I'm very tempted with Beech Nuts 2nd Fire box Group Buy but I'd love to hear from the first group to see what they think before I jump in.
The 2nd Fire box Group Buy
- Thread starter M@rk
- Start date
Lots of votes but no comments 
its a pretty good bit of kit. My only thing against it is the weight - basically you wouldnt want it in your pack on a long hike. Great for Canoe's, kayaks, and out of the back of the car though. Would be interesting to see a titanium one.... But then the cost would be pretty silly I think.
its a pretty good bit of kit. My only thing against it is the weight - basically you wouldnt want it in your pack on a long hike. Great for Canoe's, kayaks, and out of the back of the car though. Would be interesting to see a titanium one.... But then the cost would be pretty silly I think.
Its really great and does everything it says on the tin. My one niggle would be its size, its a bit small for my tastes. I normally carry this sort of kit when I'm on a canoe trip and look forward to sitting round a responsibly placed and managed fire. On this fire I will have a few logs, a grid on top where I will boil my kettle and cook my food. It will also be a focus for the campsite and a place to sit in the evenings. The current firebox will do some of this, but! If you are on your own, only cooking your own food, want a lightweight 'real' fire which can be contained and managed responsibly then it will be OK. My point is that even a small group will probably want a slightly larger fire to cook communallly on and sit round in the evening. So you end up with more that one envoronmental fireplace. This is not a critisism of the firebox but more of what I am looking for from one. The workmanship and value of the current stove are superb and wish you luck with the second group buy.
andyn
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
fred gordon said:Its really great and does everything it says on the tin. My one niggle would be its size, its a bit small for my tastes. I normally carry this sort of kit when I'm on a canoe trip and look forward to sitting round a responsibly placed and managed fire. On this fire I will have a few logs, a grid on top where I will boil my kettle and cook my food. It will also be a focus for the campsite and a place to sit in the evenings. The current firebox will do some of this, but! If you are on your own, only cooking your own food, want a lightweight 'real' fire which can be contained and managed responsibly then it will be OK. My point is that even a small group will probably want a slightly larger fire to cook communallly on and sit round in the evening. So you end up with more that one envoronmental fireplace. This is not a critisism of the firebox but more of what I am looking for from one. The workmanship and value of the current stove are superb and wish you luck with the second group buy.
For my purposes the stove is too small, I'd like something with about the footprint of an A4 sheet of paper.
I would second that. I would find that A4 size very useful. Perhaps this is the one that should be titanium!anthonyyy said:
Hi,
First off I have a an interest to declare given that it's based on my Modified Nimblewill design. So I'm a bit biased.
Firstly, you cannot fault the quality of the stove, it's workmanship, or the service the guys at woodland edge offer.
With regards to the weight. It is heavier than my original which was designed for backpacking. However this extra weight stops the stove warping when very hot. I think for prolonged wilderness use where weight is less critical than when walking with a backpack, for example with a canoe, it's great.
As with my original design the stove allows you to use locally sourced fuel and have a fire without the impact of leaving a fire site.
It's not a group firebox, it's not a campfire. It's a way to support an individual with a forrageable fuel source. Remember, you can always take the top and chimney off to use it with a larger pan if you wish. I would be surprised if in reality any individual *needed* a bigger fire for the purposes of cooking etc in camp.
I'm sure there's a piece of native american wisdom to do with fire sizes and the sense of sitting closer to a small fire. Anyone know it?
Scoops
First off I have a an interest to declare given that it's based on my Modified Nimblewill design. So I'm a bit biased.
Firstly, you cannot fault the quality of the stove, it's workmanship, or the service the guys at woodland edge offer.
With regards to the weight. It is heavier than my original which was designed for backpacking. However this extra weight stops the stove warping when very hot. I think for prolonged wilderness use where weight is less critical than when walking with a backpack, for example with a canoe, it's great.
As with my original design the stove allows you to use locally sourced fuel and have a fire without the impact of leaving a fire site.
It's not a group firebox, it's not a campfire. It's a way to support an individual with a forrageable fuel source. Remember, you can always take the top and chimney off to use it with a larger pan if you wish. I would be surprised if in reality any individual *needed* a bigger fire for the purposes of cooking etc in camp.
I'm sure there's a piece of native american wisdom to do with fire sizes and the sense of sitting closer to a small fire. Anyone know it?
Scoops
just played with mine once, and my impression was that it needed good quality small fuel to make it work well. Couldn't get much of that where I was so didn't get the heat output needed to boil water. I'll have a play with some better fuel before I decide if it's a keeper. I did try the Pocket stove that was sold on eBay a few weeks ago, with kindling bought from the garage, and it worked really well so I suspect the fuel make all the difference. All those other happy campers can't be wrong
I have used mine a few times in the garden and on a camping trip to Yellow Wood. (Yellow Wood :You_Rock_ ) I found it to be great, the size is an issue if you want to use a large billy can, however it holds my 12cm Zebra can well. The chimney really seems to augment the performance through convection. It is a little heavy, but as Scoops suggested it stops it bending when it is hot.
On the subject of fuel it likes dry softwood, the fire can be difficult to light if the fuel and kindling are not perfectly dry. I have taken to carrying a small bundle of each to get me going.
On reflection would I buy one again and why?
I would definately buy one again. It is beautifully made and well presented. It is fun to use and allows you to use 100% sustainable fuels. It has a feeling about it that it will last forever. It makes great toast!
Stewey.
On the subject of fuel it likes dry softwood, the fire can be difficult to light if the fuel and kindling are not perfectly dry. I have taken to carrying a small bundle of each to get me going.
On reflection would I buy one again and why?
I would definately buy one again. It is beautifully made and well presented. It is fun to use and allows you to use 100% sustainable fuels. It has a feeling about it that it will last forever. It makes great toast!
Stewey.
Hi,
My experiences mirror those of Stu. The stove is a little heavy but extremely well made and designed (thanks Scoops).
I've had no problems getting it to light and my stove burns really well. I initially underestimated the heat output and had to damp it down to avoid incinerating sausages etc.
On the subject of size, this is a one-person stove but, with some juggling, I have managed to cook meals for two on it.
Must have? I don't think any one stove is but mine sees a lot of use and I'm very happy to have it.
Cheers,
Huon
My experiences mirror those of Stu. The stove is a little heavy but extremely well made and designed (thanks Scoops).
I've had no problems getting it to light and my stove burns really well. I initially underestimated the heat output and had to damp it down to avoid incinerating sausages etc.
On the subject of size, this is a one-person stove but, with some juggling, I have managed to cook meals for two on it.
Must have? I don't think any one stove is but mine sees a lot of use and I'm very happy to have it.
Cheers,
Huon
There's quite a few comments on finding approriate fuel. To be honest I'm slightly puzzled by this. Having had my own version for some time, here's how I fuel the stove...
When I need fuel I just break off the next smallish dead branch (about 2cm diameter where I break it) from any tree I walk past. I light the stove with birch bark and a steel, this burns hot enough to light even damp kindling. You'll have pocketed some birch bark - because we're bushcrafters and we don't walk blindly past opportunity, I hope! ;-)
One branch should keep you going well over an hour and provides all the sizes of wood you need in a dry(ish) state. If you want an all night sit round singing songs campfire, you want a big firebox!
Pinecones burn a treat too.
Scoops
When I need fuel I just break off the next smallish dead branch (about 2cm diameter where I break it) from any tree I walk past. I light the stove with birch bark and a steel, this burns hot enough to light even damp kindling. You'll have pocketed some birch bark - because we're bushcrafters and we don't walk blindly past opportunity, I hope! ;-)
One branch should keep you going well over an hour and provides all the sizes of wood you need in a dry(ish) state. If you want an all night sit round singing songs campfire, you want a big firebox!
Pinecones burn a treat too.
Scoops
I bought one of these, and have used it a fair bit......I love it...Yes, its expensive to buy, but not if compared with an msr stove say.... Once bought though, you never need worry about fuel, its free, and if your off to the woods, you don't have to carry any fuel in....
The stove does take longer to cook or boil than a gas or petrol stove, but I can live with that...Have found it great to make bannock in the top bit of the billy....
I am not sure about the chimney on it....Does it make a difference...??? It seems to me to be better/quicker to cook/boil on the grill, rather than on the plate, the plate seems to diffuse the heat comming out.
It is certainly the best fun cooker I have used and I can see it lasting a life time. The weight issue is not a problem for me, its going to go into my day pack. I love the stove, love the idea (Nice one Scoops) and I am gonna use it lots.....
Does anyone clean theirs btw.....Mine stays black, though the chimney will need sweeping soon....
The stove does take longer to cook or boil than a gas or petrol stove, but I can live with that...Have found it great to make bannock in the top bit of the billy....
I am not sure about the chimney on it....Does it make a difference...??? It seems to me to be better/quicker to cook/boil on the grill, rather than on the plate, the plate seems to diffuse the heat comming out.
It is certainly the best fun cooker I have used and I can see it lasting a life time. The weight issue is not a problem for me, its going to go into my day pack. I love the stove, love the idea (Nice one Scoops) and I am gonna use it lots.....
Does anyone clean theirs btw.....Mine stays black, though the chimney will need sweeping soon....
got one friday ,the bloke from woodland edge even droped it at my house for me(i live quite near) . good pice of kit took my 16cm billy ok with chimny still on. had no probs lighting it just grabed some dead hazel some damp of the ground worked realy well. 
I just got back from the Delamere meet where I used the firebox exclusively for cooking.
Fantastic.
I found that my 1pt kelly kettle fitted into the base perfectly. I lit a few pine cones, placed the filled kettle over them and filled the chimney as normal. once the kettle had boiledI I lifted it off and then I had a nice bed of embers ready to cook on.
very impressed
Fantastic.
I found that my 1pt kelly kettle fitted into the base perfectly. I lit a few pine cones, placed the filled kettle over them and filled the chimney as normal. once the kettle had boiledI I lifted it off and then I had a nice bed of embers ready to cook on.
very impressed
Graham_S said:I found that my 1pt kelly kettle fitted into the base perfectly. I lit a few pine cones, placed the filled kettle over them and filled the chimney as normal. once the kettle had boiledI I lifted it off and then I had a nice bed of embers ready to cook on.
/QUOTE]
I like the idea of using it as a base for a Kelly. I'm thinking of making my own stove based on the original nimblewill stove.
http://www.thru-hiker.com/workshop.asp?subcat=2&cid=9
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