Better Ikea Canister Stove

kgd

kgd

Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
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First, I know many folks have tweaked and pimped out their hobo stoves and mine is nothing really original. I sort put my canister stove away for about a year as I was infactuated with my baby bushpot and the trangia set-up. However, last weekend I saw a video by Wintertrekker where he was reviewing a commercial stove called the Firebox. Looks great, but bigger and more expensive than I wanted. But looking at that set up got me thinking, as well as spending lots of time with my charcoal cooker having switched to a charcoal BBQ.

So, my modifications to the standard Ikea twig stove was to simply take out the bottom of a like cannister, hold it at the first level of holes with a set of steel pins and drill out some vent holes below to make a false bottom. The potholder slabs come from a Canned Heat little commercial stove set up that sells for $8. The Ikea cannisters are about $6 each. The great thing about this rig is that it nests inside my 12cm Zebra Billy pot, making for a really nice stove/pot/cub nesting solution. Oh yeah, it certainly serves dual purpose as a trangia wind guard/pot holder as well. Hope you enjoy!

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[video=youtube;LvjZkNgMImI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvjZkNgMImI&feature=youtu.be[/video]

A couple of critter pics during the testing:

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did you have to add fuel through the top (taking off the pot first) or did the original load of wood do the trick?
thanks for showing the stove!!
be safe... Ted
 
Nice set up Ken, I've been saying for a few years now that I was going to build a proper hobo stove. I just need to remember to run to Ikea while I'm near one. Cool shots too, I love the expressions mantises make when you get all up on them.
 
Cool stuff there as always Ken!!!

Not hobo stove related, but one thing I did to my Zebra is put a loop of wire around the bar on the lid. It is a little be easier to grab and remove the lid. My friend Ben uses a key ring. Same concept :)

It is fun playing with this stuff, tweaking it, and making it better for you.

B
 
Excellent video! It has inspired me to make a hobo stove as well. Also, what is the knife in the video?
 
TedPalmer said:
did you have to add fuel through the top (taking off the pot first) or did the original load of wood do the trick?
thanks for showing the stove!!
be safe... Ted
Click to expand...

Thanks Ted,

One load up will get you through 500 mL to boil but I need another load in for 1 L all depending on the wood of course. Cut blocks of the right size burns the longest but takes more time to process. Brian Andrews' big hole at bottom, shove stuff in, works better for sustaining heat over longer time periods.
 
Just bought one of these canisters at Ikea today.
I am planning to add 3 legs using some bolts, nuts and lock washers so it would stay off the ground and draw air from the bottom...off to Home Depot...
 
Went with 4 of the 1.5" SS 1/4" bolts for legs fastened with lock nuts.
2 Vaseline soaked cotton balls and some scrap wood and I had a roaring fire.
The added height may be an issue in nesting with a pot but I found a Maxped. 5" bottle carrier which has good height.
 
Balldboy said:
Just bought one of these canisters at Ikea today.
I am planning to add 3 legs using some bolts, nuts and lock washers so it would stay off the ground and draw air from the bottom...off to Home Depot...
Click to expand...

Excellent idea! I think I like yours better than mine, much simpler than the whole false floor exercise. I am tempted to give this a shot.

BTW, I posted in W&SS a method to use the false floor idea as a grill top in its stead. So maybe both can have validity in use.

[youtube]3nCOJzPCGlY[/youtube]
 
kgd said:
Excellent idea! I think I like yours better than mine, much simpler than the whole false floor exercise. I am tempted to give this a shot.

BTW, I posted in W&SS a method to use the false floor idea as a grill top in its stead. So maybe both can have validity in use.

[youtube]3nCOJzPCGlY[/youtube]
Click to expand...

You know...I had 2 canisters in my hand and put one back...I think cutting off the bottom of a donor unit while leaving aprox. 3/4" sides is going to make a nice grill top.

Then I'm going to cut the sides and roll them into perforated flat stock.

Now I really wish I bought 2...although Wifey has 1 being used as it was intended...no...she'll notice it's gone.
 
Balldboy said:
I think cutting off the bottom of a donor unit while leaving aprox. 3/4" sides is going to make a nice grill top.
Click to expand...

Yes this is a good idea as well on the sides. The only reason I didn't go with this is that the grill top wouldn't nest inside my zebra billy pot like this one did.

On the bolt thing, I tried with what I had in my garage, but they were only 3/4" bolts. Too small to be of use. I put the bolts into the four corners held by a nut on either side. Unfortunately, it seems quite a bit less stable that way then with the bottom directly on the ground. On the other hand, I can see you pushing the 1.5" bolts into the ground, spiking the stove in place.

For the grill, it is a messy experience and my hamburger experiment told me that I got grease all over the stove, pins as well as the grill plate. Its one of those things where it might be a good idea in theory, but the practicality of having to wash the entire canister stove each time the grill is used makes it a little less appealing. Washing a small fry pan or pot is much more practical while in the bush.

This has been a fun experiment and I thank everybody for posting and brainstorming on it. (I may just return to the basic hobo design, as I've already dropped two pins on different events using it owing to my clumsiness).
 
I see the grill top more for supporting a tin foil packet of chili and onoins while I grill a couple hotdogs on a skewer.

IF I didn't have the 5" Maxped pouch, I see my version as a bit difficult to carry.
In theory A Naglene bottle will nest in the canister.
Still need to made a handle...gotta find a small piece of service cable.
 
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