Bye Bye gas stove, im an alchy now!

[Vibe]

I dont think that putting fibreglass inside one of these would work too well, because you are relying on the meths to get really hot and evapourate, the fibreglass would seriously slow that down and you would have to use loads of primer.

Roob

Actually it reduces the amount of primer fluid needed. You might not realize why at first, but it's pretty simple. Without the wicking -you have to heat the ENTIRE volume of alcohol to get an evaporation rate high enough to sustain a burn. With the wicks, you only have to "boil" the small fraction that is actually in contact with the stove wall. If you watch Zelphs comparison video between the Cobalt(with wick'd walls) and the WBS - the wick'd walls is what keeps the Cobalt burning normally even after the base is flooded with cold water. Because the top of the stove isn't cooled and is still in contact with soaked wick - whereas the WBS and most others this test takes the alcohol reservoir temp down too sharply.

[zelph]

Oops56 had some bad luck with penny stoves so he put his stove to it's final resting place. (under the head of his hammer ) This is his avatar gif

[roob]

. Most here do not like the penny stoves as they are afraid the may blow up on them!

I think you would do pretty well to explode one, I have tried them with petrol and diethyl ether... the petrol didnt work, it highly disfigured the windshield and created huge fireballs into the air, but the stove was fine (but sooty) afterwards, I still have the stove and it still works.

the diethyl ether I was a bit more scared about and I ran about 50m when I lit it! Still it didnt explode, but I definately wouldnt recommend that experiment, it was a bit wild due to how easily it evapourates, that stove definately does not work any more.

These experiments arent even using a penny, i screw it up tight so no vapour can escape at all.

Roob

PS what was the bad luck?

[realityguy]

I whipped up a nickel stove one time..it burned 5 times as bad as a penny one!

[zelph]

the diethyl ether I was a bit more scared about and I ran about 50m when I lit it! Still it didnt explode, but I definately wouldnt recommend that experiment, it was a bit wild due to how easily it evapourates, that stove definately does not work any more.

Roob

One time is all that is recommended

[cynar]

I'm also a new guy here. I have been tinkering with penny alcohol stove, penny's wood stove, knock-off bushbuddy stove, and have bought zelph's budlight super stove. I think that is going to be my OAO alcohol stove for any backpacking I do, which is mostly in Kings/Sequoia National Parks. My evolving wood stove design has it's roots in the Penny Wood Stove but is smaller, lighter, and has a more refined heat shield. I will try to post a picture or two here of what I call the Foster's Premium Wood Stove. I hope you bplite "old timers" don't laugh at my modest effort in making a light, efficient wood burner.



Is there a forum topic for wood stoves on this message board?

[realityguy]

Hi!Welcome aboard..searching for "wood stove" gets too many posts for the site to handle.You'll probably have to post your own thread on your stove..looks like it works well!How's the longevity of the can?..only thing I'd worry about.Post a new thread of your own under "homemade stoves" and I'm sure you'll get lots of responses and links from there...

[cynar]

Thanks realityguy,

I will take your suggestion with posting a new thread. The light 14.5 oz can is steel and I've had about 10 burns so far and no problem with burn out or deterioration. If after a season it burns out, I will just drill out another one in about 1/2 an hour. The Foster's heat shield doesn't get hot enough to be a problem. It burns about 12 minutes with pine wood chips and longer on hickory chips and then with hot coals it simmer boils about another 10 minutes.

Thanks again,

Cynar

[zelph]

I'll wait till you start it's own thread. Nice job on the construction