free stove amongst other tips

[Matt-g]

Hi,

Just stumbled across this blog site.....makes for a really interesting read, including a video of how to make a free stove.

I really enjoyed this and thought others may too!

http://tomsbiketrip.com/how-to-go-cycle-touring-for-the-price-of-a-round-of-drinks-part-1/

 

[Nigeyy]

I really liked reading that blog -I really think it is a truthful depiction and one that can be replicated (at least for me). While it's really nice to have some top gear, I do sometimes think we forget the important thing is the bike tour itself and not the gear. While I'm not espousing you sleep in a too thin sleeping bag on rocks without the luxury of an air mat or similar, it is surprizing how much stuff you can get cheaply that will (mostly or fully) do the trick. Usually spending more money will get you a bit less weight and a bit more function or luxury.

Anyway, a long time ago I realized that if I was touring, I did want some good equipment, a nice bike, etc and it's one area I didn't mind splashing out on, but I certainly see the point he is making in the blog. FWIW, I do have a Whisperlite stove, but I also made the beer can stove just to see how it works!

The only comment I have to his blog is that while he's been a grateful recipient of some of the stuff, I hope he will also try to help out other cyclists when he gets the chance (I've given away quite a few components). What comes around should go around.....

 

[22camels]

It's great. There are many DIY stove designs out there if you search around but I think this is one of the better ones. Cool video too. I got into cycle touring about a year ago and I've not done any cooking when camping before, I've decided I'm just going to stick with this free one for now to see what I can do with it as I am not yet sure what type of cooking I'd want to do and what features are important to me. Two big pluses for me are - if it stops working I just make a new one - if it gets confiscated at an airport (seems to happen a lot with camping stoves), I just make a new one.. Anyway I put it together from a can of 1664 following the video a couple of weeks ago and took it on an overnight camping trip, made coffee and one of those 'add hot water' things - not yet sure how well it would work for simmering but it can certainly boil water. I might eventually upgrade to a non- free stove but don't see the need for it.

 

[KneesUp]

Stove? Softies. I just eat cold baked beans when I go camping

 

[vernon]

Stove? Softies. I just eat cold baked beans when I go camping

And drink cold tea?

 

[Profpointy]

And drink cold tea?

It's fine -you just have to remember to put the tea bag in (cold) water the night before.
... but to get a good 2nd brew you need to leave it in for two nights, so cycle the tea bags.


Pah - tea bags, we just used dried nettles...

Nettles, luxury, young people today...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

It's fine -you just have to remember to put the tea bag in (cold) water the night before.
... but to get a good 2nd brew you need to leave it in for two nights, so cycle the tea bags.


Pah - tea bags, we just used dried nettles...

Nettles, luxury, young people today...

I still do and I dry my own. In fact I am currently drinking an infusion of dried nettle leaf and dried peppermint.

 

[Yellow7]

My warmshowers host in Strasbourg had a similar one he had made, a similar principle but his had lots of pierced holes around the top edge, the one on this video looks easier.

I use an MSR stove but will make this tin can one to compare, it will be interesting to see the results. I will post my findings.

mark.

 

[Ganymede]

My warmshowers host in Strasbourg had a similar one he had made, a similar principle but his had lots of pierced holes around the top edge, the one on this video looks easier.

I use an MSR stove but will make this tin can one to compare, it will be interesting to see the results. I will post my findings.

mark.

That might be a rocket stove or wood-gas version. They are more efficient - there are various vids on youtube showing how to make them.

I love this sort of stuff. I'm very fond of my storm kettle (another brand is Kelly kettle) but it's a bit big for putting on a bike... makes tea in seconds with only twigs for fuel. I am a bit of a pyromaniac and had all the badges involving fire at Guides when I was a girl. I could build and light a fire with no paper and only one match, and (in accordance with the Backwoodsman badge syllabus) boil half a pint of water all in under half an hour... happy days...

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Brilliant blog. Thanks for giving us a heads up on this.
Now ... let's find a can ...

 

[Colin B]

Best stove I ever saw was this and its bigger brother although expensive is good too

View: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1CYA11nmnkA

 

[Yellow7]

That might be a rocket stove or wood-gas version. They are more efficient - there are various vids on youtube showing how to make them.

No it was almost same as the video in tomsbiketrip.com, using alchohol - just a very slightly different build method.
The MSR (& Whisperlite) stoves will no doubt cook quicker as the fuel is fed under slight pressure, although the present fuel that someone gave me last week at a campsite in Mayrhofen (Austria) does not burn quite as good as petrol or meths. Out out of curiosity (as an engineer) it would still be interesting to compare the boil times.

Best stove I ever saw was this and its bigger brother although expensive is good too

I think this would be okay on a short tour, but on a longer one having to walk around at the end of every day finding twigs would not appeal to me, a great idea for a Scout or Girl Guides group connecting with ones surroundings to the max. Also cooking on a yellow flame does make the pots rather dirty with carbon, unlike on a blue [oxygen-rich] flame, but still an interesting and very compact stove.

 

[Colin B]

No it was almost same as the video in tomsbiketrip.com, using alchohol - just a very slightly different build method.
The MSR (& Whisperlite) stoves will no doubt cook quicker as the fuel is fed under slight pressure, although the present fuel that someone gave me last week at a campsite in Mayrhofen (Austria) does not burn quite as good as petrol or meths. Out out of curiosity (as an engineer) it would still be interesting to compare the boil times.


I think this would be okay on a short tour, but on a longer one having to walk around at the end of every day finding twigs would not appeal to me, a great idea for a Scout or Girl Guides group connecting with ones surroundings to the max. Also cooking on a yellow flame does make the pots rather dirty with carbon, unlike on a blue [oxygen-rich] flame, but still an interesting and very compact stove.

Agreed I think that's why they brought out the large one , folds up on nicer and looks a lot bigger

 

[Andy_R]

I made a double walled alcohol stove out of 2 coke cans for my scouts - it has the holes around the top (made with a push pin of all things) - and boils a billy can of water in less than 5 minutes. Burn time is around 15 minutes max, but if you make them taller obviously you can get more fuel in

 

[Ganymede]

I think this would be okay on a short tour, but on a longer one having to walk around at the end of every day finding twigs would not appeal to me, a great idea for a Scout or Girl Guides group connecting with ones surroundings to the max. Also cooking on a yellow flame does make the pots rather dirty with carbon, unlike on a blue [oxygen-rich] flame, but still an interesting and very compact stove.

Agree about the carbon, but you would be surprised how few twigs you need, and how short a time it takes to collect enough - seriously about 5 minutes.