Swiss volcano stove + homemade penny meths burner

[mountainm]

Just wanted to share my initial experiences with the swiss volcano stove that was delivered this morning.

Eager to try it out I quickly surmised that I'd need to knock up a quick meths burner due to lack of alternative fuel sources. Fortunately I had two coke cans and 10-15 minutes later I'd fashioned one.

I tested the meths burner on it's own first and I think I'd made it a little too big as it took a couple of attempts to prime it and get the meths evaporating - but it worked of a fashion.

Then I turned to the Volcano stove. I know a lot of people ditch the bottle and replace it with a Sigg as they are "cork averse" however it seems secure to me and the cup keeps it nicely in place. I like the fact I can boil water in the bottle or in the cup thanks to a clever folding handle system. The whole thing is a bit bigger than expected but still very light and portable.

Time to get it going! I dropped the meths burner down gently to the bottom of the stove and dribbled in some meths over the penny. I couldn't get it to prime - more the meths burners fault than that of the stoves so I tried a different tack. I poured a small quantity of meths directly in the bottom of the volcano stove that the meths burner sat in and lit the whole lot. This did the trick nicely and the jets from the burner were impressively coming out from the air holes at the top of the stove.

Once it had reached a stable state I dropped in the cup (which is fairly big) full of cold water and waited. I didn't have to wait long, I got a full, fierce rolling boil at about 4 minutes!

I can't recommend this kit enough - it has the versatility to use multiple fuels - you can boil the bottle or just the cup. It cost very little, and it's pretty bombproof.

Overall a nice bit of kit that I will be taking out with me.

Mike

 

[MrEd]

Then I turned to the Volcano stove. I know a lot of people ditch the bottle and replace it with a Sigg as they are "cork averse" however it seems secure to me and the cup keeps it nicely in place. I like the fact I can boil water in the bottle or in the cup thanks to a clever folding handle system. The whole thing is a bit bigger than expected but still very light and portable.

Mike

I dont get why people get all bent out of shape about it to lol, with the cork in and the cup on mine has never leaked! jsut the bottle on its own might leak but mine hasnt even done that!

i like my volcano stove, i use it at the beach most

 

[Magentus]

Nice one Mike - you can easily use the lid of a large fruit can as a lid for the cup. I recommend these too - very versitile and mine doesn't leak from the cork at all.

 

[mountainm]

Nice one Mike - you can easily use the lid of a large fruit can as a lid for the cup. I recommend these too - very versitile and mine doesn't leak from the cork at all.

I want to know where all the spare corked bottles end up - I would love a couple more if people don't use 'em.

 

[Neumo]

I have just ordered one from Endicots, along with some fur lined mittens I had promised myself on payday, so it's good to hear you thought on them as I will be having a play with it next week. I normally use a honey stove or a small tuna can hexi stove, but wanted something a bit self contained to put in the panniers of my bike, as I do most of my bushcrafting on an MTB these days. Sounds like I will need to dig out that lynx can meths stove I made a while back.

 

[spiritwalker]

i dont bother with a meths burner dont see the point really it works perfectly with pine blocks which are very cheap £2.99 for 72 and work the same as hexi blocks. I also use the bottle and have never had a leak even when its laying flat. The only thing i would love from it is a second pot on the top like a flash so i can brew up in one and cook food in the other. IMO its the best little brew set for the price and performance

 

[mountainm]

i dont bother with a meths burner dont see the point really it works perfectly with pine blocks which are very cheap £2.99 for 72 and work the same as hexi blocks. I also use the bottle and have never had a leak even when its laying flat. The only thing i would love from it is a second pot on the top like a flash so i can brew up in one and cook food in the other. IMO its the best little brew set for the price and performance

A second pot would be useful, wonder if there's anything that would fit snugly inside? I carry an orikaso set and I'd make the drink up in the cup having boiled water in the bottle.

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

alot of people like these stove.. why? i like esbit ^^

 

[Neumo]

Daft question, but does anyone know if a 2nd cup would fit on top of the first one? i.e. do they stack?

 

[Pepperana]

Just tested one today with Esbit.
And I agree great little stove.

Its a bit high and small so you need to place it firm.

I was thinking on putting a Trangia Stove in the bottom.

 

[Neumo]

I get mine tommorow, with a bit of luck, so will have a play with hexi, twigs, lynx parafin stove etc.. I norammly put my stoves on a bit of 1mm aluminium plate that stops the ground burning & catches most embers that fall out of the mouth of the stove; it weighs nothing & is a usefull thing to have if you are properly off the beaten track. I plan to make a bit 3" x 6" or so to go with this stove, so it will be a swide as the stove & tall enough to sit a few inches in front of the stoves openeing.

 

[Neumo]

Well I got mine yesterday & I see what you mean about them being bigger than you think. Still it seems to work OK with twiggs when I managed to get out for an hour yesterday afternoon. Hexi might need a little platform to reach the base of the water bottle & cup but it should work fine. I have lost my Lynx can stove but have another can of the foul stuff in my store so I may have to wander down the side ally sparying it all out so I can use the empty can... got a few funny looks last time but it's no bother.

 

[spiritwalker]

hexi works fine at the bottom of the stove without a platform

 

[dp0001]

Volcanos work well with penny stoves, hexi blocks, bits of old twig and with the angled cup seem to make efficient use of the heat like a Kelly kettle almost.

Downsides are you can't fry flat food like bacon and sausages and it's a bit high so not incredibly stable.

Just got me thinking, if it were cut in half and hinged in the middle it could be very stable and would be about the right height to support a pot or pan of some sort. But then a hexi stove with twigs, hexi or penny stove would do that too...