28g (0.99oz)stove and Billy (Pot)

[Tony Beasley]

This is my 28gram (0.99 oz) alcohol stove and billy (pot).

The billy is a small aluminium can that I picked up at a Deli store that had Cod fish and vegetable mixture in it, the handle is made from 1.6mm (1/16”) aluminium welding rod and swings down the side of the pot to be out of the way when packed.
The total weight of the billy and handle is 20.8g (0.783oz) and the maximum volume is 380ml (12.85 US Fl oz) The can is smaller in volume than I would have liked, but so far it is the best can I have found so far and it was chosen over a large beer can for its larger diameter which gives much better fuel efficiency. The 380ml volume is suitable for a small meal or a cup of tea. If and when I can find a larger suitable can I will use it.

The lid is made from a platter plate that came from my local super market and was made by machining two pieces of wood to desired shape and to match and then pressing the aluminium sheet between the wood pieces. The aluminium sheet is 0.15mm (0.006”) thick

The weight of the lid with handle is 3.7g (0.13oz)

Total weight of billy with lid is 24.5g (0.86oz)

The stove has been tuned to fit the billy pot and is made from a solid bar of aluminium and the priming pan has been machined to be part of the stove. The stove weighs in at 3.5g (0.123oz) and holds a total volume including priming pan of 12.6 ml (0.43 US fl oz) of alcohol.

The stove is based on the Gram Wheenie from George Carr’s End2End Trail Supplies, it does not have the inner wall and is much shorter but has the same diameter and hole size and spacing.

Testing

Initial test: I filled the stove with 10g(3.5oz)/12.6ml (0.43 US fl oz) of alcohol which included the priming pan, lit the stove and it took 6m 17s to boil 350ml (11.83US fl oz) of water from 23ºC (73.4F) to boiling (98.4ºC/209.1ºF), the billy was removed and the stove was extinguished and then reweighed, 3 g (0.1oz)/3.8ml (0.13 US fl oz) of fuel was left.

A total of 7g (0.247oz) /8.8 ml (0,3US fl oz) of alcohol was used. The test was conducted in a controlled environment with an ambient temperature of 23ºC (73.4F).

I finished this stove yesterday and I have not tested it in the field yet. At the moment because of the small volume of the billy I think it is more suitable for a day stove. I am planning to make a suitable lightweight windscreen when I can find the suitable materials.

Tony

[george carr]

Tony, that's awesome! Great job making your own pot, too! The .006 aluminum you used for your lid would be my 1st choice for a windscreen.
George

[Tony Beasley]

Hi George,

Thanks for the advice on the windscreen, unfortunately 0.15mm (0.006”) Aluminium is not that easy to get here in Australia, the only material that I have is from the windscreen that I got from you which I do not want to cut up and from the platter plate which I cannot get a piece not big enough from but I will keep looking. I get very frustrated when I see what is easily available in the US.

Tony

[george carr]

Tony,
If you need some more .006 I now have it in 4"x24" as well as the 3"x20". It should ship pretty cheap in a bubble mailer. I'll sent it unfinished so you can do whatever.Let me know.
George

[Tony Beasley]

Thanks George,

I will take you up on your offer of I will e-mail you direct

Thanks

Tony

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Tony

> unfortunately 0.15mm (0.006”) Aluminium is not that easy to get here in Australia, the only material that I have is from the windscreen that I got from you which I do not want to cut up and from the platter plate which I cannot get a piece not big enough from but I will keep looking. I get very frustrated when I see what is easily available in the US.

Yeah, problem. But maybe this is cheap enough to justify the postage?
http://www.craft-supplies-online.com/productdetail.asp?item_nbr=461-3017

It's also sold as 'embossing foil' with pretty colours and an extra zero on the price.

Cheers

[Tony Beasley]

Hi Roger,

thanks for the information on the foil.

Tony

[Author]

Posts