Petrol cookers for touring

[Steam]

I'm looking for a cooker which uses petrol, so I can cook and ride on the same fuel. It'd be nice not to worry about carrying a different type of fuel for the cooker.
The only ones I have seen are really expensive multifuel ones from MSR which cost about $200 or more.
I have heard of just putting some sand in a big can, and making the sand damp with petrol. My granddad did that during WW2 in Egypt apparently.
Any suggestions?

[Drum]

Wouldn't that make your food taste funny?

[McJim]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Art-deco-retro/Other/auction-107999769.htm?p=2

I used one of these when touring back in the 70s....you get a good heat from them - hot enough to boil water.

[TLMAN]

I'm looking for a cooker which uses petrol, so I can cook and ride on the same fuel. It'd be nice not to worry about carrying a different type of fuel for the cooker.
The only ones I have seen are really expensive multifuel ones from MSR which cost about $200 or more.
I have heard of just putting some sand in a big can, and making the sand damp with petrol. My granddad did that during WW2 in Egypt apparently.
Any suggestions?



Check this listing out on trademe, I was looking at this the other day.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Camping-outdoors/Cookers/auction-107717959.htm

[Steam]

Apparently not. I've used the expensive ones, they rock. But I don't want to be paying through the nose.
Granddad didn't mention anything about petrol taste from his desert rat cooker,

[Steam]

Check this listing out on trademe, I was looking at this the other day.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Camping-outdoors/Cookers/auction-107717959.htm

Ah, the king of stoves. Sadly WAAAY too expensive for me. That kind of money would get me from Brisbane to Cairns!


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Art-deco-retro/Other/auction-107999769.htm?p=2

I used one of these when touring back in the 70s....you get a good heat from them - hot enough to boil water.

ooh that's a good one. I didn't think to search in Antiques. I know one of those bidders though, he's a real collecter, it may go for quite a surprisingly high price. Like, around $100, even though it's missing bits. Thanks for the link.

[Swoop]

Same in the Vietnam era. Tin can with soil dampened down with Jet-A1. Probably easier to get hold of than C4 Plastique explosive that the special forces used.

McJims link looks like a good purchase!

[chris]

The only problem with using petrol in your stove will be the sooty deposit. It will leave a thick coat on the base of anything you cook in.

[slopster]

I found a multi fuel cooker at a outdoor shop missing the gas attachment but still had the liquid fuel attachment. Offered them $50 and got it. Runs fine on petrol and kerosiene (different jets). The keros bloody hard to get started but probably runs the best once its warmed up. They don't recomend pump petrol because of the anti knock aditives but doesn't seems to bother the cooker.

[Paul in NZ]

Granddad didn't mention anything about petrol taste from his desert rat cooker,

yeah well if he was cooking desert rats he would have been grateful for the smell of petrol I reckon... (ah hem)

I've used a variety of liguid fuel cookers and we used to use a lot of white spirit ones (which is basically petrol without the colouring) and we found them all tempramental and a little unpredictable. I have a clunky old Optimus that runs on kero but would probably burn petrol too. Keros safer, hotter and availiable in bum buggery onga onga...

Cheers

[pritch]

Same in the Vietnam era. Tin can with soil dampened down with Jet-A1. Probably easier to get hold of than C4 Plastique explosive that the special forces used.

I don't know where you got that information but it's highly suspect on two counts. I never heard of the former, and the latter was common.

[T-Thunder13]

msr's ferken rock. ive just been introduced to em. but like you say they are expensive, and parts arnt cheap either. tho its somthing youl have for a long time and will use alot. have you seen trangia's? run on meths. packs into own pots etc..

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Camping-outdoors/Cookers/auction-108081813.htm?p=1

[Holy Roller]

Hexamine solid fuel cooker. no worries about spilling fuel, 2 tabs will cook a meal and heat a drink. Still got some from my rat packs back when I was in the Navy

Noticed they sell them in the camping stores also

[doc]

msr's ferken rock. ive just been introduced to em. but like you say they are expensive, and parts arnt cheap either. tho its somthing youl have for a long time and will use alot. have you seen trangia's? run on meths. packs into own pots etc..

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Camping-outdoors/Cookers/auction-108081813.htm?p=1
Buy it once and buy quality


Hexamine solid fuel cooker. no worries about spilling fuel, 2 tabs will cook a meal and heat a drink. Still got some from my rat packs back when I was in the Navy

Noticed they sell them in the camping stores also
Metrosexual man uses firestarter's they are cheaper.

[rwh]

A side issue - I don't think you're allowed to take a container that has held fuel on a plane; you might want to check that out before you buy one here - unless you're planning to go by sea, of course.

Richard

[scumdog]

Don't forget a Ford Customline hub-cap to use for a pot and a Plymouth dipstick to stir the food with..:yes:

[Steam]

A side issue - I don't think you're allowed to take a container that has held fuel on a plane; you might want to check that out before you buy one here - unless you're planning to go by sea, of course.

Richard

You rinse it in meths, then dry it in an oven. After that there's no odour of fuel left at all. I've sent heaps of coleman and tilley lamps overseas and within NZ using that method, never had a problem. (Used to be a collector)

[Steam]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Art-deco-retro/Other/auction-107999769.htm?p=2


I missed out on this auction by FOUR MINUTES! Damn wet roads, I couldn't ride fast enough.

[doc]

Don't forget a Ford Customline hub-cap to use for a pot and a Plymouth dipstick to stir the food with..:yes:
What do you do now that the "Ole Commodore " don't have mudcaps ? Must be cold out on the roads at the moment down there.

[xgnr]

A side issue - I don't think you're allowed to take a container that has held fuel on a plane; you might want to check that out before you buy one here - unless you're planning to go by sea, of course.

Richard

Well spotted re air travel and fuel bottles.

If you are travelling there are really strict requirements for packaging fuel containers i.e. dont bother its too ferkin hard. Buy a bottle locally.

As to cookers. I have had an MSR international multifuel for many years and it has never let me down except gen wear and tear with orings etc. Important thing with MSR is that you can tear it to bits and rebuild in no time as they are simple.

Key thing is buy quality gear ... yes you can burn petrol in it but not reccomended as it is more dangerous/smelly/dirty than white spirits or Kero :yes: Just be prepared to spend some time cleaning it if you want to burn petrol or diesel.

Have a great trip BTW

[clint640]

I had a coleman feather 442 stove for ages, it ran well on either petrol or white spirits (a little better on the WS) They're a good solid unit but are comparitively heavy & are bloody hard to empty out & clean for the aforementioned air travel, so I recently splashed out on an MSR Dragonfly as I wanted multi-multi fuel capacity & simmer control. It works really well, I know plenty of people still using the MSR's they bought over 20yrs ago when they 1st come out, so hopefully a good investment.

If you want cheap I'd just get a kovea cartridge stove, they work ok. The trangia meths jobbies are cheap to run but take forever to heat anything.

I wouldn't advise using dirt & petrol or kero (jet-A1) one won't work, the other is dangerous.

Cheers
Clint

[xgnr]

You rinse it in meths, then dry it in an oven. After that there's no odour of fuel left at all. I've sent heaps of coleman and tilley lamps overseas and within NZ using that method, never had a problem. (Used to be a collector)

I did some research a while ago on this and ended up getting the real deal on what you have to do if you want to transport anything like this on an aircraft. Something along the lines of some special packaging, inspection blah blah. Smell was not a good test of possible vapour apparently. I even mused about filling with water but that's not an option. its a no no. All in all a real pain and just not worth the bother when the bottles are not hell expensive really.

I suspect now that if you tried to clean it up etc they would spot it in your bags and take it out regardless with a serious growling no doubt with fines if you fibbed when checking in as you would have to admit it was in your bag when you check in... long delays.

Maybe parcel post would be an option and pick it up when you arrive at your destination?

[clint640]

Air NZ guidelines:

Completely drain all fuel from the stove fuel tank and/or the fuel container.
Allow the empty fuel tank and/or container to drain for at least one hour and leave it uncapped for a minimum of six hours to allow any residual fuel to evaporate. Alternatively you can add cooking oil to the fuel tank/container to elevate the flash point of any residual liquid, and then empty it. If this is done the 1+6 hour draining/evaporation requirement no longer applies.
Securely fasten the cap of the fuel tank and/or container. Wrap the stove/container (including the separate burner assembly of MSR-type stoves) in an absorbent material such as a paper towel and place it in a polythene or equivalent bag. Seal the top of the bag or gather and close it with an elastic band or twine.
Check-in staff will provide a form, which you must complete to verify that the stove has been made safe by these steps.


Doesn't seem too bad to me, basically empty it properly & stick it in bag with a rag, the cunning traveler could photocopy a handful of pre filled out forms even. Given you technically need to declare & properly pack the stove sans bottle anyway there's probably little point in leaving the bottle behind.

Cheers
Clint

[xgnr]

Air NZ guidelines:

Completely drain all fuel from the stove fuel tank and/or the fuel container.
Allow the empty fuel tank and/or container to drain for at least one hour and leave it uncapped for a minimum of six hours to allow any residual fuel to evaporate. Alternatively you can add cooking oil to the fuel tank/container to elevate the flash point of any residual liquid, and then empty it. If this is done the 1+6 hour draining/evaporation requirement no longer applies.
Securely fasten the cap of the fuel tank and/or container. Wrap the stove/container (including the separate burner assembly of MSR-type stoves) in an absorbent material such as a paper towel and place it in a polythene or equivalent bag. Seal the top of the bag or gather and close it with an elastic band or twine.
Check-in staff will provide a form, which you must complete to verify that the stove has been made safe by these steps.


Doesn't seem too bad to me, basically empty it properly & stick it in bag with a rag, the cunning traveler could photocopy a handful of pre filled out forms even. Given you technically need to declare & properly pack the stove sans bottle anyway there's probably little point in leaving the bottle behind.

Cheers
Clint

Fantastic! Good work Clint... not such a drama at all

[Lance]

Kathmandu have a sale on at the moment amoung other things I bought a gas cooking head for $20.00 You need to attach a buton can to this costs $4.50(dont buy it untill you get to Oz) They say it will boil 1 lt water in 4.5 minutes. Petrol seems a lot of trouble. Theve gots lots other good gear there also I came away with a two man tent $219 foam mattress $100 and lots of other toys total price $480. The whole house and contents weighs 7.5kg

Lance

[Dadpole]

My experience with my Optimus cooker is that white spirits work well, but NZ petrol clogs it up in no time. I have no idea if Aussie petrol is better quality than the crap we get.

[5cotty]

I have the Coleman dual fuel cooker and tilly that I use for touring and rallys, I have had them both for 8 years and neither one has missed a beat. They run equally well on white spirit or petrol and they rock! The cooker has little fold up legs so it is stable on the ground and when you are not using it, it fits nicely inside the billy

I coughed and choked when I bought them because of the price but I have never regretted buying the quality and am happy to reccomend them....

Splash out I say and get the best... You wont regret it :-)

[Henk]

My vote goes to the MSR Dragonfly. Bought one a while ago and promptly sold the whisperlite I had previously. Not cheap but good kit and you can cook on it due to the simmer control as opposed to boiling / burning on the simpler stoves.
Try Reloaders in Onehunga, they seem to have the sharpest prices anywhere. I think they may grey import.

[young1]

I have a "Coleman Dual Fuel Feather 442 Lightweight Backpack Stove Model 442-700

I have used it tramping but not yet with the bike.

It goes very well but does need a flat area to put it down on.

Here is the web site

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=442-725&categoryid=24752

Cost on there is US$65.00

[007XY]

I'm looking for a cooker which uses petrol, so I can cook and ride on the same fuel. It'd be nice not to worry about carrying a different type of fuel for the cooker.
The only ones I have seen are really expensive multifuel ones from MSR which cost about $200 or more.
I have heard of just putting some sand in a big can, and making the sand damp with petrol. My granddad did that during WW2 in Egypt apparently.
Any suggestions?

I've got an OTIMUS HUNTER ..it's housed in a metal case 150X150X75mm it runs on unleaded, coleman fuel, white spirits.. my dad has had one for years, you can pick them up 2nd hand for around $50 and they're tough and they rock!! http://www.packstoves.com/optimus%20pages/optimus%20hunter%20stove.htm

[Big Dave]

Metrosexual man uses firestarter's they are cheaper.

Metrosexual man stays at the Duxton.

[DevoDave]

I use a Coleman Multifuel Stove, It will take un leaded petrol or kerosene, I use un leaded check this out www.colemannz.co.nz

[TLDV8]

http://www.theadventuresource.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=11780!CASCA

<img src=http://www.theadventuresource.com/istarimages/mp/11780!CASCA-792953.jpg>

MSR Reactor (dear) or Jetboil. (fairly cheap) for non multi fuel :niceone:

<img src=http://www.theadventuresource.com/istarimages/mp/11205!CASCA-804077.jpg>

<img src=http://www.theadventuresource.com/istarimages/mp/PBL075!JETBO-804076_d.jpg>

[geoffm]

I missed out on this auction by FOUR MINUTES! Damn wet roads, I couldn't ride fast enough.

Snipeme is your friend in this case...
http://snipeme.co.nz/

[jim.cox]

I once sold a Coleman Peak 1 as I got given a nice new MSR

Turned out to be a complete piece of unreliable shit. Could not make it go when I needed to.

Friends also had similar problems - we ended up calling them "MSF" as in "My Stove's Fucked"

I went and got myself another Coleman

I've also had good results in the past with Optimus 8r, climber and hunter models

But the Coleman is better for lighting in a tent.

Plus the coleman is good for real cooking as the flame is very controlable - you can actually simmer on them

But it is the reliability in extreme circumstances that I like most

Just my $0.02

[portokiwi]

Go to a back packers. They sell all sorts of kit from people leaving the country.