Modify your Esbit stove to be more "user friendly"

[TacAir]

WELCOME to all the new ZS members that have signed up of late.

THere many of these threads, read, enjoy, learn, prepare.
******************************************************


Having trouble using that cup on the ol' Esbit to heat up your dinner? Do you balance the cup on a partially closed stove - but worry that it will tip over? In searching the site, I did not see anything on this.

Well, here is a set of mods to the stove that should fix that problem - and allow you to use a USGI canteen cup or commercial cook pot on your Esbit without worry.


This shows the cup, the problem and parts needed to fix the problem.


This shows the spoke parts in place and one windscreen piece in place.
Set up like this, you can burn wood to cook with as well.


With both windscreen parts in place. Very stable for USGI canteen cup or other larger cook pot.

Here is the stove with a USGI canteen cup


and a commercial 'camping cup'


You should be able to dope out how to cut these items after looking at the photos. The windscreen material is a roofing patch from Home Depot, the spoke was obtained from the local REI bike repair shop just for the asking.

The windscreen mod has been floating around the net for some time, but the use of the spokes is new - to me at least. Hope this helps you update your kit to make it more cooking friendly.

[CipherNameRaVeN]

Nice. Thanks for posting.

[gatorglockman]

Nice mod, pics and tips. I will give it a try. Thanks for sharing.

[Dawgboy]

I like your Trangia pot stand. Is that galvanized steel?

[TacAir]

I like your Trangia pot stand. Is that galvanized steel?

Made from a 'roof repair' square found at Home Deport.

I got two Esbits + undershield for both from 1 square - $0.78 here in Anchorage.

The pot stand is made from one square with the 'extra' used under the alcohol stove. A bad copy of a commercial product, but for 78c - works for me. Still needs some work - corners are sharp and so on.

It will hold a full canteen cup or my GSI pot. Works with the Trangia military stove and both the large and small Sterno cans. I cut it to mimic the same height above source as a commercial Sterno brand folding stove.

Folds flat - compliments the windscreen, which I picked up in 1970 IIRC. The folds flat allows for storage in the 'radio pocket' of my Medium ALICE ruck.

FWIW, I just don't think Stermo gets the love it should as a great multiuse cooking stove.

Thanks for the kind words.


10/17/14 Edit
I picked up a Bushbox stove (or a potholder depending on how you look at it). Works great for both Esbit tabs and holds my Tragina alcohol burner. See viewtopic.php?f=14&t=113991&p=2547514&h ... x#p2547514


You can also make a foil 'wrapper' for the Esbit tab to get a slightly longer burn. I used a strip cut from a soda can.

[shoggoth80]

Simple, and effective. You DON'T get any better than that! I might have to do this instead of tinfoil (have an ESBiT, and a USGI unit).

[TacAir]

Simple, and effective. You DON'T get any better than that! I might have to do this instead of tinfoil (have an ESBiT, and a USGI unit).

I had used foil in the past - but the little pieces fit inside and the Esbit will now hold all different kinds of pots. I 'tested' it with a USGI canteen cup, Coleman 16 oz 'cup/pot' and a GSI cup and GSI Solo pot. Works good with all of 'em. Weight difference is minimal.

My next test is to add olive oil soaked wood bits with 1/2 an Esbit tab to see if I can heat more with fewer tabs.

Good luck with your mods and thanks for the kind words.

[TacAir]

bump for the new members to what is hiding in the board archives.

[francisscott22]

I want to do that as my project for this year. This post might be old but it's worth reading. Thanks for sharing! It looks easy to make.

[iridium]

Neat tip. I love Esbit stoves and all my BOBs have at least one in them.. I will dig one out and try this.. great idea.

[duodecima]

I <3 you guys. I have exactly that stove in the BOB, and the alpine cup is a bit wobbly on it. I will be going to Home Depot some time after Xmas to get a roof repair square, have to figure out the spoke...

[WY_Not]

Question...

What is the third rectangle of metal used for? The one with the yellow tag. Leftover metal? or... Guessing it could be used in the bottom of the esbit stove to keep the bottom from burning out?

[angelofwar]

I've never had an issue using the USGI Canteen cup on this, but I like the idea of the windscreen. Thanks for sharing Tac-Air...looking like roofing repair metal is the next thing on my shopping list!

[angelofwar]

.

FWIW, I just don't think Stermo gets the love it should as a great multiuse cooking stove.

Ditto...the Sterno folding stove is my first choice of out-doors stoves...simple, compact, efficient. The Esbit is my back-up/BOB stove.

[AKFTW]

Awesome! The esbit is my stove of choice so I will definitely be doing these mods to it! Can you measure your windscreen pieces and spokes so I can cut some out the same size?

[TacAir]

Awesome! The esbit is my stove of choice so I will definitely be doing these mods to it! Can you measure your windscreen pieces and spokes so I can cut some out the same size?

I did these 'by eye. The measurements aren't critical. And there are several different 'Esbit' stoves out there.

A pair of aviation snips are easier to use than the older sheers.

The spokes were bent, laid across the stove and bent a second time, then cut.

Good luck.

[AKFTW]

Sounds good. I have the same model commercial Esbit as in your pics.

[AKFTW]

Just did the windscreen parts, got the roof repair thing for free from Home Depot, the guy at the register said "If it's not important enough to put a price sticker on it, I don't think they'll mind" Going to the bike shop around the block tomorrow to see about a spoke. I actually made mine even MORE user friendly by cutting the sharp points off of the windscreen pieces. I used EMT shears to cut it out. Measures 2"x4" if anyone is curious.

[TacAir]

Just did the windscreen parts, got the roof repair thing for free from Home Depot, the guy at the register said "If it's not important enough to put a price sticker on it, I don't think they'll mind" Going to the bike shop around the block tomorrow to see about a spoke. I actually made mine even MORE user friendly by cutting the sharp points off of the windscreen pieces. I used EMT shears to cut it out. Measures 2"x4" if anyone is curious.

Cool-ness. Post pics when done - if you please.

[bacpacjac]

Simply brilliant. Thanks!

[Wolfmanjack]

Was reading this and galvanized metal was brought up. Just a word of caution. Galvanized metal when heated will release zinc fumes which will make you very ill. It can also get into your food if you are cooking over it.

Cool mods.

[maldon007]

You would be surprised how much sheet-stainless is laying around in everyday junk/goodwill stuff (small trashcans, old toasters, office stuff, broken kitchen appliances), ... It might be better to liberate some of that, than to use the galvanized stuff... But I would also guess, if you do a good long test burn & make it hot (and avoid the fumes) you will burn off whatever is going to burn off... But as always, sgoti (some guy on the internet) & ymmv.

[Dogan]

.

FWIW, I just don't think Stermo gets the love it should as a great multiuse cooking stove.

Ditto...the Sterno folding stove is my first choice of out-doors stoves...simple, compact, efficient. The Esbit is my back-up/BOB stove.

In my vehicle-oriented (Read: Heavy, live-in-the-car) GHB, there is always a folding Sterno stove and two cans of fuel. Nothing to break, nothing to fiddle with in the cold and dark. Just flip, uncap, and light. And if you need a firestarter, a dab of the Sterno fuel is awesome.

I've always liked the Esbit design, but I've never been a fan of all the fouling the tabs leave behind. This conversion now has me very interested in picking one up for almost exclusive use with wood as a fuel.

[TacAir]

.

FWIW, I just don't think Stermo gets the love it should as a great multiuse cooking stove.

Ditto...the Sterno folding stove is my first choice of out-doors stoves...simple, compact, efficient. The Esbit is my back-up/BOB stove.

In my vehicle-oriented (Read: Heavy, live-in-the-car) GHB, there is always a folding Sterno stove and two cans of fuel. Nothing to break, nothing to fiddle with in the cold and dark. Just flip, uncap, and light. And if you need a firestarter, a dab of the Sterno fuel is awesome.

I've always liked the Esbit design, but I've never been a fan of all the fouling the tabs leave behind. This conversion now has me very interested in picking one up for almost exclusive use with wood as a fuel.

Shoot some images and post 'em here so everyone can see how they turned out!

Thanks.