Stoking the wasp nest ALC stoves...

Mole

Thru Hiker
Got a picture?
From this thread when I did it:

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I spotted on BPL, that a chap had cut notches into his Jetboil pot base to seat his Soto stove closer and more securely. 20 mins with a Dremel and a round file made a bespoke fit for the Windmaster. It's much more secure than just sitting the pot on top, possibly more wind resistant as the flame is more protected by the pot base, and, couple of boil tests indicate it seems to have shaved about 20 seconds off too.

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I think I am there now!
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
So that was over 2 years ago. It's been used a LOT for work and on one week long trip and several Overnighters and day walks. Never faltered.

I've not used any other gas setup hiking since, as my only reason to take gas is speed/convenience and this setup is faster than any other cartridge top gas stove I have, and as stable as any other integrated stove due to the notches.

Due to pot, it's heavy compared to using alcohol/Esbit or a UL cart top gas burner, though lighter than using the slower, less wind resistant Jetboil burner.
 

Balagan

Thru Hiker
I didn't see @Mole's frankenstove but I did see the same BPL thread so here's mine (sawn-off Jetboil pot reduced to about 600 ml, a Toaks lid and a Soto Amicus stove). Not quite as fast as Mole's but much faster than an equivalent Toaks pot (heavier too, obviously).

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I picked up an unloved first-generation Jetboil PCS to see what the fuss was about and turned it into a fast brew kit for snowshoeing day hikes.

It's quite the Frankenstein: a sawn-off Jetboil pot (reduced to about 600 ml), a Toaks lid and a Soto Amicus stove. It's fast (3:20 to a rolling boil in the kitchen vs. 5:10 with a Toaks 550 pot) and pretty heavy at 147 grams (including lid). I'll try to measure efficiency differences when I have time to kill...

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On the right, everything that was discarded from the original PCS, a little over 300 grams of crap.

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Rog Tallbloke

Thru Hiker
I spent a short period trying to optimise alcohol stove/pots. I had no luck with conventional heat exchange pots, at least the ones I tried.
What I'd like to try is a Kelly kettle type pot with the chimney stuffed full of heat exchanger fins. In aluminium.

I only have a DC Tig at the minute so not something I can try to fab. Not that my skills are up to ghin wall aluminium.

I got some pretty good efficiencies and boil times out of uberlight kelly kettles made from beer cans. I had to make the joint between shell and chimney using JB-weld epoxy though. I tried a couple of ally soldering kits but never managed to achieve a watertight seal.
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
I didn't see @Mole's frankenstove but I did see the same BPL thread so here's mine (sawn-off Jetboil pot reduced to about 600 ml, a Toaks lid and a Soto Amicus stove). Not quite as fast as Mole's but much faster than an equivalent Toaks pot.

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Nice.

Much lighter than mine, as I haven't reduced the 1l pot size or changed lids. But everything fits inside the pot including canister base, spoon, and lots of brew ingredients.
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
I got some pretty good efficiencies and boil times out of uberlight kelly kettles made from beer cans. I had to make the joint between shell and chimney using JB-weld epoxy though. I tried a couple of ally soldering kits but never managed to achieve a watertight seal.

@captain paranoia was describing making similar beer can chimney kettles on OM some 10 years ago. Can't remember how he got on now, as I'd sort of lost interest in Woodburning by then.
 

Rog Tallbloke

Thru Hiker
@captain paranoia was describing making similar beer can chimney kettles on OM some 10 years ago. Can't remember how he got on now, as I'd sort of lost interest in Woodburning by then.

I was using an alcy penny stove made from a 4g lip-balm pot under my beercan kettles. 350ml boiled using 7g of meths in around 4 mins. Pretty fast and efficient. And windproof.
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I've had a go at an ethanol v hex test, but given I've got a pair of duff lungs atm I did it outside, so the boil times are much longer than I've gotten during indoor tests.
Wind was present but not strong. Blocking it made an audible difference to almost boiling noises.

Stormin's wick meth stove
33g fueled
9.05mins to boil
21g after boil
Fuel used 12g

Full size hex in alloy tin lid
33g
8.10 mins to boil
22 after boil
Fuel used 11g

So in this very flawed, but perhaps closer to the hill experiment (wind was obviously not a factor controlled for so a flawed comparison)
Hex was faster, used less fuel, but probably about the same per minute.

I'd have to do the test in better conditions, but for me I'm sticking with ethanol, the difference in speed is not insignificant but in bad weather I cook in my vestibule and the idea of those fumes is a non starter. Especially blowing it out.
I would consider keeping a tab in my cook kit for emergencies though.

One thing that dramatically reduces 'boil' times is not boiling, if you use your water to make coffee or rehydrate, id user it at 90c rather than 100. Unless the water needs sterilising. Can't see it making much difference to rehydrating and you can drink your coffee sooner!
I'd guess 30%reduction in fuel/time.

My first experience with hex and when lighting it it did produce liquid, so I think a liquid containing holder is important at first glance.
I can't find my big wick stove which is faster, I came to the conclusion that I didn't need the extra speed, even though it used no more fuel in earlier tests.

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The alcohol used was definitely not 96% Ethanol from Soviet Russia.
 
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Mole

Thru Hiker
I've had a go at an ethanol v hex test, but given I've got a pair of duff lungs atm I did it outside, so the boil times are much longer than I've gotten during indoor tests.
Wind was present but not strong. Blocking it made an audible difference to almost boiling noises.

Stormin's wick meth stove
33g fueled
9.05mins to boil
21g after boil
Fuel used 12g

Full size hex in alloy tin lid
33g
8.10 mins to boil
22 after boil
Fuel used 11g

So in this very flawed, but perhaps closer to the hill experiment (wind was obviously not a factor controlled for so a flawed comparison)
Hex was faster, used less fuel, but probably about the same per minute.

I'd have to do the test in better conditions, but for me I'm sticking with ethanol, the difference in speed is not insignificant but in bad weather I cook in my vestibule and the idea of those fumes is a non starter. Especially blowing it out.
I would consider keeping a tab in my cook kit for emergencies though.

One thing that dramatically reduces 'boil' times is not boiling, if you use your water to make coffee or rehydrate, id user it at 90c rather than 100. Unless the water needs sterilising. Can't see it making much difference to rehydrating and you can drink your coffee sooner!
I'd guess 30%reduction in fuel/time.

My first experience with hex and when lighting it it did produce liquid, so I think a liquid containing holder is important at first glance.
I can't find my big wick stove which is faster, I came to the conclusion that I didn't need the extra speed, even though it used no more fuel in earlier tests.

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The alcohol used was definitely not 96% Ethanol from Soviet Russia.
Maybe half a hexamine block on flat pie foil with a lower lip would lead to a faster boil?
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I think the wind swamped any other variables.
If I could do it indoors I'm sure there is lots to optimise.
Perhaps in the future! Clearly working well for you.
Do you manage to use hex in your shelters?
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
I think the wind swamped any other variables.
If I could do it indoors I'm sure there is lots to optimise.
Perhaps in the future! Clearly working well for you.
Do you manage to use hex in your shelters?
I use mine in my shelter when I feel I have to... I use the esbit blocks rather than the larger mil copy type hexi blocks.
 

OwenM

Thru Hiker
As an ex soldier all I can say is I wouldn't touch that Sh*t with a very long barge pole. Don't you like your lungs?
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
That's what I've got. Don't remember what I paid but it was more than £2 :) probably off e bay.
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I just dug out the ti 600 or 650 pot I used to use with a cone and meths.

Tried it with my AliExpress soto windmaster copy, 500ml boil in 2.20, or at least it boiled over at 2.20 as it caught me unawares.

A 100g cart and the stove don't quite fit insideithe pot, but the lid of my treadlite bag will close, so good enough.

Should make a good brew up kit for day walks, and pretty dam fast!

At least indoors with tap water!
 

Padstowe

Thru Hiker
2.20 looks very fast compared to other people's stoves so I might video it to confirm I'm not making a silly mistake somewhere.
Depends if you have the gas full blast or not?
I never tend not to if using gas as I think the amount of gas used that way isn't worth the time saved.
Personal opinion, though & I believe I did see somewhere on a review of the soto windmaster that there wasn't much/any difference of gas used between it being full blast or conservative use.
If that's true it may be the mini regulator that helps there?
 
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