Just a Hot Drink (Cookset Setup)

Lot's of cool ideas in this thread so far.

Guyon- I bought my Gram Weenie stove just after introduction. If I remember right, it is designed to bring 12 ounces (or is it 16 ounces?) to a rolling boil. Whatever it was, I was disappointed when I couldn't quit get it past a simmer. Apparently others had trouble to, and I remember there were those who were experimenting with various fuels and with mixing various fuels. Surprisingly, slowing down the burn by mixing in a less efficient fuel created longer burn time leading to the boil. I can't remember the fuels or the mixtures. I'd bet early searches on either backpacker.com or backpackinglight.com might get you the answers (if you care.)
 
The windscreen, if fairly tight fitting, will dramatically increase stove efficiency. One of these days I'll take some pics of my pop can setup. It can bring 6 cups cold water (4 cups cold tap water and add ice cubes to top it off) to a boil with about 1.5 oz fuel. Burn time is 20 minutes and can bring to a boil in about 12. I used to experiment with some of the stove designs from Zenstoves, particularly the spin-mixing ones. They work great sitting in the open with no wind, add a windscreen and you've got a raging inferno that'll burn its fuel up so fast the pot won't even get warm.

That's a great short hike setup, and would also be useful on the trail for longer hikes when you don't feel like turning out half the contents of your pack just for a hot cup.
 
Scott Free said:
...I remember there were those who were experimenting with various fuels and with mixing various fuels. Surprisingly, slowing down the burn by mixing in a less efficient fuel created longer burn time leading to the boil. I can't remember the fuels or the mixtures. I'd bet early searches on either backpacker.com or backpackinglight.com might get you the answers.
Click to expand...

Well, I went looking, and couldn't find the threads. I have it in my head, though, that a 50/50 mix of HEET and denatured alcohol was what finally got 16 oz of water to boil with the Gram Wienie stove. It might be worth a shot.
 
I ran the kit through a number of tests today. Indoors, I could recreate the roiling boil pretty easily.
But outside in windier and cooler air, the best I could manage was a piping hot cup of water just at the verge of boiling.

Here I was just using some folded aluminum foil as a makeshift windscreen.
Note that I fashioned a little better lid for the mug.

P1030713.jpg


I also took a plastic fork and modified it. Now I have something handy for stirring instant coffee and hot chocolate mix.

P1030714.jpg


And it makes a great little lid lifter for the new lid.

P1030716.jpg


Scott Free said:
Well, I went looking, and couldn't find the threads. I have it in my head, though, that a 50/50 mix of HEET and denatured alcohol was what finally got 16 oz of water to boil with the Gram Wienie stove. It might be worth a shot.
Click to expand...

I tried a 50/50 mixture, but it did no better than straight HEET.
As HeavyHanded points out, I might have better results by custom fitting a windscreen to this setup.
 
There is a exact spacing for the windscreen that will prove most efficient. A little trial and error and you'll figure it out. I've notched out the windscreen for the cup handles on my 600 setup. Depending how obsessive you want to be— You could try a floating silicone lid. You could try floating a piece of 1/8 plywood to see if it made enough difference before finding or making a silicone lid. Or, you could just up and buy a different stove more suitable to such a narrow cup. Because of the design of the GW, and the narrowness of the 300 cup, significant heat is going up around the sides of the cup. A top burning design would probably be better for this particular cup.

On my SP 600, I put silicone aquarium tubing (from Petsmart) on my handles. Cool handles and more convenient than a bandanna.
 
just a thought,how about trying a round piece
of flashing bigger in diameter than the mug is,
directly on top of the stove. The cup on top of it..
Im thinking maybe it will catch all the flame and txfer
the heat to the cup more efficiently.
Heat sink in reverse :)
 
Scott Free said:
Or, you could just up and buy a different stove more suitable to such a narrow cup. Because of the design of the GW, and the narrowness of the 300 cup, significant heat is going up around the sides of the cup.
Click to expand...

I'll fiddle with some different windscreens first.
If I start going up in mug size or stove size, the whole point of the "kit in a pocket" gets lost.
As is, this setup works fine for the purpose I wanted, which is just a hot cup of tea or coffee.
I have plenty of other kits that will boil water if need be.
 
fugawee said:
just a thought,how about trying a round piece
of flashing bigger in diameter than the mug is,
directly on top of the stove. The cup on top of it..
Im thinking maybe it will catch all the flame and txfer
the heat to the cup more efficiently.
Heat sink in reverse :)
Click to expand...

Hmmmm... getting it onto the bloomed jets might be detrimental to my fingers.
 
Codger_64 said:
A dab of water would temporarily stick it to the pot bottom, wouldn't it? :confused:
Click to expand...

Might work fine. Might result in a lot of cursing each time it slid off. :D I can give it a try though.
 
flip that lid upside down and put it on the stove,
that looks like the right diameter I was thinking of.
 
fugawee said:
flip that lid upside down and put it on the stove,
that looks like the right diameter I was thinking of.
Click to expand...

Had a lid from earlier, and so I tried it.
Codger's tip about sticking it with a splash of water worked just fine.
Unfortunately, the flashing almost immediately buckled because of the heat and came close to dumping the water.
To work, the aluminum would have to be thicker stock.
 
What if the flashing were just a ring with the center cut out? Or heavier like cut from a discarded larger cheap camp pot lid? You love a challenge, you know you do! :D
 
Besides, the results of your burned fingers experiments will be helpful to me when/if my Emberlit arrives.
 
Guyon said:
Had a lid from earlier, and so I tried it.
Codger's tip about sticking it with a splash of water worked just fine.
Unfortunately, the flashing almost immediately buckled because of the heat and came close to dumping the water.
To work, the aluminum would have to be thicker stock.
Click to expand...


I wanna see the video
I dont believe you!

:D :D ;) :D :D
 
My first go (ever) at a wind screen made from flashing. Going to experiment with some different sizes.

P1030726.jpg


P1030727.jpg
 
Guyon-

This thread got me interested is shrinking my daypack gear enough that I picked up a SP 450. It also renewed my interest in my old Gram Weenie. With this in mind, you might want to check out the linked thread. It is partially about getting the most out of the GW. Besides recommendations about the tightness of the windscreen, it is also suggested that one tie a wick around the stove to shorten bloom time. It looks like you could use a piece of jute or other string (as long as it would absorb a few drops of alcohol.) If you wanted the wick to last, you'd use fiberglass wick. The other suggestion is to use Everclear instead of HEET.

Here's the link:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=28627&disable_pagination=1
 
Interesting topic and set-up. Nice job. I do something similar when I go to local forest preserves, but I'll usually take my "cat food can" alcohol stove and windscreen. Works well, super-light, dependable too. I'm sure you've all seen them, but maybe I'll get some pics of it in action sometime. Those little Bics are a great compact lighter. I picked a few of those up too recently.
 
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