As you notice I didn't include an ash tray this time. With the ammo can stoves I've made I noticed I mostly empty out the ash every time I took the stove appart and put it on my pack, not during the use. So I figured its unnecessary putting in the work if I'm not going to use it. And its easier to get an air tight box to control the burn. And last but not least: This is a stove for hikes so no need to burn it for days in one spot. I will know for sure how it works later, so stay tuned for a field test video from my upcoming backpacking hike, as soon as the weather turns colder.
The downside with this stove is it doesn't have the normal box shape that is optimal for stoves. Cant be stacked vertically, with as much firewood at once as with the usual shaped stoves. The benefits are there is a huge cooking space on top and the not as bulky flat shape is perfect for the backpack. To be honest I don't stack my ammo cans full with firewood either and the burn itself was just as good, if not better, in this one. After this small field test I think the upgrade will be a damper in the flue with some leftovers from the build.
If you plan on building something similar feel free to tell me so in the comment section. I can help with tips and tricks with some crucial steps in the build to make the stove safe to handle in a tent.
And please no comments about using self tapping screws. I know about them but in my builds I've learned they are not as good as the normal bolt, nut and washer to keep metal together when its red hot.
Be meticulous with the details in a build like this. Everything must fit perfectly. Everything should spark when cutting in it. The melting point of aluminium comes very suddenly and you could have the structure coming down on you in a second. The aluminium I used worked but another flag holder could have a different weaker composition. Also make sure to first burn the stove way harder for an hour than you ever will in a tent. Do it outside. Use hardwood. Keep your distance. This is to "burn it in" (make it tight), to see how and if the metal bend in a good way, and to release the hazardous gases from parts that is galvanized.
25 июн 2018
