In my never ending quest to convert the world to meths, I thought that a very simple and cheap stove kit might be in order. When I say kit, I do mean kit, *everything required to brew up or rehydrate a meal - stove, mug, windshield and fuel bottle. After much scientific nobbing about in the labs at the BB technology park, I've settled on an open centre, semi-pressurised stove which although it doesn't burn as hot as a double walled design, is much easier to produce and very easy to use.

Total weight for everything is sub 90g and hopefully sub £20 too ... just need to settle on a final stove height so it produces the fastest boil times while maintaining ample fuel capacity.



*You'll have to supply fuel and matches though.

How strong is it, compared to double walled
Is it resistant to denting?

Total weight for everything is sub 90g

You're verging on weightweenieism here. What with joining Strava as well, are you sure your feeling OK?

How do you cut your holes so neatly on the cylinder? So you use a support on the other side?

Looks neat, I'm still not a fan of meths yet though

How strong is it, compared to double walled
Is it resistant to denting?

It's not as strong as a double walled stove ... the 8g below has all my weight on it with no ill effects. However, it's still far stronger than a pop can stove and shouldn't dent.

How do you cut your holes so neatly on the cylinder? So you use a support on the other side?

Holes are punched ... yes, the punch supports from the other side.

You're verging on weightweenieism here. What with joining Strava as well, are you sure your feeling OK?

I know, I'm starting to get a little concerned

like!

Nice idea for a cheap introduction to warm food in a bivvy!

Slightly offtopic but I still have problems with meths (and I'm sure it's me as others don't seem to). When the stove gets going and blooms properly, putting the pot with water in it regularly seems to put it out.

I'd thought it's maybe to do with the heat that lets the stove bloom being sucked out by the pot and water?

This has happened to me with both a Whitebox stove and an 8g bearbones one. I know I'm doing something wrong I just can't figure out what. I've even tried holding the pot above the blooming stove in case it needs "warmed" before putting it on.

Stu.

Slightly offtopic but I still have problems with meths (and I'm sure it's me as others don't seem to). When the stove gets going and blooms properly, putting the pot with water in it regularly seems to put it out.

It's common / usual / normal for the flames to die down once the pot's placed on top but the stove should still keep burning. I'd suggest giving it a bit longer (once it's bloomed) before putting your pot on.

Sometimes the flames can die back enough, that with a windshield in place it can easily look like the stove's gone out.

I'd thought it's maybe to do with the heat that lets the stove bloom being sucked out by the pot and water?

Although a pot full of cold water will act as a heatsink and cool the stove slightly, I've never known the effect to actually snuff the stove out.

Ok, will try to improve on my patience :)

What sort of pot would you be using to get a whole cookset under 90g and under £20?

What sort of pot would you be using to get a whole cookset under 90g and under £20?

Ive never tried meths, thought with the weight and size of my stove and gas canister maybe i should do. I have an alpkit ti cup and mug, what size stove would you recommend? Also, what do you use to keep the meths safe from spilling all over kit?

Ive never tried meths, thought with the weight and size of my stove and gas canister maybe i should do. I have an alpkit ti cup and mug, what size stove would you recommend? Also, what do you use to keep the meths safe from spilling all over kit?

Hopefully this won't sound too complicated but there's a few possible options.

1/ If you just want to make a brew or heat some water for a dehydrated meal, then an 8g will work with your AlpKit cup. Heat your water in it and drink straight from it (if you're brewing up).

2/ If you want to heat more water then a 22g would be a better bet. If you actually want to cook something then possibly consider the RF version of the 22g.

3/ There's a kit available designed for the Mytimug (stove, windshield, cosy). The addition of a cosy means your food will cook / rehydrate after the stove's gone out. Stove, windshield and fuel bottle all fit inside the mug.

All stoves come with a fuel bottle (size depends on stove). I've not heard any reports of them leaking, however I do try to store my fuel away from delicate items ... just in case.

s8tannorm wrote:3/ There's a kit available designed for the Mytimug (stove, windshield, cosy). The addition of a cosy means your food will cook / rehydrate after the stove's gone out. Stove, windshield and fuel bottle all fit inside the mug.

Im very interested in this kit, is it something you have created yourself? If not where can i find details of it? Could be just the intro i need to try out meths cooking.

I've always found with meths that if I store the fuel or used, empty stove anywhere near the cook pot, or food, I can taste the meths.
I can't be the only one, I hope :)
I've tried many different meths stoves but keep going back to hexy style fuels.

Im very interested in this kit, is it something you have created yourself? If not where can i find details of it? Could be just the intro i need to try out meths cooking.

Yes, I'm reasponsible ... I'll drop you a line.

I've always found with meths that if I store the fuel or used, empty stove anywhere near the cook pot, or food, I can taste the meths.

I find it improves the taste of my Lidl tea bags

s8tannorm wrote:

I find it improves the taste of my Lidl tea bags

I was once told by a Scottish mate that meths would improve the taste of my red wine. I hope it is better with Lidl teabags! :)

nobby wrote:

s8tannorm wrote:

I find it improves the taste of my Lidl tea bags

I was once told by a Scottish mate that meths would improve the taste of my red wine. I hope it is better with Lidl teabags! :)

If by "red wine" he meant "Buckfast Fortified Tonic Wine" or "Buckie" as it's more commonly known then he is probably right .

Did anything ever come of this idea Stuart?

Did anything ever come of this idea Stuart?

Funny you should ask Ben, I've just finished cutting the windshields for them. The stove itself has had a little re-design and now features 2 rows of jets and is actually slightly smaller / lighter ... I think we can now do better than 90g all up

It will be making an appearance in the shop very shortly.