Foxster
Section Hiker
Got a picture?My fastest boiling Gas burner the Frankenstove (soto windmaster plus modified Jetboil pot)...
Got a picture?My fastest boiling Gas burner the Frankenstove (soto windmaster plus modified Jetboil pot)...
From this thread when I did it:Got a picture?
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!
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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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.
Nice.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.
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.
Film it!I'll try an ethanol v's hexamine shootout using my goals 900 and to cone today.
@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.
Maybe half a hexamine block on flat pie foil with a lower lip would lead to a faster boil?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.
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.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?
Similar@Mole Are these the style of fuel tablets you buy? (never tried them but may just give them a try if I find them)
Depends if you have the gas full blast or not?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.