JaxHiker aka Kudzu - WFA
Florida Trail Association: NE FL Trail Coordinator (Gold Head to Stephen Foster)
Problems on the trail? Have a great experience? Please let me know. trails at northfloridatrailblazers dot org
Blazing Trails with Kudzu @ www.idratherbehiking.com
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Another recent testemonial:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...1&postcount=13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Username75 View Post
fill the stove, place Your penny
dribble a teaspoon of fuel on the top and lite...
I would caution you to follow the instructions form the web page:
"NEVER LIGHT THE STOVE UNLESS THE JETS ARE COVERED WITH FUEL."
Dribbling a tsp of fuel on top may not be enough to cover the jets. If you don't the fumes inside the stove will ignite at it will pop, sometimes spewing flaming alcohol quite a distance. I got burned once ignoring this warning.
Interesting segway from bashing Tinny to Scouts...
Regarding Scouting, BSA has a policy on the use of chemical fuels. Scouters that are properly trained should be aware of it. If not they failed to do their due diligence prior to a backpacking trip. I have not yet run into a BSA training course that specifically covers this but as it is has appeared to be commonplace in the UL & Lightweight community I'd expect it to be covered in more detail (if not already).
In the past, I knew there was a prohibition but wasn't aware of the exact extent of it until recently. Currently, I'm preparing to coordinate a backpacking trip for Boy Scouts and be the backpacking merit badge counselor.
Short answer (and I'm paraphrasing here) is no homemade alcohol stoves allowed period. Stoves prohibited, fuels not recommended I believe is how it's worded.
Commercial canister stoves "appear" to be the easiest way to introduce trail cooking though we all know certain brand stoves are more difficult (and more expensive!) than others. The pocket rocket is popular though I don't like the height it adds to the cooking surface but that's just my preference.
If whiteblaze allows the link here it is: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/680-013WB.pdf
If not PM me and I'll send it to you or do a simple search on scouting(dot)org for chemical fuels.
-Cphobes
"Trained" Troop Committee Member
Woodbadge NE-1-258 Used to be an Antelope...
Powderhorn 2009 Area 1
Active Scouter since 2002, done just about every job except Scout Master.
Informing "Joe Public" is good!!!!!Interesting segway from bashing Tinny to Scouts...
Regarding Scouting, BSA has a policy on the use of chemical fuels. Scouters that are properly trained should be aware of it. If not they failed to do their due diligence prior to a backpacking trip. I have not yet run into a BSA training course that specifically covers this but as it is has appeared to be commonplace in the UL & Lightweight community I'd expect it to be covered in more detail (if not already).
Short answer (and I'm paraphrasing here) is no homemade alcohol stoves allowed period. Stoves prohibited, fuels not recommended I believe is how it's worded.
It's good that you are now aware of the "extent" of the rules that govern scouting. It starts at the top. Teach them well!!!In the past, I knew there was a prohibition but wasn't aware of the exact extent of it until recently. Currently, I'm preparing to coordinate a backpacking trip for Boy Scouts and be the backpacking merit badge counselor.
zelph? can you make a fill cap that is spring loaded to never be capable of being open unless held by a finger while funneling in fuel?
and can a penny stove have a way to do the same with the penny?
and do you know why i only use a trangia or a starlite?
cause safty first is all.
and do you know what the single most prevelent stove mishap, yet least talked about is?
blowing out a flame with your breath and spraying lit fuel everywhere rather than smothering or measuring well.
matthewski
and do you know what the single most prevelent yet least understood white gas stove mishap is?
not preforming a fuel leak test under pressure before ignition leading to thread leak.
such as in any stove with threads connecting the fueltank. pump up unlite and tilt so threads are below fuel levels and pass a dry finger under the connection then sniff your finger. miss engauged threads are so common it aint funny.
matthewski
Not saying it CAN'T happen but I've used a Whisperlite for years and never had a problem with it...certainly never blew up on me....however if you re light it while it's still really hot from the last time it was used ..probably just a few minutes it can flare up into a really big flame for a few seconds (ask me how I know) It may scare the crap out of you but that's not really an explosion..MSR also tell us not to relight a very hot stove
the common danger when useing a sigg type fuel bottle is its use as a firestarter by pouring over flames or existing embers. usually the old style fuel pouring tops would unscrew halfwat to exspose holes, one for air in and one fuel out. this allowed a "controlled pour". now they have lift spouts and others.the issue is, people panic when a sigg bottle becomes engulfed. dont. it cant exsplode. the threads of the bottle are seperate from the neck of the bottle and blow out seperatly in the event of high pressure. the bottle may be flameing wildly out the half open lid, but in about 60 seconds, when it heats and fails, it will pop the threads and give you an oppurtunity to control the fire by shoving it into water or sand or dirt or snow. even tossing it , it will spill fire but not exsplode. because it cannot develope enough pressure to do so. by design. so dont panic when your holding a flameing sigg bottle. look for a place to stick the flame end into something smothering.remember, a gallon of gas in a confined space equals 14 sticks of dynamite when detonated.please be careful.
matthewski
Yes, I can make one up for you. I may have a stove with one already attached. I'll look through my stuff tomorrow.
The Super Stove is also a safe one. Fuel does not spill out. The Companion burner hold 4 ounces of fuel and won't spill out. good safety feature.
Thanks for all great information on fuel safety.............good stuff!!!!
Boy Scouts with no eyebrows.
Scoutmaster(card holding teacher) teaching how to light two stoves with one match.
Are there dangers involved with stoves?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90hsmfBwkyU
The solution is simple if we think simply, like politicians:
1. Misuse of stoves causes fires.
2. Boyscouts misuse stoves.
3. Stoves cannot be outlawed because too many other hikers and campers use them.
Therefore: outlaw Boyscouts!
"Keep moving: death is very, very still."
---Lily Wagner (nee Hennessy)
Very cute , however today's boy scouts are tomorrow's backpackers. Best to teach them right today then allow them to destroy the trail tomorrow. Proper trail ettiquette and LNT principles are key. Gear choices can mature with time and experience.
Scouts have plenty of opportunities to make mistakes and learn. I know as a scout I singed plenty of hair.
-Cphobes
Let's hunt down the scout leader with the stop watch. Remove him from being a card holding teacher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90hsmfBwkyU
.
Girls, be careful with your stoves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8_mKnIoe4g
Hikers do weird things Fast way to snuff out campfire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyTj3J1z7Hc
.
I bumped this thread up to show a little care is needed with DIY alcohol stoves and canister safety.
If you had some issues with stoves let us know. Add to the list.
No issue with the stove, just a stupid operator error
I bought my Trangia last fall, read the instructions, filed them and never got to play with the stove until a car camping trip this spring.
Instructions were long forgotten, looked easy enough to set up.
Did you know you can set a picnic table on fire quite nicely if you put the stove on the table instead of in the hole in the windscreen!!
And that if you work hard enough at it, you can do it more than once.
I came home thinking that there was a defect with the stove, read the directions again and realized that the defect was with the operators' memory...duh!!
Stove works great when properly assembled!!