View Full Version : Article: Quick Cheap Pocket Stove To Make
You can view the page at http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?r=265-Quick-Cheap-Pocket-Stove-To-Make
Some nice articles coming through lately Tony. Thank you. goodjob
JonathanD
19-10-2010, 14:09
Yeah that is a nifty idea.
After first used and when the cardboard is somewhat carbonized, it is also easy to light with a firesteel. It burns very well and strongly but generates a lot of soot.
tomongoose
22-10-2010, 09:19
I made one last night and it works great in my volcano kettle, I added a wire handle to the lid so I could put it out in the kettle with out burning my fingers
tomongoose
22-10-2010, 10:48
The stove
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs882.snc4/71564_479469171004_510126004_7 335735_7696750_n.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479469221004&set=a.20407761004.49942.510126 004&pid=7335739&id=510126004
nice rolling boil in a few minutes
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs399.ash2/67706_479469236004_510126004_7 335740_2636525_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs783.snc4/66346_479469276004_510126004_7 335743_6612432_n.jpg
All out
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs395.ash2/67300_479469286004_510126004_7 335744_3009368_n.jpg
The only trouble with it is that you need to leave it long enough for the wax to set again and it does leave a lot of soot but other than that its a great, lightweight and waterproof
thanks for the pics goodjob
mentalnurse
24-10-2010, 10:40
would be good as a means of light when all else fails and a little warmth.:campfire:
whats the burn time on it over all?
tomongoose
27-10-2010, 16:45
Not long, I have not timed it but only a little longer than a hexamine block
i love that mate , any videos of it in use
hertsboy
13-11-2010, 18:54
I make the same thing in a bigger version using tuna tins. They make an excellent "artificial campfire" and are great for when you are wildcamping on the moors when there is no wood available for a fire. Burning time is around 2 hours per tine.
country boy
22-11-2010, 15:14
brill simple idea did the tuna tin size works well thanks:)
I used to make something similar by scrapping down a tea light and wrapping it with corrugated cardboard then placing it back in it's casing. Rather smokey and sooty but cheap, really easy to make and good for 20-30 minutes burn time.
Used to, as a few years ago I came across a round tin of mints that was just a little bit bigger than a tealight, so that now saves me scrapping them down to fit back into the original cases.
Muddyhands
23-11-2010, 23:03
What a simple idea. I can see an evening project with the scouts.
You Bleed Jam
01-01-2011, 15:49
Might think about making one of them myself, Thanks!
Theyre great in those boiled sweet tins as they are deeper and have a lid. You can put 3 nails in the card and use them to rest a pot on top. Done this with the scouts and used tin foil trays as frying pans on top of them, to cook sausages!
Scots_Charles_River
01-01-2011, 22:18
Good ideas. Would it be easier to heat the wax in an old tin then pour it in over the cardboard ?
Nick
Can do but its easier just to light a candle and turn it upside down to drip wax through it all.
I have made many of these and at first I thought that they were a great idea.
After using one in anger, I am 'unimpressed' with them.
I have found them to be potentially dangerous, smelly and smokey.
Also to not give a lot of heat out.
Let me explain.
When the stove is lit, eventually the whole cardboard lights. after a while all the wax in the tin is molten. DO NOT TRY MOVING IT! or knock it.
An instant fireball of molten LIT wax is what you end up with.
Also if any water spills into it , it spits a lot and flares. So watch a cup boiling over.
Any wind takes the heat away, so I advise using it like an alcohol stove.
The ones I made gave off lots of soot. About as much as a wood fire. Far more then I have had with esbits.
The smell was not very good, It reminded me of a sooty fire.
I have twenty or so of these made up and I will keep them for 'last resort'. But there is no way I would ever use one inside as an emergency stove.
An alcohol stove. I have used inside same with others.
Depends upon what you expect out of the stove. But the thing that most surprised me (it shouldn't of) was the molten wax and hoe easy it was to get it to spill and cause a fire you don't want.
Perhaps I 'over filled' the tins with wax. I just poured in until the tin was full and the cardboard was covered.
Alan
Just made one there, really great idea. Got a nice cup of coffee out of 10 mins work!
I thought it would be a great idea to melt a tea-light candle on my stove fire but the wax out and filled the whole room with fumes haha. Oh well.
boisdevie
24-02-2011, 14:00
I've just made one and despite dripping in lots of wax it won't light. Is it possible I've packed the cardboard too tight?
You need to melt the was quite a bit first time then let the cardboard catch. after the first use (make sure the whole ring lights before extinguishing it) then the cardboard becomes like char cloth (i.e. lights really easy) and it should like quickly in future.
Tried one with petroleum jelly rather than wax...worked well with a little less soot.
luckylee
16-03-2011, 10:34
the lynx can is a great stove to make, i loved making that, and works a treat, and when they are done properly there is no difference to one of them and the white box stove., and all for the princely some of a can of lynx.
i have just done a XL version as at the moment the lynx are doing a much bigger can for promotion i think, but that has turned out great to.
It's great as a backup, and fun to teach kids to make.
Neanderthal
12-05-2011, 19:56
Met a guy once who used one of these stoves for a couple of months while hiking in scotland. He would collect the scrapings and dog ends of candles from bothies he stayed at.
Stu
OakTinder
05-08-2011, 07:38
I just made one of these tonite after reading this I'll post the pics tomorrow.I use a small crossman .22 cal tin it fits snug in the BCB crusader burner to!
Great idea works well. Thanks.:D
georgejones
27-03-2012, 23:24
Just made one and great in my Ghillie Kettle. Beats having to collect a mountain of twigs to go in it.
digforacharm
03-08-2012, 20:26
Reminds me of a simple stove we use to make as kids, we used to use an empty 1/2 tin size of baked beans or spaghetti etc and wash it out, then pack it with cardboard and cover in wax as described, we'd then use 3 6" nails wedged in the pot to form a stable rest for whatever you were cooking, was a cool way of cooking up a tin of sausages and beans or even heating up cuppa :-)
spartacus
09-10-2012, 13:27
Greetings from South East Bulgaria. Read this then made several an hour later. Great idea mate and thanks for sharing. I also filled one with used vegetable oil but that was not as good as the candle. I'm going to cook bannock and something else on one and video it this week, The tins I used were sweet tins and we had just ate baked potato and tuna so the tuna tin was the one with the veg oil. Again thanks for posting, that was fun.
My sister made these in the tuna can size, in the Girl Scouts back in the 60's. They made some manner of tin, box stove to use them with also. I think a few of the tea candle size would be handy to have for starting a stubborn fire in a pinch too. Now that I've been reminded of them I'll make a few today. Thanks for a good project.