Inexpensive camping stove...

[steven c]

 Thanks for the link! My Seva 123 went up in flames the last time I fired it up. After 40 years I guess it is time for a overhaul. I also have one of those cheap stoves, works fine, boils very quick.

[charlie b]

My old favorite stove for car camping was a Coleman 530.  Mine was made in the late 40's.  I got it from the couple who had bought it new and used it when camping on their Harley (Army surplus). 

We used to call them Tanker stoves when I was in the Army.  Ran on diesel, gas, or white gas.  I used it a couple of times when bike camping but got tired of the fuel smell in the side case.  It also took up quite a bit of space.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  We (my tank crew ) used the tanker stove in the early sixties.  They were old, probably ww2 leftovers, and you never fired one up inside a lean to or tent.  They leaked and were prone to burst into a huge ball of fuel flame.
 In the mid seventies I bought one in a surplus store in Klamath falls and as optimism outweighed common sense,
 I tried to fire it up in my apartment for a test.  It was an exciting 5 minutes as I fought the fire until it was completely out.  It is one of the reasons I prefer to tie three sticks into a tripod now days, although I have been known to use a modern propane stove and one type of gasoline type of modern manufacture.   But wood fire is still my first choice if
 wood is available.

[rboe]

Check with these guys. http://packstoves.net/cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=77  They rebuilt my two trusty SVEA 123's and if you want do do the work yourself, they will sell you the parts.

Tommaso

Thanks!   

[rboe]

Getting old, mine is an Ender's 9061 German military stove. Kinda sorta similar. If you squint. From 100 yards. 

[K250]

I've had to many cold meals high in the mountains with cheap stoves.  I use my old 8R from 4+ decades ago.  It did cost me $30 back then but's it been worth every penny and cheaper to run than those cannister stoves.

Optimus still makes a multi fuel stove that looks very similar to that.  About $200. 

[canuguzzi]

So, I still cannot see how one makes a profit on a part that sells for $7 (with shipping) when it has to travel from China to the US.  Mine arrived USPS and appears to be perfect.

It costs them 30 cents to make it? Two people have morning tea, on board for free.

[normzone]

I have one of these:



The Scout troop I belonged to back in the '70s bought several and when the troop disbanded, each remaining member got one (free). I don't camp, so about the only time I use it is when the power goes out here at home.

Wow, that was my first stove, purchased back around 1979 or so. I retired it around 1990 when it began leaking around the base of the adjustment knob, and would catch fire there.

[wrbix]

I've had to many cold meals high in the mountains with cheap stoves.  I use my old 8R from 4+ decades ago.  It did cost me $30 back then but's it been worth every penny and cheaper to run than those cannister stoves.

:1:
Great thing about this is you can use the gas out of your Guzzi's tank. None of that sissy propane stuff.
Been using mine for about 30 years. No brain damage yet....that I can tell.

[Subdewd]

:1:
Great thing about this is you can use the gas out of your Guzzi's tank. None of that sissy propane stuff.
Been using mine for about 30 years. No brain damage yet....that I can tell.

Wow that brings me back, Had this stove for 20 years or so and replaced it with a small coleman peak.
back in the day I could bring a tote of backpacking gear on the plane in cargo, complete with fuel!

[rob-mg]

I was introduced to the Kelly Kettle while fly fishing in the UK some years ago, and have been a fan ever since: http://www.kellykettle.com

There's also a Wikipedia article about it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Kettle

It's a wonderful piece of kit.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 The Kelly is very nice but the title of the thread is "Inexpensive camping stove.
 So far I've seen nothing less expensive than my piece of string.  Also nothing takes up less space.
  it can even be used to bundle some of your gear when not cooking.
 One fathom of heavy nylon string can do so much yet cost so little.

[Perazzimx14]

The Kelly is very nice but the title of the thread is "Inexpensive camping stove.
 So far I've seen nothing less expensive than my piece of string.  Also nothing takes up less space.
  it can even be used to bundle some of your gear when not cooking.
 One fathom of heavy nylon string can do so much yet cost so little.

Seems you missed the penny stove. Virtually free to make and a bottle of 12 ounce bottle of HEET (enough to last approximately 120 minutes of burn time) costs about $1.50. 

[Sasquatch Jim]

Seems you missed the penny stove. Virtually free to make and a bottle of 12 ounce bottle of HEET (enough to last approximately 120 minutes of burn time) costs about $1.50.

 I saw it, but my piece of string still costs less as do the sticks on the ground that it burns for fuel.

[Perazzimx14]

I saw it, but my piece of string still costs less as do the sticks on the ground that it burns for fuel.

But the thread heading is "Inexpensive camping stove..." not what can I do with a piece of string and free scraps of wood laying on the ground. No doubt we can all build a fire from stuff we find laying on the ground with free matches we bummed at a bar but that was not the question.

[Doppelgaenger]

I have to say, the stick method may be good and cheap, but you have to get new sticks that are that long every day if that's all you carry.

Coleman USED to be a quality brand, nowdays they just sell cheap crap though. I bought coleman boots that lasted me 4 months, if that.

It's not cheap, not by a longshot, but I've recently picked up a biolite and it works a treat. Don't have to carry fuel and it burns cleanly. And... the money you overpay goes towards making a clean burning stoves that are given to people in the 3rd world. The charging is a bit of a gimmick, but it works. I'm also a bit of a pyro and playing with fire is always fun :)

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I don't have to get new sticks every day, I have a sidecar, remember.  Besides I can use the sticks to beat the kids.

[charlie b]

I would like to go with a 'stick' fire setup except for two things.

First, most places I camp I cannot have a fire.  Too much fire danger around here and consequences are severe.

Second, most of the time I just want to boil some water.  My penny stove can do that in about 2min.  Far less time than getting sticks our, hanging pot, setting the wood and getting it lit.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  So go ahead and BUY a stove.

[charlie b]

Didn't have to buy a stove.  Made it from a couple of 5oz V8 juice cans.  Just have to carry a bit of alcohol  :)