O.K you got me in. Can you post a drawing outlining the set up of this contraption. How fast on the boil test? Could be an other alterative It looks good to me! What were you doing in Kunnanarra? On the mines? Thanks for the tip. will polish inside of reflector and Maybe stove black on the pots? If it will take the heat. Least they'd always look consistantly dirty. Wife recons it was a good buy and is interested. So I guess I have a winner. She may even use it!! My nonstick frypan I bought fits nicey on the top cover. May take the handle off. Unless I can make a folding one so as the pot grippers don't stuff the finish up. Any handy hints to using this lightweight alu stuff will be appreciated. Expecially do's and don'ts, how not to stuff them up would be more appropriate as I have never cooked on alu before always cast iron old milo or powdered milk tins. Just scrape and scour. Do you put the burners up near the top of the barbque plate /frypan or leave them in the holders when bbque ing seems a long distance for heat to reach. Thanks Catch yu' PS We have never seen anyone use this stuff before. Always camp fires. Just chuck a load of stuff in the back of the ute and go! Seen photos and stuff but not talked to people with any experiance. Doc Rik Nipples and all have been a woulderfull guide to me as I don't believe the salemans piches and advertising bullshit as I like to get the scope first hand from real life experiances. The doc gives me plenty of pills.Stuffs me around abit sometimes thats all. Seems to leave me mindless and other weird things at times. My testing has only just begun after 4-5 years playing with metho. 8)
& theres more . the methomadness on me today medears . feeling for the folks with a dial up connection , ill have a go at posting only links ... my limited knowledge of computers says this (now 7 pages) topic will probably take dial up half a milenia to download . http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/brassnipplekey/PICT1006.jpg weyhey.. a link .. lets see if in this present state ,can i repeat this? http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/brassnipplekey/PICT1007.jpg too right bud ......... im on it now l2r std t27 pan legs spread , cast iron griddle ... needs conditioning. insul t27 with a modded (read bashed with hammer until it squashed in 3 places ) t25 kettle.. larger by far than 27 kettle. t25 clone legs akimbo ,accommodating cast fry pan owz about that then ... links & pics intermixed ... .. wheeeee . dont ask .. its one of THOSE dayze. reckon i can get a better reflective shine in there. http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/brassnipplekey/PICT1011.jpg insult27 showing fry pan support ... burner exhaust gasses must have somewhere to exit .. on opti91 you can put pan straight on top of stove rim ... its got exit vents just below rim ,, not so trangias http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/brassnipplekey/PICT1014.jpg ..... ive stopped trying to fight it , ive surrendered ...the madness likes meths & seemingly meths combines well with the madness ... im just going with the flow .. hope my doc gets well soon .... hes not been too good you know. bruce ... kunnunnurra for me was 2 seasons of melons & bananas.. water skiing on the irrigations , lil freshy crocs & barrabarbies ... bimbling round the kimberleys & falling off utes dont ask .... but guess you already know alcohol was involved nick
Hey, Nick, You, Sir, must STOP this madness, and you must stop it, RIGHT NOW!!! How am I ever going to get any work done, if you persist in posting photos of neat stoves??!! The photos of your nice little French Meths stove, reminded me that I had one of similar design, but made in the US. So, I went upstairs, found it, and also some of it's Mates! Here they are: The center stove was made around 1872, in the States, and it came with the burner, a lamp attachment, a snuffer, and also it's own leaded tin pot, with handle, shown in the photos! This is a very neat little stove. Here they are again, all alight, with the exception of the little guy up front. He refused to take off, and the wick may need a good soaking in a dish of Meths. In any case, SEE WHAT YOU STARTED, YOU DARNED TROUBLE MAKER!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
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bruce , bruce ... meet you, fri night ,a couple o miles down the road from docs place .... have you seen those lil lovelys , all brassy & small , look at those sweety pan supports . elegant burners, theyd look great on display at your place ... now ..heres the plan .... wisper. mutter ,, giggle ... no seriously .. ive thought it through & itll work .. itsa cast iron . guaranteed .. cunning & devious ... how can it fail ... ..... ok ok you dont like the dark ?? ..hush man ,ill bring a lamp .. what ?? are you for real ..?. does it matter what sort of lamp it is ... its light ok . get real ... does it really matter whether its kero or coleman ?? .... yes i agree that twin tied mantles are more robust , but bruce ..the plan ... think of it .... ok you can bring your new 91 if you must ..... what?? you want to do a test boil @ 5000ft ..?? ok ok .. well "borrow " some of docs meths to see if it differs from yours . . no mate , hes in the mountains somewhere ,i think well have to put some shoes on for this gig .. no mate , i think it gets chilly there ..... . ok ok ill bring a spare fleece for you .... .. you bring the vegemite & well be right . now for ****s sake bud keep this under your hat .... not a word . see you friday nick
Dearest Nick and Bruce, I will promise you this, Lads: If you should both turn up on our doorstep, in the next 10 hours, will give each of you a Trapper 81, as a gift for your resourcefulness in getting here!!!! Ahhhh, that would be a lot of fun, Blokes!! We could set up some tents in the forest behind the house, and play with stoves until the cows came home!! I have about two gallons of Meths, about the same of Coleman fuel, and more than 15 gallons of paraffin!! So, come on, Lads, what's keeping you??!!!! Here are some more photos of one of those Meths burners, at work. Half a liter in the Trangia Duossal pot. 10 minutes later, a full boil! (OK, one of those "half-arsed, 5,000 ft. boils"!!) Full flame. Simmering flame. Neat little stove, that was gifted to me by my ex-Father-in-law. Used to be his Dad's. Dad kept it out in this shed and used to brew up coffee on it, and also warm soup, when he was out there working. Today, is the very first time I've ever tried it, even though I've owned it for more than twenty years!! 8) Later, Lads! I've GOT to get some work done today. But, I'll keep a light on for you, two, and hope to see you just before dark!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
After seeing Doc's little beauties (meths stoves!), I realised that I had one of the same - the "Two Flame Spirit Stove". When I searched for it, I found two others as well. The one in the middle was made by Sherwoods of Birmingham (England). The one on the right was made by Thomas W. Houchin Co. of New York. Note that "HOUCHIN N. Y." is part of the moulding of the iron pan trivet. The bottom of the stove also makes interesting reading. A last shot of the stove in use with its own pan. Does anyone know anything about this manufacturer or when the stove was made?
Hello, Trevor, May I say, Sir, that viewing your photos is always a pleasure!! Nice, job, Shag!! Very nice little stoves, and the Houchin is very interesting! Did you check underneath the stove for a Patent date? Many times, US-made stoves will have the date stamped into the bottom of them. Again, great photos, thanks for sharing them! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
No, but a quick Internet search reveals that in Scientific American, Volume 17, No. 26 December 28, 1867, the following claim was filed at the U.S. Patent Office, in the week ending December 10, 1867. Unfortunately, this is all that seems to be at this site. The link to this is: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8951 ....Arch
="Doc Mark"]Dearest Nick and Bruce, I will promise you this, Lads: If you should both turn up on our doorstep, in the next 10 hours, will give each of you a Trapper 81, as a gift for your resourcefulness in getting here!!!! Ahhhh, that would be a lot of fun, Blokes!! We could set up some tents in the forest behind the house, and play with stoves until the cows came home!! I have about two gallons of Meths, about the same of Coleman fuel, and more than 15 gallons of paraffin!! So, come on, Lads, what's keeping you??!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ...................... its been one of those days .. so why should i not be surprised .. im proposing an anglo/aussie gig to "job" docs house & away with the jewels .. &&& && &&& &&& ????? ...... & our intended victim duly invites us to a pyrofest ???. bloody stovies ... theyre all nutters. im to bed ........................... today was wednesday . nick
When I win tattslotto or have a few extra grand in me coruption kit to splash around I might be able to get hold of some of those stoves one day. I suppose metho had its time up to the 20's 30's then petrol took over but don't know for sure. I believe they would have had it well figured out for sure. Thats why to find anything over than a trangia style burner his hard nowadays I suppose. Thank-you for the glimse into metho burners and their strange and wonderful ways to burn a little spirit. Can we have a rain check on the '81 give- away Doc ? The airport security machine things keep going off with leg etc. So I have to take me brace off an then it'll still go off so they scann yu'. Bit scary really cause they start to look a bit worried and move their hands closer to them shooting irons. After you have been half undressed and sorted out you find that you can't take a stove on board because it may do something. Like spontaniously combust. Even tried to steal me tooth paste and stuff. Mac Giver here I'll mix toothpaste with shampoo and we'll all go up! AS IF. Medications? Shit.. yes have scripts . Ohh really...no shit sherlock...I'll be stuffed... Yeah they said something to me about that years ago. Give up come home. Had a sleep took me pills and got the dog back to the people I sold it to for scientific expertiments for the plane fare and decided that it's just not worth the hassle. Looks like I'll be making what I need. Dreaming of thngs I want and hoping to win the lotto or have a distant rich uncle somewhere I've never heard of; will me his fortune before I get over to that side of the pond. Hell haven't been 'round even half this here half arsed place yet. Yu'll all be good now you hear!!!
That's a wonderful explanation of the Trapper, Doc. One thing I didn't understand. What is this object (red plastic) in your hand? I see that it says "fuel measure." So is it essentially a measuring cup? It seems like an odd shape and size. Does it nest into the rest of the system somehow? Is that the reason for it's odd dimensions? HJ
Hi jim. It is a measure cup, it stows away in the sets lid / base when you pack up. It is very important not to over fill this stove, the later ones have screw in bung to stop over filling.
Ah. Thank you. I thought it must be something like that. It's such an odd shape. Looks like a really high functioning stove, much more controllable (and easily so) than most non-pressurized alcohol stoves. I'd love to play with one some time. HJ
"Looks like a really high functioning stove" Yes. it is, not to be confused with the similarly looking Optimus 86, that have a military Trangia stile burner. This, at list the one I tested recently, is a ral shame, look at my recent post on a comparison of the two. Orsoorso
Howdy, HJ, Ahhh, I see you found this thread on the good ol' 81! As much as I dearly love the Trangia Tribe, now, the 81 remains my most trusted of the lot, most probably for sentimental reasons. The second version, with the weep hole and plug, is far easier to use than the original Trapper 81, without the weep hole and plug. As you have now seen, the red plastic measuring cup, along with it's partner "Safe-Fill" device, are used to refill the 81 when needed. However, I found very quickly that it's REALLY EASY to overfill the first version of this stove, and if you do that, you are going to start a fire, pure and simple!! Don't ask me how I know this, but grass fires, it seems, are quite easy to ignite, with a little burner Meths, whether accidental, or not!! Yeah, I did that, and unfortunately twice, before figuring it I was over-filling the stove!! Once I began using the newer version, however, I have found it FAR easier to refill, without a single episode of over-filling. Remove the plug, and add Meths until you just see it beginning to weep out the hole, the snugly replace the plug, and you're ready to go! Now, when we use the 81, I refill it as soon as it's cooled off, when we're finished, and using the weep hole/plug arrangement, it's a snap to accomplish. The old version is really just a crap shoot when refilling, as you have NO idea how much Meths you need, and how much is too much!! With the new version, you don't need the measuring cup anymore, and can just use a Canady cap, or something like it, to refill your 81 right from your Sigg fuel container. You, do, however, HAVE to have and use the Safe-Fill tube to refill, safe and sound, and it all works perfectly!! HJ< check out the photos of our CASG at Joshua Tree, and you'll see the Trapper 81 boiling up water for our morning tea. We love that stove, and have used it on many wonderful adventures, and it's never let us down. On the icy Alaskan backpacking trip we did some years ago, it functioned perfectly, and easily, fired up many times each day for tea, or soup, or instant mashed potatoes, after icy river fords and such!! Gotta love a stove like that, Folks! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc P.S. If anyone has a Trapper 81 which did not have its Safe Fill device, A&H still had some new ones for sale, a while back, and can probably help you! Do yourself a favor and get a Safe Fill device, if you don't have one. The stove needs it to safely refill, and make sure you get some extra O-rings to go with it, too, just to be safe.
Untill I got the second version od 81, I used a small, china made digital scale to avoid overfilling, but the seep plug is easier, faster and possibly more reliable. The only and one thing prevent 81 to be absolutely perfect, is the lack of a dedicated kettle, but this is just a tought of a n old picky chap like me. Orsoorso
Hi, Doc, Yes, I made it here. And where to find good information on classic stoves? Thanks for your help (as always!) via email. I'm at work on lunch break which is just now ending, so more later. HJ P.S. I do remember your Trapper from some of the CASG's (Mid-Hills and Joshua Tree). I was sure that the one my friend has was the same because I recognized that distinctive air control lever. I just couldn't for the life of me remember the name, "Trapper."
