View Full Version : Swedish Army 'Trangia'
Spacemonkey
22-05-2005, 19:59
After seeing them on here, and then finding one on my favourite old fashioned Surplus Store ( a dying breed nowadays..) I decided to release £10 from my moth lair. First impressions are great. It fulfills my requirements of performing many tasks. In this case, it is combining cooker and billy tins in one, like my 58 bottle kit. Better than the 58 kit, is the lid with handle which can be a fryer, or a plate/bowl. The billy can also uses the handle so it can be used on a regular fire like a regular billy can. I was going to drill holes in the Crusader mug for clipping a chain for this purpose, and attempt to fashion a lightweight pressed steel lid. Anyway, the Crusader seems to take a while to cook anything, so I thought I'd try one of these and get one for my mate as well. After all, they are dirt cheap. Some questions arise though- can you get them in Stainless steel instead of ali, and how do I get the lid off one of them as it has seized solid while only half on? It's not apparently bent or damaged and assuming it can be removed by heat etc, then any ideas for the cause? Are they prone to any particular nasties that could cause this sticking?
I've never used the Trangia system as I have always thought them a little slow working, but I'm more open to conversion nowadays. The question is, what kind of performance can I expect compared to, say, a gas stove or a hexy burner? Does meths coat the billy tins in soot etc? What are the alternatives for meths for the burner and how do they compare with heat/cost/dirtyness/food taste tainting? I assume that a little fire could be made in the windshield and that could be used instead if need be.
And lastly, what is the ideal pouch for carrying them in (preferably on the British PLCE system)? I was thinking the PLCE gas mask pouch which I believe has a shoulder strap too???
innocent bystander
22-05-2005, 20:18
Is it the lid on the burner that's stuck ? if so i pour boiling water on it to loosen it. Best lube it to stop it happening again.... :)
I've got a stainless one but it is the only one I have ever seen. I picked it up from the army surplus store in east Runton, Norfolk while on a camping holday last year. whenever I see them for sale I check them out but they are always ali ones. If I ever see another stainless one I'm going to snap it up, it's a little bit heavier, but healthier.
Adding about 10% water to the meths is supposed to make them burn cleaner but I just use neat meths. When used as a billy over a fire it get a lot more filthy, so why worry about the meths? :)
i use "brand spititus" in my trangia stoves, they are 85% spiritis mixures. Never really got soot on anything. Just some colorfull changes on my pot. But nothing else that can make my kit dirty. The stove is not very fast, but that fine with me. I't has the advantage of being quite and there's nothing to break.
i find the suplus "trangia" ( mine has SVEA stamped on it ) a bit heavy, but than again in got the Stainless steel version. And i'm used to my titanium snowpeak set up...
Some questions arise though- can you get them in Stainless steel instead of ali, and how do I get the lid off one of them as it has seized solid while only half on? It's not apparently bent or damaged and assuming it can be removed by heat etc, then any ideas for the cause? Are they prone to any particular nasties that could cause this sticking?
I've never used the Trangia system as I have always thought them a little slow working, but I'm more open to conversion nowadays. The question is, what kind of performance can I expect compared to, say, a gas stove or a hexy burner? Does meths coat the billy tins in soot etc? What are the alternatives for meths for the burner and how do they compare with heat/cost/dirtyness/food taste tainting? I assume that a little fire could be made in the windshield and that could be used instead if need be.
I think I can answer your questions.
Yes they are available in stainless but can be a bit hard to get.
What lid has stucked, the burnesr lid or the lid to the pot?
It will be slower then a gas burner but will work even in the coldest winter.
Meths will soot the mess kit but not as much as a fire will.
Why make small fire in the windshield better to make normal fire and hang the mess kit over that.
Any more questions?
Hi SM,
I bought one of these last year (from Gary @ Bearclaw) and like it a lot - mine's a green ali one. I found the supplied burner slow - I did some time trials and found that it would boil a litre of water in about 16 mins - slow :( . I compared this to a standard civi trangia burner (same conditions/cold pans etc) and found that that brought a litre to the boil in 10mins. Which is OK if you put the kettle on whilst you put your hootchie up. The civi also has a simmer ring - handy for those bush cordon-bleu chef moments!
Like Viking was saying its just as easy to hang over your fire if you are somewhere that you can light one. It is about the most versatile stove set up I have come across.
The 10% water in your meths is a good idea I found and the whole thing is ultra reliable - I would echo Viking - it works in the coldest of conditions, and is a lot less fiddly that one of those gas/petrol contraptions!
Hope you have many successful trips with it
Graham_S
23-05-2005, 12:12
the thing about the trangia is it is cheap to buy, cheap to run, the fuel is easy to get, and the most reliable stove on the market. if you want a simmer ring i expect you could get one in a camping shop (i think the military and civvy burners are the same size)
as to the boil time, well i'm in no hurry. i got back into bushcraft to slow down and relax.
greg2935
23-05-2005, 13:02
I used to use a primus multifuel, very good, very fast but sounds like a jet engine, it makes so much noise I am actually embarrassed to use it in front of other people. After seeing Neil1 and Leon-1's trangias', I was very impressed by the no nonsense operation and simplicity and switched. So far I haven't looked back.
By nature I'm a bit of a kit freak and have to try and stop myself from buying "trangia accessories", so I am using a small 12cm billycan that the burner and burner housing fit into, (the burner housing I beleive is part of the "mini stove" and can be seen here (http://www.fieldandtrek.com/sfile/1/filter_cat/EQUICAMPCAMPMETH/manufacturer_id/Trangia/product-Trangia-Mini-Stove-Set-18034.htm)).
Spacemonkey
23-05-2005, 18:52
Cheers guys. it's the frying pan/lid that's stuck on one of the setups that I gave to my brother. The fuel bottle and burner are inside it, but ok.
The reason I ask about a little fire is if you are on the move and can't/don't want a full size fire! This is in case the Meths runs out, or is in short supply. In Spain I can't have an open fire throughtout most of the year, and wouldn't want to cart around a ton of meths, you see. Do others agree that the civvie burner is faster? If so I might pick one up. Bit of a kit monster myself i must admit... ;)
I have 3 of the military stoves and absolutly love them, when i use mine i "put them out" by covering with empty tuna can then replace lid when stove is cool, never had any lid sticking troubles since.
Spacemonkey
25-05-2005, 20:51
Just a thought (dangerous things, I know...) but do Trangia or similar do a mini burner that would fit in the bowl of the Crusader cooker underneath the Crusader mug?? This would solve a few problems..
\have a look on the Argos website - their Superstores stock a burner.
Bumblebee
29-05-2005, 09:55
Sounds interesting, had no idea that they were made in stainless steel as well.
Can someone tell me where I can get one? Mailorder/internet preferred.
Earth Mother
29-05-2005, 11:47
I've been using the Swedish Trangia for a little while now and although it takes an age to heat things up, I love its simplicity and compact design. Putting out the burner though is a pretty dangerous undertaking as there is no sliding lid on the burner. Can you buy a burner from a regular trangia separately?
Earth Mother
29-05-2005, 11:49
Apolgies for the overuse of the word 'burner' in previous post. Obviously a little dappy today :p
innocent bystander
29-05-2005, 12:07
You can buy the burner seperately - theyre about a tenner for a burner.
Burner.
Burner.
I've been using the Swedish Trangia for a little while now and although it takes an age to heat things up,
Hm.. is this the Military model or the Civilian one? I've noted a lot of people are complaining that their trangia's take a long time to heat up, mine (military model ) is faster than my stove at home :) The Civilian version is fairly crap though.
Or maybe i just got lucky with mine :)
Earth Mother
29-05-2005, 15:14
Thanks Innocent Bystander for ignoring my lack of verbal prowess today! :p
Mine is the military Trangia but I still find it takes an age to heat anything. Maybe you got lucky with yours! I will buy a burner with a lid now that I know I can get a burner lid separately for my burner. :D
innocent bystander
29-05-2005, 15:22
I haven't actually tried my civvie burner in the mil mess kit, though i will have a go. I found that not only did it take ages to boil up the water it used quite a lot of meths in the process - a lot more than my civvie set up does. Shame really...On the other hand the whisperlite uses hardly any fuel by comparison....
I also have the Swedish Army stove and am very pleased with it. Brilliant design and its every use has been studied with care. Just great! I don't have the lid to adjust the size of the flame but indeed, Earth mother, one can surely use the "civilian" burner which has it witht eh military stove.Has anyone else the Swedish Army stove??
Spacemonkey
29-05-2005, 15:26
I used mine for the first time yesterday and can report that I found it fairly quick. Not up there with my mini gas stove, but quicker than the crusader. The burner comes with a screw lid as standard and you can just pop it over to put it out, but I just blew it out with one puff. The windshield gets bloody hot though. I used the lid to bake bread with a stick for the handle. Great idea! Then boiled pasta in the billy and added a tomato soup into the watewr at the end to make a sauce. Great, except I found it very tricky to eat out of the billy, as the billy stayed bloody hot for ages, and the sides were too high for my ickle spoon. So am I missing something here like a billy can rigid handle to pour or hold? Bit heavy for my liking as well, but an ok bit of kit. Never did get around to hanging it over the fire, but made the bracket and it would have worked well. First time I've burned Sweet Chestnut, and it gives a very clean flame with very little smoke at all. I'll have to find that again! My assistant discovered that by putting the Green Slime in the Crusader cooker, then screwing up the wrapper and putting that in too, makes the burner more efficient. It seems to burn hotter and longer, and disposes of the wrapper too. We think they are bio degradable, but not sure.
I have got a military trangia aswell . really like the design as it is adapptable for most situations , but i think it is quite slow to boil . Last time i used it i ended up having a half warm brew !! :eek:
Are there any modifications to the burners that work ?
Pumbaa
arctic hobo
29-05-2005, 17:32
I have got a military trangia aswell . really like the design as it is adapptable for most situations , but i think it is quite slow to boil . Last time i used it i ended up having a half warm brew !! :eek:
Are there any modifications to the burners that work ?
Pumbaa
Yes; wind. Put it in a gale and you will be roasting ox over four foot flames :D Not quite, but that's the best way to perk them up.
Hm.. is this the Military model or the Civilian one? I've noted a lot of people are complaining that their trangia's take a long time to heat up, mine (military model ) is faster than my stove at home :) The Civilian version is fairly crap though.
Or maybe i just got lucky with mine :)
You might want to take a look at this link, some interesting findings. :)
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=3080
;)
Very interesting comparison. Mine was also brand new and that behaved a lot more like the civvy version in that comparison. Of course, the big question is not if two brand new versions work perfect. But which works after 5 years use every odd weekend :)
Very interesting comparison. Mine was also brand new and that behaved a lot more like the civvy version in that comparison. Of course, the big question is not if two brand new versions work perfect. But which works after 5 years use every odd weekend :)
Absolutely.
The mil-spec model was designed to be squaddie proof and the thickness of metal and robust constrcution seems to bear that out. Performance does suffer for it though. It isn't as efficient or as fast as the civvi model.
But the fastest and most efficient are the coke-can stoves (http://www.britishblades.com/home/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=33). They heat up in no time and burn very hot indeed, mainly because they are very thin metal. But they dont have much of a lifespan, probably 1 year or so of fairly regular use.
I dont think the civvi model trangia is that fragile though and see no reason why it shouldn't continue to perform for decades of heavy use.
Another thing to remember is that there are not one military model but several depending on which year they were made. Some even have a small ring which lets you adjust the flame (and thus heat), some are slightly smaller (more like the civvy model) and so on.
Mine has no such ring and pretty much only have one setting. Full heat =)
Earth Mother
31-05-2005, 08:31
Ditto Hubba.
Another thing to remember is that there are not one military model but several depending on which year they were made. Some even have a small ring which lets you adjust the flame (and thus heat), some are slightly smaller (more like the civvy model) and so on.
Mine has no such ring and pretty much only have one setting. Full heat =)
Interesting, I've never seen any variants of the military version.
Here's the one I tested....
http://www.britishblades.com/pics/mmp/mmp017.jpg
...with a home made photon and the civvi model on the right.
I know thewre are variants on the civvi model, or rather "copies" which may or may not be as good - dunno, havent tried one.
Do you have a pic of one of the military variants?
Cheers,
Martyn.
Nope but i might get a few pics. I'll have a look around.
For those looking for the stainless steel version, there appears to be one on eBay now. Follow the link...here. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16036&item=7159806271&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW)
I'd get it myself, but I don't want to pay shipping to the U.S.
I find them from time to time on eBay. Sometimes in the UK, sometimes in the US.
-pj
For those looking for the stainless steel version, there appears to be one on eBay now. Follow the link...here. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16036&item=7159806271&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW)
I'd get it myself, but I don't want to pay shipping to the U.S.
I find them from time to time on eBay. Sometimes in the UK, sometimes in the US.
-pj
The mess kit in the picture is made of aluminium and not stainless.
Regarding the military burners: I have two and one is made by Svea and one is made by Trangia.
The Trangia one is a bit faster.
Would drilling the holes a little bigger help things ? Or will it just ruin it ?
I have not got my head round the theory of how these actualy work yet !
Pumbaa
Would drilling the holes a little bigger help things ? Or will it just ruin it ?
I have not got my head round the theory of how these actualy work yet !
Pumbaa
You could experiment, but I think you'd ruin it. They work on a pressure build up - too many holes or too big holes and the pressure doesnt build up enough to make the flames "jet". The problem with the military version is it's large mass - the burner has to overcome the heatsink effect before it can get hot enough to evaporate the meths, build pressure up and start to jet. The civvi version is made of thinner metal and has a lower mass. The heatsink effect is less, so the stove heats up quicker. The thin home made aluminium stoves are even thinner and have an even lower mas - as a result they heat up much faster still.
The slower heat up time and slightly lower efficiency/output of the military model is the price you pay for an ultra-robust, soldier proof stove.
But you also have to put it into perspective, it's not that much slower or less efficient - it's not a deal breaker. :)
It could speed up iy if you clean it up and care for it. I have seen some burners that do not look good or work god, all you need to do is to clean the small holes ad clean the rest with some meth.
It could speed up iy if you clean it up and care for it. I have seen some burners that do not look good or work god, all you need to do is to clean the small holes ad clean the rest with some meth.
Doesnt matter how clean it is, it wont be as fast to heat up, or as efficient as the civvi model. But I agree, anything like this will work better if it's kept in good condition.
I was always told that the perfect cooker would boil a pot of water in 30 seconds longer that it takes to put your tent up.
I suppose the same could be said of any other kind of shelter too. Start up the stove, then start building.
Your cuppa should be ready just when you need it. ;)
By the way I've never yet seen anything that was truly "squadie proof"
The mess kit in the picture is made of aluminium and not stainless.
Sorry, it looked a lot like my (painted) stainless steel version. Just trying to help. :)
-pj
i just got one of these in the post this morning, cost me 8 quid from ebay - not used it yet (had to go to work) - might give it a test run tonight when i get home.
i like the size / design compactness of it.
Beakytzw
28-07-2005, 20:00
thought u lot would like to have a quick look see...http://www.surplusandadventure.com/ishop/800/shopscr2630.html
Angus Og
28-07-2005, 21:04
thought u lot would like to have a quick look see...http://www.surplusandadventure.com/ishop/800/shopscr2630.html
Been some links on here about them before and it was not good. I order Trangia Army Stove
& Mess Set from them and never got the mess tins did not answer emails. :( Have a look here (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=5487&highlight=surplus+adventure) and here (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=5690&page=6&pp=10&highlight=surplusandadventure)
Beakytzw
28-07-2005, 22:03
Did'nt know they were that bad
I ordered a sweedish trangia from them but had no problems .
But why do they give you a free mess tin set ? With the trangia you wouldn't need one ! Unless you use them to keep your webbingh pouches in the correct shape ?
Pumbaa
NEW Trangia Stove & Mess Set + Free British Army 2-piece Mess Tins £12.95
NEW Trangia Stove & Mess Set £9.95
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:
so just how are the mess tins free exactly?!
Sorry , it was £9.95 for the swedish set with the british ones free when i bought mine .
Pumbaa
sorry back
i'm jus confuzzed about the prices and description on the site (i'd just checked it) not wot u'd said....soz :)
Been some links on here about them before and it was not good.
I just ordered a Swedish Army Knife and the LK35 weekend sack (its bigger than a day sack!!) from Surplus and Adventure and I got them through the BFPO system during summer leave to Germany in less than a week. Hopefully they have seen this and other threads and are sorting themselves out. I was checking my bank account to see if the money had come out to try and guage when it would arrive, and after a few days I phoned up to make sure there wasn't a problem with the payment. The phone rang on and wasn't answered which was a bit of a pain.
Total cost of my order including P+P was £23.85, and I also got one of those collapsible mugs thrown in for free!! I'm happy with the service apart from the phone thing, and I would use them again.
Not really on topic, but re: Surplus and Adventure. I've used them several times and have not had any probs.
bambodoggy
04-08-2005, 02:08
Not really on topic, but re: Surplus and Adventure. I've used them several times and have not had any probs.
Then judging by the posts on here and the people I've spoken too in other places I'd say you can consider yourself very lucky Mate. I haven't used them myself but thanks to their rep from people I trust on here I certainly won't be using them for anything.
Bam.
2blackcat
04-08-2005, 02:44
Bam,
I used them twice and had no problem either but that was before the negative postings
Also, wasn't the main problem to do with the sizing? Or some such?
I only ordered a mess kit, poncho and those swedish army shirts (which I must say has to be my favorite. A bit warm in the summer though. Want to buy a couple more of them but have been wary of using them again)
I would like to know if there is still a problem with their deliveries. Can anyone give an update?
Hi,
Sorry if this is a stupid question and it's probably been asked before anyway but I got my trangia today and I can't work out where you put the meths :rolleyes:
thanks
Graham_S
04-08-2005, 11:33
unscrew the lid on the brass burner unit, then pour meths into the centre until 3/4 full. light and place black windshield over the top (with pan supports folded up). you are nowready to cook.
I hadn't noticed other having problems...I made an order from surplus and adventure 3 months ago. It was only for about £30 of bits and pieces, but so far I have received a box of waterproof matches from them. Despite numerous e-mails (which they simply ignored) and telephone calls where they said they had stock problems (For hexy blocks and a closed-cell mat! :eek: ) and would get back to me, I haven't heard a peep out of them. I certainly won't be using them again and have warned several friends to steer clear of them. :(
Thanks Graham S I thought that was wat you did but I didn't know if it would just explode.
innocent bystander
04-08-2005, 18:45
Then judging by the posts on here and the people I've spoken too in other places I'd say you can consider yourself very lucky Mate. I haven't used them myself but thanks to their rep from people I trust on here I certainly won't be using them for anything.
Bam.
I ordered a couple of things on sunday,and they all turned up on wednesday ...
Doesn't figure does it. Theres no continuity...
Hi,
I've just tried what Graham S said but the flame kept going out (that was with the windshield) and I was using a lot of meths
Can Anyone Help Me!!!!!!!!!!!! :(
innocent bystander
06-08-2005, 18:24
Ed, try it somewhere sheltered so you can take wind out of the equation.
Give it a minute to soak it in the wick and throw a match in the hole in the centre.
You'll het a flame out of the centre and as it warms up you'll get the blue "gas ring" out of the holes around the edge.
There really is nothing to break with these stoves, so it's got to be something simple like the meths your using..
lardbloke
06-08-2005, 18:28
I have got the classic Trangia design and also the recent Lidl copy.
Set up your trangia as laid out in the instructions with the lower and upper windshileds attatched together (pop in the cooking rack if it has one, saves burning the fingers later).
Get the Trangia burner itslef and 3/4 fill with Meths and let it goes down a bit (it soaks into the wick a little) and then top back up to around the 3/4 mark.
Pop the burner into the recess in the lower wind shield and light with a naked flame.
I sometimes keep the match burning in thier for a good three seconds just to make sure it is lit as you cannot see the flame.
Do not put the simmer ring onto the burner as it may extinguish the flame.
Now turn the entire trangia around so that the holes in the lower windshield are turned away from any draughts and pop on your pan of food/water.
If there is a nice steady breeze you can now turn the lower windshield's holes back towards the wind slightly to increase the flame otherwise monitor the flames progress or leave alone.
If the flame still keeps going out set up in a completely draught free area and re-try and if it goes out still after a few more tries then I would return the set. The expense is not worth messing about with the burner as they cost under ten pounds to replace anyway.
Hope this is of help................
OK a few things
1. What intstuctions?
2. What wick?
3.If I fill it three quarters full it goes down like you say but then if I fill it three quarters full again that goes down aswell.
4. Should I let some air in onto the top of it?
5. I don't seem to get much of a flame out of the little holes.
I'm completely stuck as to how it works. Oh and I don't think I've mentioned yet but I've got the Swedish army trangia set thing with the pan and stuff.
Thanks
innocent bystander
06-08-2005, 21:27
3.If I fill it three quarters full it goes down like you say but then if I fill it three quarters full again that goes down aswell.
4. Should I let some air in onto the top of it?
5. I don't seem to get much of a flame out of the little holes.
Thanks
It isn't leaking is it ?
Probably a silly question, but - your not putting the lid on the burner are you?
Should be a fairly smallish blue flame from the little holes.
Check this thread out :
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=3080&page=6&pp=10&highlight=shootout
lardbloke
06-08-2005, 21:55
Sorry ED my firend, I havent made myself very clear:
All the trangia related sets work in a similar manner with a burner, windsheild set and pots etc. They just look slightly different.
Forget the intsructions, obviously you never had any.
As for the wick thing, it is contained within the burner unit, that is why when you fill the unit up it goes down again, keep filling untill it does not go down again by too much i.e to make sure the wick is saturated. Then light the fuel within the burner unit itself (the pool of meths).
The burner should be left completely open without the simmer ring being place on top or similar device.
We will get you there....
Do the civilian ones look the same and how much do they cost?
innocent bystander
07-08-2005, 19:45
I wouldn't give up on the mil one yet, cos the civi like the one below is about £44 with a kettle - 39 without. But here you go:
Civi trangia:
Trangia 27-2 Cooker (inclusive of kettle)
The 27 series is suitable for one/two people.
Stove in aluminium with
2 1.0 litre saucepans, graded and ungraded
1 Frypan, 18 cm
1 Kettle, 0.6 litre
2 Windshields (upper and lower)
1 Burner
1 Handle
Weight: 980g
lardbloke
07-08-2005, 21:12
The burner themselves got around under 10 pounds from field and trek and probably many othr places. Its a shame you couldnt have gotten one of the really cheap Lidl sets, they were selling for 7.99, you never know someone on here might have a spare....
bikething
07-08-2005, 21:50
Ed W,
not sure if you've got the Lidl copy, or the Swedish Army trangia, but here are a couple of pictures of the Lidl one.
First pic is the lit burner on full heat, showing "gas ring" effect.
Second pic shows the burner with the "simmer ring" fitted for slower cooking.
Third pic show the burner being put out with the simmer ring (closed)
I did have some vague instructions with mine, but the pan support fitting wasn't clear. You have to fit it with the wide end downwards, and squeeze the open end together so the lower ring fits into the slot in the windshield - this keeps the pan base above the burner (see piccy 4).
Hope this helps
Steve
hmm... but ofcorse ! thats why we got a second ring there. I put that pan support upside down. Does the same thing for spacing, but it didn't keep the pans in the middle. Love this forum!
Mine burner appears to give bigger flames, but that could be just the lighting effect.
Finally got it to work last night. Thanks for all the help I think the holes in the side were blocked up or something because when I cleaned it out it worked.
I probably won't buy a civi one now but if they're quicker at boiling water I still might.
innocent bystander
08-08-2005, 17:27
Well done Ed. :D Thought it might be something simple in the end !!
Mr_Yarrow
10-08-2005, 16:04
any suggestions of where to get one cheaply online, I have looked around and dont like having to pay half as much again as for the whole stove just for postage
Ta
I hadn't noticed other having problems...I made an order from surplus and adventure 3 months ago. It was only for about £30 of bits and pieces, but so far I have received a box of waterproof matches from them. Despite numerous e-mails (which they simply ignored) and telephone calls where they said they had stock problems (For hexy blocks and a closed-cell mat! :eek: ) and would get back to me, I haven't heard a peep out of them. I certainly won't be using them again and have warned several friends to steer clear of them. :(
i ordered two items from them a month ago.
and after waiting, and emailing and getting hardly any reply, i phoned them - only to be told one of the items was not in stock - even tho they had debited my account for the worth of that item; i asked when it would be in stock they said a week, that was a week ago - and i am going to wait until next week before i phone them again.
i wont be using them again, i found the person on the end of the phone very un-helpful and generally rude, and their customer services is a joke.
lardbloke
10-08-2005, 18:49
That is pretty dire service to say the least and you will not be the last either. Its seems to be a particular problem with a select few of the Internet shops out there.They present an electronic storefront, but do not maintain a service behind it. I had the same problem with the Nanok sleeping bags a good while ago. Many of the storefornts were still advertising the bags, but as we know most had probably sold out long ago, what I mean by this is that they do not say if they have any available stock but would let you purchase the item anyway. You would then be told that the item is currently out of stock and they are on order. We all want our goods as soon as, not next month. So in the case of the Nanok bags I could (would) have been waiting months. I decided to email each of the companies in turn and out of five only one had the decency to reply. So in future I always contact the company to check their stocks unless the website informs you that they have them in stock (then they probably wouldnt have them in either) or give them a ring, unless you know they are a good relaible company to do business with.
A question about Trangia stoves: in your opinion, is it worth paying extra for non-stick Trangia set or duossal pans? I read technical dictionary which says duossal pans are made of aluminium with stainless steel layer inside. Does it make the pan much easier to clean?
As I understood, trangia stoves work at relatively low temperatures. Plus, I read recommendations of adding a bit of water (10%) into fuel - this way the pans won't get blackened from outside. If they do not become black from outside, will the food not stick inside?
And final question: has anybody on the forum made his own meths burner using cans of beer and cola, as described on internet. How long does it take to make one stove? Someone mentioned here they do not last long, but if you can make a burner quickly, I do not see short live of a burner as a problem. I saw today in Millets pans for camping, maybe I should make my own burner and simply buy pans from the shop/
Regards,
Graham_S
12-08-2005, 22:48
i have several trangias, two swedish ones and a mini trangia. the mini has a non stick frying pan and i would say it's well worth getting a non-stick frying pan. it makes cleaning up so much easier.
as to the home made burners, i've made one in a couple of hours (it takes a little time for glues to cure) but you'll need a windshield / support for the pots.
the blackening of the pots has nothing to do with food sticking to the inside. the black is caused by the purple dye in the meths burning and causing soot. this is what is reduced by adding the water however adding water seems to lower the temperature of the flame making things take longer to cook (although using industrial meths significantly reduces soot buildup without affecting cooking times). additionally you can use the old boy scout trick of rubbing a little washing up liquid onto the bottom of your pans. it doesn't stop the soot but it makes them easier to clean.
rapidboy
12-08-2005, 23:56
And final question: has anybody on the forum made his own meths burner using cans of beer and cola, as described on internet. How long does it take to make one stove? Someone mentioned here they do not last long, but if you can make a burner quickly, I do not see short live of a burner as a problem. I saw today in Millets pans for camping, maybe I should make my own burner and simply buy pans from the shop/
Regards,
Very quick (5 -10 min's) and easy to make a burner ,check this thread http://bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=6408
The military trangias are great value and the civy versions are top kit if you want to spend more on a more refined stove.
The stainless military trangia is probably the best option if you will be using the pots on an open fire as well as with a burner.
Omega, I made a pepsi can stove without any tape or glue, and after about three test burns it works just fine, because the cans fit together tightly. I'm going to try to make a stand and windshield for it in the next couple of days, so I can use it on my upcoming holiday (starts monday!). I'll post whatever happens. When you say you want 'pans', it makes me thin that you want to do proper cooking with it, but the simplest design can't simmer and they are really only used to boil water for noodles and dehydrated food. If that's all you're doing it probably makes sense to continue in the weight-stripping vein and get a big steel mug with an improvised lid, or maybe a single billy that you could also cook with over an open fire. Anyhow, you'll figure out what works best for you. I'm gonna get myself a swedish army trangia when I get back to britain because they're versatile and dirt cheap. You can use the burner with a lightweight windshield or any number of other combinations.
This link has loads of homemade designs you can look at. Good luck!
http://wings.interfree.it/html/m :) ain.html
A question about Trangia stoves: in your opinion, is it worth paying extra for non-stick Trangia set or duossal pans? I read technical dictionary which says duossal pans are made of aluminium with stainless steel layer inside. Does it make the pan much easier to clean?
As I understood, trangia stoves work at relatively low temperatures. Plus, I read recommendations of adding a bit of water (10%) into fuel - this way the pans won't get blackened from outside. If they do not become black from outside, will the food not stick inside?
And final question: has anybody on the forum made his own meths burner using cans of beer and cola, as described on internet. How long does it take to make one stove? Someone mentioned here they do not last long, but if you can make a burner quickly, I do not see short live of a burner as a problem. I saw today in Millets pans for camping, maybe I should make my own burner and simply buy pans from the shop/
Regards,
The duossal pans are great and are very easy to clean, they weigh a little more then the alu pots but are worth it.
Don´t add water to them eths it´s a too big risk tthat it will not burn at all, and a little blackened pot just gives it that nice feeling of being used.