Author Topic: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?  (Read 3291 times)

Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« on: 18 June, 2013, 11:15:28 am »
A while ago, on a whim I bought one of these.  The question is how do I cook with it when out cycle camping? TBH, the most use it'll have is heating up a small moka pot. I won't be heating up much food with it at this stage, so what else do I need to get other than a decent fuel bottle?

TIA
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Hello, I am Bruce

  • Hello, I am Bruce
  • Hello, I am Bruce
    • Flickr Photos
Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #1 on: 18 June, 2013, 11:26:08 am »
I guess you've got a stand for the pot.  (Use tent pegs to secure it on soft uneven ground so you don't accidentally spill burning fuel or coffee.)

Your meths will come in a bottle.  Unless you expect it to get crushed or punctured, you don't need a different fuel bottle.

But expect it to take a while to heat up a moka pot.  The wind will blow the heat away and it will take energy to heat the metal in the pot as well as the water.  Try it out in your garden and decide if you want to make/buy a windshield.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #2 on: 18 June, 2013, 11:32:10 am »
Looks like a clone of a Trangia burner, without the simmer ring (as such, it'll be more suited to boiling water than controlled cooking).

Normally, that would fit into the Trangia windshield/pot stand arrangement, to position it in the optimum place under your pot.  In the absence of that, I'd suggest obtaining or molishing something like the Trangia Triangle to serve as a stand.  Either way, you want to shield it from the wind as much as possible.  These burners are very efficient, but don't burn anywhere near as hot as gas.

A fire steel is a surprisingly effective way of lighting these burners.  Cigarette lighters work well, too, of course, but you need a bit of a knack when using matches.  To extinguish, you simply drop the lid into place (though allow it to cool properly before screwing it on tight, otherwise you'll have a vacuum to fight when you next come to use it).

I recommend the Trangia fuel bottle, with its special push-button dispensing lid - makes it really easy to avoid spillages.  But practically, there's no reason you can't use the bottle meths is supplied in (or smaller nail varnish remover bottles are good for small quantities).  You should also be able to store a good ~20 mins worth of fuel in the burner.  Avoid Sigg-style aluminium bottles designed for water rather than fuel - alcohols can strip the oxide layer from the inside.

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #3 on: 18 June, 2013, 11:34:45 am »
Just to clarify, I have nowt but the burner. I know I'll probably have to make or buy summat else to get me going, hence the question. I'm used to a campinggaz set up, but that is all in Hungary.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Charlotte

  • Dissolute libertine
  • Here's to ol' D.H. Lawrence...
    • charlottebarnes.co.uk
Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #4 on: 18 June, 2013, 11:38:19 am »
Apart from a good bottle for the meths (get the red Trangia brand one - if only for the fuel dispensing nozzle) you're going to need a pot, a pot support and some kind of wind shield. 

I use my Tatonka burner with a Clickstand and it's brilliant. Lightweight, strong and it all folds up to fit inside a titanium pan when I want to go lightweight.  Spendy, though.

I also use it with my wood burning stove when I don't want to have to bugger about with twigs and real fire.  Equally good and very flexible.

But if you search on eBay for alcohol stoves, pot supports and whatnot, you'll find all sorts of geeky stuff, from cheap Chinese pot supports to Trangia minis and various home-brewed bits and pieces.  Although you *can* use tent pegs for pot supports, that's a remedy of last resort, because you'll almost certainly spill your hot water at some point doing it like that.  If you're inna DIY mood, you could quite easily make your own pot support with an old tin can that you've cut and drilled to shape and foil BBQ trays make cheap and cheerful windshields, too.
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #5 on: 18 June, 2013, 11:42:32 am »

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #6 on: 18 June, 2013, 03:37:38 pm »
Right, plenty to look at, thanks. Polar Bear OTP has given me a stand to try out, so there's a good place to start to see if the moka pot stands on it properly.

Edit: Tried it out and it's a tad too big for the moka pot, BUT it's made from nice soft metal that squishes in nicely to allow the moka pot to just sit on top.

Thanks Mike!

Incdentally, I also seem to have bought the burner with a flame moderator. Bonus!
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #7 on: 18 June, 2013, 06:00:28 pm »
Take a look on backpackinglight.co.uk and look under the cooking section for a trivet if the one you have doesn't work.
OnOne Pickenflick - Tour De Fer 20 - Pinnacle Arkose cx - Charge Cooker maxi2 fatty - GT Zaskar Carbon Expert

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #8 on: 18 June, 2013, 08:24:53 pm »
Hmm, thanks. A different approach & smaller than PB's, but the whole bundle I have is still small. I'll try it out in the field and see how I get on. PB's will be more stable, I think.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #9 on: 30 June, 2013, 05:28:05 pm »
Right, it got tried out today. I boiled up an espresso using a moka pot indoors. Observations: 1) the meths fumes lit easily using a match. Whether this ia as simple outside is another matter. A mate will have a lighter though. 2) the flame settled down and came out of the nozzles once it had heated up. 3) it took just under 10 mins to boil the small pot. I was expecting less. Outdoors in a breeze with the bigger pot we'll be using will take much longer.

So, how essential is a windshield? Very, I assume...

I only just read Kim's advice about the vacuum effect. It was slightly warm when I screwed the lid on, so looking forward to a tussle next time I try to remove it!
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #10 on: 02 July, 2013, 03:57:39 pm »
Windshield importance?

Very.

It's important, in fact. Very important.


Expect boil times to triple in windy conditions without a windshield.

so, you now know. Windshield very important.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #11 on: 02 July, 2013, 03:58:34 pm »
Stop sitting on the fence...
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #12 on: 02 July, 2013, 03:59:52 pm »
Yep.  The windshield / pot stand design is what makes the Trangia great (and bulky).

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #13 on: 02 July, 2013, 04:43:01 pm »
Polar Bear OTP has kindly given me one of the base windscreens here: http://en.monrechaud.com/alcohol-stove-mini-trangia.html, will I get away with that or, as I suspect, will I need more protection?
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #14 on: 03 July, 2013, 01:52:44 pm »
Nope.

You need something as high as the pot.

A bit of heavy foil (e.g. from a takeway container or a 'disposable' roasting tin) will do the job.

<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Tatonka burner - how do I cook with it?
« Reply #15 on: 03 July, 2013, 02:00:42 pm »
Ta. I thought as much, so bought a folding Tatonka windshield. 8 segments that wrap round the burner with space to spare for the moka pot - I hope!
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.