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  • #1217186
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    There has been some comments on Ryan Jordan using a wood (hobo) stove on his winter SUL trip, this thread is open to any comments, suggestions for use, or plans for making wood stoves.

    this is a stove I made today, any suggestions?

    I havent tested it yet, I know you use a fluid fuel to light it, do you put this on top of the wood or under?

    I made it from a can of kettle corn.
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    I attempted a votecized stove, how did I do?
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    I made the inner shelf from the lid of the can
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    a very simple potstand
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    I connected the shelf with 4 screws
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    #1345484
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    I have never made a wood stove, so I dont know if this will work, will the raised floor I used work?( I dident have any hard wear mesh)

    how do you light it? put fluid on top or bottom of the wood, or esbit under floor?

    #1345485
    Jay Ham
    Member

    @jham

    Locale: Southwest

    Ryan,

    Nice photos. I never used liquid fuel to start my wood stoves. If you build your tinder right in the bottom, starting with very fine material or spare toilet paper, you can start one without fuel.

    As an aside, I once stumbled upon a stock of coal, left over from forgotten logging days. I started the fire with tinder and then added the coal. It was amazing how hot the coal became; turned the #10 can to a glowing red!

    My only comment on your design is the grate on the inside bottom. You might find performance suffers as coals clog the holes. The hot exhaust will be exiting out the top, drawing oxygen through the bottom holes. However, once the holes become clogged, fresh oxygen will be blocked or restricted. A wire mesh, or more holes might work better. I am interested in the outcome.

    That looks like an aluminum can. Nice find if it is.

    Jay
    MYOG

    #1345493
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Ryan, Your stove looks good. Put some alcohol in your wood stove and see what the flame pattern looks like. Not much alcohol and please do it outside.

    I have added more holes to mine and I think it burns better.

    #1345494
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    I just modified my stove so the floor is removeable. this way I can use the tinder idea. (before it was permanently conected to the can)

    #1345520
    Joshua Mitchell
    Member

    @jdmitch

    Locale: Kansas

    Ryan,
    Very nice first shot at a wood stove. I think you’ll find it will perform admirably.

    As far as the light from the top or bottom, it’s really a preference call. Though I will suggest you read the entries about wood-gas stoves at http://www.imrisk.com if you want to do the top-light batch-load process.

    I’d suggest starting playing with your stove by lighting from the bottom (this is the traditional hobo stove way). Pay with it, see if it works.

    Basically, the pros and cons of the two methods:
    Wood-Gas: Burns Cleaner, Harder to Light / build, batch operation (pack it with fuel and light it off)
    Hobo-Stove: Easier to light / build, burns sootier (most of the time), ‘normal’ operation (feed twigs as it burns)

    Making the raised floor removable is good. The idea behind the tinder, though, I’ve found the best way is to put the tinder under the floor and stil use the floor to hold the fuel (aka twigs) above the tinder while it burns.

    You probably will find that you need a little more ventilation through your floor. You may not, but I’m betting you will want a few more hole (btw, what you did with reusing a piece of metal / tin and punching a bunch of holes in it, I’ve done before. It works fine for both type of operation. I just think you’re going to need a few more holes)

    However, having said all that… Do you have a concrete porch or a driveway where you live? If so, get outside get a few handfuls of twigs and light that bad boy off! The best way to tweak these wood designs is to play with a few real fast.

    #1345523
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    thanks alot, I will test it as soon as possible.

    I will punch a few extra holes first of course.

    #1345527
    Joshua Mitchell
    Member

    @jdmitch

    Locale: Kansas

    Since you obviously have a digicam, pics are a must… ;)

    #1345532
    Ken Helwig
    BPL Member

    @kennyhel77

    Locale: Scotts Valley CA via San Jose, CA

    Again Ryan, how old are you? Geez louise your going to be the next ultralight genius and will be heading some lightweight backpacking company some day. Great stove. Keep it up!!!!!

    #1345534
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    > That looks like an aluminum can. Nice find if it is.

    Aluminium melts at 550 C, and that is well below ‘red heat’.
    Bet the can does a melt-down when it gets really going!

    Sorry, but this is going to be interesting!

    #1345536
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    I think it is actually a steel can so I think I will be fine. But the paint on the outside may burn off.

    Thanks Ken :-)

    #1345537
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    what is the best way,

    tinder is one option.

    starter fluid is another, but do you put it on top of the wood or under it?

    and what do you use, alcohol, lamp oil, or other?

    I am right now all out of HEET but have some lamp oil.

    #1345538
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Experiment with different ways to start a fire and in different weather conditions. This will give you a good base of knowledge to pull from when on a hike.

    Most of the question you ask can be better answered by trying yourself. Same reasons as above.

    #1345543
    Robert Miller
    Member

    @procab

    Consider using the new BPL titanium foil instead of a can. If you make the Ti cylinder slightly smaller than the diameter of the cook pot you may not need a pot support or windscreen.

    #1345563
    Robert Miller
    Member

    @procab

    repost – sorry

    #1345574
    Franco Darioli
    Spectator

    @franco

    Locale: Gauche, CU.

    Hi Ryan
    Thank you for your prolific input.Does your camera have a Macro setting ?
    If not try to take some of your pictures outside in open shade.
    Most of all keep having fun.
    Franco

    #1345581
    Joshua Mitchell
    Member

    @jdmitch

    Locale: Kansas

    ditto Bill’s comment about trying lots of ways to light it.

    Lighting a fire can be an essential outdoor skill, see which way works best with your stove and make sure you can run a backup with other options.

    #1345600
    Robert Miller
    Member

    @procab

    repost – sorry

    #1345608
    Mike Storesund
    Member

    @mikes-1

    The picture shows a “Trails End” popcorn can, the same as the Boy Scouts sell. If yours is steel it must be very old, as all of them in recent years have been heavy gauge aluminum.

    It is a great idea though.

    #1345612
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    it is a pop corn can sold by boy scouts.

    I guess it may be a heavier gauge aluminum, It just seemed to be steel because it is a little more sturdy then some other metal cans.

    my dad thought is was steel. But Mike has corrected us, thanks.

    #1346235
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    this is well over due, but, here is my wood stove in action.

    I used some rubbing alcohol to start it.( this is all I had)

    and the flame could be larger but I only filled the can 1/2 way with fuel(wood)

    It was pretty windy tonight
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    you can kind of see the vortex flam pattern. also note that th flame is coming from half way down the can
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    the inside after the fire
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    the paint burned off the sides of the can, but the can did not melt.

    #1346472
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    Zen Stoves shows many varieties of wood stoves, etc. The Nimblewill Nomad’s stove is a popular design. The best pattern is on the Zen Stove site. It has a 6th piece that is not shown in the pictures. Go to Thru-Hiker for the titanium.

    More discussion on this topic at another BPL thread.

    For fire starting techniques mosey over to Ranger Rick. Under the Site Menu click on Survival Necklace and scroll down that page to the fire starting techniques. Also under My Latest Tips, click on Fire Making. Lots of good stuff on his site. Since special forces packs start at 120 lb (not including tools of individual specializations), a lot of the gear backpacking civilians use are considered to be unnecessary luxury items. To lower pack weight, I like to pick up tips from outdoor professionals like Ranger Rick. His Digests are very good too.

    #1346664
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    I just tested another tinder option. I dident burn much wood, because all I was testing was the tinder.

    I cut about a foot and a half of waxed paper and folded it loosesly and stuffed it into the bottom of the stove.
    it worked great, no weight for a fuel container and it lit up the wood faster than the rubbing alcohol. this will probably be the tinder I use if I ever use this stove.(the stove is a little heavy for backpacking but scout camping is a good use for it)

    waxed paper.

    #1346666
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Ryan,
    Anything that burns slowly is good for tinder. Waxed paper, for sure. Also learn the natural tinders for the area you will be in: Pinion pine, lighter pine and birch bark are the traditional natural fire lighters because they can be submerged in water and still light (after removal from the water). Depends on where you are hiking.

    #1346721
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    I just tested the stove at its full force, (fully filled with wood)
    MY method for lighting was:
    1. fill bottom with crumpled up waxed paper. (1 – 2 feet crunched up)
    2. add a small amount of thin dry wood to stove
    3. light waxed paper
    4. add wood when previous wood burns down untill filled
    5. I did not do this but if I was actually cooking, I would keep adding wood as it burns down.

    I found out that I will need to make a different pot suport, because mine melted
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com

    now I am satisfied with the flame height compared to Bill Fornshells stove

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