Lunar Titan Woodsman stove

Sweet stove, Herman!

Nice work Herman

Nice work Herman, great stove.

>This is my latest and quite possibly final stove creation.

I think this all the time until the next design pops into my head.

Tony

Nicely done…is it possible to feed the fire without lifting the pot? Or is it sized to boil a full pot with one firebox fill?

Hi Steve,

I've been asked that question several times, but I'm not certain what the issue is. The way I look at it is: lots of wood stoves have doors. In my stove the door doubles as a pot (how's that for dual use!) You lift the pot, you throw in some wood, you lower the pot. No big deal. It would be possible to add a door for stoking, but it would add nothing except complexity.

To answer your specific question, the firebox in this incarnation of the design will keep on cooking for about 10 minutes after I stop feeding it. So yes, most camp meals don't require re-charging. In some previous experiments, the firebox diameter was about half what it is now. Those designs required stoking about every two minutes, but the issue wasn't having to lift the pot as much as it was having to pay constant attention to the stove. It was difficult to do the myriad little tasks most of us perform — eg. getting out the spork, sorting through the food bag etc. — while the water was heating up.

So if you have the space, a 4 inch diameter appears to be optimal for a backpacking stove's firebox. The weight penalty is nil.

H

Looks like the product of use, well reconsidered.

Isn't it great that you can get such valuable criticism/questions here? Love it.

In that vein, does this setup have any cons or planned improvements?

What is the plastic under the legs in the 3rd picture?

I've only ever used gas. Does fire attract more animals?

Paul,

Cons: Not as fast to set up and get going as gas or liquid fueled stoves. Ashes. Smoke (can also be a pro because it drives the bugs away).

Material under stove in all photos except last is a tablecloth of unknown composition. In last photograph, stove is sitting on a scrap of primed MDO plywood (observe no scorching).

Something I forgot to mention: Last time there were open fire restrictions in the Shenandoah National Park, the ranger I asked said I could use my stove (a steel prototype of the titanium stove) because it completely enclosed the fire.

As far as attracting animals goes, the only careful study I've made shows no increase in the numbers of elephants or gnu's in my camp sites when using wood. Not enough data for any conclusions about other fauna :)

H

I had a little revelation of how to better support the pot. I put an "X" of stainless steel under it. That allowed me to replace the stainless steel base ring of the chimney with titanium. That cut the weight from 4.0 to 3.7 oz.

Hi Herman

I'm a recent convert to the British Honey Stove from backpackinglight.co.uk. I can confirm also that fire seems to cause no increase in animal numbers visiting. In fact for some reason they prefer to avoid it. My dog positively hates it, so I guess if you go out regularly with a sensitive pooch a wood stove might not be the best thing.

Thanks to Geoff for confirming my theory that wood stoves don't increase the number or variety of large mammals in the campsite.

After several more runs, the top of the firebox began to take on an egg shape. The narrow end of the egg was at the seam. I guess this makes sense. The seam is closed with interlocking tabs, not welded, so the stresses there aren't the same as around the rest of the circumference. To solve this problem, I added a fine wire around the top of the firebox. I twisted the ends together tightening the loop until the top regained its round shape.

I just returned from a weekend trip in the mountains of West Virginia where I did the cooking for me and a buddy. The wire did it's job. The firebox retained it's cylindrical shape. My friend was astounded that such a light stove — the term he actually used was "flimsy"– could hold up to repeated hot fires. I must admit that it's a little disconcerting to see it glowing red in the darkness, but it cooked red beans and rice, baked muffins and boiled coffee water without difficulty.

H