Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Simplest Type of Stove is not the Simplest type of stove, Part 2

Today in the News:  We've been maintaining  a constant flow of hits since the holiday season.  Thanks to everyone who stops by and readsthe blog and to those who write guest articles.  If you're ever interested in writing a guest article, please email it to me (with pictures, if the post requires) at house.of.howes@hotmail.com . It doesn't have to be a how-to article.  It can be commentary or experience related, an old -timey story about your gran-whoever.  The sky is the limit.  Keep it clean, keep it fun and I'll post it.

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.



6 comments:

  1. well, you still brought us something new and different - at least the idea is new to me.

    Maybe 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! :)

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  2. 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!

    Hopefully, 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!

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  3. 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...

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  4. I'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!

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  5. Dont 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!!

    PS. My humble blog.. http://mountainhiker-gr.blogspot.com/

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  6. 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!

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