Lightest collapsible wood burning stove on the planet – the FireFly Stove

[Robert Kelly]

June 2015 UPDATE:

Stove, trowel, and saw info: QiWiz.net

Before placing an order, please check the shipping page on my website (a link to this page is available on any page that you order from).

Try and find a more ultralight highly functional and pot-adaptable woodburner that easily assembles and comes apart into a neat, tidy flat package. Now laser-cut and tweaked to work with an even larger variety of pot and pans! Has a completely unique FlexPort option for feeding longer pieces of wood into the stove for longer burns, OR closing the Port for a quick chimney burn.

Titanium sides and stainless steel mesh shelf – weighs 2.7 ounces, 2.8 with a FlexPort! Standard with an 8 mil ziplock pouch. Optional reinforced tyvek pouch with velcro closure. Multifuel (Esbit and alcohol), grilling, and baking options.

See more information, links to videos, and how to purchase at: QiWiz.net
Videos include demos of assembly and disassembly as well as getting all fired up. Available FlexPort, MultiFuel, Grills, Bake Kits, Esbit-only burners, and other options also fully described.

The vast majority of pots that backpackers use will work well on the stove. I have tested the stove with light pots up to 6" in diameter holding up to 1000 ml (32 ounces) of liquid. In the event that you want to use a cooking mug or beer can pot that is too narrow for the built-in pot supports, you will need to get a pair of my optional pot supports. The "narrow-light" supports insert into the lower holes and notches to span the stove in parallel at the same height as the built-in supports. They will support a light pot with up to 600 ml (20 ounces) of liquid. They are also perfect to support one of Gary's titanium grills (available at QiWiz.net). If you want to use a really wide pot or light frying pan (more than 6 inches in diameter), you will find that my optional "wide-heavy" pot supports are helpful. Using the higher holes and notches, they make an "X" above the firebox and add another inch of room under your wide pot or pan, for additional air flow and easier fire feeding. They will support a light pot or pan with up to 1000 ml (32 ounces) of liquid.

You know you WANT one . . .

[P. Larson]

…the video's are private.

[Stephen Barber]

The vids are working fine now.

[Scott Ashdown]

What about the Pocket Ti Stove (wood burner, alcohol, esbit) at 1.975oz 56g. I'm thinking of getting one of these.

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product577.asp?PageID=1

I'm not connected with the company in any way other than as a customer.

[Eric Lundquist]

I was going to post the same link. Found it last night researching wood burning stoves. I think the FireFly could benefit from the same circular punches to get the weight down even more.

I wonder if a 2/3 scale version of the FireFly would be more attractive to Heinie/Fosters' can users.

[Franco Darioli]

The first of this type of collapsible stoves I came across was the Little Dandy Wood burning stove, commonly called the Nimblewill Nomad after its designer :
http://www.nimblewillnomad.com/stove.htm
that does have some slots on the sides but a solid bottom .

Franco

[Robert Kelly]

Oooh how I hate to be wrong, but I guess I have to admit that the Pocket Ti stove is about a half-ounce lighter than the FireFly (at least if you don't use the tin it comes in). I had not found this stove when I did my research on woodburners, so I guess the FireFly is only the second lightest. I don't know how long the Pocket Ti has been available, but the current site lists it as a 2012 stove, so it may not be that long. The Pocket Ti appears to have achieved this even lower weight by having an open side/door and probably by having a smaller sized firebox overall.

Snide comment alert: If you watch the video on the Pocket Ti, the ability to use multiple fuels is nicely demonstrated, but it's also shown in the video that the addition of an Evernew titanium trivet to the top of the stove helps create air space between the top of the stove and a pot (if you like a squat pot like I do) and improves draft and performance. The trivet weighs 16g and costs an additional 12.99 pounds. With this modification, the Pocket Ti would probably draft as well as the FireFly, weigh as much, and cost more. Good to get that out of my system.

Anyway, at the risk of encouraging dissent, here are some of my thoughts on woodburning stoves in general from having made and used many of them over the years: [1] ignoring stove weight for a moment, a larger firebox makes a stove easier to light and easier to keep going; [2] you want a good air inlet under your fire and a good air exit above your fire but under your pot. So the trick in making a light woodburner is to satisfy #2 while making the firebox as small as is reasonable (but not too small) out of the lightest material you can. Titanium is what works best as a material, but adds expense (Oh well). The current size of the FireFly is as small as I would want to use myself. I could make a smaller FireFly, but it would be less stable in use and harder to keep going because it would not hold much wood. A 2/3 size FireFly would save maybe .75 ounces but would not work well IMO. Your opinions may vary.

[Ken Thompson]

…almost
Always good to have choices.

[Franco Darioli]

Robert
I don't see the dimensions of yours but the British version is about 4" high and 2.8" wide at the base .
That 4" looks to me to be the full height , not the height of the fire box..
As you can see from the video it is designed to take a Trangia stove , so not very big for a wood burning stove …
Franco

[Robert Kelly]

The FireFly firebox is 3.25 x 3.25 x 3.75 inches, which works out to about 40 cubic inches. Small but not too small.

3/2/12 UPDATE: Firebox now 3.25 x 3.25 x 4.00 inches, for a 42.25 cubic inch capacity

Compared to the "pocket stove", the FireFly has a 65% bigger firebox, as best I can calculate from the information on their site. 'Nuff said. Defense rests. ; )

[kevperro .]

The Tyvek sleeve is a great idea. The difference in weight of the actual stove just doesn't matter if it holds a little more fuel. All the options may make great marketing material but the reality is you either use it to burn wood or it is a glorified wind screen for alcohol or Esbit.

I may buy one Robert because I miss my zip stove.

[Robert Kelly]

Good News:
I have tweaked my design in such a way that firebox size increased by 5% with no increase in stove weight. Firebox is now 42.25 cubic inches. I have also improved the design of the optional tyvek pouch, adding only 2g to the original 9g weight, but the pouch interior is now completely reinforced with fiberglass mesh tape, for much greater durability. Now we're cooking!

Bad News:
Just ordered more titanium for stoves and trowels. Prices have increased a lot. I'm holding firm on trowel prices, but have had to increase the price of the FireFly stove by $5, since each stove uses quite a bit of Ti to make. The improved redesigned pouch is now optional rather than included. You can use a plastic ziplock or other DIY pouch if you like, but the tyvek one I'm making now is really nice.

[Robert Kelly]

3/20/12 UPDATE:

I have been able to find some 1/4" by 1/4" stainless steel mesh in an affordable quantity (as opposed to spending $$$$ on a full roll of it). It has replaced the galvanized steel mesh I have been using for stove floors. Everyone who has a galvanized floor will get a free upgrade from me. You're welcome!

The other thing I've been working on is a "FuelPort" option that will allow you to feed longer pieces of wood into the stove once you have your fire going. I am happy to say that this option as well as the even more astounding FlexPort option is now available. A video of a FlexPort prototype is also available on my website.

* In the FlexPort video, you will see that I put the ventilated ti floor (another new option, along with a perforated stainless steel floor) on top of the old mesh floor. This is not necessary; you can just use the ti floor by itself, saving a few grams.

[Robert Kelly]

Well the wait for the new FireFly stove floor material was worth it. I now have the 1/4" stainless steel mesh in hand and it is really nice. It replaces the previous 1/2" mesh as the new standard FireFly floor. Replacement floors went out this morning to early adopters as a free upgrade. Fits snugly in floor and actually tightens up the set-up stove as a result. No increase in stove weight. Less room for twigs and embers to fall through the floor mesh. More durable. What's not to like? Nada! Here's me admiring it.

And, NOW available on website are some additional options:

A FlexPort, so you can have your cake and eat it too – have an open FuelPort when you want one, and a closed FuelPort when you just want a quick chimney stove burn. Adds only 4 grams to the weight of a FireFly stove.

I will also have an optional floor to reduce through-the-floor ventilation when using a FuelPort. This is a notched titanium plate.

All of this is live on my website for your perusal and even purchasing ; ) – Now we're cooking!

[Stephen Barber]

Now that is very cool! I can see I'll have to buy another Firefly – the Flex Port version!

Good job, QiWiz!!!

[Jacob D]

That's nifty, Robert. The Flexport is a cool idea.

Somehow I missed this thread entirely until today… I guess that tends to happen when I don't visit the forum daily.

[Steven Bronstein]

I am wondering what the benefit to closing the fuel port door. Is there really an increase in efficiency by closing the fuel port door? My experience with paint can wood stoves is that the more air the better they worked. I think this is why Zelph ended up with an open mesh design for his folding wood stove. I think the benefit of the FireFly is increased volume of the fuel box and ease of adding wood as you burn. I was able to barely boil water with a single fill of wood and always seemed to need to add more wood.

This was also part of the pleasure of burning wood. The comfort and pleasure of working the fire.

[Robert Kelly]

Yes, a chimney design is more efficient, wind resistant, and heat concentrating. Most "paint can" hobo stoves do not have enough bottom ventilation.
My experience with wood burners is that the best design has air coming in from UNDER the fire, rising THROUGH the burning wood while being sheltered from any wind, and then EXITING freely above the burning wood, right under and/or around your pot. The standard FireFly does this very well with its open mesh (above ground but) under the burning twigs, a protected chimney of a firebox with 4 solid sides, and plenty of exit room under your pot.
When you create a side opening for feeding in longer pieces (aka my FuelPort and FlexPort options), you want air coming IN that Port to feed oxygen to the fire, so my notched Ti floor reduces bottom ventilation, so that the fire is now fed air about 50% through the bottom, and 50% through the Port.
Watch the videos on my website and this may be more obvious.

[kevperro .]

Robert: Have you experimented with adding an additional standard wind screen around the stove. You would want to cut judicious air inlets around the base but that might give you even more heated air and wind coverage for complete combustion while adding < 1 ounce.

[Robert Kelly]

I guess in my use of wood burners over the years I've been less concerned with wasting heat when burning wood than when burning alcohol or Esbit, because a twig fire burns pretty hot and I usually have all the twigs I need. So I have not generally bothered with a wind screen when wood burning.

BUT, in a windy spot, a windscreen of the type Kevin describes would definitely help heat your pot more effectively. You would need to leave an opening for feeding twigs in and maybe prop it up on some small rocks or sticks or cut openings in the bottom so that air could flow in to the area under the stove mesh.

BTW, all three FireFly videos on my site and YouTube have been updated to show the new floor, FuelPort, FlexPort, and all the other cool new stuff. This stove is HOT!

[Robert Kelly]

NOTE: I've left this post up for history buffs – this was my 1st gen MultiFuel system, subsequently replaced by my 2nd gen and then 3rd gen systems. Can you dig it?

A MultiFuel Option for the FireFly is in the works. Just need to carve out some time to test the best combination of windscreen position, alcohol stove and/or Esbit stove distance from a typical pot, etc. Also need to get final weights for BPL'ers, but it's gonna be pretty light.

You can expect this to be available as an option for new stoves as well as for stoves already out there as an upgrade. Stay tuned. I'm hoping to have this available in 2-3 weeks. It could be sooner if I get a bit farther ahead of orders. Here's some prototype photos. Final version will be similar, but not identical. There will be both an alcohol stove and an Esbit stove option. These stoves will sit on the crossed support wires you can see in the photos. In the case of Esbit, there will be downgoing tabs to keep it centered on the "X". To my thinking, an Esbit option can be a great alternative to wood for a quick cup of tea or if the available wood is really wet and you don't have the time or inclination to deal with that situation.

[Robert Kelly]

Well you can stop holding your breath and relax. It's here, and it's light. My own FireFly MultiFuel Kit for my Stanco 5.75" diameter greasepot with a 2.85" windscreen weighs 28 grams (and that's with both burners, you would probably just take one).

You can get a MultiFuel Kit for a newly ordered FireFly at no additional shipping cost, and you can also get one for the FireFly you already have as an upgrade. All the information you need and easy-as-pie ordering as usual can be found on my website. Windscreen and support wires are custom-bent and cut to be a perfect fit for your pot dimensions.

Can you dig it?

[J H]

Robert, I wonder if it would work if you cut a notch in each side wall about halfway up, bent them inwards, and then rested a square plate on the notches to hold an alcohol stove. Do you think the walls of the stove would be sufficient as a windscreen? Maybe trim to tips of the pot stand a little lower if need be? Just an idea

[Robert Kelly]

"I wonder if it would work if you cut a notch in each side wall about halfway up, bent them inwards, and then rested a square plate on the notches to hold an alcohol stove. Do you think the walls of the stove would be sufficient as a windscreen? Maybe trim to tips of the pot stand a little lower if need be?"

Yes, the walls of the FireFly would shield the stove itself, but not the space between the top of the stove firebox and the bottom of your pot, which is a 0.75 inch gap, and not the lower part of your pot. Trimming the tips of the pot stand tabs would reduce this gap, but would also reduce airflow through the stove and reduce the room to add twigs in wood burning mode.

So, bottom line, when using Esbit or alcohol in windy conditions your setup will be much more efficient using some kind of windscreen. This could be the kit that I've now made available, or something you cobble together yourself. You will get a faster boil with less fuel. The windscreen generally weighs less than half an ounce (13 grams is the weight for the one I'm using for a 5.75" 1L pot with a 2.85" windscreen that has a 0.5" gap around my pot). You could easily need to use more extra fuel than 13 grams in windy conditions; might as well take the windscreen.

[john hansford]

I bought a PocketTi earlier this year, but so far have found it too small. I couldn't get 2 cups to boil even after 5 reloads of bone dry wood, and then the stove blew over. Straight afterwards I lit up my Bushbuddy, and had no problem boiling water with 2 loads of wood. I was using a foil screen with both.

The volume of the Pocket firebox is only about 20 cu ins, whereas the BB is about 40 cu ins. If the firefly is 42 cu ins, then does it perform as well as the Bushbuddy?

A major disadvantage of the BB is having to use a pan large enough to carry it in to prevent it getting squished : I use a Tibetan 1100, but this weighs 5 ozs, and I don't need so much volume. BB ultra plus pan = 10.25 ozs, firefly plus smaller pan AGG 710 ml pan = 5.25 ozs.

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