On my never ending quest to lighten my load I have made my share of alcohol stoves. Some worked great and others were a total flop. So I always reverted back my good ol’ BPL Ti wing esbit stove and SP 600 mug. I though I hit the jackpot when I came up with a cooking system that was complete, (pot/lid/stove/windscreen) weighing in at 1.875 oz which consisted in part of a Heiny pot and a homemade 6 gram esbit stove. But after several uses out on the trail I once again became disappointed and again went back to the good ol’ SP 600 and my BPL wing stove (BPL stove is18mo old and going strong after very rigorous use)

Well on an impromptu weekender and not enough esbit tabs in the house and no time to buy some, I raided my “good stove” box and came across my old Brasslite Turbo F. I knew that the flame pattern was way too big for the SP 600 (as per prier testing) so I stuck some foil tape over the holes and out the door I went. It worked great the whole weekend and I actually kinda’ enjoyed it. Upon my return home I decided to pursue the idea further and see what I could come up with. After some tinkering I found that allowing just one of the holes to be completely open proved to give me the best results for what I was looking for.

My criteria for alcy stoves are: (this is for a 2 cup boil I know out in the real world one rarely boils two cups at a time. Especially if they use Freezer Bag Cooking methodology like I do.)

A: Light Weight
B: No-to-little flame wastage.
C: Reasonable boil time (7-10min)
D: Less then a ounce of fuel used, prefer it be closer to ½ ounce used in a boil
E: Prefer stove and stand to be integrated.

Upon modifications I achieved said results. I have had my little system out on several day hikes, and a few other Bp trips, and have grown fonder and fonder of the stove with each use. So my next step was naturally to try it out on my Heiny pot. Wouldn’t you know it, it was a success. Now I can actually achieve my SUL cook system again, and have a stove I am satisfied with. Granite I know it weighs more than a soda can stove, but the performance of it and satisfaction I have gotten out of it is warranting the weight penalty.

***On a side note BPL site states that its fuel capacity is 1 ounce. Mine is 1.5 ounces***
***Weight of Brasslite Turbo F: 0.85oz (24grm)***
***Can post additonal picture of pot and stove burining for those that are interested to see what the whole deal looks like. But I figured "we" all pretty much know what an alcohol flame looks like with a pot on top of it.***

Edited by dmccoy on 10/22/2007 23:27:48 MDT.

No more esbit? Wow, welcome to the bright side! :)

Now, Now, I might not have given up esbit completly, but I have definitly have have found the acly stove to be ab it more entycing at this particular junture in my BP experiance. Come on B2W who doesn't love the smell and orange glow of esbit. It spell comfort and happyness for me. Besides I can blow it out hen I am doen. But on the contrary I am learning my stoves boil characteristics and am getting the fueling down pretty well so there is not much over burn time.

As the sun is setting, it casts an alpen glow upon the mountainous peaks that loom over head. The peaks are casting strange dancing shadows of those that were before me, and looking for the future when they can dance for another after me. The wind gently placing its authority over my tarp and on my skin. I methodiaclly place my esbit tablet on my stove, another FreezerBag meal is about to be prepared. With the flick of a bic I light my stove, listenig to the crackling of the cryatalized welcome, its efervesent smell takes me away to a farther place, away from home, away form the city, away from the noise, it takes me to where I am, to where only one can escape from it all. As the smell and a slight puff of smoke rises to the air as incense rising to the sky, it bids farewell from whence I came and welcomes me into the dancing mountain shadows for which I belong. I soon know that I will be warmed by the nutrients prepared on my little esbit stove, so small and mighty. Wafting its aroma once again to the dancing shadows where they play for each other there own welcome song.

Thats why I like esbit.

But I might get that same affect from alcy one day :-)

Edited by dmccoy on 10/22/2007 23:56:40 MDT.

Hmmm... you're farther gone than I thought!

Truth be told, I like almost everything about Esbit -- except for the gooey black residue at the end. Good luck with your experimentation!

Edited by ben2world on 10/23/2007 00:10:16 MDT.

Don't forget the high cost of esbit tabs.

My experience tells me that you can easily get that effect with alky just about anywhere anytime without even lighting it! Just imbibe it!

imbibe denatured alcohol!

Douglas, thanks for posting your results. You've basically throttled back a Turbo F to match the size of your 600ml. I had to go dig out my Brasslite since I switched to Calderas, but my Brasslite has an adjustable ring around it, I suppose to throttle it much in the manner you did.

Isn't a Brasslite, but works similarly (i.e. top burning, non pressurized) and features an "integrated" pot stand as well. Basically, it's a wedding tin without the cover, plus a piece of wire cloth. The wedding tin is much smaller but tougher than a Fancy Feast cat food can. It provides enough fuel capacity, coming in at 1.25 oz. Pot and stand together weigh 0.3 oz and brings a pint of water to a rolling boil in approx. 6 minutes, using a Firelite 550 pot. Nothing spectacular, but light and simple as heck.

Edited by ben2world on 10/23/2007 12:51:43 MDT.

Say Ben, can you tell us where you picked up the materials. The wire cloth appears to be a smaller gage than that pictured in the photos from your last incarnation of this stove. As you might remember I have been looking for these tins but Michaels and Target want right around $20 a bag and the Ikea tins, based on your previous photos, appear too big. Appreciate it, Thanks, John

Ok pardon my naivety but what is "imbibe" just curious. Yes Ben please do give info on where one can buy the smaller tins, besides on-line. All I have ever been able to find is ones about 4in in diameter instead of the 2in diameter (the brasslight is 2in as well) like the ones in you imbeded URL. Going down from .85 to .3 is very appealing and is more what I am looking for in a stove. I have tried the t-light sytem but can never achieve a boil (for two cups).

As to the hardware cloth it appears to be you smallest gauge galvanized wire mesh that can be bought at any hard ware store. But do your intial burn outdoors because the galvinized fumes are toxic.

imbibe means to ingest.

John and Doug:

The wedding tin is 2 and 1/16"(D) x 5/8" (H). Unfortunately, the lowest price I've found locally is also $20 (for a package of 20) at Michaels.