Author Topic: Woodburning camp stoves  (Read 76888 times)

Charlotte

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #50 on: 15 July, 2010, 01:33:06 pm »
No logos removed at all; that's how they come.  I didn't ever take the sticker off the bottom!
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Charlotte

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #51 on: 15 July, 2010, 04:50:24 pm »
Just been told about this:

http://biolitestove.com

Clearly, I'm behind the curve  :o
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #52 on: 15 July, 2010, 05:29:58 pm »
Using thermocouples with stoves isn't exactly novel.  They've certainly been used in the past, basically chuck a lump of thermocouples into a fire, and use the resultant power.

This is the first time I've seen such a thing almost commercially available though, and it would be rather neat to be able to charge up your phone or GPS whilst making your tea.  I do suspect that the efficiency isn't very good, so it may not be a practical (or particularly cheap) way of producing electricity.  It may be easier to plug things into a hub dynamo, and do a couple of turns around the block.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #53 on: 15 July, 2010, 06:20:21 pm »
Want!  :D

Another project for the list.

Are the feet really needed? Are they just to stop it scorching the ground?

For a moment there I thought you meant Charlotte's feet, which have multiple uses.
The old Legion hand told the recruit, "When things are bad, bleu, try not to make them worse, because it is very likely that they are bad enough already." -- Robert Ruark

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #54 on: 15 July, 2010, 08:14:10 pm »
Just been told about this:

http://biolitestove.com

Clearly, I'm behind the curve  :o

You're just sold on the music for the 60 second demo
[Quote/]Adrian, you're living proof that bandwidth is far too cheap.[/Quote]

Charlotte

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    • charlottebarnes.co.uk
Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #55 on: 15 July, 2010, 08:30:25 pm »
Needed Quicktime, so didn't watch it...
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #56 on: 15 July, 2010, 08:47:52 pm »

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #57 on: 15 July, 2010, 09:09:48 pm »
Interesting watching it in use, and hearing the fan whirring away.

It does occur to me, that one of the problems with this sort of stove (Charlotte's included), is that it's reliant on a predictably dry climate.  I've had plenty of camping experiences where dry wood would not be trivially easily found, due to some degree of precipitation prior to setting up camp.

Getting wet wood to burn in one of these stoves is undoubtedly possible, but I suspect it would require a significant amount of dry combustibles initially.

I guess if the weather is dry, and you know it's going to stay dry, then it's a useful solution.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Kim

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #58 on: 15 July, 2010, 09:13:51 pm »
Wouldn't be hard to stick a meths burner inside it when necessary, but yeah.

Charlotte

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #59 on: 15 July, 2010, 09:14:04 pm »
Needed Quicktime, so didn't watch it...

The demo's available on youtube:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/JmHCIBvI6vE&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/JmHCIBvI6vE&rel=1</a>

Now THAT is clever  :thumbsup:


Tim - what you're saying is true, but stoves like this use a very small quantity of fuel indeed.  You can either pick stuff up as you walk/cycle and store it in your bag for the evening's cooking or, and this would be my preferred solution, go looking for dead and dry twigs in the branches of trees.

I've already noticed that even when it's been pissing with rain and all the wood on the floor is sodden, the dead stuff caught up in the branches of trees is fine.

Last ditch solution: pack a white box stove or simillar and a bottle of alcohol.  Even better - bring vodka instead of fuel.  That way, you'll have to be really sure there's no combustible wood before you burn your booze!
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clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #60 on: 15 July, 2010, 09:16:29 pm »
I :heart: Appropriate Technology
Getting there...

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #61 on: 16 July, 2010, 11:33:14 am »
The swedish army use the thermocouples - there is a system that goes round a trangia. Peltier devices work better when there is a good temp gradient, so are ideal for really cold weather conditions.

As for wet weather and fuel - if you are in a forest, its usually possible to find some dry stuff. Old pine cones burn well once they catch. Dry branches still on a tree are fine - you do need a knife to fuzz them (which is a good excuse for buying a strong sheafknife - I use a mini GB axe).
   
Cotton wool is a good starter - daughter and I even managed to start a fire in the rain with a flint and steel on cotton wool (couldn't manage it with just bark and stuff).
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #62 on: 16 July, 2010, 09:30:56 pm »
Drill press?  Check.

Scrap metal?  Possibly.

Fettling skillz?  I haz my opinions.



To the workshops Igor!

I have found a small metal pedal bin in the garage  :thumbsup:

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #63 on: 20 July, 2010, 10:24:16 pm »
Made one of these today.

It wasn't as easy as I expected.  >:(

Burnt out a tank-cutter blade trying to cut the big hole in the lid.   :(

Cutting it out with an oxyacetylene torch was not a good idea - but fun.  :demon:

It's not as neat as Charlotte's - she really is a wiz in the workshop for a gurl.  ;)

It certainly brewed me a half pint mug of tea using a fraction of the fuel that a campfire would.  :D



If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #64 on: 20 July, 2010, 10:29:53 pm »
Nice work there WJ.

Assuming I still have a job next week, I'll see if the Gert Big Hydraulic Stamping Out Machine in the factory can fit a Wilkos bickie barrel.
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Charlotte

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #65 on: 20 July, 2010, 10:48:40 pm »
It's not as neat as Charlotte's - she really is a wiz in the workshop for a gurl.  ;)

for a gurl I deliver a fine roundhouse kick too  :demon:

Nice work there, Wobbles.  Wascally Weasel is building one to the same design, too.  We ought to have a cook-off at Dunwich.
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Wowbagger

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #66 on: 20 July, 2010, 10:50:33 pm »
It's not as neat as Charlotte's - she really is a wiz in the workshop for a gurl.  ;)

for a gurl I deliver a fine roundhouse kick too  :demon:

Nice work there, Wobbles.  Wascally Weasel is building one to the same design, too.  We ought to have a cook-off at Dunwich.

Three course meal, obviously.
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Wascally Weasel

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #67 on: 20 July, 2010, 11:47:02 pm »
Oh crap, I'm scared.  Not only are my (crap) engineering skillz being called in to question, I have to back up the end result with a cook-off  (Thinks, adds chilli powder, nutmeg and retires).

All joking aside, I can't think of a project that has got me as excited as this in a long time (and I don't think I'm alone) - having seen the Mk 1 in action, I'm ridiculously excited to be giving the Mk 1A version a go (almost as much as Guderian was to see how the early Panzers performed in France following the poor show in Austria).  There you go.  A technical thread auto-Godwined.  I will be very happy to share my thoughts and experiences with all, post build attempt.  If it goes well I promise not to invade France, at least not in a non consensual way (I do have a toy Marmot that a friend has left hung up in the hall with a 'Collaborateur' tag round it's neck but I think this may need a little historical revisionism (both now and about in 20 years).

For me it says freedom and a lot of great future wild camping experiences (unless I royally fuck up, in which case it says great expense for lots of drilling bits).  Ultimately, the build and the end result will be cool.  I'm still stoked over the sword rack I built about five years ago from an old futon frame.  I'm easily pleased.

Thing is, due to the attitude to camping of my older relatives I have only ever wild-camped.  I have never camped on a camp site and even the concept seems odd to me (I don't mean so because I'm an experienced camper, more that I'm not used to camp sites with amenities (of course you crap in the woods).

So for me, this thing is a mini camp fire that I can have in a more straight lacey camp site that I would have otherwise avoided.  My view has always been, if there's no fire it isn't camping.

 

vorsprung

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #68 on: 21 July, 2010, 09:14:51 am »
I have been to Wilkos and have the tins

Charlotte

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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #69 on: 21 July, 2010, 09:49:28 am »
Three course meal, obviously.

Baggsie I get to make the bananananana custard  :D

I have been to Wilkos and have the tins

I ought to get a commission  ;D
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #70 on: 21 July, 2010, 09:52:05 am »
I can hang my head in shame and bring along a wood burning stove which was constructed by a friend of the last US president.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #71 on: 21 July, 2010, 09:52:39 am »
Three course meal, obviously.

Baggsie I get to make the bananananana custard  :D

Will your cohab have posed for a photo with the banananana and a glass-topped table?
Getting there...

Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #72 on: 21 July, 2010, 11:31:53 am »
We ought to have a cook-off at Dunwich.

Chalotte's Cool Camp-stove Cook-off, featuring Wobble's, Wascally Weasel's & Wowbagger's Wonderful Wilkinsons Woodburners.  ;D
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #73 on: 21 July, 2010, 01:15:21 pm »
Despite their ludicrous advert claims, I'd rather think of the Coastguard and Mountain Rescue as the 4th and 5th emergency services.

The Coastguard are certainly allowed to use blue flashing lights, although I'm not sure about the Mountain Rescue bods.

The AA are stuck with flashing amber, the same as used by anyone else who vaguely feels like turning on such, eg rubbish trucks driving perfectly normally along roads at 30mph, who feel the need to warn you that they are about. :-\

On the telly programme I watched recently, the Mountain Rescue team's vehicle had blue lights.  I think they have the same sort of legal status as private ambulances.
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I completely agree with Reg.

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Wascally Weasel

  • Slayer of Dragons and killer of threads.
Re: Woodburning camp stoves
« Reply #74 on: 22 July, 2010, 07:39:32 am »
Mine is built, after some helpful advice and loaned use of a rather impressive array of tools.

Charlotte's right about how many drill bits you get through and I would echo what WJ said about Charlotte's skills, as mine is also a lot less neater.

Still, it works as I discovered late last night  :thumbsup:

Lit first time with one match (it was dry and not windy which helped).

In honour of it's humble origins, I'm calling it a FireBiscuit.