I used to hike without a stove and a pot, eating only cold food. I want to change that now but I don't know what stove to use. What would be the absolutely lightest-in-weight stove imaginable, that is compatible with my new 24oz Heineken Beer Can Pot?
Let's say for a weekend trip with 2-3 hot dinners. Any changes if I wanted to have hot breakfast or at least a cup of coffee every morning as well?

Thank you very much for your help!

Edited by Valentin.Zill on 02/21/2007 02:55:56 MST.

We are pushing the definition of "stove" here, but since you asked, it could be the Firelite titanium folding wing stove (13g), a scrap of aluminum foil as a windscreen (5g), and an esbit tab or two per meal. Problem is your pot is so narrow, can you get a boil from esbit tabs? I tried and can't.

Valentin... I think my "stove" design is pretty darn light. 48 grams for a pot (beer can) with a proper lid (not foil), handle, stand, windscreen and esbit burner cup.

Check it out if you're interested...

Dave's 48 gram kitchen

Brett... I always get a boil with a tab and a beer can pot. I have never not gotten a boil. What kind of pot are you using?

David: I know your website and it's good, thank you. I already thought about building something similar for me. I'd leave the handle and use foil as a lid. Could I use the sleeping pad as a windscreen?

So I'm better (=lighter) of using Esbit instead of alcohol?

Thank you all for your help!

Hey Valentin,

Esbit vs. Alcohol is one of those nearly religious type debates. Personally... I never liked alcohol. I didn't like the fuss of dealing with a fuel bottle and filling the stove and spilling alcohol around the site and almost burning my face off accidently and having it flame out all the time before I got a boil... etc. But others swear by it. I love Esbit because it's super light, super convenient, super hot (much hotter than alcohol) and completely foolproof. It depends tho'. Read these two articles for some objective data:

Stoveweight vs Time Over 14 Days
Stoveweight vs Time Over 28 Days

As for the windscreen... your mattress will not work. A windscreen needs to be relatively tight fitting. It not only keeps out the wind... it also serves to funnel heat up around the pot. The small BPL Ti foil windscreens... cut to length for a beer can... will only weigh 3 grams or so. I would consider the amount of benefit you are getting from those 3 grams!!! It's not all about weight... it's about effeciency. You want to get the must use / function per gram... and those 3 grams are worth a lot.

You could leave the handle and use your gloves or something to pick up the can.

Foil lid will not be much lighter than my "bottom of a cat food can" lid. Those 5.5 oz cans are made from thin aluminum. It's only 3 grams. Those 3 grams are worth it for me because it allows me to store things neatly inside the pot and not worry about them falling out. I put the windscreen, stand, burner cup, etc all inside the pot along with my water treatment chemicals and mixing cap... put the lid on... then hold it on with an elastic band. Works beautifully! I keep the can in an outside pack pocket (or at the top of the extension collar... depending on the pack) so it is always handly for gathering water or cooking on trail. The way I designed all the peices... they all fit together for stowing as one neat package inside the pot. Look at the video on my site to see what I mean. A tin foil lid might be 1 gram.

Where my stove really falls down I think... weight wise... is the stand. 7 grams is too much for what that thing is... just a tiny ring of welded wire. If only they made titanium welded wire mesh!!!!!!!!!! That would be awesome.

Oh... one last idea... you can use rubber thimbles (from any office supply place) for pot grabbers... instead of the handle. I still prefer my handle tho'. 3 rubber thimbles weigh about 4 grams.

Edited by davidlewis on 02/21/2007 15:09:18 MST.

David,
Still accumulating the supplies to make your set-up. Pretty much just waiting on the can (KY has very silly laws about alcohol and those big kegs are hard to find) and ti windscreen, both of which are on the way.

Anyway, I'm just wondering how durable you find the pot to be. Do you think it could make it through a thru-hike? A whole summer worth of weekend trips?

Thanks.

Here is the lightest I've been able to come up with (please note the weight specified is not including the small plastic carrying case for the stove--this is optional):

http://www.freewebs.com/jasonklass/subthreeouncesystem.htm

"If only they made titanium welded wire mesh!!!!!!!!!! That would be awesome."

titanium welded wire mesh

But you will probably have to buy a 1000 square meter 'roll'? Might be best for BPL to buy it, cut it up and sell squares at the gear shop.

Edited by Brett1234 on 02/21/2007 18:55:10 MST.

Hey Miles,

I would say... maybe not. The Heniken is much stronger than a Fosters since it's barrel shaped... but it still not super strong. It's thin aluminum. Actually... I would say yes but the thing is... over the course of a thru hike you're bound to accidently drop it or sit on it at some point. I accidently "sat" on one once on an overnight hike. I forgot which pocket it was in in my back and I sat down and leaned into my pack (like a backrest) and crushed it a bit. It still held water... it was just a little bent up.

So I guess it would last if you never had any accidents with it and if you were careful... but if your thru hike is in a location where they sell this kind of beer... I would just say... keep a side cut can opener in your drift box and anytime you need a new can... just go to the beer store at the next trail town.

Glad to know that someone it making my stove!!!! Very cool :) Of course... there is not much involved in making it... but still... it took me a long time to come up with all of the little bits and peices and figure out how to fit it all together. The hardest thing to make (which isn't that hard) is the handle. I should warn you... if you make it from a Ti rod... it will be a bit wobbly with a full load of water... but I've never had it fail... and it does work. My first version used coat hanger wire... and it was rock solid... but heavy... and rust-prone. As an alternative... you could just use a glove or some rubber thimbles.

I agree that the LIGHTEST stove is the Firelite Ti wing stove for ESBIT tabs. I carry it as an emergency stove & as a backup for my canister stove if I miscalculate how many canisters to bring.

FORGET THE SCRIPT BELOW: I now have a Caldera Cone ti Sidewinder stove. In ESBIT mode I use the outer cone, a tiny ESBIT tab holder called a Gram Cracker and a small 2" X 2" aluminum base sheet. My Sidewinder was ordered to fit Trail Designs' 3 cup aluminum pot (hard anodized). Not the lightest ESBIT stove but certainly the most efficient. I now use 1/3 less fuel than with the setup described below due to the Cone's efficiency. Now THERE'S some weight savings for you, less fuel to carry.






BUT, I also own the Vargo Outdoors Triad XE titanium stove.
It's a "multifuel" stove in that it can burn both alcohol and ESBIT fuel tabs. In fact it can burn TWO ESBIT tabs side by side if you need more heat in a hurry.
It weighs 1.5 oz. That's right, 1.5 oz.
It costs $32. and is very well made. The alcohol burner has a removable lid for easy filling and a nice, efficient flame pattern. That's the stove I'd recommend to you. Personally I favor ESBIT tabs over alcohol for many reasons. Their only drawback is a brown film they leave in the bottom of a pot, which, BTW, is easily wiped off.

HOWSOMEVER, as was previously pointed out, your beer can is inefficient (too much heat goes up the sides). You need a wider pot. Bite the bullet and get a 1 liter aluminum pot and lid.
Otherwise, if you stick to your old beer can you'll have to carry more fuel to make up for its inefficiency. This is simple physics and we all had to come to terms with it.

Oh yeah, windscreen. I almost forgot.
I got an MSR windscreen kit B/C it was convenient. It has an aluminum reflector disc too. I use the disc under my Wing or Triad XE stove. I punched 1/4" holes about 1 1/2" apart around the bottom of my windscreen for better updraft.
You can, for less money, get a long disposable aluminum baking pan & make a windscreen from it as well. Don't forget the reflector disc. It's a fire safety item also.

Edited by Danepacker on 08/16/2011 13:24:16 MDT.

Eric... you may be right about efficiency but I have never had any problem getting a quick boil with my beercan and you can't beat 48 grams for an entire kitchen setup including pot, lid, handle, stand, windscreen and "burner". I used to use a traditional pot with alcohol and I would almost never get a boil. Tiny bubbes if I was lucky. 1.5 oz... just for the burner... to me... is really heavy. Not saying it's not a great burner for those using traditional pots... but for me... I will never go back to a traditional pot for my trips. Also... a lot depends on the length of your trip. Also... since Esbit can't really be portioned in any way other than trying to cut it in half... I always just use 1 tab per boil anyway. I always get a boil before the whole tab is gone... but I highly doubt that using a traditional pot would allow me to get a boil with half a tab. And even if it did... a tab only weighs a few grams. Again... over the long haul... it may not make sense... but most of my trips are 3-4 days. My setup is significantly lighter than a vargo triad + regular pot for those kinds of trips.

Thanks for idea! I shall make the same furnace.

Well in order to achieve the lightest weight possible you should try to use stuff you're already carrying.

You specifically ask for the lightest STOVE. I think the tea light stove either with alcohol or Esbit is the lightest stove you can find. Than use three or four pegs as support for your Heineken pot. All you need more is a windscreen.

Eins

Thank y'all for your postings!

Einstein X: Do you mean those tea lights from the supermarket w/aluminium covering? Is that enough to hold an Esbit tab? Sounds like a great idea, gotta try that. And they are available in Europe, other than those Heineken cans I received from the US recently...

Well Valentin, it's not my own idea:

http://zenstoves.net/TeaLight.htm

How did you get your Heineken cans? I can get some sent to me but $20 is a bit much i think.

Eins

Einstein
You know what they say....'It's new to me'
I get such a kick out of web pages like this. Some ideas are great and some are not so great, but that's all perspective I should think. It's the thoughts and then the implementation. Just great stuff!!

David,
Thanks for the durability info. Now that I have the keg in my hand, it's actually a lot more durable than I thought it would be. I see what you mean about hurting it during a "whoopsie," but otherwise I think it'll hold up great. I'm excited!

I've got the Heine keg and the ti rod here, the ti foil is on the way, and I'm going to get everything else together tomorrow. The only thing I can't decide on is whether or not to put the hole in the esbit holder. I know it makes the whole setup a lot easier to keep together, but it would be nice to be able to flip it over, throw some fiberglass insulation in there, and be able to use alcohol.

Anyway, I'm getting close! I can already tell that I'm going to love this kitchen.

P.S. - The video on the page isn't working for me.

Edited by milesbarger on 02/23/2007 21:06:58 MST.

Uhm, probably a dumb question, but what's a 'keg'???

Eins

A keg is a barrel-shaped metal container (i.e not straight sided... but bulging sides for strength)... usually really big and full of beer. It's what the taps in bars are hooked up to. The Henieken beer can is not really a keg since it's just a small single-serving thin aluminum can... but it is keg shaped.

Try the video now Miles... I changed the way it was emedded in the page in order to deal with Explorer's lack of standards compliance. Hopefully works now. I'm on a Mac so I can't test it. The video will show you how nicely it all packs up... but you do need the little hole to make that work.

As for hole or no hole... drink cans are cheap :) Make one with the hole... see how you like it... one without. You'd need higher sides to hold alcohol tho'. My esbit cup is maybe 3/8" high. But you could experiment with different burners. Any alcohol stove made from a small energy drink can will fit inside the hardware cloth ring. The MoGo firefly comes to mind. You'd need a higher ring too tho' since that stove is a good 1" high.

I was also thinking... it's not 200% ideal... but you could make a ring that has a "bottom" to hold the burner for stowing (without the little hole). You'd just leave some "tangs" on the bottom of the ring and bend them in towards the center of the ring. So you'd clip the stand and handle together with the bobby pin and then roll up the windscreen and set it inside the ring and then nest the burner inside of that. They would rest on the "shelf" created by the bend in tangs. The disadvantage is that the parts are not secured together... the burner and windscreen are just resting there. But that might be fine.

I don't know how that would work tho'. The trick to the way my stowing works is the way the tightly rolled windscreen goes THRU the handle... holding the handle in place... so it doesn't flop around. Again... the video will make this really clear. Please try the page again and see if it works. I show myself taking the set up stove appart and stowing the bits inside.

Edited by davidlewis on 02/24/2007 07:48:13 MST.

David,
How dare you insinuate that I'm on Windows using IE? ;) I'm on a mac using Firefox/Safari, and the video still doesn't work for me. However, I was able to download it with the UnPlug addon for Firefox, so all is well.

I'm just going to stick to your original design for now, but I'll definitely think of adding my own touch in the future. The lid with holder, handle, and esbit holder are done. The ti foil is still on the way, and so is some non-galvinized stainless steel hardware cloth. You'd think they'd have that stuff in a huge store like Lowe's, but they don't. In fact, they looked at me like I was asking for something that doesn't even exist. And, of course, I received a very vacant stare when I mentioned that I needed it to make a backpacking stove... Anyway, thanks for the advice, as always!

Very odd Miles... I'm on Mac OS X 10.4.8 and the video works in all the browers I have tried... Safari... Firefox... Opera... Camino... you name it. I know that IE often has problems with video because it doesn't support the object tag... but the embed method I'm using now should work with all browsers. Do you have the latest Quicktime?

Yep, I'm on 10.4.8 on a MacBook, running Quicktime 7.1.3, which I think is the most recent, and I've tried Firefox, Camino, Safari, even IE running in CrossOver, even though it hurt me to do it. My school has some very odd packet-shaping/firewall stuff sometimes, so maybe that has something to do with it?

Einstein X: Thank you, I've just checked out the website. Think I'm gonna try that.

A BPL Member sent two Heineken cans to me, if he reads this: Thank you very much!!! I paid 20 US$ for shipping, the cans and some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups... Shipping time was 6 days overall.

where did you find the non-galvinized stainless steel hardware cloth? thanks

Search McMaster-Carr for something like "stainless steel cloth"; it'll get you there. McMaster-Carr may have the most amazingly simple and well-designed webpage I've ever used in my life.

POSTED BY
Bill Fornshell
(bfornshell - M)
BPLRank: 4.23

LOCALE:
Southern Texas


SUBJECT wire mesh pot stand ON 06/14/2006 11:08:14 MDT POST REPLY
I guess I should be dissapointed that my wood stove thread isn't being read by many here.

I made a point twice to list where I get my Stainless Steel Wire Mesh but I guess no one read it.

I have used a lot of Galvanized wire mesh and it just doesn't last long enough.

So where do you get it Bill?

Also... the issue with galvinized steel is more about toxic off-gassing... although I could see where it also would not last as long as stainless.

I can't seem to fine welded wire Ti mesh... but McMaster does have expanded Ti mesh... $100 for one square foot!!!!!!!!! Ouch.

I have a local home depot that I could get the galvinized stuff pretty cheap. So what's the problem when using this set-up in a well ventilated area?

I am guilty of using it on my 1-2 night trips... but this is what zenstoves.net has to say"

"Galvanized steel should never be used for cookware or food storage since this may lead to zinc poisoning (aka heavy metal poisoning). Exposure to high levels of zinc can cause lethargy, dizziness, nausea, fever, diarrhea, irritability, muscular stiffness and pain, loss of appetite, and reversible pancreatic and neurological damage.

Pot stands and stoves constructed from galvanized steel can cause metal fume fever when heated. This is caused by the inhalation of zinc oxide fumes or dust produced when galvanized steel is welded or burned. The signs and symptoms can be vague (shaking chills, fever, body aches, headache, and fatigue) and are similar to those of the flu or a viral illness. Onset of symptoms often occur after well after exposure (3-10 hours) and makes the connection between using your stove and sickness less obvious than one would think. Symptoms usually resolve after 48 hours if you quit cooking with galvanized steel.

Metal Fume Fever has been linked with occupational asthma and is a pretty noxious illness."

Edited by davidlewis on 02/25/2007 15:56:08 MST.

thanks david, that's a good enough reason for me to saty away from it. I am looking at 1 to 2 week-long trips. what's wrong with the ultralight outfitters beer can stove? How much would it weigh if you ditched the lip guard and spoon? I assume that it is less durable than the heineken can merely from shape.

The Ultralight outfitters beer can stove is a really clever design. Very nice. I own one and it's pretty cool. But I find I get just as much (if not more) functionality out of my design... and mine is lighter. The whole idea with my stove was to get something that was as light as humanly possible while still being very functional (no tin foil lids or having to dig out your gloves to grab the pot... etc.). The windscreen with the Ultralight outfitters stove is very heavy BTW... and it's an integral part of the design (doubles as double walled mug). Also, the UO stove has no handle and no lid. And you have to use a Fosters can with it... which is very weak compared to a keg shaped can. That's another reason for the heavy windscreen... it protects the fragile Fosters can.

Edited by davidlewis on 02/25/2007 16:30:41 MST.

thanks, again that all makes a lot of sense, my problem is that your design is relatively expensive (titanium rods 20, titanium windscreen 15, stainless wire 15, cat food 5, a small can 1, plus 5-10 for shipping- we're looking at around $65 for a few pieces of metal. I have several friends that are interested in making one though, that would cut costs as there is plenty of Ti. Yours also seems like more of a hastle to use, but I really like the weight. nicely done.

Hey Stephen,

I don't find it a hassle. I find it's great on the trail. My first version was a pain to use... with the windscreen doubling as a stand.

You're right tho' that it's not cheap to make! I guess I never really noticed since I bought all the bits and pieces separately over time. The stove evolved over time and went though a lot of different variations before I came up with the exact combination that I have now. I was buying bits here and there over the course of a year or so... trying different things. But to just say "this is the design" and buy all the bits at once... yup... it's pricey! I never really stopped to add it all up. The Titanimum is what makes it pricey.

You could make it with an aluminum windscreen from a cheap disposable oven liner, the cut off beer can top as the lid, and coat hanger wire for the handle (or rubber thimbles)... and it would be just as functional... but a little heavier. If you visit my page again actually and look at version 1... that's exactly what I was using .Once I had that worked out... I started trying to shave off more weight by sourcing Titanimum materials. Again... the point was to make my stove as light as humanly possible. It was a personal project and not something I ever intended to manufacture or market... so cost issues never came into it. Anytime I thought of something or found something that would make it lighter... I bought it :)

Oh... and I have a cat anyway... so lots of cans kicking around :) If it wasn't for that actually... I would never have discovered what an amazing fit that is!!! I was blown away the day I noticed how well the bottom of a cat food can fit on top of my beer can! I had been using the cut off beer can top as the lid before (see version 1)... but that was almost 6 grams!

Edited by davidlewis on 02/25/2007 17:17:13 MST.

..... my problem is that your design is relatively expensive...

The Jason Klass version, using a kevlar wick instead of a pot holder looks to less expensive.

Ya... I liked the rubber thimble idea too. 4 grams. Dirt cheap. Easy to find. I just like my handle because of the way it integrated with all the parts inside the pot for stowing. That's really key for me. I love being able to have one unit to remove from the pot (instead of a bunch of loose parts) when I use my pot to get water. The stove is very much designed for me and my own particular style of backpacking. And of course... none of it is really anything new... aside from the handle idea and the cat food can discovery... and the way all the bits clip together for stowing. It's just a creative process really. I took a lot of idea from other designs and came up with my own unique combination which I really love... of course :)

A question for David, Jason, and others who are using this pot.

I've used an UL Heineken pot and alcohol stove set up in the past(see my "Breakfast of Champions" pose below) and discovered a few things. 1) I really like the light weight and and compactness of this system. 2) I don't really like eating out of a plastic bag. 3)I found it difficult to clean all the food scraps out of the nooks and crannies of the Heineken pot.

Can anyone help me with #3? Thanks.

Edited by Dondo on 02/28/2007 08:11:15 MST.

Sorry... I eat out of the bag. I do eat my morning cereal out of the can tho'. Sometimes I little bit of cereal or some dried milk gets stuck in the bottom... but I good swish and / or a stick usually does the trick. My hands are small (and flexible) enough that I can get one inside the can too. That said... cereal doesn't make nearly as much mess as a hot dinner I would think. I eat my dinners out of the bag.

>>Can anyone help me with #3?<<

Orikaso?

Eins

All the supplies arrived and everything is looking great. I've found that I can fit my AquaMira with mixing cap, a contact lens case (each side mixed for treating the bottles of water I keep on my pack straps), and the lighter in the middle of the titanium foil tube. The only issue I've faced is that my esbit holder is perhaps too big. I bought a Tab as that was all that my local convenience store had. It fits very tightly in the bottom of my wire mesh pot stand, but the top of the mesh doesn't quite lock into the bottom rim of the Heine. Are Red Bull cans slightly smaller in diameter?

Regarding #3, Part of the convenience of an alcohol stove is relegating it to boiling water, and serving drinks and food out of disposable or reusable cups/bags. And I suggest make a cozy from reflectix for quicker rehydration and keeping stuff warm longer.

Hey Miles,

Cool :)

The drink cans you're looking for are slightly bigger than 2" in diameter (2 1/8 ?). Many energy drinks use these cans... as well as V8. I bought a 6 pack of V8 in the tiny cans for my purposes. I figured at least that was something I might drink.

The welded wire cloth I'm using has 1/2" spacing... 3 spaces high and 14 spaces long. Cut out 15 spaces tho' so you have some tangs to wrap around at the end to close the hoop.

If you haven't been to my stove page recently... I posted a new photo (below) that show how I stow all the bits. Notice the bobby pin on the left... and the end of the hoop on the right... where the tangs wrap around to form a solid hoop. Also... I don't know if it would make a different for the fit... but I have the vertical wires facing in. I only did that so they would be less likely to catch on things... but it might affect the fit to the bottom of the beer can.

Edited by davidlewis on 03/01/2007 04:31:06 MST.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. If I can't resolve my Heineken pot washing problem, I'll probably go with Einstein X's Orikaso idea. In the past, I've used an Orikaso bowl when traveling with a partner; one person ate out of the pot, the other out of the bowl. It worked pretty well. My not liking to eat out of plastic bags is totally irrational, more of an aesthetic thing. But then again, so is wanting to go into the mountains.

Is the problem a big bag and a small spoon? I have the long handled BPL Ti spoon and it makes eating from a bag a MUCH more plesant experience. Plus... I always cut the bag down with the scissors of my handy Swiss Army Classic.

For what it's worth, I'm with you and for the same reason. I just use a light food storage container (Ziploc brand) that holds the pot and sundries. FYIW I cut the top off a pint nalgene and use that as a mug - fits into the Heinikin can just slick! Not the lightest set up but a nice blend of function and pandering to my aesthetic. Ask any food critic - presentation IS important. I just can't get into eating my instant grits out of a baggie :)

No, I have the long-handled ti spoon from REI, modeled on the one Bill Fornshell developed. I think it's more that I like to eat slowly, taking in the view, with my bowl or pot sitting in front of me on the ground. That's hard to do with a plastic bag.

Not so hard. I use a cozie hat to put my bag in which keeps it hot while cooking. It then goes on my lap which also keeps it warm while I enjoy a long slow meal.

Michael, I made my post before I read jack's reply. His reason is a lot closer to what I meant than what I typed.

>>Ask any food critic - presentation IS important. I just can't get into eating my instant grits out of a baggie :)

For some reason eating out of the Heineken can is more appealing to me than eating out of a plastic bag, despite the practical advantages of the bag.

Come to think of it, eating out of an Orikaso bowl has much more appeal than either the bag or the can. I think I just talked myself into it. :-)

Thanks to everyone for helping me sort out my thoughts on this.

Dondo,
don't apologize for your sense of aesthetics! those bowls are great and really a cool idea, and hell I don't like to eat out of the bag either, and they only weigh a couple ounces(if that.)

Hey,

So I've been searching in vain for stainless or plain steel mesh (1/2" openings) to replace the Home Depot galvanized hardware cloth I used for my stove. No luck whatsoever. I've searched Google and called dozens of local companies... nada. One place could get it... but in the quantities I'd have to buy... it would be hundreds of dollars.

I know that McMaster Carr sells just about everything... including exactly what I'm looking for... but when I contacted them... they told me that "Due to increasingly complex export regulations, we no longer ship to Canada". I'm trying REALLY hard not to start cursing right now on the BPL forums!!!! Suffice it to say... thank god GWB is keeping the world safe from Esbit and Hardware Cloth wielding backpackers from Canada.

So... any ideas?! Any place other than McMaster Carr that I might try online? Please help :-(

Edited by davidlewis on 03/16/2007 10:25:30 MDT.

David,
We're fortunate to have a pretty fine salvage yard in our town. They conveniently separate the different metals so I don't have to paw through every pile. I was able to find a stainless steel "box" two sides of which were 1/2" welded stainless mesh. The wire size was a bit thick but I bought the whole "box and was able to get a piece of mesh that made 5 stove stands.

Might you be able to find such a place?

Edited by redleader on 03/16/2007 10:40:42 MDT.

Hey Denis,

I do have a lead on a local place that supplies "screening" stuff. They told me I could drop by and see if they have any scrap that would do what I need. Of course... being an industrial supply company... they are only open M-F and close at 4:30... but they open at 7:30... so I may take my car to work some day next week and try to swing out there before work. I just thought it might be easier if someone knew of a good place online other than McMaster... who told me that won't ship to Canada.

Dave

Send Aaron at Brasslite.com an email. I bought a piece from him.

Great idea Bill!!! All his stoves use that stuff. Thanks for the tip.

Good deal. The neat thing about salvage yards is that, while looking for a particular item, you find all sorts of stuff for other projects. Last week, while looking for some brass rod to make staples to hold down garden sclpture, I found several 30"x30" thin aluminum sheets for wind screens etc... They're about half the thickness of aluminum flashing and of an alloy that has just the right amount of "springiness". I also happened upon some light weight aluminum angle for a stereo cabinet project. I also found a heavy industrial caster wheel for my boat trailer.

It's like treasure hunting.

Thanks so much Bill. I contacted Aaron and he fixed me up!

By the way... I mentioned the idea of Titanium welded wire earlier in this thread. McMaster Carr does sell it... but it's almost $100 for one square foot!!!!!!!!! Crazy.

I was also just looking at the ingenious Ultralight Outfitters Stove again. I was surprised at how "heavy" it is... as 4.4 oz. My beercan setup is 1.7 oz... and that's with a pot handle and lid... which the Ultralight Outfitters stove lacks.

Anyway... thanks again Bill. I'm very excited about making my stove with a nice shiny (and non-toxic) stainless steel stand. My friend is going to love it :) His current stove is a Coleman canister stove that weights about 2 pounds... I'm guessing... and all he uses it for is heating water. He's facinated by all my "weird" lightweight gear... and especially the whole esbit / beer can idea... which he's heard about (thru me) but never seen. So now he will have one of his own :)

If you are stuck with a stainless mesh which is more heavy duty than you need, you could try removing every second (or third etc) wire from the mesh using small cutters. Experiment to see how many wires you can remove before the mesh becomes too weak for practical service?
I know it would be a fiddly job but hey you are chasing grams to make it the lightest aren't you? ;-)


BTW I'm now inspired to make one of these!


(edited for spelling)

Edited by terra on 03/17/2007 18:56:21 MDT.

>>My friend is going to love it :) His current stove is a Coleman canister stove that weights about 2 pounds... I'm guessing... and all he uses it for is heating water. He's facinated by all my "weird" lightweight gear... and especially the whole esbit / beer can idea... which he's heard about (thru me) but never seen. So now he will have one of his own :)<<

David, I wish I had (a) freind(s) like you with crazy ideas and who surprises me with a Esbit-Heine kitchen.

Eins

I've been waiting and waiting for the small Ti windscreens to come back in stock so I can complete the stove I'm making for a friend of mine (I may make a couple actually... one for another friend)... but then I realized... my beercan windscreen is only 3.5" x 15". If I bought the small Ti windscreen at 4" x 24" for $16... I can get 1 windscreen out of that. However... if I bought the large at 9" x 32" for $24... I can get FOUR windscreens!!!!! That works out to $6 a piece. Not bad! So it's a good thing the smalls are out of stock or I never would have thought of that! That was... by far... the most expensive part of this gift... since I already have a pile of Ti rods left over... and cat food cans and beer cans don't cost much. Plus I got a great deal on stainless hardware cloth from the Brasslite guy... Aaron.

Anyway... just thought I would post this if anyone is thinking of making a beercan stove. If you want to make a couple stoves... you can save a LOT of money by buying the bigger Ti windscreen.

I went with a modified and more weighty version of David Lewis' design. The can, pot stand and top are the same, but instead of Esbit I use a small alcohol stove from MiniBull. I use a bicycle spoke instead of a titanium rod and use aluminum foil for the wind screen. This setup works great. I boil water in the can, pour it into a baggie meal, throw the baggie into a pot cozy. When cooked, I plop the open bag back into the can so it seems like I'm eating from something solid.

David, thank you for the ideas and inspiration. When I win the lotto I will upgrade to a titanium windscreen. I may even experiment with an esbit tab or two.

Got my stainless mesh today. My stand went from 6 grams (galvanized mesh from Home Depot) to 12 grams! I knew it would be heavier... but I didn't think it would double. I know it's only 6 grams... but that's a fait bit with you're talking about a doubling of the weight. Still... I don't want to use that galvanized mesh. Aside from the potentially harmful heavy metal vapors... it's cheap and doesn't last. In any case... 1/2" mesh is overkill. I can cut out every other vertical wire and it will still be more than strong enough. But it's a heck of a tedious job with the dremel... cutting out all those little sections. Still... by doing that... the stand would probably end up at about 8 grams.

Edited by davidlewis on 03/28/2007 19:31:59 MDT.

I know this post has been dead for a while but I've found it twice now reading about alcohol stoves so time to bring it back from the dead (perhaps).

Of course stainless steel is heavy so how about aluminum mesh? This link sells a 6"x6" swatch for $8.00 which is decent and yields enough mesh for multiple stoves.

I have seen bits of the steel mesh glow red from an alky stove in photos. Roughly speaking, that would put the steel around 800 C.
Aluminiun melts at 660 C, but is very soft by about 550 C. Do you get a feeling that it might melt under these conditions?

Cheers

Certainly anything is possible depending on the configuration of the stove. However, my super-thin gauge aluminum cat food can is almost cool to the touch after it brings 2 cups of water to a boil.

Edited by ChemE on 05/11/2010 21:19:57 MDT.

I think aluminum mesh is the way to go here, assuming you are not cooking anything special that has to be over-the-top hot...

http://www.bwire.com/

Check here see what they have available, they sent me a few samples of the aluminum mesh, I tested it out under my regular fire conditions, and I eventually placed the order with them for a few cut pieces of this stuff.

-J

My experience agrees with Roger's conjecture. Had a piece of thin (~0.015") perforated metal sheet I thought was stainless. Made a stove stand from it. Turns out it was aluminum and melted on first use (which fortunately was in my kitchen, not the backcountry). The stand I made from galvanized steel hardware cloth routinely glows red during use, and the zinc coating has mostly burned off. I suppose a wide pot and a small stove would keep an aluminum stand away from the flame, but a super cat works great with a wide pot, and needs no stand.

See my edited 1st post on P. 1 of this thread about the Caldera Cone Sidewinder & ESBIT.