Easy Fuel for Kelly Kettle that will store well?

[katilea]

have you thought about making those paper eco bricks ? that is easy fuel and stores well, it is just a tool or machine that you put wet paper in and dry out one brick burns about 3 hours.

you can just shove them in the loft once done.

do they work in kelly kettles or is a different type of stove? I wouldn't really need it to burn for 3 hours given that if it was snowing it prob be near 0 or minus degrees outside, I'm disabled so wouldn't want to be sat out long just sat in doorway long enough to fill a couple of flasks with tea/hot choc or soup and a couple of hot water bottles. As if there was no electric I wouldn't be able to warm back up easily against once inside as I'd be unable to put electric fire or blanket on.

Idea is, its something that can be safely stored in bottom of wardrobe in spare room 'just in case' we really do have the worst winter in history for a while and the electric is not working for a while. My bro lives a couple of villages away but again if we get really deep snow its going to be getting to me down the village lanes to help.

I'll have to try and remember to keep mobile topped up and internet data package on it so can briefly let friends now I'm ok or get someone to ring electric for me and let them know! I've got a lantern thats rechargeable and solar powered so could stay in window during day to top up. Thinking of getting a solar powered phone charger to make sure I can at least send one text out to bro for help if electric stays off a while, we're in different areas so just cos mine is off doesn't mean his village would be affected.

Another big problem for me is as I'm also deaf I use a minicom which only works when connected to mains power so no electric = can't phone out for help via Typetalk service either. Only have mobile for text messages to ask bro or friends to send help if it was going to be off for long periods/water pipes frozen etc. Immediate neighbours are over 55 and likely to struggle getting out of their house and down my drive too to check I'm still alive..lol! ..so just trying to get prepared to survive for a while if the worst happens!

[dangerman]

I've had mixed success with newspaper and other domestic items. As the other lads have said, if you use the natural stuff, picking off dry twigs or picking them up if it's dry as you walk around, they burn really well once the fire is up and running. To get it started can be an arse, but just persist. I have acquired an old hand sanitiser bottle and put some baby oil in it to give me a boost if I'm struggling. Works the same as petroleum jelly - lights and stays lit.

[katilea]

I've had mixed success with newspaper and other domestic items. As the other lads have said, if you use the natural stuff, picking off dry twigs or picking them up if it's dry as you walk around, they burn really well once the fire is up and running. To get it started can be an arse, but just persist. I have acquired an old hand sanitiser bottle and put some baby oil in it to give me a boost if I'm struggling. Works the same as petroleum jelly - lights and stays lit.

what baby oil do you use? and can't you just pour it from the bottle or whatever its in? why transfer it in hand sanitiser? (just curious).

Paper burns really easily so I thought a bit of paper lit using one of those long handled lighters (safer for me than using matches) would get the fire going??? Getting the wood shavings for small pets will be easier for me too. I have 3 cotton wool balls left and a small jar of vaseline in the house as they were mentioned previously.

[dangerman]

I think this stuff is from the states, my mrs bought some while we were last on holiday there and we never finished the bottle. I think any old stuff would do though. I filled the hand sanitiser bottle because it's smaller and fits snug in my fire bowl. You don't need much.

The paper does burn easily but in my experience it burned up too quickly to spread the fire to my twigs and also created a shed load of ash and smoke. Then is made a big mess and blocked up the air holes.

I also have a few fuel tabs stored in mine as a last resort too. I would like to become an expert fire lighter though, so that I don't have to rely on too much cheat camping stuff. The beauty of the storm kettle is that you shouldn't need to bring anything but the kettle itself (and maybe a basic source of ignition).

[ForgeCorvus]

Katilea:
As I understand it, you're going to be using your KK for emergency cooking because you're not comfortable with storing gas canisters in the house (storage outside is a problem due to access).
You're also not very mobile (especially when its very snowy etc) and so are very unlikely to take it halfway up Snowdon, so packed weight isn't an issue.
You're able to access your carport, it is undercover and has a hard (concrete) floor.


OK, you'll have to forgive me if I write this out as a list.... I'm just brainstorming here

KK's don't use large fuel (such as the paper bricks already mentioned), you are already gathering sticks, twigs etc and you can store them in your carport or indoors.

Fatwood/Maya sticks is ideal as a firelighter, but shouldn't be used as a 'main fuel' mostly because its expensive.

You're correct. All you'll need to light a small fire is a tinder (vaseline+cotton ball, rubber innertube, wood shavings, paper or WHY), kindling (little twigs up to pencil sized) and 'small fuel' (sticks)

The hole in the top of the KK will give you an idea how big its largest fuel should be (if you can't drop it in easily, its too big..... Pinecones are an exception though )

Using an 'Accelerant' such as baby oil, hand sanitiser, alcohol (Meths, Bio-ethanol), BBQ lighting fluid etc is just to make it quicker or more sure fire.

I've not owned a KK but some friends have, those would boil a full 'tank' of water in under ten minutes and use about a large handful of fuel to do it.


The VW chiminea is really cool and I wouldn't mind one,.
If you add a bundle of fatwood (or box of firelighters) and a small bag of logs like you can buy from petrol stations them your Bro. should have everything he'd need for a test burn.

[katilea]

Katilea:
As I understand it, you're going to be using your KK for emergency cooking because you're not comfortable with storing gas canisters in the house (storage outside is a problem due to access).
You're also not very mobile (especially when its very snowy etc) and so are very unlikely to take it halfway up Snowdon, so packed weight isn't an issue.
You're able to access your carport, it is undercover and has a hard (concrete) floor.


OK, you'll have to forgive me if I write this out as a list.... I'm just brainstorming here

KK's don't use large fuel (such as the paper bricks already mentioned), you are already gathering sticks, twigs etc and you can store them in your carport or indoors.

Fatwood/Maya sticks is ideal as a firelighter, but shouldn't be used as a 'main fuel' mostly because its expensive.

You're correct. All you'll need to light a small fire is a tinder (vaseline+cotton ball, rubber innertube, wood shavings, paper or WHY), kindling (little twigs up to pencil sized) and 'small fuel' (sticks)

The hole in the top of the KK will give you an idea how big its largest fuel should be (if you can't drop it in easily, its too big..... Pinecones are an exception though )

Using an 'Accelerant' such as baby oil, hand sanitiser, alcohol (Meths, Bio-ethanol), BBQ lighting fluid etc is just to make it quicker or more sure fire.

I've not owned a KK but some friends have, those would boil a full 'tank' of water in under ten minutes and use about a large handful of fuel to do it.


The VW chiminea is really cool and I wouldn't mind one,.
If you add a bundle of fatwood (or box of firelighters) and a small bag of logs like you can buy from petrol stations them your Bro. should have everything he'd need for a test burn.

brilliant, thanks! can you use conkers as fuel in the Kelly Kettle if can't find pine cones or will they just explode?

A friend has rabbits and has loads of these 'wood pellets' and can give me a free supply to get me started with fuel for it, would they work to drop down chimney to keep fire going as well as or in place of small twigs (if ran out of twigs!) or would I just place them in the bottom with cotton wool and vaseline to get the fire going? I'm planning on using a long handled lighter to light it

dropping thicker shorter twigs in would make it burn for longer then once you had got it going?

I think I've confused those maya sticks as just wooden sticks and they seem to be just for starting the fire not to leave in the wood burner once you've got it lit?

[Yorkshire Andy]

Your main issue collecting sticks is they have to be "dry" green twigs from live tree's will just make shed loads of smoke pops and sparks ...

As for the wood pellets it depends on what they are exactly...

Ive not got a kelly kettle but got a wood gas stove.. and im "lucky" enough to work in a timber yard

I found that wood shavings and bits of lath work well the wood gas stove you build the fire "upside down" with your tinder on top then kindling then bigger bits....

but the kelly in the bottom put your tinder (vasaline balls / shavings) then put a few smaller bits of wood on top light this lot put the kettle on and drop bigger bits in a few at a time as the fire grows add more:

This the woman in this video should give an idea even if the subtitles are crap due to her accent



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWIAXHIVcIA

[katilea]

Your main issue collecting sticks is they have to be "dry" green twigs from live tree's will just make shed loads of smoke pops and sparks ...

As for the wood pellets it depends on what they are exactly...

Ive not got a kelly kettle but got a wood gas stove.. and im "lucky" enough to work in a timber yard

I found that wood shavings and bits of lath work well the wood gas stove you build the fire "upside down" with your tinder on top then kindling then bigger bits....

but the kelly in the bottom put your tinder (vasaline balls / shavings) then put a few smaller bits of wood on top light this lot put the kettle on and drop bigger bits in a few at a time as the fire grows add more:

This the woman in this video should give an idea even if the subtitles are crap due to her accent



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWIAXHIVcIA

Thanks those subtitles are hilarious, (my sides are aching now!) apparently she got very lucky with Oliver Molden whoever he is, whilst thinking how to use the county cattle!!! and where do I find water Nymphs to pour in?? ..probably less confusing to turn the subtitles off and just copy what she does when I get mine!

[Yorkshire Andy]

i think im slowly converting mrs andy.....

i went home to spicy chicken stew on tuesday night....

[katilea]

i think im slowly converting mrs andy.....

i went home to spicy chicken stew on tuesday night....

cooker.jpg

cool! ...about the vaseline on cotton wool trick.. how much do I put on, just a little or coat the cotton wool in it?