Hobo Stove Gallery (Probably picture heavy)

[Bodge]

I was lookin at mateys in that youtube clip, and at first i thought it was too flimsy, but cos it fits his pot so perfectly, the rigidity dont much matter. which got me thinking as to whether it need be a fixed size container at all. so i might play around with some thin metal sheet. something that can be rolled and hooked to fit a pot, but perhaps adjustable to allow me to use bigger pots, but scould be rolled tighter to fit inside the pot for storage. obviously that costs me the base, but im not sure if thats any loss?

That idea could have its uses but would basically be an open fire wouldn't it?
The beauty of a hobo is that you can move it about whilst burning, ie if the wind changes, or you go to join someone else and take your fire with you

my humble opinion though

Bodge

[saddle_tramp]

The beauty of a hobo is that you can move it about whilst burning, ie if the wind changes, or you go to join someone else and take your fire with you

Yeah, i think youre probably right, im just bugged cos i cant find that perfect size pot, but it aint like theres any rush

[Joonsy]

I am a convert after originally being sceptical as to the merits of these stoves. I tried one out of curiosity and immediately saw the benefits, fast boil times with little fuel etc:. I only use natural fuel like wood etc: with no intention of using small meths burners or similar so my experience is limited to this, pine cones are excellent and I want to use it purely for natural fuels, therefore my needs of stove design are more simplified than if I was using multiple fuels. I am in the process of making my ideal stove, at first I just used one of those Ikea utensil holders to try it and as it was already full of holes just bent some wire into shape placing it over pot, it needed no further modification for simple use with wood only. Depending on circumstances sometimes for cooking I only go out with a crusader mug but at other times I may take an MSR cooking pot as I like the wider and lower size compared to the more usual Zebra like billy, for these pots I am in the process of trying to make a hobo that will accommodate the MSR and still be very compact, I want to keep the ‘low’ profile so hobo will pack easily possibly even inside pot, for this I am experimenting with a ‘’telescopic’’ hobo stove as it will need to be higher than pot of course for efficiency. The Ikea job I am using will not accommodate a zebra billy or similar so is not ‘’space friendly’’ with packing and as I have to make another one anyway because of this then it will be of different dimensions to suit my cooking pot. The pots on photo are the usual crusader with home-made lid, my MSR with added wire on handle for allowing either ‘handle’ use or ‘suspension’ over fire, a cheap though excellent pot the same size as a zebra billy, this last is excellent over a hobo with it’s handle but with no bail unsuitable for suspension, and the temporary hobo.

[Bodge]

Yeah, i think youre probably right, im just bugged cos i cant find that perfect size pot, but it aint like theres any rush

What size billy do you have then?
Maybe someone else has the same and could advise as to which s/s container you should go for.
I personally took my bulldog billy with me round a few shops and checked the cannisters out whilst instore, I ended up with one from Wilkinson.

Somewhere out there is the perfect sized cannister for your billy can

Bodge

[addo]

There are 3 ss canisters with good lids for a fiver at wilcos at the mo. Labeled coffee tea and suger. There all the same size, a tad smaller than a 10cm zebra and one fits inside the ikea drainer ok. Your mug fits under your bottle and I take it and that msr looks like it would fit top and bottom of the drainer if you wanted more cooking pots.
Theres no perfect way but that might work. (Have to make a bail arm and lid loop for the ss if over a fire as well of course).

[saddle_tramp]

What size billy do you have then?
Maybe someone else has the same and could advise as to which s/s container you should go for.
I personally took my bulldog billy with me round a few shops and checked the cannisters out whilst instore, I ended up with one from Wilkinson.

Somewhere out there is the perfect sized cannister for your billy can

Bodge

that aint a bad idea, my drainers a homebase one and its 12cm diameter (with the roll top on outside) so if anyone knows wheres good to get 11cm wide stainless cannisters, be grateful

edit today,(28 sept) just back from boot and i reckon im sorted now cheers

[Jared]

There are 3 ss canisters with good lids for a fiver at wilcos at the mo.

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0205170

Also noticed that IKEA have slighty taller versions of the cutlery drainer now, 18cm high.

[addo]

there the ones

[g4ghb]

has anyone found a 'stove' that will fit a 12cm zebra? - all the ones I have looked at are too small (I've even resorted to carrying a piece of card cut to the diameter of the billy)

[saddle_tramp]

im sorted now cheers, tho drilling holes in the cannisters was fun. i ended up using engraving bits on a dremel and pushing them through when it was red hot n soft, (always pays to have right tools for the job. . . lol) killed a bit per hole, but it worked. used a bicycle spoke for a bail which amazingly does fit in the stove attached, but its easy to remove too.

[durulz]

Chris

I absolutely bloody LOVE that. All good ideas are worth copying.
The hinges are obvious enough, but where did you get the folding sieve thingy?

[korvin karbon]

I absolutely bloody LOVE that. All good ideas are worth copying.
The hinges are obvious enough, but where did you get the folding sieve thingy?

the folding thing, from what i believe, is a grate used to stop vegetable peelings and such not go down a plug hole, never seen one that big before (stop sniggering you lot in the back)

[Tadpole]

I absolutely bloody LOVE that. All good ideas are worth copying.
The hinges are obvious enough, but where did you get the folding sieve thingy?

the Folding thingy is a steamer, you put in in a pan with water in the bottom, it holds the veg out of the water, and steams your veg without the goodness leeching in to the water.
cheap too

[g4ghb]

I thought it looked like an expandable steamer to go in a saucepan.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NORPRO-Stainle...3286.m63.l1177

[Jared]

There is something called a fire bowl

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/fire-bowl/index.html

Or go the steamer route

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/90112531

[ZDP-189]

The steamer's are hinged to fit different pans. The Chinese use them to steam, veg, marinated pork mince, buns, dumplings, whatever.

They also steam Chinese preserved meats, which can be delicious and will last for many months. I believe for this reason the Chinese issue personal field cookset is specifically designed to accommodate steaming.

[Ogri the trog]

The steamer's are hinged to fit different pans. The Chinese use them to steam, veg, marinated pork mince, buns, dumplings, whatever.

They also steam Chinese preserved meats, which can be delicious and will last for many months. I believe for this reason the Chinese issue personal field cookset is specifically designed to accommodate steaming.

You can't make a comment like that and not post a photo!

Ogri the trog

[ZDP-189]

I am sure someone cross-posted one before to BCUK, BB, and SpiritBurner.com I asked around a lot and people confirmed the story, but I wasn't able to get my hands on one for a photoshoot.

[Minotaur]

Going to have to go and play, but before I do, got a question, aimed in Wayland's direction.

A true Hobo stove has two sets of holes, on opposite sizes, which makes for a chimely effect.

Does more holes make a big difference?

Also why have the bottom holes if you are going to have the big feed hole?

The main reason I am asking these questions, is I am thinking of making one from a set of mess tins, so carry two sets a cooking set, and a cooker set.

[Wayland]

I'm no expert, but it seemed to me that I wanted good air flow from bottom to top through the fuel to get good combustion.

the feed hole is above the bottom to stop stuff falling out, so I put some holes near the base for the air intake.

The top of the stove is not a perfect fit which lets the airflow out again, as you say, creating a chimney effect

I found my stove worked better with holes at the bottom and exit at the top than holes all around like the Ikea Drainer. I think mainly it was a wind thing, but I have been working on a new design which pre heats the air which then enters all around the combustion chamber and that seems to work very well.


Incidentally, I was in Ikea the other day and they've started selling a taller version of their drainer which could be interesting.

[Jared]

I'm no expert, but it seemed to me that I wanted good air flow from bottom to top through the fuel to get good combustion.

the feed hole is above the bottom to stop stuff falling out, so I put some holes near the base for the air intake.

The top of the stove is not a perfect fit which lets the airflow out again, as you say, creating a chimney effect

I found my stove worked better with holes at the bottom and exit at the top than holes all around like the Ikea Drainer. I think mainly it was a wind thing, but I have been working on a new design which pre heats the air which then enters all around the combustion chamber and that seems to work very well.


Incidentally, I was in Ikea the other day and they've started selling a taller version of their drainer which could be interesting.

Yeah, noticed the taller drainer online. Also have you seen these?

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00113648

Larger and not as nice shape to carry, but wonder if the cone shape would help direct the heat to around a billy, assuming the top is wide enough to get one in. Sadly lacking dimensions.
Also the silicone lid might be nice to hold the rest of the kit in there when carrying.

[Steve13]

I absolutely bloody LOVE that. All good ideas are worth copying.
The hinges are obvious enough, but where did you get the folding sieve thingy?

Got to have a go making one of them , so simple

[Wayland]

Yeah, noticed the taller drainer online. Also have you seen these?

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00113648

Larger and not as nice shape to carry, but wonder if the cone shape would help direct the heat to around a billy, assuming the top is wide enough to get one in. Sadly lacking dimensions.
Also the silicone lid might be nice to hold the rest of the kit in there when carrying.

Yep, did notice that.

Brought to mind the Caldera type stoves.

[saddle_tramp]

Im gonna endorse the homebase drainer, i cant do pics but i noticed huntersforge has one identical to mine (and shall now attempt to cut and paste his picture)



did that work? Its 16.5cm tall by a fraction over 12cm in diameter, but the rolled top is on the outside, and all others ive seen are annoyingly on the inside.



EDIT hurray my computering skills know no bounds! erm

[Minotaur]

I'm no expert, but it seemed to me that I wanted good air flow from bottom to top through the fuel to get good combustion.

the feed hole is above the bottom to stop stuff falling out, so I put some holes near the base for the air intake.

The top of the stove is not a perfect fit which lets the airflow out again, as you say, creating a chimney effect

This Picture from wiki seems to go with that.

I found my stove worked better with holes at the bottom and exit at the top than holes all around like the Ikea Drainer. I think mainly it was a wind thing, but I have been working on a new design which pre heats the air which then enters all around the combustion chamber and that seems to work very well.

There do seem to be a lot of fan powered modern versions.

[noddynigel]

I would like to thank everyone who has posted
this is just a shopping list

Homebase s/s utensil holder £3.99

Wilkinsons s/s small canister £1.99
s/s skewers 4 £0.59

poundstretcher
s/s large canister £4.00
also at wilkies


total £10.57

out with the tools!

noddynigel

[korvin karbon]

noddynigel. We now of course expect a tutorial LOL.

Good luck, as soon as my busy period ends a hobo stove is on my list of projects to do, along with trying to figure out how i can use my 4 weeks holiday and 2 weeks of flexi time i have built up, before the end of december LOL

[LazySod]

Ok, not quite finished, and still virgin as far as fire is concerned, but it is about time i showed off my "Russian doll hobo stove setup". You will note that a lot of ideas from this forum have been incorporated into this 'thing' and i appologise if anyone is upset by the shear disregard for copyright and patent laws.

First we see how it packs up (minus it's 'lil green bag). And it weighs 2 1/2 lbs.
It's a single wall ice bucket i picked up for a fiver and is 14cm dia and 17cm tall.


Next we see a 'lil white rim, this is a windshield tucked inside the billy.


Unloading the bits n bobs inside the billy we have a KFS(knife,fork,spoon), a pair of tongs that came with the ice bucket(i figured these would be good for loading charcoal into the stove), two modified tent pegs(for the mini stove), and the main stove pot stand (made from an old printer ink head guide bar).


Next we see the Ikea drainer (nuff sed).


The unloaded windsheild.


The medium sized billy (10cm dia 12cm tall)(£1 plus a 50p knob plus 30p's worth of stainless cycle brake cable).


The mini stove is revealed (forget where i got this).


Now the micro billy (9cm dia 12cm tall)(still to be fitted with knod and bail).


Inside that we have my folding handle mug (probable the most expensive part of the setup), and a fan guard for in the bottom of the mini stove ta aid air flow.


The mug holds coffee, tea sugar, waterproof match case and pot handle. Plus we see how the medium and micro billy's sit on the two stoves.


The big billy can sit on top of the big stove or.......


.....be suspended above it on the lightweight tripod i made tonight.


Thanks for looking, had fun planning and making, giddy about using them for the first time at Middlemud.

[Shewie]

Superb stuff Tony

And oh so shiney, needs blacking up a touch mate.

That`s a really nice setup you`ve got there, will you carry them all as a trail stove or just pick and choose ?

[LazySod]

Pick and choose i think, the mini stove and micro billy (with me mug inside) pack really small (about the size of an 800ml water bottle) ..... when i've fitted the knob n bail that is.

Oh, and happy birthday for yesterday. Ooops, make that the day before.