like making a fire, it's nice to have a backup fuel. For me, this is Esbit. On the AT, I would mail myself a few Esbit tabs in resupply boxes.
Unless you really like to practice your foul weather fire skills (and have the skills) some type of fire starters are useful, and can also be lightweight and included in resupply if you like. Cotton balls with some vaseline, Chapstick, wax, or oil work well. A knife to make dry shavings from wood that is wet on the outside is useful. A tarp shelter is useful for rainy weather cooking, no matter the type of stove, but especially for wood burners that will make smoke.
Yes, soot will form on the bottom and lower part of your pot. Using a cozy will keep this off you and stuff in your pack, as will some kind of stuff sack or bag. If you have a titanium (but not aluminum) pot, you can burn this soot off your empty pot periodically if you like.
It does take longer (due to the fuel prep, not the cook time). Agree this is more of an issue in the morning than in the evening. I tend to collect twigs in the evening for both dinner and breakfast; that way in the morning all I need to do is light the fire while I'm packing up.
Bottom line: before you decide whether a wood stove will work for you on a thru hike, I'd strongly suggest you get one you think you will like and try it on some weekend trips to get comfortable with it and see how it works for you.
ChinMusic
01-09-2013, 16:51
IMO the only benefit of the wood-burning stove on the AT is whether you like doing it. It is more trouble than good IMO.
The Solemates
01-09-2013, 18:32
IMO the only benefit of the wood-burning stove on the AT is whether you like doing it. It is more trouble than good IMO.
agreed. cooking over a fire is for car campin and backyard trips.
Drybones
01-09-2013, 18:49
I'm now building a wood stove in the basement, got most of the pieces cut. I'll probably use it just for the heck of it from time to time but I'll take an alcohol stove if i'm out for any period of time. Like one of the other guys said, it only makes sense if it's "your thing", some boys just never outgrow the desire to play in fire.
ChinMusic
01-09-2013, 19:26
Like one of the other guys said, it only makes sense if it's "your thing", some boys just never outgrow the desire to play in fire.
Some like playing with fire. I like playing with electronics. Neither is necessary.
I can think of one thing I play with regularly that IS necessary.
Wise Old Owl
01-09-2013, 19:42
IMO the only benefit of the wood-burning stove on the AT is whether you like doing it. It is more trouble than good IMO.
agreed. cooking over a fire is for car campin and backyard trips.
Wow - I prefer having the skill to use it to the best of my ability... I have not "cottoned on" to the small size. But I recognize the skill of kicking the high grass and can find all the fuel in a very small area and collect pine nodules and other starters along the trail.... Chin - I bet given the opportunity, You would love switching to wood. No Cotton balls required!
Rocket Jones
01-09-2013, 19:51
I can think of one thing I play with regularly that IS necessary.
Shouldn't this be in the "Is two poles really better than one (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?63464-Is-two-poles-really-better-then-one)?" thread?
ChinMusic
01-09-2013, 19:59
Chin - I bet given the opportunity, You would love switching to wood. No Cotton balls required!
I will gladly enjoy a good fire......when someone else starts it.
Oneofsix
01-09-2013, 20:04
we met a guy in PA this summer that only cooked over a fire with his titanium cup. he had something resembling a small can, collected sticks and lit it . . now it was 100 degree and it was drought conditions but he said he's been doing it most of the trail and it worked for him. no one seemed to give him any **** for it.
Shouldn't this be in the "Is two poles really better than one (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?63464-Is-two-poles-really-better-then-one)?" thread?Possibly. And for the record I am in the one pole camp.
SassyWindsor
01-09-2013, 20:57
I've been using a titanium zip for years, wouldn't have any other stove. I basically had to buy one to travel on commercial airlines, they would not let me board with a used gas or alcohol stove, much less the fuel to burn in them. After using one on a long hike, I've never went back. If you want all the pros, just search WB. The weight is close to an alcohol stove with it's fuel, but I'm talking about a modified titanium zip. I can even take showers using a mylar bag and shower rig.
I've been using a titanium zip for years, wouldn't have any other stove. I basically had to buy one to travel on commercial airlines, they would not let me board with a used gas or alcohol stove, much less the fuel to burn in them. After using one on a long hike, I've never went back. If you want all the pros, just search WB. The weight is close to an alcohol stove with it's fuel, but I'm talking about a modified titanium zip. I can even take showers using a mylar bag and shower rig.
Fire is wonderful. Free fuel. Something to do besides just hike. Hot water showers and laundry, free, without having to go to town. Cook real food first day or two out after resupply. I have backpacked many miles with canisters, alcohol, esbit, white gas. Now that I have the skill I prefer wood fire in almost every circumstance where wood is available and legal to burn. Choice of stove is up to the individual. I carry a larger pot than most because I like hot water in volume daily. I will occaisionally stumble into camp after a rare 30 miler and wish I had something quicker and easier, but it is rare for me. A fifteen or twenty mile day usually leaves me with enough energy to enjoy camp for several hours before bed. Fire helps make that time much more enjoyable. And not hiking to exhaustion makes being out there a lot more fun.
I'm seriously considering making my own wood burning stove for my thru-hike, but is it really worth it? Am I going to become seriously annoyed at gathering wood and keeping a fire lit every time I cook? I plan to cook once or twice a day.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
If you are really really serious about it make your stove, do some reasearch on how to verticle stack and top light your sove. Practice for a couple of months before you plan to start your hike.
Am I going to become seriously annoyed at gathering wood and keeping a fire lit every time I cook
Something in that statement makes me think you're not ready for wood.:-?
theinfamousj
01-10-2013, 00:57
I'm seriously considering making my own wood burning stove for my thru-hike, but is it really worth it? Am I going to become seriously annoyed at gathering wood and keeping a fire lit every time I cook? I plan to cook once or twice a day.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
At this point I mostly cook over wood. Have been doing so for two or three years now. The upshot is that I have awesome fire starting skills and can start a one match fire in fire rings!
Sent from my YP-GS1 using Tapatalk 2
The Solemates
01-10-2013, 10:46
Wow - I prefer having the skill to use it to the best of my ability... I have not "cottoned on" to the small size. But I recognize the skill of kicking the high grass and can find all the fuel in a very small area and collect pine nodules and other starters along the trail.... Chin - I bet given the opportunity, You would love switching to wood. No Cotton balls required!
i have the skills, and use them often, but after long days on the trail finding (wet) firewood and starting a fire to cook is the last thing I want to do.
i heat my house with wood. i have no desire to cook over one while on a camping trip unless that is exactly the type of trip I am on.....camping (rather than hiking).
In my limited experience, I've found that the ability to identify and find the right wood is a big factor in determining whether or not you'll like a wood stove. With the right stuff, a wood stove can be a joy. With the wrong stuff, it's an effort in frustration. Just because the wood is off the ground doesn't mean it's dry.
Sincerely,
Frustrated
I'm now building a wood stove in the basement, got most of the pieces cut. I'll probably use it just for the heck of it from time to time but I'll take an alcohol stove if i'm out for any period of time. Like one of the other guys said, it only makes sense if it's "your thing", some boys just never outgrow the desire to play in fire.
I do like playing with fire. So maybe that's my answer. Although it could also mean that I'd just be dangerous out in the woods.
If you are really really serious about it make your stove, do some reasearch on how to verticle stack and top light your sove. Practice for a couple of months before you plan to start your hike.
Something in that statement makes me think you're not ready for wood.file:///C:/Users/Stevo/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif
Touche.
I appreciate all the posts. I still have no idea what I’m going to do. There are very convincing arguments for both sides! I guess I’m just going to have the heed the suggestion to just get out there and see what works for me!
I'm an old dog learning new tricks (sort of) - - way back when - - before thru-hiking - - maybe in high school, I remember cooking on a campfire and have done it as a novelty on and off since but never as my main means of cooking but have certainly cooked things like potatoes and "foil dinners" on a fire. So, I just received wood burning stove (a Bushcooker) in the mail and (after making a couple of home-made versions) and excited about learning a bit. I didn't get it in time for this last weeks trip but I plan to be out over the next month or so and give it a try. I also have an alky stove "back-up" just in case - - this seems like a really fun challenge for me. I'll let everyone know what I think after a few days. One thing that does occur to me as problematic is morning coffee - - typically, I have my stove armed and ready to go for a water boil - - I'll do the same with the Bushcooker but will have to have a little wood stash waiting - - if this becomes a big problem, I might relegate it to the odds and ends gear box - - - we'll see ....
Tree Nerd
01-15-2013, 19:51
I currently have two gas stoves for butane/propane mixes. I also have three homemade alcohol burning stoves and a vargo SS hexagon wood burning stove. I just received both of my gas stoves for christmas this year and have yet to use them but after testing them out I know I will enjoy them for short backpacking trips but because the fuel is hard to come by on the AT I am going to leave them at home.
I am a fire fanatic and have been using my vargo for two years now and love it but does become a pain in wet conditions. I recently made the alcohol stoves and combined with the vargo as a heat funnel and wind berak I have a killer set up for when its wet or dry. I carry grain alcohol in an old contact solution bottle (properly labeled). So if i can come by dry wood or someone has a fire i use the vargo but if its wet I use both and still have a real light setup.
In my limited experience, I've found that the ability to identify and find the right wood is a big factor in determining whether or not you'll like a wood stove. With the right stuff, a wood stove can be a joy. With the wrong stuff, it's an effort in frustration. Just because the wood is off the ground doesn't mean it's dry.
Sincerely,
FrustratedAbsolutely right. Especially hard to tell the difference when it is well below freezing, because the snap test might mean wet and frozen rather than dry and snappy. Best to get to know what wood works in your area, and in winter it is worth having something that allows you to work with thicker branches, if only for emergency survival.
I did a little over 500 miles this past spring on the AT and used an Emberlit woodstove all the way. I did carry a very lightweight alky stove as a backup but only used it a couple of times. When resupplying I would check the weather forecast and if rain was predicted I'd carry a couple of ounces of alcohol. Otherwise I wouldn't carry any. I also carried Coughlins firesticks as a firestarter. I broke them up into smaller pieces weighing .1oz....that's 10 sure start fires for 1oz.
I've since moved on to QiWiz's Firefly woodstove and like it much better. The basic stove weighs less than three ounces and has accessories which make it real easy to burn either solid fuel tabs or alcohol in addition to wood. It's an amazingly efficient little stove in all modes. I would highly recommend trying one out for a while before taking it on the AT in strictly wood mode. I really enjoyed burning wood and rarely considered it a hassle. With a stove such as the Firefly you really have little risk as you have three fuel choices. As an added bonus the woodstoves make for great mini campfires when camping alone.
Frankly I also wouldn't recommend making one. There are several quality stove currently being made that fold flat and pretty much have the bugs worked out.
Good luck, Cat in the Hat
pcasebere
01-15-2013, 23:58
Here's what I think.. before you go out and drop a pretty penny on a shinny new wood stove, start a few fires and get to cooking.. hobo style meals. Okay, bring a bit more class to the fire by diggin' a modified cat-hole (http://www.travelinlight.net/MVI_3133.MOV).. just be sure to use green sticks, or tent stakes, as your pot support. But you say you want a "stove," eh? Get a can o' soup and make a few holes (http://www.jureystudio.com/pennystove/pennywood.html).. Want to be a bit more sophisticated? Try usein' a paint can (http://andrewskurka.com/2012/myog-hybrid-alcohol-twig-wood-stove/) coupled with an alcohol burner. Are you catchin' the drift? Start on the cheap.. and go from there.. eventually you'll decide the value.
mtnkngxt
01-16-2013, 09:21
Really in the eye of the beholder on this subject. My Qiwiz stove I love, but for long section hikes I'm thinking I'll stick with my starlyte alcohol stove. Weekend out and backs though will definitely call for the wood burner though.
I bought a wood burning Zip Stove 21 years ago which I used to walk between Springer and Katahdin in 1993. I've been using a zip ever since. Fuel has never been a problem, I just pick up occasional scraps of wood and birch bark as I walk along during the day. Two or three handfuls, plus burnt ends left in fire places, are enough for supper and breakfast. I never carry a starter, except scraps of birch bark that are plentiful once you leave Georgia.
The benefit? No fuel worries. More flexible meal preparation. And friendly flames for evening comfort (and of course smoke to discourage bugs.)
A thin plastic bag that every store insists on giving you, solves the soot "problem". Though a blackened pot bottom aids the transfer of heat from the fire to your food, cutting food preparation time.
I've also used homemade wood stoves, fashioned from convenient-sized tin cans. I find the guaranteed draft from a triple 'A' battery a worth while convenience, however. One battery lasts many days.
topshelf
01-16-2013, 11:45
I use a wood burning stove whenever I backpack and love it. But I only boil water for rice, packaged meals, and macaroni and cheese. I do not cook for breakfast or lunch. If you learn to burn the right types of wood, there really isnt a big problem with soot. i generally start with a pine type softwood to get the fire started, it usually catches quick when paired with birch bark or Qtips with one end dipped in Vaseline. I carry about 10 Qtips in a small bottle that fits inside my stove. I look for dead limbs on the bottom of trees or hanging in the tree itself. After the fire gets going I like to use hardwoods, learn to recognize oak and maple trees as well as other hardwoods and pick up dry branches underneath those trees. Stay away from walnut, and dont use pine for the entire burn time. I also carry a small bag of starter wood in case things are wet, I stop any time I find super dry wood and pick it up to resupply when I get low. If it is raining too much I always carry extra GORP and jerky and will use it for dinner.
Getting a wood burning stove to run properly and efficiently is a learned art. Buying a stove like a bushcooker or bushbuddy will help make things a lot easier. I had to do a lot of math to get my DIY stove to finally work efficiently. It still only burns efficiently when I feed it correctly.
Really it comes down to how you choose to hike, I choose to move a bit slower and enjoy the scenery. I'm usually done hiking by 4-5 in the afternoon so I can relax and enjoy a nice campsite for a while before I turn in for the night. This gives me all the extra time to gather any wood, and cook over a wood burning stove. Do what you enjoy, I dont enjoy alcohol stoves, and I hate canister stoves. Something nice about the sound of a fire compared to the roar of a canister stove.
Hosaphone
01-16-2013, 15:42
I love the idea of the zip stove. The fan must make it absurdly easy to use when it's wet out. But it's so dang heavy... I've seen some people who have rigged up tiny computer fans with a battery to their wood stoves. I think it might work really well underneath a FireFly stove thanks to the mesh bottom - put the fan on the ground, bottom light the stove and put it over the fan, remove fan and shut off the battery once you get the fire going. Need to experiment...
You end up losing some of the weight savings, but if it makes you less dependent on backup alcohol/esbit it could be worth it. I think convenience is the biggest thing - as much as I love fire and bushcraft, after a long day of hiking in the rain I might not be in the mood to fuss with a fire. For short trips I love it, but the novelty may wear off for me during a thru.
I think having experienced cooking with wood, I'm always going to use it to some extent whenever possible. The question is just how much backup fuel I will bring, and whether I use a "wood stove that can do alcohol" or an "alcohol stove that can do wood".
Hosaphone
01-16-2013, 15:54
If it is raining too much I always carry extra GORP and jerky and will use it for dinner.
Carrying a couple meals that could be eaten warm or cold seems like a good plan if you rely 100% on wood.
I wonder if on a thru hike when traveling with a group you could trade unlimited hot water on nice days, for stove time on wet days? When you've got the stove going you can easily boil water for people at camp so they can save their stove fuel, drink hot chocolate without feeling guilty about spending the fuel, or take hot "showers". In return, they let you occasionally use their stove on days when the wood stove would be impractical.
Don't know if maybe this would make you just look like a mooch, but it seems like it could be a cool symbiotic relationship.
When you've got the stove going you can easily boil water for people at camp so they can save their stove fuel, drink hot chocolate without feeling guilty about spending the fuel, or take hot "showers"..
Do you think your small firefly wood stove would be practical for such a task? I'm mean sitting there feeding twigs for a group to take showers?
Tree Nerd
01-18-2013, 14:48
Do you think your small firefly wood stove would be practical for such a task? I'm mean sitting there feeding twigs for a group to take showers?
Personally, I wouldn't sit there and do it for everyone, but I would offer it to other people if they needed it.
Tree Nerd
01-18-2013, 14:48
offer to let them use the stove....
Hosaphone
01-18-2013, 15:07
Do you think your small firefly wood stove would be practical for such a task? I'm mean sitting there feeding twigs for a group to take showers?
It wouldn't be the best choice, but you could use the feeding hole on the side and it wouldn't be too annoying. If you're just hanging around having a mini campfire anyways why not?
For the newbie woodstove cooker, I suggest going for a hike without fuel in miserably wet weather for at least two nights to see if you can get a fire going in your stove. Carry only food that needs to be cooked and go to an area that you are not familiar with. If you like cooking with a wood stove after this, and can imagine doing it night after night (and a few daytime meals, too) for several months, by all means carry a wood stove with you for a thruhike.
I have a wood stove and I use it occasionally on short hikes, but rely on alcohol and Esbit exclusively to cook on when on longer hikes.
Note: I will never, ever pass up an opportunity to save fuel if someone has a fire started already and is willing to share :D.
Also note kindling in shelter for morning's fire (winter camping in a cold rainstorm with others).
There might be a joke here about "morning wood", but I'll pretend I didn't think about it.:o
Tree Nerd
01-18-2013, 21:44
Morning wood during winter camping in a cold rainstorm with others?.....strange, but if you create enough friction a fire may start.
Wise Old Owl
01-19-2013, 12:00
Do you think your small firefly wood stove would be practical for such a task? I'm mean sitting there feeding twigs for a group to take showers?
"If" I needed to do that - its 1 cup very hot water to a bladder with cold - raises the temp to 110 throw a string over a branch and take a shower.
Son Driven
01-24-2013, 17:08
Google "super cat stove". Super easy to make.
Google "super cat stove". Super easy to make.
A wood fire in a Supercat lasts about 3 minutes. I've done it. ;) Good for drying socks.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/2/5/0/2/dscn0694_651847_thumb.jpg[/URL ([URL]http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=54190)]
The OP wants to know about wood burning stoves :)
Son Driven
01-24-2013, 18:37
I made a super cat Vienna, 1" taller then the cat food can version holds 3x the fuel. Made a second simmer version. So if I need additional cook time. I transfer what I am cooking to the second stove.
Do you think your small firefly wood stove would be practical for such a task? I'm mean sitting there feeding twigs for a group to take showers?
You could certainly warm up enough water if you wanted to. I should mention that the FireFly XL is coming soon for those of you who just have to have a bigger unit. :D
You could certainly warm up enough water if you wanted to. I should mention that the FireFly XL is coming soon for those of you who just have to have a bigger unit. :D
I'm coming out with a nice one piece titanium combination wood burning, alcohol and esbit comination stove. Should be done with a dozen early next week. It will curl nicely around a Foster flat bottom pot for storage. A nice tyvek stuff sack to carry them in. whooobuddy!!! Will it be light weight???? oh yes;) for sure. Notice I used the magic word titaaaaaanium:D
Wise Old Owl
01-26-2013, 22:40
Firefly arrived today-took it outside and a Heiny can with one cup loaded the stove with scavanged 1/2 inch wood, stripped the bark and collection took five minutes, burn took 15 to get to 185 degrees not bad for a "first try" got some ideas but will try a few more burns first... FYI I needed two knives. one leatherman squirt for handling the pot while hot and a reasonable blade that's pictured in my gallery for removing the bark to get started.
Yea that was in wind and 20 degrees!
gunner76
01-26-2013, 23:23
Notice I used the magic word titaaaaaanium:D
Thats not nice, using the T word like that....makes it hard to resisit.
Now I can just find a full size Ti backbacking chair to carry with me.
I like my solo stove a lot. I used it all weekend winter camping. The cotton balls do wonders with vicks vapor rub plus you always have the vicks if needed. there were times it burned so dang fast that i didn't notice it was out of wood and i had to re-stoke it. I am curious about the vasaline on the cotton swabs. I wouldn't use this for thru hiking or if i needed to cover major ground but then i like to take time and take things in, getting somewhere is less of a goal and secondary to drinking in the beauty and the feeling i get in the outdoors.
This was my second outing with it in a real camp scenario and i will say this if fiddling wit ha fire seems like a hassle or you aren't the guy who is usually tending to the fire it may not be for you. I agree the sound of a little wood stove and the flame are just so much nicer than jetted stoves to me. It is possible the Backcountry Boiler is better than most. I appreciate the simplicity, the science, and the multiple uses or burn styles it offers so it may have been my choice had i not bought the solostove first but after using it the solostove is fun to watch and wouldnt be as enjoyable with the Backcountry Boiler.
Tip: Put a carbon felt piece around the top of the solostove instead of a whole windscreen, works wonders and keeps the heat and flame under your pot. Dimensions are 2" by 12". Perfect wrap around
Fal and Hercules
01-27-2013, 19:05
I tried a wood stove and got tired of it, snow, rain, soot
saltysack
01-27-2013, 21:40
Try this one...
http://andrewskurka.com/2012/myog-hybrid-alcohol-twig-wood-stove/
Go to the thrift store and buy a stainless steel veggie steamer and turn it into a stove like i did.
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staehpj1
01-28-2013, 12:50
I basically had to buy one to travel on commercial airlines, they would not let me board with a used gas or alcohol stove, much less the fuel to burn in them.
I have flown quite a bit with alcohol stoves and never had a problem. The fuel is another matter though.
Hosaphone
01-28-2013, 13:10
Go to the thrift store and buy a stainless steel veggie steamer and turn it into a stove like i did.
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)
Very clever :D
Go to the thrift store and buy a stainless steel veggie steamer and turn it into a stove like i did.
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)
Is it really stainless or just plated steel? :-?
Is it really stainless or just plated steel? :-?
Most are stainless steel. The ones you get in the dollar stores are plated steel.
I'm making some combination titanium stove/windscreens for a group of stove guys over at bplite.com. You can see the color is different from stainless steel. It's been a unique experience working with Ti. I like it.:)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/th_titaniumwindscreenfinished_zps82bb9dd9.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/?action=view¤t=titaniumwindscreenfinished_zps82bb9dd9.jpg )
I'm coming out with a nice one piece titanium combination wood burning, alcohol and esbit comination stove. Should be done with a dozen early next week. It will curl nicely around a Foster flat bottom pot for storage. A nice tyvek stuff sack to carry them in. whooobuddy!!! Will it be light weight???? oh yes;) for sure. Notice I used the magic word titaaaaaanium:D
Got a price yet?
Got a price yet?
It's going to be around $84.95 I keep changing things. add a little here and there. It's going to be in kit form, not just the windscreen. The windscreen lends itself nicely to be used with the three fuels, alcohol, wood and esbit. The Esbitmizer can simmer.
Today I made some changes. I now have a 1 piece grate for the wood burning mode and added a storage container to the base of the pot.
How do you like the changes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3RAPlTmReQ
mark jer
02-04-2013, 00:37
What if the wood is wet
Hosaphone
02-04-2013, 02:02
What if the wood is wet
Alcohol, esbit, vaseline cotton balls, a knife and some know-how, dry stuff from a ziplock if you planned ahead. Or a dry ramen sandwich...
What if the wood is wet
JAK
Dead Spruce sticks vs Dead Pine sticks. Good question. I'm not sure the answer. I think both trees are self-pruning in the sense that they let the lower branches die when they are not getting enough light, but for some reason the spruce sticks, call them branchlets, snap right off and are a nice combination of dry and sappy, whereas the pine seem to be too bendy and seem to retain a higher moisture content when dead. Maybe the pine strategy is for them to rot away once they are choked off from the tree, whereas the spruce strategy is to let them dry up so they will more easily get snapped off by passing deer or moose or bears, or hikers. Maybe it has to do with wet areas of the forest vs dry areas. I know in some areas that don't get much light and are by a stream everything is very wet and has moss and old mans beard growing on it even while it is still living. Very hard to get good kindling in those areas without a large fixed blade knife or hatchet or saw. Even spruce sticks don't work because they get covered in wet moss so they may as well be on the ground in such environments. Most places like that aren't great camp spots anyway, but there is one on the Fundy Footpath that is very nice, at Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum Falls, because it has a very nice swimming hole. There is a firepit, but not much use without a hatchet or saw even with deadfall. Anyhow, just theories. I think every ecosystem has its own patterns, and what holds in one place doesn't neccessarily hold in the next. Some trees are better than others, but it may have as much to do with where the tree likes to grow as what species the tree happens to be. Of course the two are related. Our Eastern White Cedar is an interesting one because it is the very best kindling once dry, but likes to grow in wet conditions. It can still work but you have to find it recently fallen, and get the stuff off the ground. If it snaps, it should be good, but it has to be thicker than spruce to still be snappy, and if too thick it can be too hard to snap. Other times you can get sheets of it near where it has broken at it delaminates very easily and the thin veneers tend to be dry and rot resistant and make even better kindling than spruce, but this is rare. Spruce is more reliable, and you can see the dead branchlets all around. I am sure different rules apply further south and further North and at different altitudes and sides of mountains but this is what works well along the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine in what we call Acadian Forest.
02-03-2013, 14:29
JAK
Another interesting thing about conifers is the way the ground underneath them tends to be dry, and often snow free in winter.
02-03-2013, 14:45
jeffmeh
When learning (and later teaching) wet weather fire skills in the New Hampshire forest, we referred to those spruce branches as "squaw wood." It was indeed a key ingredient to improve one's success in building the wet weather fire. And for those unfamiliar with the bark from white birch, it is amazing fire starter material, once peeled off into thin strips.
We used birch bark strips, a "bunch" of squaw wood for tiny kindling, then the larger diameter pieces of spruce, then larger diameter in white pine, with enough fuel to build up sufficient coals to dry out the surface moisture and ignite larger pieces of hard wood.
Incidentally, I never really thought about it, but later learned that the label "squaw wood" was likely derived because the women could gather it without cutting tools required.
Bushbuddy or Emberlite Ti is my choice. If the weather looks bad, afternoon thunderstorms etc, simply fill 1-2 gallon zip locks with small twigs. This doesn't add too much weight and can last for a few days if you get some real rain. Backup is a few esbit tabs, and a good stash of firestarters.
not_possible
02-10-2013, 03:16
I didn't read through this whole thread, and it may just be my opinion...but I'm taking an alcohol stove with intentions of using a campfire when possible. Why take a wood burning stove when I can sit my pot in coals? I'll use alcohol when I can't have a fire and a have a sealed 4 pack of Pyropac gel just in case...it's not that much weight for my setup with 3 options to boil water, and 2 that don't depend on dealing with wet wood.
rocketsocks
02-10-2013, 06:49
Not for nothing but the North East has so much tinder on the ground from last years ice storms (fall of 11') and the the summer hurricane Sandy, I can't imagine wood couldn't be collected along the trail for a small cook fire. It's more likely summer fire bands will keep all that tinder at bay just waiting for the next lightening strike or foolish fire bug..follow all Regs, back woods fire can get out of control real quick, and long after the fire tinders/and embers are long gone.
I didn't read through this whole thread, and it may just be my opinion...but I'm taking an alcohol stove with intentions of using a campfire when possible. Why take a wood burning stove when I can sit my pot in coals? I'll use alcohol when I can't have a fire and a have a sealed 4 pack of Pyropac gel just in case...it's not that much weight for my setup with 3 options to boil water, and 2 that don't depend on dealing with wet wood.
A few reactions . . .
A campfire can obviously work to heat your pot, assuming that there is an existing campfire ring where you want to cook/camp OR you don't mind creating a new one despite the impacts that may have.
Some shelters have fireplaces (like those in the GSMNP), but most don't. Most that don't have a campfire area outside. If you are not always going to camp/cook at a shelter, there may be more of an issue finding an existing fire ring.
If it is raining, it's pretty easy to use a small wood stove from under the shelter of your tarp or tent, but you won't want to set up your shelter next to a campfire ring or have a less controlled fire right next to your shelter.
To cook with an alcohol stove requires a windscreen, separate or integrated pot support, and an alcohol burner. Adding this option to a wood burning stove is usually easy, and may be lighter than an alcohol-only kit. What you save in alcohol fuel will more than compensate for the weight of a wood burner, as long as it is a light one.
not_possible
02-12-2013, 04:21
I just brought it up because I had pondered it to avoid carrying fuel, but for me the benefits didn't offset just carrying a few oz of alcohol and a light side burner can stove with aluminum windscreen and the slight added weight of 4 pyropacs just in case...I'm not big on esbit at all so that was out of the question. May have just been a bad experience with old tabs, but trying to get some going out of wind took 3 matches to get burning. My plan is just carry the sealed pyropacs, a few oz of heet and use an established fire ring where possible. The alcohol stove/pyropacs are mainly double redundant back ups when I can't have fire...after watching a VLog of a guy that took a canister and stove and said he mostly boiled over coals last year, figured my plan would work fine and avoid the canisters. Plus I have quite a few 4 packs of the pyropac gel saved up I can have mailed to me if I go through them and alcohol should be easy enough to come by.
"People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like." :) (often attributed to Abraham Lincoln)
I just brought it up because I had pondered it to avoid carrying fuel, but for me the benefits didn't offset just carrying a few oz of alcohol and a light side burner can stove with aluminum windscreen and the slight added weight of 4 pyropacs just in case...I'm not big on esbit at all so that was out of the question. May have just been a bad experience with old tabs, but trying to get some going out of wind took 3 matches to get burning. My plan is just carry the sealed pyropacs, a few oz of heet and use an established fire ring where possible. The alcohol stove/pyropacs are mainly double redundant back ups when I can't have fire...after watching a VLog of a guy that took a canister and stove and said he mostly boiled over coals last year, figured my plan would work fine and avoid the canisters. Plus I have quite a few 4 packs of the pyropac gel saved up I can have mailed to me if I go through them and alcohol should be easy enough to come by.
Sounds like you have a sound plan.
I agree with your Esbit experience (hard to light when windy) and have found that some tricks help in this situation. If you have alcohol, put a little on the Esbit cube and light. If you have cotton balls (or jute, etc) with vaseline, oil, or wax in/on them as fire starters, a very small piece under or to the side of the Esbit cube lights easily and then gets the Esbit lit.
Are Wood Burning Stoves Worth the Savings in Weight and Money???
Yes...yes...yes on all accounts.
Watch how easy it is to use this stove:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcCDL4izzUg
Beautiful top down burn Zelph. Brought tears to me eyes. :D
How long was the total burn, and what was the weight of fuel?
How dry? 20% moisture give or take?
Son Driven
02-16-2013, 21:55
Tested my Vienna stove blustery 12 degree day. 4 ounces of yellow heet burned for 33 minutes. Used aluminum foil for wind screen. Got 4 cups of water to boil in 11 minutes. Stirred in half cup bacon bits, 6 oz. of wild rice soup mix, and half cup of pine nuts. Mmmm good! I figure my back yard Minnesota conditions exceeded what I will experience on the trail. I have more confidence then ever that my home made Vienna sausage stove will suffice.
Country Roads
02-26-2013, 16:13
If you need to cook for several people, they work great. I saw a couple with 4 kids, all teenagers (and you know how they can eat) using a woodburning stove. They had to cook a lot of food and this was the lightest option for them. Their evening routine was for the 2 adults and the two older kids to set up the tarps and the 2 younger ones to gather small sticks for the stove. They set up 2, 11 x 12 tarps for sleeping and an 8 x 10 for cooking and eating under. They would have had to carry a lot of fuel for the amount of cooking they had to do. Oh, the stove was a Sierra Zip stove.
Beautiful top down burn Zelph. Brought tears to me eyes. :D
How long was the total burn, and what was the weight of fuel?
How dry? 20% moisture give or take?
Tears to your eyes:D Tis nice to have stoves that don't do a lot of smoke.
The weight of twigs was, guessing, around 6 ounces. 20% moisture maybe less. it was some stuff I had sitting my green house environment for a few months. Most of the time I use split twigs to insure a good burn. Always do my stacking verticle and lighting from the top. I have 100% ignition success, never goes out and have to restart.:)
Hairbear
02-27-2013, 09:38
Tears to your eyes:D Tis nice to have stoves that don't do a lot of smoke.
The weight of twigs was, guessing, around 6 ounces. 20% moisture maybe less. it was some stuff I had sitting my green house environment for a few months. Most of the time I use split twigs to insure a good burn. Always do my stacking verticle and lighting from the top. I have 100% ignition success, never goes out and have to restart.:)
Very nice job,reminded me of a swedish torch wrapped in titanium.
SassyWindsor
02-28-2013, 01:04
Are Wood Burning Stoves Worth the Savings in Weight and Money???
Absolutely, you'll have a learning curve but after that you'll not turn away from the Dark Side (as in smoked up pots) again.
Very nice job,reminded me of a swedish torch wrapped in titanium.
Thanks, wood is my goto fuel.:)
I put together a beginners kit with fuel options/apps
(http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/titan-3-titanium-cook-kit.php)
As others have said before me, try it to see if it is right for you.
I love burning wood. Make a fire in the house stove every night. I was in love with the idea of a titanium Zip stove. Was fortunate enough to have a friend who loaned me his, and offered to sell it cheaply...if I still wanted it afterwards. Long story short--I found it annoying. And messy. Nothing I want to deal with when I'm out walking. I did not buy the stove, even at a great price.
There are a couple of hiking memoirs by Zip stove users. The Barefoot Sisters did, and...his name escapes me, but he was an important person to the ATC and hiked the AT twice, 25 years apart. The book he wrote about his second hike mentions a number of times his relief when people gave him trail magic and he could eat without dissing with his stove. Some of that trail magic was simply other people heating water for him. In other words, he found using the stove to be a real PITA.
You'll never know unless you try.
Game Warden
08-09-2013, 19:10
I built and used a "hobo stove." It is cheap, lightweight and works almost anywhere. The drawbacks are bulk, soot, and labor intensive. I used it the Pine Barrens of south Jersey. Pine does make more soot than other woods, but it also burns hotter, so it is a trade-off.
Tri-Pod Bob
08-10-2013, 09:05
http://www.amazon.com/Solo-Stove-Backup-Alcohol-Burner/dp/B0088FVZZI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=K4LLD4ZD5AIP&coliid=I1AE96WO09CCX3 I've been using this Solo stove for quite a while & love it! I've only had to use the alcohol back-up on a cpl of occasions due to a later than usual end of day site set up. My 'go to' starters are birch bark, small pitchy pinecone or Vaseline smeared cotton balls. Initial fuel is a softwood like pine or such, then hardwood for the main burn. If a hardwood is scarce, then all softwoods are used. Just have to keep on it a bit more so that the combustion is maintained due to the quick burn time of softwood.