Hobo Stove Gallery (Probably picture heavy)

[RayMearsWanabee]

It's been said before, but let me add to the chorus, this is a great, motivational thread. I joined BcUK a couple of days ago and I've hardly set foot beyond this thread!

Can anyone help me with a couple of queries? It seems that the two most popular ready-made implements for the purpose of Hobo Stove-making are the Ikea Cutlery Drainer and the Homebase Utensil Holder. Is there a concensus yet on which is the superior? The Homebase is 4-5 cm taller, and so I assume that should assist the chimney effect and intensify the heat. But then again, the holes in the Homebase are not uniform, being largest in the middle before getting gradually smaller toward the top. Would that encourage the heat to escape out of the middle, too far away from the base of your vessel?

More specifically, can anyone using the Homebase tell me if there are any holes in the bottom, like the Ikea. The reason I ask is that I don't have a drill (yeah, I know, a grown man who doesn't own a drill - the mods will probably ban me! Quite right too.) Also, can anyone say categorically whether the Zebra 12cm billy fits in the Homebase? I know the Ikea is too narrow, but the Homebase has a diameter of 13.5 cm. The Zebra's 12cm is the internal measurement however, so I can't be sure without owning the Zebra.

To the Ikea fans (and I'm not insinuating anything by that; besides, in this day and age/nothing to be ashamed of/some of my best friends ... etc ) can anyone say what type/size bolts they used as legs to raise it off of the ground (sadly I don't have a workshop to rummage through).

Thanks to everyone for all the great, pragmatic ideas that would never have occurred to me in a month of Sundays.

 

[RayMearsWanabee]

Can answer one of my own questions: having read through the thread for the third time (it sinks in slowly, but don't let that fool you - I've a mind like a steel trap ) it seems the 12cm Zebra is just fractionally too large to fit in even the Homebase. Dern it.
Charity shops here I come. Need to get my eye in though. (Incidentally, don't bother looking for SS in Red Cross charity shops, at least in Cheltenham where there are three. They sell all SS items for scrap at £5 per kilo (insert weeping smiley).

 

[Realbark]

Wilkos/Wilkinsons do a drainer very similar and tea/cofee/sugar steel containers to make a billy for about 4.00 all in. This is mine.

BTW Ikea should be on your list of 100 places NEVER to visit before you die

 

[RayMearsWanabee]

Looks good Realbark. And £4 all in sounds like you may have smashed the thread record!
I knew about the sugar/coffee/tea SS containers from Wilcos, but I wasn't aware that they did a drainer also. Perhaps they've been reading the forum!

 

[bojit]

How about one made from a charity shop flask for £2 plus some old tent pegs .

Or it can be used with a meths burner .

Craig...........

 

[Realbark]

Looks good Realbark. And £4 all in sounds like you may have smashed the thread record!
I knew about the sugar/coffee/tea SS containers from Wilcos, but I wasn't aware that they did a drainer also. Perhaps they've been reading the forum![/QUOTE

£2.99 for drainer n 99pence for billy. My missus said the drainer was from Poundstretcher next to wilkos! Its the other stuff that increases the overall cost - burner etc....still good fun to use tho

 

[RayMearsWanabee]

£2.99 for drainer n 99pence for billy. My missus said the drainer was from Poundstretcher next to wilkos! Its the other stuff that increases the overall cost - burner etc....still good fun to use tho

I paid a visit to Wilcos to today. Sadly, the drainer is too small for my needs (only 9.5 cm inside diameter). And your good lady may be right - Poundland across the road from Wilcos were selling the exact same drainer!
Oh, and be careful with your Billy - the assistant in Wilco said that the individually-bought sugar/tea/coffee containers with the lid like yours aren't SS. The packs of 3 are, but the singles are alu apparently. I had to ask because I can't tell the difference between alu and SS (puts head in hands).

 

[peaks]

Been there ...done that ......you are not alone.....took a small magnet with me to identify non-alu (Mods + experienced members weeping by now....) ....but it works!!!!!! ......................Despite suspicious looks from wilko/Aldi/Morrisons/Lidl staff!!

 

[RayMearsWanabee]

Been there ...done that ......you are not alone.....took a small magnet with me to identify non-alu (Mods + experienced members weeping by now....) ....but it works!!!!!! ......................Despite suspicious looks from wilko/Aldi/Morrisons/Lidl staff!!

At least the idea occurred to you! I wouldn't have thought of it. And I don't even own a magnet!

 

[Chance]

(not all steels are magnetic; including austenitic, a common stainless steel)

 

[Totumpole]

I'm still looking for the perfect billy can to drop inside, but I snaffled this stainless coffee pot from a car boot sale. Coffee is an essential for me so hang the weight, it's coming too.

A 10cm zebra fits nicely - you have to clip out some slots to allow the lugs to drop in, and on the billy I opted to removed the solid hadle and replace it with some brake cable. Also put a few extra vent holes round the base of the stove. Neither my billy or hobo stove stayed shiny for long - I had made a fire in it before it was even finished (I'd literally cut the hole in the front and I was away)

My oversized lug gaps were a bit of an accident, but work well for getting some fuel in from the top. It all fits nicely in a web-tex water bottle pouch with enough room for a pack of hexi-blocks, a trangia and small bottle of fuel.
I like you idea for the feet.

 

[Soundmixer]

Totumpole,

I'm on the lookout for that size of billy but it's proving hard to find.
I like my idea for the feet too. Most data projectors / LCD screen mounts come with a plethora of nuts and bolts and I have two boxes of bits at work. The domed ends just screamed stove legs as soon as I saw them and the length was perfect for supporting the fire tray. Domed means they won't wear out the bag!
I also have a selection of security wires that will end up as bails...

Web-tex water bottle pouch eh? Liking that a lot!

Cheers.

 

[beenn]

Nothing special but holds my tatonka mug, folding mug so i can have food and a brew, spork, scourer for cleaning and pot grip.
Also holds trangia and small bottle of meths or some hexi tablets but often just light a fire inside

I have used it with wood, trangia stove and hexi and it works great, very versitile

 

[Biker]

Thought you might like to see the grandaddy of hobo stoves

Set up look familiar?

This was the chips stall at our vide grenier this weekend it ran off a gas bottle via a burner underneath. Vat was filled with cooking oil and did the job. Served the french with fries all day. Roger (in the photo) was knackered as it was a scorching hot day anyway.

 

[Totumpole]

Totumpole,

I'm on the lookout for that size of billy but it's proving hard to find.
I like my idea for the feet too. Most data projectors / LCD screen mounts come with a plethora of nuts and bolts and I have two boxes of bits at work. The domed ends just screamed stove legs as soon as I saw them and the length was perfect for supporting the fire tray. Domed means they won't wear out the bag!
I also have a selection of security wires that will end up as bails...

Web-tex water bottle pouch eh? Liking that a lot!

Cheers.

For the 10cm billy you could try here
http://www.touring-gear.com/products/Zebra-Loop-Handled-pots.html
I got the webtex pouch for their warrior cooking system - it just wasnt very versatile whereas this is.
I also keep a folding spork, sweedish folding mug, small dish towel and half a sponge/scourer inside the billy. It all makes an awesome self contained one person multifuel stove kit that you can carry in a multitude of ways. Im not going back to the gas stove unless Im going ultra-lightweight.

 

[Soundmixer]

I tried touring gear but they were out of stock too.
However, Bison Bushcraft came up trumps! Picking out which safety wire will be my bail as I type...
I've used gas for years, with all titanium pot and spoon, cos "ultralight" and "moving quickly over the terrain" were what you had to do. As I have slowed down the idea of a wood burning stove just appeals more.
This thread has been just a little addictive!

Cheers

 

[beerngrills70]

I need to use the search options more often . Im of to town tomorrow to buy some pots and drainers
Inspirational thread guys ...

 

[Biker]

Hi Folks,
I was about to resurrect this thread tonight but found someone had already done it for me. Thanks BeernGrills70.

Well, I gave my old hobo stove a base upgrade today after coming up the idea a while ago. This morning I saw the very thing I needed to complete the task. Three T shaped hinges. and got busy working on it.

This is after I had a pan on the boil and the whole thing started toppling over, of course your natural reaction is to grab it, forgetting you're dealing with burn burny stuff. Somehow I managed to stop myself and just let the whole thing tip over.

Obviously setting it on a stable object is the thing to do, but with this upgrade I don't have to be so strict and it allows air to feed in under as well. Total weight increase is three garnet hinges and 6 rivets. I had to drill new holes in the base to take the rivets and I trimmed off some of the corners where the hinges touched each other.

See pictures below, hopefully you won't need me to explain the set up. But if you have questions feel free to ask. Thanks for viewing.

 

[Robbi]

very neat idea there Biker and well executed

 

[DavidJT]

Exactly the sort of solution I've been looking for. Very neat, thanks!
Will the Ali rivets withstand the temps ok?