Question about the Ion...

[Tbone937akabigD]

Hey first off, I wanna let ya know how much I appreciate the great stove info on your site. I'm now a convert from ancient history Coleman whitegas stove to home-built stove+windscreen+pot stand+snowpeak titan set (3 that is ever so popular here)+titanium spork coming in at less than 10oz. Pretty nice.

However, I don't quite understand the technical drawings (or pictures for that mater) surrounding the ion design.

Is it basically the same design as the previous pepsi can and v8 stove designs with new burner hole positions?

And what is the reference to the notches that must be made to allow for a small leak? I believe I'm refering to the three 1/16 inch deals that are shown (in a quite odd position from my understanding) in the drawings. Are these the slits that previously went in between the fuel chamber and vaporization chamber on the pepsi can stove? As in on the inner metal wall...?

Does the ion even have a inner metal wall? I cannot (despite plenty of effort) see in the drawings or the pictures if there is an inner wall... or is it just that simple: 2 x 3/4 inch can bottoms put over each other?

Is the fiberglass (that I have heard refered to mostly in scout's posts about the one he ordered from you) in the inner chamber (like a pet food can stove?) or in between the outer wall and ?inner wall? like the v8 design?

Any information you can give to help this country boy engineer in the making understand would be very much appreciated. And I pretty much need to hear from anyone and everyone asap due to the fact that I'm flying out for my summer job in Yellowstone Natl. Park this friday.

Thanx again and don't think I'm doubting or criticizing ya design rock... just a bit confused.

D


ps - any good hike info for yellowstone (canyon area is where we are working but not only there) would be greatly appreciated... fishing too for that matter... I'm a bit of a bass/gulf of mexico fisherman and have never tried fly for trout at all.. like i said.. thanx again...
D

[SGT Rock]

Hey first off, I wanna let ya know how much I appreciate the great stove info on your site. I'm now a convert from ancient history Coleman whitegas stove to home-built stove+windscreen+pot stand+snowpeak titan set (3 that is ever so popular here)+titanium spork coming in at less than 10oz. Pretty nice.

However, I don't quite understand the technical drawings (or pictures for that mater) surrounding the ion design.

Is it basically the same design as the previous pepsi can and v8 stove designs with new burner hole positions?

I assume you are talking about the newer plans: http://www.ionstove.com/build.htm



And what is the reference to the notches that must be made to allow for a small leak? I believe I'm refering to the three 1/16 inch deals that are shown (in a quite odd position from my understanding) in the drawings. Are these the slits that previously went in between the fuel chamber and vaporization chamber on the pepsi can stove? As in on the inner metal wall...?


There is no inner wall on the current design. The three notches are on the version made from small drink cans to help get them to fit together easier.



Does the ion even have a inner metal wall? I cannot (despite plenty of effort) see in the drawings or the pictures if there is an inner wall... or is it just that simple: 2 x 3/4 inch can bottoms put over each other?

Just two cans




Is the fiberglass (that I have heard refered to mostly in scout's posts about the one he ordered from you) in the inner chamber (like a pet food can stove?) or in between the outer wall and ?inner wall? like the v8 design?

It is in the inner chamber. I don't use any on mine except in cold weather - and it is basically to help light easier.




Any information you can give to help this country boy engineer in the making understand would be very much appreciated. And I pretty much need to hear from anyone and everyone asap due to the fact that I'm flying out for my summer job in Yellowstone Natl. Park this friday.

Thanx again and don't think I'm doubting or criticizing ya design rock... just a bit confused.

D


ps - any good hike info for yellowstone (canyon area is where we are working but not only there) would be greatly appreciated... fishing too for that matter... I'm a bit of a bass/gulf of mexico fisherman and have never tried fly for trout at all.. like i said.. thanx again...
D

I hope that helped. Feel free to ask more questions if that is as clear as mud.

[Tbone937akabigD]

That did help... I guess I'll prolly just try to put one together.

So in a nutshell:

1. cut both cans 3/4 inch tall

2. pound bottom of fuel container can flat

3. make 1 inch diamater fuel fill hole in center of burner can

4. make 12 evenly spaced 1/16 holes in a 1 1/2 diamater circle

5. make 3 notches in fuel container to help slide inside burner can

6. slide burner can over outside of fuel container can

7. place optional fiberglass wick in center compartment

That about it? Do I have the correct can on the outside? Seems like there would be less of a leak situation with that setup.

Thanx again...

D

ps - on a side note : what is your key to getting the cans to slide together easily? I have tried freezing the inner can and heating the outer can to aid the assembly with no luck whatsoever. I almost always get a dangerous crimp in the inner can when sliding pepsi-can stoves together... sometimes causing a leak and a very inefficent final product.

[SGT Rock]

I was never very good at getting two cans together easily. Recently Skittles showed me a trick that takes three cans. Cut the top can and the bottom can, and keep the third can full. Cool the top can. Heat the bottom can with something like a MSR Whisperlite and while it is hot, use the full can to slide into it and stretch it. Once you have that done, the cool can for the top should slide in. It works for soda cans, but I haven't tried it on the juice cans for the Ion - I can only assume it works for now.

[Tbone937akabigD]

I'll give that heating thing a try... might gimme an excuse to fire up ye old coleman stove for a bit. Might just try some plyers and the flame from one of my hotter stove builds.

So my series of construction steps was correct for the ion?

It really is just a chamber for combustion? Amazing that that should be so efficient.

D

I hope those steps were right... or at least close...