The gromit in question is a tiny alcohol stove made for me by The Big Lebowski out of a red bull can. Worked a treat on the field demo, and I was hooked.
I rushed out to my local Asda where I purchased a travel mug that I cannibalised into a small pot, and some fuel.
Mistake number 1: "Hmm, no methylated spirit. Ok, that white spirit looks like the same stuff. It'll do"
Got home, took mug to bits, assembled my new stove, and opened the window for a test-firing in my room. That was mistake number 2. My room is about the size of an airing cupboard, and messy.
Struggled to light it, so dropped the match in. When it did catch, it spluttered, and burnt with a much more yellow flame than I had expected.
"Hmm, that doesn't look right" thinks I. "Maybe I should put it out. Nah, It'll be ok"
That was mistake number 3.
A few seconds later I'm pressed against the door avoiding the huge spitting fireball that erupted, looking at the pot stand glowing red hot like it is about to melt, and seriously wondering how I'm going to put the fire out if/when it falls over. :yikes:
Took about 5 minutes to die down, charred my shiny new pot black, stunk the room out, and significantly failed to get the water in the pot more than hottish. Ho hum.
There are 2 morals to this story.
1. I'm a numpty. You live and learn, but you have to live in order to learn, and I'm a lucky boy.
2. Before you light a fire, know what you are doing, and if in any doubt, for goodness sake listen to those doubts.
I'm not usually this stupid, honest.
I rushed out to my local Asda where I purchased a travel mug that I cannibalised into a small pot, and some fuel.
Mistake number 1: "Hmm, no methylated spirit. Ok, that white spirit looks like the same stuff. It'll do"
Got home, took mug to bits, assembled my new stove, and opened the window for a test-firing in my room. That was mistake number 2. My room is about the size of an airing cupboard, and messy.
Struggled to light it, so dropped the match in. When it did catch, it spluttered, and burnt with a much more yellow flame than I had expected.
"Hmm, that doesn't look right" thinks I. "Maybe I should put it out. Nah, It'll be ok"
That was mistake number 3.
A few seconds later I'm pressed against the door avoiding the huge spitting fireball that erupted, looking at the pot stand glowing red hot like it is about to melt, and seriously wondering how I'm going to put the fire out if/when it falls over. :yikes:
Took about 5 minutes to die down, charred my shiny new pot black, stunk the room out, and significantly failed to get the water in the pot more than hottish. Ho hum.
There are 2 morals to this story.
1. I'm a numpty
. You live and learn, but you have to live in order to learn, and I'm a lucky boy.2. Before you light a fire, know what you are doing, and if in any doubt, for goodness sake listen to those doubts.
I'm not usually this stupid, honest.
