This stove is about as easy as it gets. It can be stored in a web gear pouch, starts without any hocus pocus, no base plates, no prayers or incantations. It will take the average person about ten minutes to build one when the have the 4 necessary pieces to make it.
This is not a completely original idea either. I once saw a stove similar to this made from an Altoids tin, but worked much less efficiently since the fuel had to be wicked in from the rectangular corners to the center to burn. I am sorry, but I do not know who to credit with the original idea.
The Pieces to make the Dragonfire Stove
1. Perlite from a Frank's Nursery (or any other nursery for that matter)
2. A Dragonfire gum tin (or other tin with the lip turned into the can).
3. A piece of aluminum screen to hold the Perlite in the Dragonfire can.
4. Sharpie or other indelible marker to trace the screen size for stove.
To build;
Take the lid off the can.
Turn the bottom part of the can upside down.
Lay it on the piece of aluminum screen.
Trace around the can with a Sharpie or other pen.
Cut out the round pattern from the screen.
Turn can bottom back rightside up.
Pour Perlite into the can bottom until slightly over full.
Push the screen into the can bottom and under the turned in lip.
Flatten screen into place while lightly crushing Perlite.
Flip stove over a waste basket and tap out crushed excess Perlite.
You are done.
Using the Dragonfire Stove
Take the stove outdoors.
Remove the lid from the stove.
Put in a small amount of alcohol (couple of Tablespoons to start)
Light the alcohol
You are cooking.
Controlling the Heat with a Dragonfire Stove
Take a piece of aluminum foil larger than the diameter of the stove.
Tear a hole about 3/4 in. dia in the center of the foil.
Put the foil over the unlit and fueled stove, and crimp foil around can.
Light the hole in the foil, and you can now simmer, for quite long periods of time.
If you are interested in a windscreen cup holder for this stove, click here for how to build one. It will work for the Dragonfire stove, the Mini-Photon stove and the Trangia stove.
This page last updated by KF8GR 12 Apr, 2004