[pct-l] Little Cheapo Stove, part 2

["ROBERT E RIESS" <CDRRIESS@prodigy.net>]

A few more soda cans have been sliced and diced with some interesting
results.  I switched to 1/16 inch for the diameter of the burner holes and
added a row of holes just inside the rim.  This burner was slow and long
lasting.  Two cups of room temp water boiled in 9 min 20 sec, but I think
the inner row of holes was staring for oxygen.  It took just a tick over 15
minutes for the flame to die.  This stove would be handy for mac n cheese if
you have the kind that needs to cook for 7 minutes.

I went back to larger burner holes looking for faster boiling times, and I
was successful, somewhat.  I got the boiling time down to 7 min 10 sec, but
this burner was so hot it melted my expensive windscreen.  The 4 inch height
and 4 inch diameter work well when the stove is warming up, but when it
reaches full power, the top of the windscreen is consumed by the flames.  A
buck seventy seven hits the scrap heap.  I like that burner, though.

In search of a new windscreen, I decided to try 1/2 inch steel wire mesh.  I
want the windscreen to nest neatly inside my pot, so I made it 5 inches high
and just under 6 inches in diameter. The fit is good.  I added some aluminum
foil tape to the middle, leaving the top and bottom inch uncovered.  This
windscreen is bulletproof, and easily modified.  I am not sure of the
weight, but it's not much heavier than the aluminum one.  By placing the
stove on my aluminum backpacking plate, which is high sided and kind of
parabolic, I got the boiling time down to just about 7 minutes flat.  I
figure I have a good burner and windscreen, ones that are light, sturdy and
easy to use. They should last a long time.

I got ahold of one of the chemistry teachers from school and asked about
fuel.  He had several recommendations, some safe, some scary.  Using one of
his less exotic recommendations, I have gotten boiling time down to 5 min 30
sec on one ounce of fuel.  While the fuel itself may be safe to transport
and use, I will have to rework the burner to get the flames to a comfortable
level.

I had a chance to use a postal scale last night, and confirmed my estimates.
The burners are 3/10 ounce and the old windscreen was right at an ounce.
Sorry to say, the new steel mesh windscreen is substantially heavier, maybe
4 ounces or more.  I am going to look for an aluminum coupler like the one
that melted only larger, say 5 by 5 inches. That would be ideal, and should
go about 1.5 ounces, less after I punch the holes.  I am trying for a setup
that weighs an ounce and a half, boils 2 cups of 58 degree water in 6
minutes on an ounce of fuel.  It must also be sturdy enough for the trail,
easy to setup and take down, and use fuel that is safe to carry, burn and
ship.  It's going to be close.

Does anybody know the figures for an Esbit stove?

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