Esbit trekking cook set or build my own.

[Quick Cal]

Hi all. First post. Just getting set up for motorcycle camping and backpacking.

I'm trying to piece together a cook set on a budget. I like the looks of the esbit trekking set. I can get it to my door for $45. Not bad. But would like to save a little if possible. Only bad thing is the stove part has some not so great reviews. It has reports of 8-12 minutes, or longer to boil 2 cups of water with the alcohol stove. I could live with the 8. But much longer aint so great. I do like the duel fuel idea behind this.

http://www.campsaver.com/cookset-985-ml?gclid=CjwKEAjwkK6wBRCcoK_tiOT-zFASJAC7RArii08buFJWqYrdtxXL-25sNLtUqF4ts3YBiBewWN7VHxoC0d3w_wcB

Well then I could piece together my own kit. I must admit I'm a little nervous about building a alcohol stove. My Son did a basic cat can. He went to snuff it out with a larger can. It created a vacuum some how lifting the stove and spilling burning alcohol all over his foot.

I did just build the cat can/tomato paste can stove. Trying to decide if I want to go through with it just because of the price of the carbon felt. I priced out the rest of the set. By the time I buy the carbon felt, it's not tons cheaper than if I bought the esbit set. But I do like the DIY aspect of it.

I thought about the cat can with a Stanley cook set. While at walmart I seen this neat potential windscreen/pot holder. It's a bug candle,,,,lol. It's $6. I don't know if I could ever get all the stinky wax out of it. I'm sure it's aluminum. Maybe I could just copy the idea. I have it in my mind that I want a more stable platform for the pot to sit on. I could put tent stakes through the slots in the windscreen. I could cut the screen so it could be stowed in the pot. And maybe make a little metal tab to reattach it. I'm not sure if it would roll up because of the cone shape. Maybe. Maybe not. Just thinkin. And then I could add some kind of a cup to the bottom of the Stanley.

Any thoughts as to which would be the best way to go. Or tips for piecing together my own set. Thanks

Here's what I'm looking at piecing together.

[zelph]

I say piece together your own kit...it's more "personal"

Will one esbit cube boil 2 cups in the stanley pot?

too much wick sticking up in the fancey feast stove

[realityguy]

I usually just use fiberglass cloth for my stoves instead of carbon felt or other cloth,lasts forever and cheap(boat repair cloth,bondo auto repair cloth usually 4oz fiberglass cloth)..Make your burner even with the top of the outer metal rim.Add plenty holes to the inner pot stand top edge portion and you can use an esbit inside there,can't you?..multipurpose.If it was me..and you are using a separate potstand support(about 3/4-1" above the burner)..I'd make another smaller burner out of a small travel aluminum shaving cream cans(with rolled up fiberglass cloth inside...to place in the middle of the inner liner of your outer burner to use for "simmer mode".The inner burner will self light when the outer burner goes out under the pot..once it finally receives oxygen..and probably burn LOW for another 30-40 minutes per ounce of heet.
If your pot is too high above the stove..both burners can burn at once..if you have it the range mentioned above,your stove can self light the simmer burner and burn at a steady rate only on the outer one..until it gets holes in the flame curtain..and lights the inner one.
Most of the stoves I make for myself are two stage ones because I'm just lazy. .I light it and just let it burn with about 2oz of fuel(about 1oz each burner section)I don't measure fuel..unless it is in smaller bottles,usually just carry a yellow bottle of heet..12minute of maximum boil time(get the meal/noodles cooking) and 40-50 minutes for finishing a meal and hot water for coffee/doing dishes after.
Rolling fiberglass cloth...cut a 4" wide strip and fold both loose edges towards the middle..fold in half and then roll the 1" wide strip up with the loose edges INSIDE the roll.It stays together a lot better that way..no loose edges to unravel..easier to handle..
Your citronella oil candle I think will usually evaporate if you light it and burn down to nothing on its own..just light it and let it clean itself out.You'll need a secondary row of air holes around at least half of the bottom edge..Turn away from the wind for an even burn.
For windscreen..I watch garage sales and thrift stores for the old corrugated strip of aluminum 4" wide garden edging..paper punch rolls of holes down each edge of the 25' roll..cut off what you need..and you can hang your tent pegs across the top holes.

[zelph]

Your dual burner is a "classic" DIY winner. Very nice design!