Bought one and it went on its first trip this weekend. I didn't really need a stove so it was an opportunity to have a play...put meths in, light, wait a bit, put mug on top, flame goes out. Try again....after a while it flares up, fire everywhere, out of holes in side etc, put cup on top, flame goes out....have a few spare old tent pegs, hammer them in ground and use three to hold cup off stove, water boils.....anyone give me any pointers? And yes I did read instructions...they didn't really help.

When you say wait a bit, has the stove ‘bloomed’ properly? Ie blue flames coming out the side

Also, once bloomed, maybe give it 5 seconds before you put your mug

Once it’s on full chat it’s quite hard to put out

We’ve had this.

Sounds like you’ve overfilled it. There’s a tiny hole about halfway up the funnel, don’t fill past that

Didn't seem to bloom...so flames come out of the holes in the sides...ok.
So mine wasn't really doing this...will look for hole halfway up, maybe it was over filled.

Checked hole, certainly didn't fill it anywhere near up to that, maybe underfilled?

Once the meths becomes hot enough to form vapourise and 'bloom' the flames coming from the jets can be quite fierce, big and yellow. Once it does that, let it carry on for 10 seconds or so before carefully placing your mug on top. At this point, the flames will / should die down over the course of a few seconds and become much smaller and turn blue.

Generally placing your mug on 'too soon' will be the cause of it going out. Also, not uncommon to believe it's gone out when it hasn't - especially true if using an enclosed windshield which makes seeing what's happening difficult

... and, not all fuel is equal and some of the meths alternatives can produce weird results.

Another thought - if it's still not behaving, try only filling your mug about 1/4 full and see if that makes a difference.

Will try this later, thanks....how much fuel should I put in? Someone said not over small hole in side so should it be just below that or way below? Hopefully it will be less windy so I can use it without windshield to see what's going on.

Fill it to just below the hole - it'll be around 15ml.

Ok so I may have been underfilling, thanks for all the tips.

From a previous discussion on this...

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:44 am
Fancy one of these. However I've never used a meths burner before so I'm a complete newbie.
I'd need instructions on everything!
Brief run-down ...

1/ stand stove on level non-flammable surface.
2/ Pour some meths into the centre chamber - how much will depend what you're hoping to do but for boiling a mug full, start with 15ml(ish).
3/ Light meths and wait.
4/ How long you wait will depend on conditions. Might be 30s or 1m30s but sooner or later the meths will begin to vapourise and flames will appear from the jets.
5/ Once all the jets are burning, simply place your mug directly (carefully) on top of the stove.

As with all stoves but especially meths, the use of a windshield will make a massive difference to boil times.

Alternatively....
1. Pour meths into stove until it overflows onto tin lid stove support, which you don't notice as you forgot your specs.
2. Try to light meths but burn fingers as its impossible to see when it lights without your specs. Wonder why the whole lot flares up, threating to burn tarp to the ground.
3. Burn fingers trying to maneuver windshield into place.
4. Burn fingers trying to sit cup on top of stove and maneuvering windshield round cup handles
5. Wait for 5 minutes or so (and try to relax after previous four steps)
6. When water boils burn fingers trying to lift cup off stove
7. Drop cup and scald fingers / hands / leg when boiling water spills out.
8. go to step one.
9. Drink meths instead

With practice you can reduce the number of burns to a reasonable level and it all becomes fairly relaxing
Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:29 am
I've not printed any instructions for them but I'm reckoning all those who showed interest, know what they're doing
Rash assumption

I've not printed any instructions for them but I'm reckoning all those who showed interest, know what they're doing
Rash assumption

No, always a set of instructions sent out with every stove. I think the above comment referred to the batch of 10g or maybe 12g stoves from a while back

Ok just tried it is garden, more fuel was needed I think, boiled some water easily, but I did burn my fingers trying to put it out, any tips on this as I can save fuel if I can put it out reliably. Next time I use it in the wild I might take a small tin try to stand it in as it looks like it would have the potential to scorch grass etc.

but I did burn my fingers trying to put it out, any tips on this as I can save fuel if I can put it out reliably.

Not really any way of doing it as it's hard to smother. After a while you'll likely get the hang of judging the amount of fuel to the amount of water and conditions.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:10 pm I think the above comment referred to the batch of 10g or maybe 12g stoves from a while back

Mmm, had one of those bad boys, with no instructions so I didn't follow them.

The insurance company were very nice about it afterwards to be fair.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 3:38 pm

but I did burn my fingers trying to put it out, any tips on this as I can save fuel if I can put it out reliably.

Not really any way of doing it as it's hard to smother.

Aye, wouldn't bother. a/ bit of a challenge pouring it back out of the stove, to say the least; b/ huge amount of pleasure to be gained by watching the last flames dwindle away to nothing .

The insurance company were very nice about it afterwards to be fair.

What's the current meths stove of choice? Used to use a trangia for Ten Tors; these days I've got my trusty MSR whisperlite using unleaded petrol but it's a bit of a faff.

Can't go wrong with a BBB 22g...

https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/ ... ths-stove/

This one? Does the mug/pot just sit on top? I've got a windshield.

gecko76 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 12:27 pm https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/ ... ths-stove/

This one? Does the mug/pot just sit on top? I've got a windshield.

Yes. The flames come out of the side so you won’t extinguish them. See earlier in the thread for more details.

The 22g stove suits something similar to the width of an Alpkit Mytimug, but for narrower pots/mugs then the 8g is better.

Cool, thanks, got this mug which is 95mm wide.

https://www.weirdosonbikes.com/product/ ... -saucepan/

Mytimug looks very similar so should be good.

I've been using my 18g stove that Stu produced a couple of years back - allows a rolling boil and is useful if its a bit cold or breezy and the 8g stove doesn't run for long enough to boil water. Still using the 450ml mug with it. I also experimented with various ways of putting it out, none of which worked - if you drop a section of beer can over it, the flames just come out the bottom...

Justin - my top tip is to silicon the stove to a disk of aluminum or tin (the bottom of a tin can is a perfect size) for stability and catching spilled meths In fact if you are in a hurry, allow a bit of meths to spill onto the tin lid and light this - it speeds up flare time considerably

Also remember the sticking fuel and stove under your armpit trick to help warm them (*)

(*) Note: I find it's best to do this before you light the stove rather than afterwards

...allow a bit of meths to spill onto the tin lid and light this - it speeds up flare time considerably

Like how the whisperlite works by the sounds of it (pump up bottle, release some petrol into the cup, CLOSE VALVE, light and let burn to warm the stove, then open valve to release fuel as it dies down) though with less spectacular results I imagine.

Also remember the sticking fuel and stove under your armpit trick to help warm them (*)

(*) Note: I find it's best to do this before you light the stove rather than afterwards

Boooring. Top tip: armpit hair can be saturated with paraffin wax for a ready supply of tinder.

gecko76 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 2:58 pm Boooring. Top tip: armpit hair can be saturated with paraffin wax for a ready supply of tinder.

In best BBB digressional traditions.... I'm prepared to offer a significant prize to anyone who attempts this with hairs from a somewhat lower region of the body. It would be quite easy to cook your tea in your lap using this method, with your body
acting as a handy windshield.