trail stove v's hobo (pic heavy)

[Aragorn]

I never found the flat plate that efficient, okay to cook directly on with fatty foods like bacon but stick a pot on top and it takes an age and a bit.

that's interesting mick, thanks, if that's the case, then it's another tick for the hobo I think, I hadn't wanted it to cook on dirrect, I've got another little prodject on the go, a small cast skillet,which weighs about the same as the trail stove, I think I would get more use out of that than the stove.

 

[Sniper]

I like the stove alright Aragorn, definately do, but I'd have to do something about the cooking times though. I have a grill which I made, oh nothing fancy just fairly straight forward and at first had a plate to lay over with the intention of using it as a hot plate or griddle. I tried it a couple of times and then went back to a frying pan directly onto the open grill for that very reason of being so slow. I don't like waiting too long for me bacon, bangers, eggs, and beans in the morning.

 

[mick miller]

It would be a shame to waste the stove, I've found the plat pack feature quite handy, especially when space is limited. You could try drilling holes in the top I guess, warping may be a problem. Alternatively, perhaps take an existing grill mesh and cut it to fit.

I haven't noticed the sides warping too much using just the grill; it's the base plate that seems to warp the most over time, but then you just turn it over and stand on it to get it um, kinda level again. I think my base plate may be warping more because all the vent holes weaken the steel? I'm no engineer or metallurgist so I wouldn't know why. That may happen to your top plate after drilling it perhaps/ perhaps not?

 

[Aragorn]

snip >But i also wouldnt have the knowledge or skill to make one that lookrd anything like as professional.

doesn't make it work any better though mate

snip> i just looked at aragorns and it looked like something bought

starting to wish it was, I could take it back

 

[saddle_tramp]

How about making tent stoves? i saw some post on here where some matey had paid nearly 600 squid for a titanium one, still weighed a ton but i guess to them what wants them, weight isnt the priority.

 

[Aragorn]

some very good points lads' thanks, I'm trying to not sound too negative with my replies

then went back to a frying pan directly onto the open grill for that very reason of being so slow.

I could use the hobo the same way

It would be a shame to waste the stove, I've found the plat pack feature quite handy, especially when space is limited.

I like that too, but the 12cm billy I take fits inside the hobo like a glove, and takes up no more room than the pot.

I haven't noticed the sides warping too much using just the grill; it's the base plate that seems to warp the most over time I think my base plate may be warping more because all the vent holes weaken the steel

that's exactly what happened to mine mick after it's first firing.

one thing I do like about the trail stove though is the amount of fuel you can stick in it, I sometimes find with the hobo I haven't kept a proper eye on it and it's burnt out, easy enough to get it going again but still a bit annoying when your waiting for your brew.

 

[woof]

I think sniper said about the top plate being replaced with a grill,i make some which have a base plate and 4 sides, but is designed to work with any combination of 2,3,or 4 sides, like a hobo, the heat goes straight to the pot, not in to the top plate first, gives quicker cooking times.

 

[susi]

Aragorn, IMO the problem with your stove is that once it gets going, the flames/heat simply shoots up the chimney, bypassing the "hot plate".

I would double the length of the stove (from front to back), making two "hot plates" of thick cast iron on the top, one sitting towards the front, one towards the rear. If you can weld some (heat collecting) baffles to the underside of these, so much the better.

Aim to have the fire towards the front of the unit.

Cut and weld in an extra plate, which will slope from the floor immediately below the gap between the two hot plates, sloping up towards the upper rear corner of the unit. The idea is to have a small gap through which the concentrated heat will pass through, at speed. This blast of heat should hit the baffles on the underside of the rear plate.

I've never built one myself, but lots of people have something looking similar in their sheds/outhouses/farm sheds, etc. , something to do with the cold here!

OK sauna time here, gotta shoot!

 

[woof]

Forgot to say yesterday Aargon, the stove looks well made and a very good design, especialy as you've managed to keep the weight down, realy well done.

With mine i just kept experimenting, being able to fold flat, makes them easy to pack, if you wet the ground first, then when you site & light the stove it causes less harm, and as i said, the folding flat makes them eas to pack, unlike a hobo stove,(they'l be some whinging now !) so they are more practical, can feed/cook for a group, and can be split amongst you to carry it, again well done.

 

[Shewie]

Nicely done Alan, that looks the dogs.

Couldn`t you just attack the top plate with an angle grinder and put a few rows of slots in as a grill ? Nothing major, it could just be a circular grill the same size as your billy.

You could cut 2 slots close together then fold the middle down at the edges to create an upside down V shaped channel. This should add a little strengh and stop it warping.

 

[Gailainne]

I had the same time problem with mine, but the point is (I think) its a camp fire, but contained, so you would have it lit well before hand and so would have a good bed of embers when you want a brew, which should cut the boil time down considerably.

prototype one

I must admit I've cut the height of my second design down to 4" from over 6" to allow the heat from the flames to reach the plate faster, Ive also made a grill that replaces the top plate.

Actually take the top plate off and stick the pot on top of the fire should work, bit low tech tho

NIce design BTW I went with a flat pak chimney, heres the original thread

Regards

Stephen

 

[Aragorn]

you used 1.5mm for the top plate stephen ?, will have to get a thickness check on mine, your right about "what's the rush", but to get it hot and keep it hot is still using fuel, what fuel do you use in yours btw, if using on a meet etc do you take wood with or forage at site, I had also thought about tying it with charcoal, if you look close the top plate on mine just rest's on stainless skewers put in from the side, not designed this way, just didn't have a big enough piece of stainless to span the gap, that's the reason for the round chimney, I would have preferred a flat pack design like your;'s, but all the materials were had for nought, and that's what was available at the time. Just been watching the vid of yours again, it really draws up that chimney, in the vid you actually feed wood down the chimney, is that to help heat it or just for convenience ?

 

[FGYT]

Aragorn, IMO the problem with your stove is that once it gets going, the flames/heat simply shoots up the chimney, bypassing the "hot plate".

I would double the length of the stove (from front to back), making two "hot plates" of thick cast iron on the top, one sitting towards the front, one towards the rear. If you can weld some (heat collecting) baffles to the underside of these, so much the better.

Aim to have the fire towards the front of the unit.

Cut and weld in an extra plate, which will slope from the floor immediately below the gap between the two hot plates, sloping up towards the upper rear corner of the unit. The idea is to have a small gap through which the concentrated heat will pass through, at speed. This blast of heat should hit the baffles on the underside of the rear plate.

I've never built one myself, but lots of people have something looking similar in their sheds/outhouses/farm sheds, etc. , something to do with the cold here!

OK sauna time here, gotta shoot!

Not a bad idea but probably not going to increase heat transfer much and will increase weight and bulk lots

how ever how about increasing actual pot heated surface as a hobo the heat goes up the side of the pot etc these fire boxes stop this heat and increase air chill

if you did double the length i would cut a hole in the top the size to drop the pot into give a space under and round the sides this would then allow the fire to be lit in front the hot gass can then be drawn round the whole surface area of the Billy before shooting up the chimney (this is how a Kelly kettle and Steam engines work, increasing the contact tru the metal directly from hot gas to Water)
or make the chimney a larget Dia than the billy and hang it in there even no actual chimney may work just cu the hole say 1cm bigger than the pot

its a nice idea to make a little rayburn for the woods but the one in the kitchen has a much bigger fire box to Water ratio for heat etc and a higher Ambiant air temp espesially round the pot due to the large hot plate etc

ATB

Duncan

 

[spamel]

Forgot to say yesterday Aargon, the stove looks well made and a very good design, especialy as you've managed to keep the weight down, realy well done.

With mine i just kept experimenting, being able to fold flat, makes them easy to pack, if you wet the ground first, then when you site & light the stove it causes less harm, and as i said, the folding flat makes them eas to pack, unlike a hobo stove,(they'l be some whinging now !) so they are more practical, can feed/cook for a group, and can be split amongst you to carry it, again well done.

Yeah, a little bit! My hobo stove fits around the outside of my 12 cm billy snugly enough that I can hold the billy by the bail and the stove won't fall off. I'm carrying the billy anyway so the impact on packing is zero.

 

[woof]

Thats right spamel, if it fits in with your pot no problem, i tend to either have just a frying pan(with lid)when on my own, or a saucepan when in company, so prefer the flat pack.

 

[Gailainne]

you used 1.5mm for the top plate stephen ?, It actually turned out to be 2mm thick, rest was just over 0.7mm.

what fuel do you use in yours btw, if using on a meet etc do you take wood with or forage at site, I had also thought about tying it with charcoal What I had available, at the time, I think it was sweet chestnut branches, the rest was birch and pine. I did think of trying it with charcoal, but I'll wait till I get my new one, and then try it on the old one

Just been watching the vid of yours again, it really draws up that chimney, in the vid you actually feed wood down the chimney, is that to help heat it or just for convenience ?
convenience,

I did however after a post from Spam on another forum add a stand to the top of the chimney for my Ti mug, heres a link to the vid, it worked very well.

Stephen

 

[Aragorn]

that's quite neat, a lot like the cook set add on for the kelly kettle, hhmm...... think there may be life in the old stove yet, definitely worth another tinker me thinks

 

[Chance]

An alternative that I'm considering pimping: the hobo shield. Wraps around the billy for transportation, with as much overlap as you feel like. Works as a windshield (for a gas stove) or as a hobo stove; although it would need to scorch a flat rock if I was protecting the turf.
It's (scrap) aluminium at the moment, but it's working well enough to consider the upgrade to stainless.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/Converti-billy_small.jpg

 

[FGYT]

that's quite neat, a lot like the cook set add on for the kelly kettle, hhmm...... think there may be life in the old stove yet, definitely worth another tinker me thinks

A though ....

why not use a Kelly kettle etc as the chimney

ATB

Duncan