Link of the Day: http://abnormaloutdoors.blogspot.com/ . I especially love the one with the UPS man.
The Simplest Type of Stove is not the Simplest type of stove, Part 2
The one thing that I decided early on in this blog was that when I screwed up, I'd admit it. So that's what I'm doing. Calling it the Simplest stove came back to burn me. Pun intended. When I watched Mears and others make a stove out of a log, I was a little disappointed because they used a chainsaw to make the cuts. Now I understand why.
I started out with some old aspen bark. When the aspens get really dry here in Colorado, they get a little hairy. I've used this stuff as tinder in the past and it works fairly well. Not the best and not the worst.
On this day, I had three projects lined up. I took a look at the log I had prepared and was thinking "easy....no problem.....this will be great!"
So I stuffed it full of my tinder and (tried to) set it aflame.
No deal. The tinder burned off well, but not in the channels that I sawed. I didn't even bother taking pictures of the next part. I stuffed paper in the cracks and tried that. No deal. Bottom line is, I think the channels are too skinny and slow air flow - that's why Mears used a chainsaw. I know, I should have thought about that. But I didn't. And I didn't want to cover it up or make Bear Grylls style fixes behind the scenes. (Sorry if you like Bear) A nice wide channel equals air flow. Airflow, I did not have. Stay tuned. I'm not done. I will figure this out using a saw.........but I'm going to buy a new one first. ;)
Pax Domini Sit Semper Vobiscum,
Mike, Oscar, Hotel.....out.
well, you still brought us something new and different - at least the idea is new to me.
ReplyDeleteMaybe use some wedges and open up the channels?
or heck, grab a chainsaw and open 'em up - it will be cool to see how this works! :)
BTW, I have a sticky note in my wallet to remember to grab some stuff for that wax/cardboard/nut can stove - that was cool! :)
I just ordered a silky saw. I think the idea will be to make two cuts in V shape to try and widen it out (the channel). I may employ the wedges - like you said!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, next week, I'm going to continue the atricle on the peanut can stove. I've made an adapter for it. I have yet to try it out, but we'll see!
You could split the log in four and create the spaces required by hammering them in the ground. In the series you mention he set a pine full of tar alight if you remember. Maybe that counts as a factor as well...
ReplyDeleteI've thought about that and Mears mentioned in the video that doing that was an option, especially if you were in the woods with just an axe. When I do a follow up article, I'll finish the log I'm working on and try the quad-in-the-ground approach as well. Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteDont mention it! To be honest i am anxious to see if it works on wood other than pine...Ray states that its a way to get a stove from a pine...Looking forward to your next post!!
ReplyDeletePS. My humble blog.. http://mountainhiker-gr.blogspot.com/
I'll try it on a piece of aspen, too. Thanks for posting your blog site. I like it and am now a follower. I encourage anyone who has a blog to leave their URL EVERY time they post something here. I love the comminuty that I've run into since blogging and I want our readers to know about all of your blogs. Le Loup does it and I think it is a great way to share all of our sites with our readers. Bloggers unite!
ReplyDelete