[at-l] High Performance Alcohol Stove

[daveh@psknet.com (David Hicks)]

In addition, I have a real fear of putting a flammable liquate under
pressure in a homemade devise.  Ever had a drink can spring a leak on you?
What if that soda that went everywhere were burning alcohol?

Chainsaw

PS --  If this is too old-hand, or already been said; sorry.  Just got back
to 1600 + messages and slowly working my way through them.

----- Original Message -----
From: "James Bullard" <bullard@northnet.org>
To: <at-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: [at-l] High Performance Alcohol Stove


> At 11:03 PM 5/15/01 -0400, Stewart Holt wrote:
> >I posted about my experiences using the tin can stove a couple of months
> >ago. My conclusion and that of some other listers was that a lot of the
> >weight savings could be lost by having to bring more ounces of fuel which
> >are required over that of other stoves. (Part of that is my habits of
> >cooking and washing) The main problem with this stove is that the open
> >center of the stove allows as much alcohol to burn as will vaporize.
...clip...
> >This stove differs in that the center is solid, vapors only come out
> >through the burner holes, and you use a small pan under the stove to
> >preheat it to get it started. ...clip...
> >I have built several of these and found that they burn with a much better
> >controlled flame and will get the cooking done with less fuel. I was
> >finding that it took about 1 ounce of fuel in the tin can stove to bring
> >24 oz of water to a rolling boil and hold for about a minute. With the
> >high performance stove, I can do this with 3/4 oz....clip...
>
> Let's see now.  You save 1/4 oz. with each firing.  I usually do one hot
> meal at the end of the day.  On the AT you are out 6-7 days at a stretch
> (average) so I'd save 1 and 1/2 to 1 and 3/4 oz. of fuel on outings of
that
> length (not really that much in actual weight since a fluid oz. of alcohol
> doesn't weigh an oz.)  I'd save 3 to 3 and 1/2 if I were to heat water for
> tea in the morning (I only do that if it's really  cold, then I'd carry a
> different stove since these don't work well in really cold weather).  I'd
> have to add a preheat base for the stove to get it going plus the preheat
> fuel (I'm assuming you didn't count that in the 3/4 oz.).  I'm guessing
> that the preheat base and fuel adds around 1 and 1/2 to 1 and 3/4 real oz.
> (not fluid measure but actual weight).  For a one hot meal/day 6-7 day
trip
> that is pretty much a wash.  I doubt that leaving the center in the top of
> the can adds any significant weight because that design leaves out the
> inner wall so that's probably also a wash.  All in all, I think I'll stick
> with the design I have.
>
> Saunterer
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT-L mailing list
> AT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
>
>