[at-l] HOBO stoves

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

I was talking to an old fellow who retired from the roads.  After a life of
being a hobo -- one who bums around and is willing to work -- he got a
regular job and recently retired.  He chose South Carolina because he liked
it.

He had met a lot of the 30s hobos and how they lived.  And one of the first
thing he learned from them was making a hobo stove which is basacially a
large can turned upside down with holes cut or punched to create a good
draft and place to stuff fuel under.  He said he preferred "stew" or "chili"
cans though he's used everything from paint cans to small tin cans.  And
sometimes he's just punched a few draft holes near the top and made a
partial circle of rocks and put the can on top of that.

And I remember a Discovery Channel or TLC program that featured a "hobo"
type stove.

Apparently "sody" cans are just the latest evolution to an old problem.  How
to cut some of the *(&(% weight off our backs.

I'm thinking about trying a beef stew can for a pot.  A slightly smaller can
for a stove.  (Or maybe the other way around.  Whad do you think?)  And a
smaller can as a "fuel" burner for non-wood fuels.  Cheap. Light. Storeable.
And easily replaced along a trail -- well, slightly off the trail.  A vienna
sausage can might make a good fuel can.  And they taste good in
"Mulligan-hobo" stew.

William, The Hobo Turtle.