Homemade Wood Stove

So what are the advantages of this RAW you mentioned a few time? I feel like I might need to know about it.

Oh.. its a file format that allows you to go back into the images after they are made and reprocess them. It allows you to change a lot of different things. Almost like having your own darkroom in your computer. Yes you can do this with typical jpg files but that leaves artifacts in the files itself. This does not. It allows the file to be just as the original. JPG has so many flaws in it that its not really sutible for much more than personal pics at home and web stuff. The JPG file is actually a self deteriating file that discards image info everytime you hit the save button. RAW does not do this. Right now its mainly only used in DSLRs. I was hoping that the new cool pix used it, but it does not. RAW is a pro tool but everyone can take advantage of it. Now it does require a addtion to your software and before you can print to most web sites or file sharing or other simialar program you have to save a copy in either jpg or other format. I just use Adobe Photoshop and can print from there. Also I send my final images to Atlanta for final printing and the place I use can use the RAW file directly. But even my proofs I save to jpg and take in to walmart. They are only proofs so don't care about the fine tuning. Only the general quality.
Guess I should take this discussion to a new thread. Keep it out of everyone elses treads.... lol
Eddie

haha, sorry I asked, but thanks.

UL (or anyone else who has an opinion),
How do you, or is there a way to curb the problem of all the soot getting on everything when I use this stove? I realize there is going to be some soot, but the hotter the fire (i.e. a bed of hot coals) the less soot. I know this happens because there is a more efficient fire burning, and the intense heat burns the fuel (sticks) cleaner (at least this is how it works when I'm making alcohol stoves). And, I know how I lit the stove, but how do you (or ya'll) do it?

Is it something like the jet boil has, or is it more like a wind screen?

willky:
If you let the fire burn for just a couple of minutes before putting the pot on the stove, this should reduce the accumulation of soot on the pot can. It is also important to use dry tender and fuel. This will help cut down on soot accumulation. The last time I used this stove, I really didn't have a big soot problem. Just remember to burn the inside of the stove can out before you use it with the pot can so that you burn out the plastic liner of the stove can.
UL

Kyle, the one I am expermenting with is actually like the ones that we use to use on the old pot belly stoves.. more liken to a damper in the flume actually... The old store where I grew up had one. It would cause the stove to really heat up and there was not any smoke coming out. Like I said earlier though, most my ideas dont work so will be interesting to see how this one is lol.
Eddie

so is it almost like a ceiling that would go just over top of the fire?

Yep
Eddie

I'm pretty anxious to hear your results. It sounds pretty easy to do, and if the results are good, I have my first mod to my new stove. Good Luck with the trials!

Sorry if this is too big, I'm still playing with the sizing. However, this is the wood stove that I made. The pics are a little late, but I just got my camera. Let me know if there are any questions or modifications that I should make.

Kyle.. how does it work.. I mean enough draft to it and burn hot enough to burn clean?
Eddie

I'm still working on it burning clean. If you get it hot and get a good bed of embers going, It'll burn real clean, but when thats gone, you're out of "clean burning" heat. I just accept that when I put sticks on it, its going to burn w/ some soot. No real draw back to the soot, because you're already backpacking which means your dirty. I do however have to put a handle on the soda can, so I can lift the boiling water off of the stove.

It works really well a lot hotter and more efficient than I had thought it would. Plenty of ventilation. Although if I use something (like a Heiny pot) that covers the whole top opening, the fire doesn't have enough oxygen and slowly goes out. I boiled a coke can full of ice water (it really did have a couple of ice cubes in it) from my Nalgene bottle in about 8 min. The time went by fast, because, lets be honest, who doesn't like playing with fire?

hahaha.. yea well I never was on a time table when trying to cook. lol. there to have fun anyway.
Eddie