Message Forums

My new Frontier Stove arrived today - it's all very exciting! I have a few questions for anyone else who has one.

1. Do you use other fuels besides wood? On the website they say that any type of solid fuel can be used, but the instructions which came with it recommend the use of dry seasoned timber only. Has anyone tried anything else, like coal or peat, and how do they perform?

2. What do you use to clean out the flue sections?

3. Will I need a different type of kettle? I don't want to burn the bottom out of it. There was a post recently, which I can't find, where someone mentioned the type of pans which are suitable for use over a campfire. On the Frontier, the hotplate cover can be removed, exposing the pan directly to the flames, so I need to check that out. Even with kettles and pans on the stove itself, I'm not sure how the temperatures will compare to popping a kettle on the suitcase stove.

I hope to try out the stove in the garden in the next day or two, weather permitting, which should burn off the painty fumes. Actually, I just want to play with my new toy!

Thanks for all the advice. I tried it out yesterday in the garden. Got it all fired up with kindling then added wood and it roared away nicely. The stove and the whole of the flue got extremely hot (that was with the door and damper open). I put a kettle of water on top but it never quite reached the boil sitting on the stove. I probably need to remove the hotplate and sit it directly over the fire.

I had some peat briquettes which I haven't tried before so added two of those. However, they gave off the most enormous amount of smoke and as it was a still afternoon I found the smoke kept falling rather than blowing away. I would probably avoid using them on a campsite as they're just too smoky to be neighbourly. The crazy thing is, to get into the pack I had to snip through a band on which was printed 'Irish Smokeless Fuels'!

I played around with the door and the damper at different settings, eventually closing both and leaving it alone. The flue gradually became cool enough to touch although the stove was hot.

At just after midnight there were still glowing embers in the stove and it was hot underneath. I'd lit the fire at 3pm and had it burning fast for quite a while so I was surprised at how long the heat lasted. I'll have to work out how much fuel to use if I want it to burn out by a certain time.

I can imagine that wet shoes would dry out beautifully if placed on the ground underneath the stove as there's plenty of heat coming from the base. There's a lot of playing around to do yet to find out how to use it properly, and I'm looking forward to being cosy and dry in my tent once I get it installed!

Quote: Originally posted by armchaircamper on 05/11/2011

---

I put a kettle of water on top but it never quite reached the boil sitting on the stove. I probably need to remove the hotplate and sit it directly over the fire.

---

As you were outside, the boiling time can be extended due to heat loss by wind chill. I had no problems boiling a kettle inside my tent on the back of the stove, but it is a lot quicker if used over the open hole.  It will also depend where inside the stove, the heart of the fire is, giving the best hot spot on top.

I also intend to make a plate to fit at the front of the stove, just inside the door, to act as a stop for any fuel that tries to roll out at the front, when the door is opened. Perhaps two inches high.

Did you find it got in the way in the tent? Is that it in its fitted location in your picture? What I was thinking was that even with the flue in position, the stove doesn't have to come directly out towards the centre of the tent but could be rotated to a variety of positions, if you see what I mean.

Your dog certainly knows a cosy spot!

I've just noticed - this is your first post! Welcome to the forum!