built and tested hobo stove

[Sunna]

i built a hobo stove about 2/3 weeks ago eazy to do loads of how to vids on yt, and now iv got the whistler kettle to test it out.
i want to boil 2lts of water ,after lighting i put the kettle on top and waited and waited 1hr 15mins to boil .
no 1 the aldi new spud tin was far too small

no 2 air holes needed to be larger , i was blowing nonstop.

no 3 you cant walkaway you must watch it all the time wood was falling out alight.

no 4 chop plenty of wood , it uses more than you think and burns quicker .

for me next ill be getting a bigger tin about 6/8 ins across this you should be able to leave for a while and hopefully cook on it .
i enjoyed trying this and hope you have a go .

[BeardyMan]

You not heard of hexi-blocks

Seriously, why recreate the wheel when there's already something that does exactly what you want and it'll cost you a couple of quid. If you want something to burn wood then just have yourself a fire...

I've made a few hobo stoves, I use one can. Cut a door to feed twigs in, air holes around the side and through the bottom (yes, the bottom). Raise the can off the ground to get air flowing through it - few stones or something. Just make sure it's level and stable. Job done.

But, you still can't beat a fire.

[Sunna]

yes i have herd of the blocks , i want something that wil burn just twigs or scrap wood and cost nothing to run then i wish to just leave a few here and their just in case

[BeardyMan]

(11 August 2013, 19:19)Sunna Wrote: yes i have herd of the blocks , i want something that wil burn just twigs or scrap wood and cost nothing to run then i wish to just leave a few here and their just in case

Well a simple tin can will do the job.

Of all the times I've been in Ikea I've never, ever, seen a line of homeless people coming in to buy the cutlery strainers so they can make fire in it...

Tin can, awl and tin snips. Job done. K.I.S.S

---

Boiling 2 litres of water on a hobo stove *will* take ages! How big's your kettle??? Mine's 1.7 litres and that takes about 7 or 8 minutes to boil when you turn it on. If you want to boil that amount of water then you're going to need gas, or a proper fire. A hobo-stove won't cut it!

[Sunna]

iv made a bigger one useing a aldi chicken soup tin bigger than the spud one and with bigger air vents and a flap like a drawbridge so the wood wont fall out and it boiled 1pt in 10 mins much better next i want a big coffie tin to try some propper cooking

[BeardyMan]

I've seen it done with tins similar to paint tins (bit thicker walls though, and never had paint in 'em!) I suppose something with thinner walls could be okay as long as you're not relying on it to hold the pots / pans up. Wouldn't want one of the walls giving way with all the weight of your cooking and heat from the fire. Could end up with some nasty burns should it fall over. Highly unlikely I know, but, well, ya never know.

[Northumbriman]

I made an excellent hobo stove using a cutlery holder bought in IKEA. It is stainless steel light weight very strong and has all the air holes built in! I just cut a feeder hole in the side and job done. I agree with beardy man though its a little pointless as an open fire is easily as efficient, eadsier to tend and you don't have to carry the damn thing in your pack. I carry a very small meths stove for emergency cooking if its wet or I need a hot drink quick. Otherwise I cook on open fires.

[Sunna]

an open fire can be seen from a long wayaway and uses a lot more wood

[GrannyMike]

try out a rocket stove last week
like a bucket with clay liner in it and hole in side
boiled kettle in 7 mins
very good but dear friend paid 65 pound for it
going to make one if I can

[Sunna]

yes i plan to make one soonish just to compair with my hs .
i think hs will win i can make one in 5 mins tins are eazy to get and all done with my sak twigs and scrap wood everywhere