Wood Pellet Hobo Stove Test - New Pot Stand and Wind Screen

[rainbowhiker]

The ol' tin can is such an underestimated and useful tool. They last, work well, and are free to replace. People that love to buy everything are never going to get it, just how satisfying it is to build some of your own gear. Thanks.

[EconoChallenge]

@rainbowhiker Well said. I think I learned something about myself in this comment. I really do get much more enjoyment out of kit I have made vs purchased!!!!

[kylemortonisawesome]

Instructions please!! :)

[EconoChallenge]

@kylemortonisawesome Search "Wood Pellet Hobo Stove" and that will give you a really good start. Just sub the windscreen for the pot stand and windscreen combo shown in this video.

[enjoythewildUSA]

So cool! I am going to have to make myself a little stove like that. Thanks for the inspiration EconoChallenge!

[EconoChallenge]

@enjoythewildUSA You just say the word bro and we can get you fixed up.

[enjoythewildUSA]

@EconoChallenge Nice. If you have instructions, shoot them to me and I'll try to replicate your design - Econo Challenge style! : )

[starguard]

Werent you worried about setting the grass on fire? I would think it good to clear all the dead grass and leaves away first and start a fire on raw dirt.

Still an awsome video :-)

[EconoChallenge]

@starguard The video does not show it well but everything is frozen. We had a few mild days combined with rain and then a quick freeze. It was getting mild again during this shoot and everything was melting again. No chance of setting the ground on fire. However you do raise a very important point. We missed shooting it but we have a metal heat shield under the stove protecting the ground. Without it you will set the forest floor on fire and we should have mentioned that!

[EconoChallenge]

@starguard Did a quick edit to make sure other viewers do not miss the heat shield. Thanks for pointing this out!!

[robertmccallum1]

That stove waz pretty cool and seemed to work pretty good ...sucks that it rained on ya ...gotta love mother nature :)

[EconoChallenge]

@robertmccallum1 It boiled in under 6 minutes the next day. It was sunny and minus 2. Much better conditions.

[robertmccallum1]

@EconoChallenge sweet ...gotta love that

[DS1150]

Nice stove

[EconoChallenge]

@DS1150 Working on it. Thanks. Mr JoeyBoombotz has given me some things to try and make it even better.

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

Once you get all the variables down and are able to have a smokeless fire, with blue and white flames from the beginning of the burn, you will have the benefit of almost zero pot smut, even on the bottom of your containers. Usually that means using some 5 or 6 small wads of paper soaked in alcohol dispersed on top of the fuel to get the load up to temperature quickly. Some people get zero pot smut from learning how to load and control the fire. Similar results can be obtained with a Dakota Hole

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

The secret to a better Dakota hole, is a deeper/narrower hole. 20in deep/10in wide. It containes the heat more, burning more smoke. 5 'smoke holes' 1 in diameter dug into the fire hole from a 6in around the top of the fire hole diagonally, injects air above flames burning the rising smoke. A COMPLETELY free rocket/wood gas stove. No parts/minimal labor. In sandier soils, fill with water after digging to secure the walls. Line with gravel/stones on the bottom/ to direct heat upward.

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

Rewatch your own video , you'll see how you 'wasted' all that 'fuel' (smoke) in the beginning of your fire by all the smoke being blown about. It is more unheathy than wasteful. A Dakota fire hole is an underground rocket stove. 'Smoke holes' added around the fire hole 3in from the top and you've made it a wood gas stove. Rocket stoves burn more smoke b/c they are contained. A second source of O2 above the flames ignites the smoke. The smoke is more fuel but the O2 is gone w/o the smoke holes.

[medicjimr]

Good mod irregardless. Now jeep our those your kiddos in last video ?

[EconoChallenge]

@medicjimr Just one is mine. The other two are my sisters creations. They always want to be in the video when I am testing stuff around their property.

[jetpowered1]

It's winter, where's the snow?

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

You won't have to load again during the burn. Just start the fire on top with lots of tinder and kindling with 15 or so vertical twigs and you should be fine. The oak pellets are a little bit big for that size stove. Using a handful of regular wood pellets on top is an option as well. You are 90% there. Fuel, Oxygen and heat are the variables. The object is to get as white and blue a flame as possible (more easily seen at night and maximum efficiency) and as little red, orange and yellow flame.

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

The holes in your burn can with the outer can in place and the pot keep the extra smoke (wood gas fuel ) down by the fire and O2. When the stove reaches 400 degrees it burns the wood gas in the fuel and any extra wood gas that is there. You see no smoke, the fire is hotter, burns the fuel slower, b/c the extra wood gas and fuel wood gas eats up oxygen faster in the stove. Your wood gas stove is burning fairly efficiently. TLUD technique improves efficiency by saving fuel and creating more heat

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

You have a 99.9% wood gas stove design. The wood in a fire never burns. The heat (about 400 degrees)makes the wood hot enough that the gases (smoke) in the wood, hydrogen, etc, begin to burn, but it looks like the wood is burning. The extra smoke you see contains mostly wood gas, too if it is dry, that is being wasted. If you can keep that smoke with the fire it burns too, but usually it rises away. To get the greatest efficiency load the stove like a swedish candle and burn it top down.

[EconoChallenge]

@MrJoeyBoombotz Awesome. Its like a light bulb just went off in my head. This is the first time I have had the concept explained and I get it. I guess up to this point I was always thinking the wood gas was something separate from the smoke. I will be playing with it again tomorrow for sure. Thank you Thank you!

[todddguillory]

The rain interrupted you from you having a hot cup of cream and sugar. Hate when that happens. LOL!!!  Nice set up bro.

[sousaville]

hey brother Jeep ,ordered the boots..thanx again...i have built probably a dozen different backpacking wood gas burners and hobo stoves..gotta love them....I ....like you... am not a hobbyist....and you are 100% correct...you want to see if it will truely work in real trail conditions and there is a learning curve for burning these stoves efficiently in the bush...esp the top load reburners...good point bro...and why cant that rain be snow..lol...Ed

[EconoChallenge]

@sousaville No kidin. I can do without rain in January. Rain! The wood pellet mode is perfect for winter. I should be using it to melt snow rather than using up precious fuel I might be carrying. This stove works great for melting snow. I will show you if we ever get any!

[sousaville]

@EconoChallenge ..i will be looking out for that one...im guessing it will melt snow like crazy...gonna build that camp cot this weekend at my little boulder cave...a slightly more permanent version..seeing how i dont have to move it....been thinking bunk bed version or slightly wider version for her and I..thanx jeep.......Ed

[EconoChallenge]

@sousaville You have to do the her and I version. I had that idea in the back of my mind and would love to see how it turns out.

[sousaville]

@EconoChallenge yeah we have plans for heading out saturday morn,with our cutting tools...and gonna draw up a sketch with some measurements..may take a few tries to get it right..its about an hour bushwack to the location.

[EconoChallenge]

@sousaville I sent a PM with some dimensions to get you started.

[sousaville]

@EconoChallenge thanx jeep..got it..very helpful

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

Using about half the pellets and having smaller kindling/tinder dispersed throughout the burn can, when lit from the top, called a TLUD, Top Lit Up Draft stove will extend burn times and create an almost totally smokeless burn except for the first 30-60 seconds as the kindling on top gets the stove up to 400 degrees or so. It will burn down slowly and smokelessly and extremely hot (look for the blue/white flames at night) as most of the wood gases are being burned as they rise to the top..

[EconoChallenge]

@MrJoeyBoombotz If I use smaller kindling / twigs mixed with the hardwood pellets, I am thinking I will have to load up part way through the boil. Unless it boils faster. Now you have given me another reason to go for a hike and test it out.

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

I'm loving that stove. Air feed underneath the pellets, holes in the burn can to let wood gas escape, an outer can that contains the fire, heat and wood gas to be burned, a pot stand that allows the bottom of the pot to be surrounded by to contain heat and high enough to project the heat up the sides of the container. Burning wood gas is smart, it increases the heat/efficiency/time of the burn and keeps lungs/equipment somewhat free of soot, when the load is lit from the top and burned down.

[EconoChallenge]

@MrJoeyBoombotz I have yet to try a true wood gas project. I have watched many demonstrations and just don't seem to get how they work. One thing I am looking forward to is less soot on the pot! Everyone says that wood gas stoves produce less soot. That wood be wonderful.

[goldenscales]

With weather like that, you sure you're not filming here in New Zealand! Lol!!!

[EconoChallenge]

@goldenscales We are now known as the Great Wet North. I don't know what is up with this weather?

[goldenscales]

@EconoChallenge Is anyone sure - absolutely sure - that global warming is not a myth? And, does HAARP really work that well?

[briargoatkilla]

Was that an IMUSA grease pot? Gotta pick one of those up. Nice stove, man.

[EconoChallenge]

@briargoatkilla Nope. It would be a cheap dollar store metal cup. I have to be real careful cleaning it. If I hold the handle it will break off while scrubbing. Thanks for the comment on the stove.

[dragonflyhiker]

Looks good

[jmg1957]

nice

[Ggreenvideos]

If I know you...and I do, you got that camera away just in time :o) Hope that turned into snow for ya! What was that pot you were using pal?

[EconoChallenge]

@Ggreenvideos I tried my World Famous cup on it in wood mode ONCE. Never again unless it is an emergency and its all I have. The stove wrap will never come clean and it just transfers the tar to your fingers for the rest of the trip. So the cheap dollar store cup works for when I want to burn wood. Hey ... got a treat for ya ... Its just processing

[athatcher85]

I really like the wind shield. noticed it almost went out right after you put it on. Nice job buddy, enjoy the warm weather your havin up there.

[EconoChallenge]

@athatcher85 Give me snow... you can brush that off the camera. The wind screen works really well for the alcohol stove flame. This test was to make sure it still worked with the wood pellets. I was very happy with it.

[brutallindigo]

Nice great job on the stove!

[EconoChallenge]

@brutallindigo Thank you. It works really well now!

[snappydog357]

Sorry for the bad weather hope to see the rest of the test soon. Thanks