[at-l] Any controls on this thing?

[Carla & Dave Hicks]

I'm sure Tin Man will weigh in here shortly.

However, in the meantime hoz'bout some more information?

Size & shape of your pot?  The diameter of the pots base might be a factor. 
For any given flame ring there is a optimum pot bottom.  Too small diameter 
pots for any given stove tend to have the flame ride up the side rather than 
heat the bottom.  Do the sides meet the bottom an a sharp angle, or do they 
create a rounded corner/edge to the bottom?  Sharp turns tend to cause the 
flames to spread outward and upward, whereas the flame tends to flow more 
smoothly around rounded corners.  My rounded bottom 5 1/4 inch pot works quite 
well with Tin Man's stove.

What type and how tight is your windscreen?  Wind screens tend to concentrate 
the heat around the pot and stove.  Concentrating the heat on the pot is good. 
However, too much heat concentrated on the stove will cause the alcohol to 
evaporate too quicker and create a higher flame up the sides -- wasting 
heat/fuel.  Also, too tight a wind screen lets too little air in under the 
pot, so you get little combustion under the bottom of the pot and the unburned 
alcohol fumes burn higher up the side of the pot as they come into contact 
with oxygen.  As best I remember, Tin Man uses a rather open screen.  The one 
I use with his stove is only about 5 3/4 inch in diameter -- however, it has a 
large number of air holds at the bottom.

Chainsaw


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Raphael Bustin" <rafeb at speakeasy.net>
To: <at-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2006 9:44 PM
Subject: [at-l] Any controls on this thing?



I've finally had some success with Tin Man's stove.
At least under ideal conditions.  Baby steps.

2 cups H20 boiled in about 7 or 8 minutes, with
oh, 1.2 oz of denatured alcohol.  This may sound
trivial to all of you but not to me.

Still one problem... the flames just seem to get
bigger and bigger the whole time ... and were
lapping the sides of the pot toward the end.
It was hard to keep cooking once boiling
commenced -- the flames were really way
too high for comfort, and well... outta control.

So... how do folks deal with that?  Or is there
still something I'm doing wrong?  Yes, of
course -- I'll use less alcohol, next time.
(Is that the sum total of the controls?)

PS: Tin Man graciously offered to assist with
a phone call, but as you can see, I'm still
winging it.


rafe b
aka terrapin


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