I've made a handful of stoves now, but still seem to be searching for the right flame pattern/blossom. The only good source of bottles that I've found have been at the dollar store, and they are 1 7/8" in diam. I've tried a combination of different size holes and amounts, but still seem to have a blossom that is "pushed" outside the edges of my Heine pot. Have any of you had any luck with tuning the blossom to a tight diameter for narrow pots? or should I look at changing pots? I do really like the Heine pot, weight, simple etc. Any feedback would be apprecited!


these are the bottles I've been using


this is the blossom size in comparison to a 1.1L GSI Soloist pot.
The 1 7/8" is a great size when it comes to a good combination of weight and stability. But it doesn't do me any good if the heat is going up the sides of my pot!

Edited by idahosteve on 12/09/2010 07:53:34 MST.

For a smaller flame, maybe try more holes? Fewer holes will force the flame out furher because of the higher pressure inside. Decreasing that pressure with more holes may help. I think.

I would also suggest more holes. You could try using smaller holes and many more. I'm not sure but I think flame distance is most likely dependent on both pressure of gas and size of hole (at same pressure a bigger hole has more fuel escaping so can sustain a longer flame; at same diameter, more pressure forces out more fuel at greater velocity to sustain a longer flame as well).

I would first start off by using the same number of holes, just smaller. Then adding more until you find a number of holes that works for your pot. After that you can make a new one with a more spread out pattern based off the total number of holes you found was optimal.

My Gram Weenie stove has around 50 tiny holes.

Very cool! 50 holes! Wow, had no idea! I will take out the ole cordless and get to work on one. Thanks for all the response! I'll let you know what happens.

Guys, thanks so much for the feedback. I went out and took one of my stoves and drilled another hole in between each of the existing holes, then did a second line of holes below it. Total change in the flame blossom! I noticed two things right off. First the general diameter was substantially smaller, even more of a contained blue flame it seemed to me. Nowhere near the yellow on the ends of the blossom. Secondly, where my holes did not line up, ie they were kind of "stacked" on top of one another, that was a spot that made the blossom uneven and "pushed" the flame out farther at that point.
Conclusion, keep a well spaced hole pattern and lots of holes and you can fine tune the blossom probably for any pot you might want to try!

As a final experiment, I will enlarge the diameter of the drill bit. My holes are very very small right now. That pic of the holes looks twice the diam of mine! I might be using something like about 3/64"

Edited by idahosteve on 12/09/2010 15:08:49 MST.