2011.3.31 - Another prototype

Need to find a piece of springy metal. Not sure if titanium works or not. Pre-shaped and drilled, you just need to roll it and voila, a wood gas stove. Of cause you need to make a few notches or tabs to hold the bottom grate(separate), and make sure your pot can sit inside the outer tube. All the vents, feeds, nozzles, stands can be pre-cut or pre-drilled.

This way you can make a fairly big wood burning stove easily and be able to pack it down and slide into the foam pad sleeve for your ultralight backpack. So far the most compact design I've ever seen is the bushbudy lite which can be nested inside a titanium pot. In that case, the stove's efficiency is sacrificed by reduced height (less gas wick/venturi effect) . The wood gas created is not much and you have to keep adding fuel.

2011.3.30 - Camp stove continued

It works ok.
Few more things need to be considered:

* 3 can nesting design and locking mechanism
* Possible foldable design to reduce volume
* Gas wick works as windscreen
* Collapsible wire hanger
* Integrated grate
* moss as insulation material between inner/outer wall
* forced air tube using milkweed stem?
* ...

Link to best/simplest design on youtube.
 

2011.3.29 - Goldfish @ Milne Dam

I will take any chance to walk in the woods. Having a running water makes my day even more lovely.

Beautiful day. I could hear the traffic from nearby streets but what I saw is totally different.

A goldfish? Don't think it's native to the rouge valley but who knows. Probably an escape from aquarium. The woods surprises you everything you walk into it.

2011.3.28 - wood burning stove

Always interested in wood burning stoves. There are many designs incorporate a few essential design ideas. Time to make my own? Some points:

• no fans, no need for batteries.
• fully contained fire, protected from elements.
• compact and light, work with different pots.
• wood gas and/or vortex preferred.
• multi-fuel and/or multi-purpose preferred.
• durable and field serviceable.

reference link: ZenStoves

2011.3.27 - Sunday stroll @ Seaton

 Looks like first spring maintenance's been done.

Take a closer look at the waterlines. It's been dropped a lot. Still no signs of green. The trail is keeping its silence, holding back its power beneath the frozen soil.

2011.3.26 - Hike Ontario certified hike leader course @ MEC

 Victoria memorial park

 Fort York park

Candle for the earth hour.

2011.3.25 - Time to pull out the bike

Going to MEC tomorrow, not wanting to park my car nearby. It's time to do a little cycling along the waterfront.

2011.3.24 - Bridge at Whitevale

 The flow is still fast, but the water level has since dropped a few inches.The peak of spring meltdown rush is over, I guess.

2011.3.23 - West Duffins Creek, from bridge over Hwy 7

Quite shallow from here. Big rocks sticking out of creek bed create a lot ripples.

2011.3.22 - Time for change?

Time for change? It's not just a slogan for those political opportunists it's a question one should always keep in mind.

2011.3.21 - Treadmill broke down

 Treadmill broke down this morning while I was running on it. When you turn it on, it revved ok. But as soon as you step on it, it just quits in a few seconds.

Took everything apart and found nothing wrong. After cleaning up the speed sensor and do a little adjustment, it seems to be working again, for now. We'll see how long it's gonna last.

2011.3.20 - Water scouting day

 Colin and Judith were at the steel bridge before 9am.

 Canoe and the river, the perfect match.

 Nice paddling down stream.

 A little ripple just add more fun.

 Off they went, and I drove down to the port union and waited them at the mouth of river.

 Spent some time walking along the river, found lots of tracks.

 These are familiar tracks to most of us.

 The mash at port union.

 Lots of birds, many red winged black birds.

 Here they are.

 After shuttled them back to the bridge. I went to west duffins creek to do some scouting.

 There was a debris dam/beaver dam combination near the west duffins mash.

 coyote tracks

 bridge over the creek at the mouth

 maples are making saps now. lick right off the tree, sweet!

Section of creek near 3rd concession rd. narrower and shallower then rouge river. Challenge!

2011.3.19 - Little Rouge River

 Nice warm weather. Stopped at little rouge river on my way home and took a little walk with my family.

 Anyone know the story behind this abandoned structure?

 My son is not always happy like this when I push him on the hikes.

 The river.

Great running water, plenty class II.

Although the river is shallow, the fast moving water can be very dangerous. The thing I fear the most are the strainers caused by fallen trees, it's hard to spot and almost impossible to get out without doing the wet exist. The water temperature is still critically low and cause hypothermia in just a few minutes. The other hazards like sweepers and river bank undercuts are easier to get around in this river.

2011.3.18 - An egg with twin yolks

Cracked an egg into my oats this morning and it was like this.

2011.3.17 - High water season, what's in your mind?

Walked in to the woods in search of some birch barks but didn't see any usable and it was too dark to go on. Here is part of the side trails of Seaton Hiking Trail near the Forest stream trail rd. We used to hop over the stream on the exposed rocks but not at this season of the year. What's in my mind? Maybe it's the right time for the creeking. Only a short time frame available during the whole year, and I really want some this year.

2011.3.16 - Audi A4 rear door window regulator

 As many European cars, Audi's designs often surprise me. In order to replace the window regulator, you have to take the it out together with the window glass along with the upper part of the door. It's a totally different way of thinking compares to its Japanese counterparts.

This is the rear door without window and the window frame. Be careful when you take the panel out. The 5 clips holding it down are very snug and often break when you pull it off. Luckily they are only $1 each from the Audi dealership.

2011.3.15 - Walnut, black or white?

It is a walnut tree.

But the question is: Is it a black walnut or a white walnut(butternut)?

During the winter, ID a deciduous tree isn't easy for a novice with only barks and twigs to examine. Hmmm, I guess it's a butternut. Well, the spring is right at the corner and the truth will reveal by itself.

2011.3.14 - Identify a tree on Pi day.

White Spruce