Help choosing a brew kit stove.

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PDA1

Settler
Feb 3, 2011
646
5
Framingham, MA USA
Make your own Alcohol stove using 220 ml cans. I find the pot supporting capillary action type to be both fast and efficient. It will fit easily into your 450ml pot, and costs nothing. Here's a vid of this type with a narrow pot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of0hteB-B-U

Really easy to make - I use an SAK blade to make much smaller crimps than Hiram and they work just as well
Here's a vid showing how to make

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1BJOJKoUTs&feature=endscreen

Be careful though, you make become an alky stovie:)
 

ex-member BareThrills

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 5, 2011
4,461
3
United Kingdom
this is my bimble stove

good ol fashioned pepsi can with rivnut and thumb screw. jets face inward so i can use it with small cup. filled with ceramic wool to hold the fuel. old bike spokes for pot stand

 

Andy BB

Full Member
Apr 19, 2010
3,290
1
Hampshire
My favourite small stove setup is the Etowah 11 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylpz_3SsymY

I concur completely with everything said in this video, and the postage from the US is very reasonable too.

One thing to remember with all alcohol stoves is that they need good wind protection, otherwise you'll be waiting all day for a brew-up!

Oh, and don't listen to "experts" who tell you they don't work in sub-zero temps. Just make sure there is some insulation from the cold ground, and warm up the alcohol by putting it in a pocket for a few minutes - sometimes a wick (a bit of rolled-up tissue put into the meths works as well). I've run my Swiss army Trangia quite happily at below -20C.
 
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Andy T

Settler
Sep 8, 2010
899
27
Stoke on Trent.
Flat cat alcohol stove...............very fast, very light, very efficient and costs nothing. A really good stove and the one i use most now. It will boil enough water for a good brew in about 3 minutes with half a fluid ounce of fuel. Videos on you tube.
 
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ex-member BareThrills

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 5, 2011
4,461
3
United Kingdom

BigMonster

Full Member
Sep 6, 2011
1,322
220
Manchester
Few more questions guys. Got myself a trangia burner (9 quid from cotswold, couldn't wait for the tatonka :) ).

1. Fits nicely in a 450 mug leaving just enough room for a wind shield/trivet. Any advice on that? I'm thinking about making a caldera cone so it do both things at the same time.
2. How much liquid should I pour for a "full" stove. I was brave enough to soak it up with a little bit at the bottom for priming.
3. This is my emergency stove stored in the mug with my brew kit. How safe is it to store the fuel in it (new stove with new seal)? Or should I keep it dry with the small plastic bottle of fuel separately. I will use it every week or two.
4. How much fuel do I need for 2-4 shots with 450ml titanium mug?
5. Big one for me. Any way to fight the soot? Not as bad as hexamine but still a problem in a tight bag full of items. More space between the pot and the stove? Seen some funny alcohol gel fuel advertised as "clean burning", would that work?

I'm not a convert yet from gas but I really like the elegance and simplicity of it :)
 

ex-member BareThrills

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 5, 2011
4,461
3
United Kingdom
Few more questions guys. Got myself a trangia burner (9 quid from cotswold, couldn't wait for the tatonka :) ).

1. Fits nicely in a 450 mug leaving just enough room for a wind shield/trivet. Any advice on that? I'm thinking about making a caldera cone so it do both things at the same time.
2. How much liquid should I pour for a "full" stove. I was brave enough to soak it up with a little bit at the bottom for priming.
3. This is my emergency stove stored in the mug with my brew kit. How safe is it to store the fuel in it (new stove with new seal)? Or should I keep it dry with the small plastic bottle of fuel separately. I will use it every week or two.
4. How much fuel do I need for 2-4 shots with 450ml titanium mug?
5. Big one for me. Any way to fight the soot? Not as bad as hexamine but still a problem in a tight bag full of items. More space between the pot and the stove? Seen some funny alcohol gel fuel advertised as "clean burning", would that work?

I'm not a convert yet from gas but I really like the elegance and simplicity of it :)

Caldera cone makes a very low oxygen environment and the trangia is unlikely to work very well in it. I tried mine in my caldera f keg and it went out!

2oz - 56ml is accepted as the max or its what i accept as the max anyway

i never store fuel in mine, meths erodes the seal. i still keep meths stoves in a dry bag to stop the small tainting my mug. Ti is especially good at taking on the smell of fuel

1 oz will generally boil 500ml of water

no way to fight the soot really other than cleaning the mug after each use. keep your mug in a mesh bag to stop it rubbing on other gear.
 

drliamski

Full Member
Sep 11, 2006
821
0
43
East London
Look at the evernew Trivet. Supposed to be good.
I would not keep fuel in the burner either. It can ruin a brew.
You can mix 10% water with the meths which is really reputed to reduce soot. Failing that a smear of washing up liquid on the bottom of the pot allows you to clean up easily.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk now Free
 

BigMonster

Full Member
Sep 6, 2011
1,322
220
Manchester
I have a whole dremel kit just waiting for an opportunity like that. I have paid for the burner but I won't miss such opportunity to experiment with making trivets/pot stands/wind shields :)
 

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