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DIY Backpacking Stove: An Ultralight Vortex Burner (Part 1- Background and Theory)


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Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable DIY Backpacking Stove: An Ultralight Vortex Burner (Part 1- Background and Theory)

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
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  • #3408171
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Companion forum thread to: DIY Backpacking Stove: An Ultralight Vortex Burner (Part 1- Background and Theory)

    In part 1, Roger Caffin explores the theory behind using a vortex burner as a solution for an ultralight winter stove system.

    #3408178
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    And the good Sheriff Caffin rides again!

    #3408185
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    More stoves, more stoves, gotta have more stoves …

    Cheers

     

    #3408221
    Dylan Atkinson
    BPL Member

    @atkinsondylan

    Locale: Southwest

    Good show. Damn good show.

    #3408228
    Rick M
    BPL Member

    @yamaguy

    So as a Caffin Stove happy camper, I need to ask what is the end game of this Vortex design? Fuel efficiency, play nice with bigger pots, audible noise feedback, or just fun with stoves?

    #3408231
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    What an interesting question!

    Well … it did start partly with an itch about 100% MYOG, and the aesthetics of it all – as discussed at some length in this Part 1. It was ‘unfinished business’ as it were.

    But as I mention right at the end – having established that I could make a good Vortex burner using the 38 mm Ti tube I had, it naturally followed that I should make some. If the logic here is not obvious, then it can’t be explained. :-) I guess that could be ‘just fun with stoves’.

    Good fuel efficiency depends on complete combustion and good heat transfer into the pot. Most canister stoves can do that if you don’t run them flat out. Really fast boil time means a slightly lower efficiency.

    Play nice with bigger pots – yeah, as a secondary goal, not a primary goal.

    Noisy operation – no, that was never a significant factor. It just happens with the Vortex design.

    Cheers

     

    #3408373
    Stuart R
    BPL Member

    @scunnered

    Locale: Scotland

    Fascinating stuff Roger, looking forward to the rest.

    One thought – if the vortex chamber is red hot then it is well above the Draper point and all that heat wants to go somewhere!

    cheers

    #3408449
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hi Stuart

    Oh definitely – well above. It GLOWS!
    A lot of the heat goes upwards of course, hitting the bottom of the pot. This is good. Some of the heat goes sideways, and a bit of that can warm the canister. Within obvious limits, that too is useful, especially in real cold weather.

    Anyhow, more to come.

    Cheers

     

     

    #3409085
    The Ebbo
    BPL Member

    @ebbo

    Locale: Kosciusko Main Range, Bogong High Plains

    Nice read, Looking forward to the rest of this epic mission!

    #3409087
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hi Ebbo

    Thanks. The rest is coming.

    Cheers

     

    #3409120
    Joshua Stillwell
    BPL Member

    @bearjosh

    Locale: Central California

    I loved the thorough explanation of the design process.  Really gives an engineers perspective on designing something.  Really cool.  My questions about the whole project is weight.  Beyond the aesthetics of a Caffin design, and the coolness of being released on BPL, is there really that much of a weight savings with this Caffin Vortex?  In the end my bottom line is always weight, and I kept wondering if the weight savings is truly worth the effort.  Sometimes its worth doing it just to do it, I agree, and I’m supportive of any MYOG no matter what, but the weight question comes to me generally.

    #3409124
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hi Josh

    Ah well, you have to compare the weight of my finished stove with the weight of a commercial vortex stove to answer that. We haven’t got that far yet … :-), so I will simply say (at this stage) that I found the weight savings huge.

    There were several other reasons for doing it: the ‘universal’ canister connector was a big one for me, to handle trips around the world. That was covered in the previous series. The dual valving for better control was another. A better pot support for big pots was yet another – that has yet to appear.

    But do I really need a huge business ROI case to ‘follow my nose’ here? I am a career research physicist, with a severe case of ‘need to know’. As I am retired, I have the time (and facilities) to fill that need.  :)  :)  :)

    Cheers

     

    #3412245
    James Marco
    BPL Member

    @jamesdmarco

    Locale: Finger Lakes

    Love it Roger…sorry for the delay…out camping much of June…

    #3412262
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hi James
    Thanks. Now read Part2 !It’s been great fun – better than the past week which has seen me repairing the rusted gal roof on my 100 year old barn/workshop.

    Cheers

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