This is very informative....
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6wxmr_burning-down-the-house-what-caused_news
Food Find: Iron Goat Provisions Vegan Meals
1 week ago
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Summer Camp !
Our Boy Scout Troop and Venture Crew had a great time at camp.
First year that I can remember that we had zero rain.
I used my Hennessy Hammock with the zipper mod and JRB Nest under-quilt. I had a Speer (Mountain Crossings) Frog Sac lightweight sleeping bag, but most nights just covered up with a surplus poncho liner.
Five nights in a hammock is pure heaven compared to tent. The camp provides canvas tents and cots. Most of the Scouts just dragged the cots out and slept under the stars.
I did bring two extra hammocks to demonstrate. A Claytor NoNet and a Speer Hammock. Both are simple comfortable hammocks and several Scouts and adults snoozed in them during the day and a couple boys spent nights in them.
I should have the troop converted to hanging by next year.
During the day, the Scouts worked on merit badge activities, swam, canoed, shooting sports, archery etc. The camp provided most meals, we elected to have a couple of troop nights and cooked dutch oven meals at our campsite.
One of the features at this camp is a frontiersman program that focuses on primitive skills including flint/steel and bow drill fire making, lashing project, wild edibles, tomahawk throwing etc. Scouts that complete several challenges are permitted to attend a "Rendezvous".
The "vous" are held away from camp in primitive setting. The applicants camp in self made shelters (a tarp for first timers a debris hut or lean to for more experienced)
First time attendees become 'Pioneers', Second Level is 'Trapper'. A few Trappers that have demonstrated exceptional skills etc are nominated to a 'Mountain Man' honor.
Really a fun program, many alumni and especially Mountain Men come back and spend a night on the vous. Many dress appropriatley in The breechclout, buckskins, powder backs etc. Good outlet for Scouts that may have completed many of the merit badges offered.
I got my pioneer claw last year, stayed in camp with my troop and allowed others to go this year. Hope to get Trapper next year Grrrrr.
First year that I can remember that we had zero rain.
I used my Hennessy Hammock with the zipper mod and JRB Nest under-quilt. I had a Speer (Mountain Crossings) Frog Sac lightweight sleeping bag, but most nights just covered up with a surplus poncho liner.
Five nights in a hammock is pure heaven compared to tent. The camp provides canvas tents and cots. Most of the Scouts just dragged the cots out and slept under the stars.
I did bring two extra hammocks to demonstrate. A Claytor NoNet and a Speer Hammock. Both are simple comfortable hammocks and several Scouts and adults snoozed in them during the day and a couple boys spent nights in them.
I should have the troop converted to hanging by next year.
During the day, the Scouts worked on merit badge activities, swam, canoed, shooting sports, archery etc. The camp provided most meals, we elected to have a couple of troop nights and cooked dutch oven meals at our campsite.
One of the features at this camp is a frontiersman program that focuses on primitive skills including flint/steel and bow drill fire making, lashing project, wild edibles, tomahawk throwing etc. Scouts that complete several challenges are permitted to attend a "Rendezvous".
The "vous" are held away from camp in primitive setting. The applicants camp in self made shelters (a tarp for first timers a debris hut or lean to for more experienced)
First time attendees become 'Pioneers', Second Level is 'Trapper'. A few Trappers that have demonstrated exceptional skills etc are nominated to a 'Mountain Man' honor.
Really a fun program, many alumni and especially Mountain Men come back and spend a night on the vous. Many dress appropriatley in The breechclout, buckskins, powder backs etc. Good outlet for Scouts that may have completed many of the merit badges offered.
I got my pioneer claw last year, stayed in camp with my troop and allowed others to go this year. Hope to get Trapper next year Grrrrr.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Summer Camp
Well, this weekend, the Scout troop is off to summer camp. I have to work Sunday and Monday, but will head down after work on Monday. My son has been working on staff there for the last 3.5 weeks.
I usually stay in the Scoutmaster tent, but as I was not sure if I was going to make it at all, I passed the duties to one of the other leaders. I will be taking one of my hammocks to use and maybe the other two to demo. I may get some hammock converts. This is 'camp' camping so meals are provided, but I will still bring a stove or two for coffee if nothing else.
Stay tuned for pictures and a report of hammock hanging for 5 nights straight.
God Bless
I usually stay in the Scoutmaster tent, but as I was not sure if I was going to make it at all, I passed the duties to one of the other leaders. I will be taking one of my hammocks to use and maybe the other two to demo. I may get some hammock converts. This is 'camp' camping so meals are provided, but I will still bring a stove or two for coffee if nothing else.
Stay tuned for pictures and a report of hammock hanging for 5 nights straight.
God Bless
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Compact Wood Burning Stove
I really like alcohol stoves, I was first introduced to them at a Boy Scout training Pow Wow several years ago. I now have quite a few, I have made a few and purchased several online (probably a future post to cover them all).
Lately there has been some discussion on the forums about wood burning stoves for backpack cooking. I looked at some of the designs, one of the the more popular - Bush Buddy was out of my budget, but looks great.
I took a wait and see approach as there are some wood gas designs in works. Recent discussions on Hammock Forums about the Compact Wood Burning Stove (CWS) and a Utube review by Jason Klass reignited interest and the gearaholic decided had to check it out and make one.
J. Falk provides instructions for the original one piece stove on his site and instructions for the CWS for a small donation (part to American Diabetes Association.) here.
As this is for a good cause, I won't discuss the construction steps.
Materials are readily available and the construction is very straight forward. Mine is not perfect or beautiful, but works just fine.
Here it is prior to fire up...
I grabbed a couple handfuls of twigs from the yard
I put the can base on the bbq grill for deck test and added a Vaseline impregnated cotton ball
Added some of the sticks and sparked the cotton with a blastmatch
I was playing around with taking pictures and (don't tell anyone) let the thing go out. Another cotton starter and use of a stoking tube [I had some surgical tubing from HDepot for a future tarp guy project, so just added a brass fitting for the hot end] and quickly had the little stove in blast furnace mode. Quite efficient method. Falk discusses using a fish bait air pump for this purpose, may have to play with that later.
Once the flames got going,
I added a pot.
I used an old Peak 1 pot that ends up doing a lot of the dirty work around here. Falk recommends covering the bottom of the pot with foil for smut protection. This is well founded, but I ignored it just to see.
Amazingly, the handles of the pot stayed cool, as long as they are away from the from fuel port, the heat is focused on the pot.
Boil time for 16 ounces of tap water was about 10 minutes. This was pretty respectable for first test with sticks and twigs of various size and moisture content, but hey this was from my backyard not the woods. Also I was playing around taking pictures etc. I would expect with a breeze as in Jason's video and more experience that 6-7 minutes with dry wood would be average.
All that remained once the stove cooled down was a small pile of ash.
It is a relatively compact package with the top half fitted into the bottom. Weight is about 6.5 ounces on my scale for the base unit, if you add binder clips standoffs lids, and the stakes about 8oz - 9 to 10 if you add an alcohol stove.
Do expect smut, either foil on the bottom or a dedicated pot. Either way, I need to sew up a stuff sack and maybe a plastic bag inside to keep the soot contained and away from stuff in the pack
The smut did easily wash off, but that means more water needed and soap... the foil can be reused but I think just a dedicated pot for this stove, let it get sooted up. Definitely need a lid to keep the ash out of your food or water.
The top half of the stove can also be uses as a stand and windscreen for an alcohol stove. Two stakes and one of the can lids makes this transformation. Also some screws and binder clips provide stand-offs for more airflot. A very stable setup. I used it with my MBD atomic.
Overall - this was a fun project, minimal cost to construct. The stove provides an alternate means of cooking either as primary or backup to an alcohol or (shudders) canister stove. You do need to keep your fire going with additional twigs etc and stoke if needed, but that is fun and as some others have said on the forums "feeds you inner pyro"
So the Scouts will love it.....
More photos
Lately there has been some discussion on the forums about wood burning stoves for backpack cooking. I looked at some of the designs, one of the the more popular - Bush Buddy was out of my budget, but looks great.
I took a wait and see approach as there are some wood gas designs in works. Recent discussions on Hammock Forums about the Compact Wood Burning Stove (CWS) and a Utube review by Jason Klass reignited interest and the gearaholic decided had to check it out and make one.
J. Falk provides instructions for the original one piece stove on his site and instructions for the CWS for a small donation (part to American Diabetes Association.) here.
As this is for a good cause, I won't discuss the construction steps.
Materials are readily available and the construction is very straight forward. Mine is not perfect or beautiful, but works just fine.
Here it is prior to fire up...
I grabbed a couple handfuls of twigs from the yard
I put the can base on the bbq grill for deck test and added a Vaseline impregnated cotton ball
Added some of the sticks and sparked the cotton with a blastmatch
I was playing around with taking pictures and (don't tell anyone) let the thing go out. Another cotton starter and use of a stoking tube [I had some surgical tubing from HDepot for a future tarp guy project, so just added a brass fitting for the hot end] and quickly had the little stove in blast furnace mode. Quite efficient method. Falk discusses using a fish bait air pump for this purpose, may have to play with that later.
Once the flames got going,
I added a pot.
I used an old Peak 1 pot that ends up doing a lot of the dirty work around here. Falk recommends covering the bottom of the pot with foil for smut protection. This is well founded, but I ignored it just to see.
Amazingly, the handles of the pot stayed cool, as long as they are away from the from fuel port, the heat is focused on the pot.
Boil time for 16 ounces of tap water was about 10 minutes. This was pretty respectable for first test with sticks and twigs of various size and moisture content, but hey this was from my backyard not the woods. Also I was playing around taking pictures etc. I would expect with a breeze as in Jason's video and more experience that 6-7 minutes with dry wood would be average.
All that remained once the stove cooled down was a small pile of ash.
It is a relatively compact package with the top half fitted into the bottom. Weight is about 6.5 ounces on my scale for the base unit, if you add binder clips standoffs lids, and the stakes about 8oz - 9 to 10 if you add an alcohol stove.
Do expect smut, either foil on the bottom or a dedicated pot. Either way, I need to sew up a stuff sack and maybe a plastic bag inside to keep the soot contained and away from stuff in the pack
The smut did easily wash off, but that means more water needed and soap... the foil can be reused but I think just a dedicated pot for this stove, let it get sooted up. Definitely need a lid to keep the ash out of your food or water.
The top half of the stove can also be uses as a stand and windscreen for an alcohol stove. Two stakes and one of the can lids makes this transformation. Also some screws and binder clips provide stand-offs for more airflot. A very stable setup. I used it with my MBD atomic.
Overall - this was a fun project, minimal cost to construct. The stove provides an alternate means of cooking either as primary or backup to an alcohol or (shudders) canister stove. You do need to keep your fire going with additional twigs etc and stoke if needed, but that is fun and as some others have said on the forums "feeds you inner pyro"
So the Scouts will love it.....
More photos
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Scout Campout
Well it was a good campout.
Rain on Saturday turned our campsite into a mud bog. I did not take as many pictures as I wanted to.
But it was still a great time.
I can not get a slide show into a post the way I want to, so here is the flickr link
God Bless
Rain on Saturday turned our campsite into a mud bog. I did not take as many pictures as I wanted to.
But it was still a great time.
I can not get a slide show into a post the way I want to, so here is the flickr link
God Bless
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Gear
Getting ready for a Scout campout this weekend.
The mail showed up with a new stove, the mini bull design dot com COOL Fly.
Well, I had to test this little guy, so loaded up some alcohol, I used heet, I dye the clear fuel green to make it easier to see and to dissuade me from drinking it thinking it is water etc.
As tinny instructs, I backed the wicks to minimum, I think they creeped back out a bit when I closed the lid. The stove comes with the pot stand shown, designed to be uses with my pot of choice 24oz heine can.
Anyway, the little guy got 16oz of H2O to HOT in 7 minutes and a rolling boil at about the 10.5 minute mark. At about 12.5, a wick started to glow, so I blew it out. I will play some more with it and probably assign it to ultra lite (pack weight) duty
Also an upgrade for my main stove which is already packed, so I will test this in camp.
I am bringing some extra fuel and alcohol stoves for demonstrating to the Scouts. A 20 oz soda bottle fits nicely into a heine pot. I use the soda bottle for spare fuel, usually four oz is enough for one solo user on a weekend trip, but this is base camping with lots of time to drink coffee, what better way to show off stoves and technique!!
I use the bottom of a York Peppermint candy tin or the top of a round Altoids Sours tin for my pot lids.
Packed, ready to go, hammock and tarp are in the green bag. Imitation crocks ($8) camp shoes clipped on. It will rain (I dont know how to camp otherwise), so the golite umbrella is coming along. The hiking poles can be used with tarp as out riggers etc.
I am bringing a tarptent double rainbow in the truck, in case they put us in a treeless area (horrors)
Got to go,
God Bless.
The mail showed up with a new stove, the mini bull design dot com COOL Fly.
Well, I had to test this little guy, so loaded up some alcohol, I used heet, I dye the clear fuel green to make it easier to see and to dissuade me from drinking it thinking it is water etc.
As tinny instructs, I backed the wicks to minimum, I think they creeped back out a bit when I closed the lid. The stove comes with the pot stand shown, designed to be uses with my pot of choice 24oz heine can.
Anyway, the little guy got 16oz of H2O to HOT in 7 minutes and a rolling boil at about the 10.5 minute mark. At about 12.5, a wick started to glow, so I blew it out. I will play some more with it and probably assign it to ultra lite (pack weight) duty
Also an upgrade for my main stove which is already packed, so I will test this in camp.
I am bringing some extra fuel and alcohol stoves for demonstrating to the Scouts. A 20 oz soda bottle fits nicely into a heine pot. I use the soda bottle for spare fuel, usually four oz is enough for one solo user on a weekend trip, but this is base camping with lots of time to drink coffee, what better way to show off stoves and technique!!
I use the bottom of a York Peppermint candy tin or the top of a round Altoids Sours tin for my pot lids.
Packed, ready to go, hammock and tarp are in the green bag. Imitation crocks ($8) camp shoes clipped on. It will rain (I dont know how to camp otherwise), so the golite umbrella is coming along. The hiking poles can be used with tarp as out riggers etc.
I am bringing a tarptent double rainbow in the truck, in case they put us in a treeless area (horrors)
Got to go,
God Bless.
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