The majority of camp sites and woodland don’t allow open fires, therefore camping stoves must be used. Two of the main types are ones based on Methylated spirits, or Butane / Propane gas, as shown in figure 6.2.0. Both stoves should be used in a well ventilated area, as they produce significant amounts of fumes. The Meths burner will boil 500 ml of water in approximately 10 - 15 min, gas burners in approximately 5 - 10 min. Although it produces fumes and can be messy (soot and liquid), I prefer a Methylated spirits burner for their simplicity and small size. An alternative to gas or Methylated spirit stoves are wood burning stoves as shown in figure 6.2.0.1. This example is made from four cheap stainless steel trivets, not ideal, but a suitable gauge and cut to a usable size. These are shown laid out in the middle frame of figure 6.2.0.1, in this frame the two side plates (stacked) are left, the bottom plate is middle and the back plate is right. The edges of the back plate are levered almost square, slightly less than 90 degrees to provide tension when locked into position. The bottom plate requires the most modification. Four tabs are ground out using an angle grinder then filed to a final fit (these lock into the existing holes in the back plate). A recess slot is ground out from the side bends and the front fifth of the plate bent up. Finally two side tabs are ground out and bent down, these locking into the side plates. These can be seen in the bottom left frame of figure 6.2.0.1, bottom plate viewed from beneath. The pot is suspended from two 3mm rods passed through the side plates, this allows the pot to be easily raised or lowered depending on cooking requirements. Any small twigs, wood shavings can be used as fuel, pine cones burn to a good ember. As the fire is contained and focused, only a small fire is required. When finished the stove can be unlocked and packed flat.
Figure 6.2.0 : Methylated spirits and Butane / Propane gas stoves
Figure 6.2.0.1 : Wood burning stove mark 1
Figure 6.2.0.2 : Wood burning stove mark 1 in use
Figure 6.2.0.3 : Wood burning stove mark 2
Figure 6.2.0.4 : Mark 2 wood burning stove kit
The mark-1 version of the wood burning stove worked fine, good for small BBQ, cooking sausages etc, when walking. However, due to the gauge of the stainless steel and its size it’s a little on the heavy side and quite big to pack, especially if you only want to brew up a cup of tea. Therefore, decided to make the mark-2 as shown in figure 6.2.0.3. The bottom half of this stove is made from a "kitchen utensils" container, the top pan is made from a tea caddy that I picked up from a pound land / stretcher shop (cost £1.99 + £1.00). The bottom wood burning container came pre-drilled, the larger bottom hole was added using an angle grinder and a file. This hole was intended to allow you access i.e. to allow you room to light the fuel with a match once the pan is in place. Didn’t intend it to be large enough to feed in additional fuel, I guess small pieces could. If this was required this slot could be made longer, however, I thought it would be easier just to lift the pan off to add more fuel. Also I intended this stove to be for boiling water, not really for cooking i.e. a cheap Kelly kettle. The pan sits on two cheap metal tent pegs, the eye loops are opened up a little so that they slot into the available holes and the ends are cut to length and bent down to help prevent them from being knocked out when in use. However, I found that as the pan sits approximately 1" down in the bottom container, this over lap meant that it was quite stable even with only one pin. Note, originally used 2mm wire instead of these pegs, this held the weight fine, however, they did get red hot when in use, didn’t snap, but decided the pegs would be better. To use, fill the bottom container was any small twigs etc, in this case dead Elderberry. When in use I was surprised how well this container focuses the heat onto the base of the pan, bring 0.5 liters of water to the boil in approximately 7 minutes. The other advantage of this system is when the pins are removed the pan fits into the bottom container making the system quite compact. Store in a cloth bag to prevent soot rubbing off onto other items when inside your rucksack. Note, to protect the base of the bottom container from being damaged by the fire and to help reduce the amount of heat damage to the underlying ground I put a layer of metal mesh into the base, this raises the fire about 1cm, forming an air gap between the coals and the base. The complete stove kit is shown in figure 6.2.0.4, containing a pan handle, collapsible cup, tea / hot chocolate containers, pot hanger and spoon (square bottomed spoon to get into these corner). Below are some useful documents on stoves I’ve found on the web (due to possible copyright conflicts these are only accessible from the local machine) :
Tea challenge : go to the woods, collect fuel, light a fire and make a cup of tea. Points scored dependent on the method the fire is lit.
| Fire lighting method | Score |
|---|---|
| 2+ Matches | 1 |
| 1 Match | 2 |
| Spark | 4 |
| Friction | 8 |
A bit of fun and an excuse to light a fire, always magical. The challenge is to try these different fire lighting techniques in different weather conditions. Getting an ember from dry, selected wood is relatively easy. Getting a fire going from the wood you can find is a bit more tricky. Given a bit of time, not too bad in the summer, gets increasingly difficult as autumn and winter approaches, as the temperature drops and when wood is damp.
| Date | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 03/10/2009 | 2 | Tried the bow drill, got powder, however no ember, resorted to a match |
| 05/12/2009 | 2 | Quite wet, had to split and feather the wood, single match |
| 06/12/2009 | 2 | Very wet, cheated took some dry wood with me to get the fire going, single match |
| 26/12/2009 | 1 | Damp, had to split and feather the wood, rushed laying the fire, took 3 matches |
Figure 6.2.0.5 : Tea challenge chart
The best general purpose cooking pan is a stainless steel billy can, easily suspended from a pot hanger (metal hook and chain, easy to adjust height, or carved from a suitable branch) or directly heated in the coals of a fire. This type of pot usually have a small inner pan that can be used to steam food at the same time as cooking rice or paste, as shown in the top left frame of figure 6.2.1. With the addition of a removable pan handle this inner pan can also be used as a very small frying pan. Tip, a removable pan handle is a must have, making lifting lids and pouring hot water from the billy so much easier. An alternative method of cooking with the small pan is shown in figure 6.2.1.1. Using galvanised steel wire a frame and handle can be constructed. The main supporting loops are re-enforced by forming a double loop of wire, the same is true for the handle and securing hooks. When complete the frame and handle can be unclipped and stored within the pan. Note, the other advantage of doubling over the ends of the wire is that it removes sharp ends that can impale or snag. Tip, when twisting these end loops you need quite a long free end to give you sufficient leverage to form the twist. The pot in the top left frame of figure 6.2.1 is a Zebra billy can, very good, but a little expensive. A good alternative can be made from pressed stainless steel containers (no seams) e.g. those made for tea, coffee, biscuits etc which can be picked up for a couple of pounds (bottom left frame of figure 6.2.1). Drill two small holes just below the lid recess and add a wire handle. Aluminium mess tins, serve a duel purpose, as a heating container and plate (a lot better than a plate when you have no level eating surface). When buying these be careful of cheap imitations which tend to use a thinner gauge. Take care when heating any aluminium pan as they are easily damaged i.e. buckle, burned through (unlike stainless steel which are a lot more robust). Always have some water in the pan when heating food, melting snow (prevent hot spots forming), never leave them unsupervised to boil dry.
Don’t bother with additional cups, the standard plastic folding water bottle cup is fine (stainless steel versions available, again serving a dual role, always useful), or mess tins (remember gets hot). Finally eating utensils, a couple of wooden spoons are probably all that are required, however, a cheap metal camping set (locking) are always useful. Washing pans and utensils can be difficult with limited water. A common tip is to coat the outside of a pan with washing up liquid before use, to aid cleaning later, not a practical solution when backpacking i.e. extra weight. To clean, remove solid food waste with a little water and fingers (burn or burry, to avoid attracting unwanted furry friends). It’s not a bad idea to have a small dish cloth (cotton, that can be boiled) to help wash out any grease with a little soap and water, makes your water go further. Rinse the cloth clean, wipe dry, boil dry if you have a fire. When finished wash out the cloth, ring and dry before storing. If you have a wood fire, ash can be used. For a scourer pull up a tuft of grass, nock off the soil and wash with a mixture of ash (alkali) and water (another good reason for not using plastic which is easily scratched). Pour the waste water preferably back into the fireplace, or onto the ground well away from drinking water, never back into a river or lake polluting your water source. Rise with clean water and boil dry.
Figure 6.2.1 : Pans
Figure 6.2.1.1 : Inner pan wire frame and handle
Figure 6.2.2 : Pot hangers
Can make do without them, but a useful item to have when cooking, especially when using more than one pot. Their main advantage is that they help reduce the chance of the main supporting stick being burnt through i.e. moving this stick a safe distance away from the heat. This problem can also be minimised by using a green supporting stick, however, this only delays inevitable if used multiple times. Figure 6.2.3 is an example that can be made quickly in the field using a flexible Spruce bough and root (cordage section 1). Tip, ease the bend gradually otherwise the wood may snap, cut the thin end off at a branch node as this bulge will help stop the wood slipping through the binding. The pot hangers shown in figures 6.2.3.1 – 6.2.3.4 are more complex examples that would be made in advance, or at ones leisure around the camp fire. Figure 6.2.3.1 is a classic design made from a piece of wood with a side branch. The wood is thinned down significantly to reduce weight by splitting it down to a sawn stop cut where a hook will be carved. Tip, when choosing the wood and carving the hook ensure that its large enough to hold the biggest pot handle. The examples shown in figure 6.2.3.2 are more complicated, made from two separate pieces of wood secured together via a locking joint. The example in the top frame has multiple top hanging hooks allowing the pot height to be varied slightly (not a very good example best of the wood available). The ends of both pieces are carved flat to the same length, approximately half thickness. Then the inner ends are undercut, the corresponding outer ends are angled such that they mate up tightly. These joints prevent the two pieces of wood from rotating and from being pushed apart. To prevent these sections sliding apart a rectangular hole is carved out and a wooden plate inserted. Tip, if possible use seasoned wood as wood of different thicknesses or from different branches / trees will dry / shrink differently, which may cause the joint to work loose. The example in the bottom frame of figure 6.2.3.2 again uses two separate pieces of wood. The locking joint is formed by carving an internal loop and hook. Note, both the hook and the front of the loop need to be 2cm+, otherwise there is a danger of the wood splitting when loaded. The loop part of the joint is the easiest to carve, carve flat approximately half thickness, then score out a channel (cutting tools section 1). The hook part of the joint is a little more difficult, mark out the internal and external end position of the loop. Tip, places marks a couple of millimetres smaller to ensure a tight fit. Carve out the hook carefully checking its fit regularly. Note, these pot hooks work fine with small billy cans, however, I’m not sure they are strong enough for the larger versions. The final examples shown in figure 6.2.3.3 are an adjustable pot hanger with multiple side notches allowing the height of the pan to be varied easily to adjust cooking temperature. These notches are pot hanging notches as described in cutting tools, section 1. Note, a thumb recess / grip is carved into the top of the pot hanger to help reduce slippage when lifting / lowering a heavy pot. When carving this type of hanger the side notches can be on the inside or outside of the hook. Both work well when used in conjunction with a string or wire loop, however, if suspended on the end of a pole the inside version is the most stable, as shown in the bottom frame of figure 6.2.3.3.
Figure 6.2.3 : Quick pot hanger
Figure 6.2.3.1 : Classic pot hangers
Figure 6.2.3.2 : Complex pot hangers
Figure 6.2.3.3 : Adjustable pot hangers
The simplest solution to suspend a single cooking pot is to carve a pot hanging notch (cutting tools section 1) into a stick, or to use a side branch as shown in figure 6.2.4. Note, this must be a green stick as it will be very close to the flames i.e. a dead stick will just burn through. If the ground is soft enough the other end of the stick can be carved to a point and simply pushed into the ground to a depth capable of supporting the pots weight. Note, this is normally easier said than done as the soil is either too unstable (sandy / leaf mould) or roots and rocks get in the way. The main disadvantage of this approach is its difficult to vary the pot’s height above the fire i.e. repeatedly changing the angle of the supporting stick tends to break up the ground causing the stick to collapse. To help support the pot’s weight a forked stick, or if available a large log or rock is normally used, the free end of the supporting stick being pushed into the ground as far as possible and a small branched stick / weight (heavy branch or rock) used to hold it in place, as shown in the bottom right frame of figure 6.2.4. This also allows the pots height to be easily varied by changing the angle / height of the front supporting forked stick, or by moving the front log / rock forwards or backwards. Due to the problems of supporting this stick my preferred solution is to use a small tripod in conjunction with a longer / heavier supporting stick as these can be used on any surface, as shown in figure 6.2.4.1. The tripod can be made from either dead or green wood as it will be positioned a safe distance from the fire. The tripod’s lashing can be made from a flexible branch (in this case Spruce), tied into an oval just large enough to allow it to be slipped over the three supporting legs, locked into position by weaving the thin end around them. The stick supporting the pot is chosen to be long / heavy enough to counter balance the weight of the pot i.e. the free end is not pushed into the ground. The advantage of this is that the position of the pot can be easily changed by lifting / moving the back of the supporting stick e.g. moving the pot to the side to reduce cooking temperature. To raise or lower the pot the tripods legs can be pulled in or pushed out. If the end of the supporting stick doesn’t have a ‘V’ formed using a side branch then it should be carved flat and angled such that it is parallel to the ground when in situ. To help stop the pot hanger from sliding off a small recess / dimple should be carved into this surface to locate the tip of the top hook. Tip, wood with a pithy core such as Sycamore naturally form a dimple when carved flat. The pointed end of the pot hanger (carved hook) is located in this dimple forming a quite a stable / free moving joint. The final method of suspending a pot is to use a horizontal cross bar supported at each end using forked sticks. Note, the horizontal bar should be high enough to ensure it will not be burnt by the fire and that fixed length pot hangers suspend the pot at the correct height. The larger hooks on the pot hangers (formed by the side branch) is hooked over this and the pot suspended below. Tip, the vertical forked sticks should be far enough apart to allow the pots to be slid to the sides out of the fire. To use the adjustable pot hanger a loop of string or wire is required as shown in figure 6.2.4.2.
Figure 6.2.4 : Single stick support
Figure 6.2.4.1 : Tripod support
Figure 6.2.4.2 : Horizontal cross stick support
The most commonly used bark to make containers is Birch bark, owing to its strength and more importantly its flexibility when dry. In the spring Birch bark can easily be stripped off a tree due to the increased sap flow, as shown in figure 6.2.5. In this example both the outer and inner bark were removed as the tree had fallen over during high winds. Note, removing the inner bark will kill the tree. I have read that you can remove the outer bark without killing the tree, however, this does increase the risk of damaging the tree through insect and fungal attack. When selecting your bark pick a section free of branches, lumps and bumps, then using a knife cut around the tree, top and bottom of the section you wish to remove, linking these cuts together with a third cut down the tree. Using the knife to start with lift up this cut until you can insert you fingers, then run your fingers up and down the cut, gently levering off the bark. At other times of the year, especially in the winter when the tree is dormant it’s a lot more difficult to peel off the bark i.e. less sap separating the layers of bark, in such situation carve a piece of wood into a chisel shape approximately 1" wide, this tool can be used to help separate and lever off the bark. Figure 6.2.5 shows both the inner and outer barks. The inner bark is a lot thicker, having a corky type feel, easily cracked if bend too far. The outer bark is a lot thinner, so books describe it as having leather like qualities. Once the outer bark has been removed lay it out flat using weights (stones, wood, etc) to stop it rolling up. Note, pay particular attention to the edges, its very easy for a split on an edge to grow as the bark is left to dry. Tip, I find it best to store the bark flat, under weight, otherwise it tends to roll up in an ever tightening roll making it difficult to use. Using Birch bark is very easily owing to its flexibility, in most cases you can fold / use it just like paper to make a number of different types of container. Tip, when making holes in the bark its best to drill out the hole using an awl or a drill (to prevent splitting), also use a very sharp knife (or scissors) when cutting the bark as this will help reduce the risk of splitting. Some example awls are shown in figure 6.2.5.1, tend to make them from broken drills ground with a flat point. Another useful tool is a loop of wire which has been attached to a wooden handle, very useful for pulling cord through a hole in awkward positions e.g. at the bottom of a small container.
Figure 6.2.5 : Birch bark
Figure 6.2.5.1 : Tools
The first Birch bark containers I made are the compulsory matchbox, as shown in figures 6.2.6 - 6.2.6.2. These are good ones to start with as they can be made from relatively small amounts of bark. The first task when marking any Birch bark container is to scrape clean the outer surface use a knife i.e. remove any loose material, bark, moss etc. Tip, use an old knife, scraping doesn’t do the cutting edge much good. The example shown in figure 6.2.6 is made from a simple single layer tube. Cut the bark to shape and form a look tab at one end. Roll the bark to the required size, marking the position and size of the locking tab’s slot. Cut this slot using a sharp knife. Tip, the slot can be slightly deeper than required to help you insert the locking tab as this will be hidden when assembled. Put a layer of glue on the inner surfaces (this region can be marked when marking out the locking tab’s slot). Roll the tube up, pinching the locking tab slightly to allow it to be inserted into it’s slot. Ideally, when viewed from inside the locking tab should be hidden under an overlapping layer of bark. Note, if you are using glue the lock tabs don’t need to be that that large, in fact if the slot is overlapped by an internal layer of bark you can remove them completely as the friction between the tab and these layers is sufficient to hold the contain together until the glue dries. Note, I use waterproof wood glue as it can be easily wiped off and allows adjustments to be made as it dries. The disadvantage of this glue is that it takes a long time to fully set, I assume this is due to the high oil content in the bark. The glue does partially dry within a few hours, after a couple of weeks it fully sets making the bark / container more rigid. Can also use two part epoxy however, this sets quickly not leaving much time for final adjustments, also it can be quite brittle when set. The top and bottom of this container were made from a dried section of the inner bark, cut to size and glued in place. This worked ok, but I later replaced these with some cut down pieces of cork taken from an wine bottle (gave a better fit).
Figure 6.2.6 : Birch bark matchbox, version 1
Figure 6.2.6.1 : Birch bark matchbox, version 2
Figure 6.2.6.2 : Birch bark matchbox, version 3
The example shown in figure 6.2.6.1 is a slightly bigger design, constructed using the same techniques as before. One notable change is that two layers of bark have been used in its construction (top right frame). The outer layer has two locking tabs, these being inserted to form the initial tube (outer bark surface on the inside). The second layer of bark is cut to size, a rectangle with no locking tabs. The outer surface of this bark is covered with glue, the bark is then rolled up slightly and placed inside the initial tube and allowed to unroll i.e. the outer surfaces are glued together. Note as the inner tube is rolled against its natural direction it unrolls to form quite a snug fit. Gluing the two outer surfaces together ensures that the cleanest bark surfaces are on the outside and inside of the container. To ensure that the two glued surfaces remain in contact a round piece of split wood is inserted and two wedges (top and bottom) used to force it apart. Note, the split wood is wrapped in cling film to ensure that it does not get glued to the bark, string is wrapped around the outside of the bark to increase the pressure and ensure that the locking tabs are not pulled out. Using this technique getting an even pressure across the bark is quite difficult. The force on the overlapping sections of the inner bark roll prevents the inner bark from sliding out to fit snugly onto the outer bark roll. One way to minimise this problem is only have a small overlap on the inner bark roll, positioning it such that it does not come into contact with the wooden wedges. Note, this does produce better results, however, this again assumes that the inner bark roll will slide around the wooden wedges as force is applied, not always true i.e. can cause the inner bark to split. An alternative method of clamping the bark layers is to unroll the inner layer by hand. When tight against the outer layer its held in place using clothes pegs and clamps made out of parallel sticks i.e. two sticks one on the inside of the bark tube and the other the outside, tied together at each end with string clamping the bark between them. Note, this method also allows better air flow through the tube allowing the glue to dry quicker. The example shown in figure 6.2.6.2 is a variation on a theme, but instead of having a removable top it has a swing lid. Note, another improvement to increase the internal volume is to carve out recesses in the wooden lid and bottom using a crook knife. Finally a piece of course sand paper is glued to the base as a striking surface.
Figure 6.2.7 : Birch bark container, version 1
Figure 6.2.7.1 : Birch bark container, version 2
Figures 6.2.7 and 6.2.7.1 are examples of larger container. Note, one disadvantage of placing the lid’s pull cord in the middle is that it does not give you any leverage when pulling it off. Therefore, its better to place it at one edge or use a single loop of cord are shown in figure 6.2.7.1. Experimenting, there are a number of different barks that can be used to make containers. In general most thick barks can be used to make some sort of basket, however, they don’t have the flexibility of Birch bark i.e. other barks can become quite brittle when dry. The example shown in 6.2.7.2 is made from Rowan, a surprising thick and flexible bark. Note, I found if the green outer bark was scraped off it made remarkably strong cordage. Remove a section of bark from a branch e.g. Ash, Rowan etc (spring is best when there is plenty of sap in the wood). In the middle of the bark carve out an oval shape, this will form the base of the container. Using a sharp knife, cut off a thin layer of the outer bark to allow the bark to fold / bent around this oval shape. Now bend the two sides upwards whilst pushing the base (oval) in. Note, don’t make the oval too large as it becomes more difficult to fold. The sides can now be tied together using stripes of bark, in this case Rowan bark stripped of its green outer layers. Using an awl drill out a series of holes along each edge of the bark. Note, don’t push the awl through the bark as this will cause it to split, drill out the bark by twisting the awl through. Also the holes should not be too close to the edge, or too close together as this will also cause splitting, drill out an even number of holes to allow a complete set of ‘X’ stitches to be sewn. When passing the bark cordage through the holes a wire loop is a useful tool to have at hand to simplify the lacing process i.e. allowing you to pull the cord through in difficult to reach sections. Note, to increase the strength of the container a wooden hoop should be sewn onto the top of the container, increasing its rigidity. I have also read that the container can be made water tight by sealing the seams using pine resin.
Figure 6.2.7.2 : Rowan bark container
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