Sunday, May 21, 2017

Two alcohol stoves


The one on the right is all titanium made, much lighter and the fire is stronger, as you can see there are another set of holes in the outer rim.  The one on the left is heavier, but the fire is smaller, it comes with an adjustable cap making it more versatile, its stand is also bigger so that you might use a bigger pot.


I have tested this titanium model and the inner holes will be ignited after two minutes or so, and the outer holes will be ignited after around five minutes.  Filling 2 fl oz of alcohol will burn up to around 20 minutes, enough to boil water including the food inside, for example, noodles with my titanium pot.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

尋回憶...

今早突然諗起一首歌,這首歌應該係八十年代,出現係學校音樂書,即係上音樂堂時既歌。

我差不多記得晒啲歌詞,曲呢我估記得晒,但因為最後幾隻字無歌詞,所以可能係我老作返都未定。

歌詞我估係後期老作,所以 google 唔到...  但都幾有心機寫,有少少意境又少少押韻,有貨交咁喇...

至於曲呢,我估係日本民謠?都幾日本 feel 咁...

今日寫低啲單音,是但彈出嚟,其實都彈錯咗少少,但夠 demo 就算,反正我都係想搵首原本既出嚟唧...





詞:

花兒飄著芬 芳,隨風輕擺動
古堡悄悄藏林中,四處野草叢
月色朦膿清風送,幽靈低聲訴
回憶昨日好時光... (唔記得)

曲:



原來係叫「荒城之月」

Friday, May 5, 2017

Titanium gas stove BRS-3000T

I have given up my first gas stove since it's a bit too big.

Then I have bought a very small one with fire starter... It's very light, not very robust, but certainly good enough for many purpose. Don't expect it to take a big pot, however.

If I need to use a big pot, I will go for my white gas stove (白電油爐) which could also be used with gas.  Therefore, the smaller gas stove is reserved for trips with hiking.

For that purpose, I wanted something lighter, and maybe even more solid and stable.  So, titanium stove would fit the bill well.  Below you could see their weight, the original with a fire starter is already very small and light weight.  But then the titanium one is even smaller and a few times lighter!

 

  

The energy output is very respectable too, the ultimate portable gas stove.


Replacing a broken screen for a tablet

It was dropped to the floor as my daughter said, less than 3 months new... The SD card slot was damaged and the card inside was bend and broken too.


taobao is a great source, and to my surprise, such a big screen is actually quite cheap, cheaper than most mobile phone screen!


Before the replacement.


The seller was nice enough to request for an image of the back of the tablet, so as to ensure everything works well.


Make sure that it could be turned on...


The disassembly is easy, much easier than replacing the screen of a mobile phone.


Pulled out the components... the connectors were quite big and so it's not difficult at all.


Q.E.D.


酒精爐重量

The first one is made of brass, heaviest, features a screwed cap so that remaining alcohol could be saved inside for next time.


The second one is made of Aluminium, lightest, this is an optional part of a wood gas stove. When we don't want to burn wood, or we don't have wood to burn, this could be nice as contingency.


The third one is made of titanium, not exactly the lightest, but it's robust.  There are volume marking inside so that we can accurately control the amount of fuel to reduce wastage.


Alcohol strove is slow, but we can always bring more than one.  If we use a gas stove, we need more gas canister at the same time.  Similar problem with a white gas stove (白電油爐), but for alcohol stove, the stove holds the fuel too.  This is yet another edge for the alcohol stove.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

露營煮食爐

我認我係好易會上癮既人,呢篇野好長,寫既係關於露營煮食爐,包括 gas、白電油、柴同埋酒精。

近年我再次投入露營活動,因為人生階段既轉變 (難約人,難夾時間,而事實上,香港假日已經不太適合露營,人實在太多了),我甚至開始一個人去露營,所以不再像以往,可以靠朋友提供某些用品,例如煮食爐。短短幾年,我竟然試齊了差不多各種煮食爐,在此簡單分享。

露營煮食爐,主流肯定係 gas 爐,因為佢方便易用,火力足夠亦容易調校,大中小火都可以,燃料和爐頭又容易買。Gas 爐的燃料,當然係 gas 喇,而 gas 主要可以分做高山氣 (下圖橙色) 同埋邊爐氣 (國內叫長氣罐),外觀睇包裝唔同,但其實內涵都唔同既。


邊爈氣容易買,價錢也比較平,但一般都需要轉接頭,才可以用在露營爐頭上。轉接頭可以算係有兩種 (款式其實超多),一種如上圖,基本上是個小三腳架 (一體式),而另一種,就係一個厚身金屬環 (分體式)。我個人覺得三腳架呢種比較好,因為可確保邊爐氣樽的方向正確。三腳架呢種用於一體式,而另一種就係分體式用。

話說原來邊爐氣樽某一方一定要向上,這是關乎氣樽內部結構,而放置不當呢,其實係會影響氣化過程,少則燃燒不穩定,嚴重有可能會出意外... 若果方向不正確,會令液化氣體未被適當氣化時,就突然湧出,造成突發性既火力增加,情況可大可少架。

厚身金屬環那種屬於分體式,即係有條氣喉既... 當然,我都見過人玩野,將個接環直駁氣樽同埋爐頭,結果個爐頭當然係高,仲係好高... 但點平衡呢?

高山氣就可以直接用,但價錢比較貴,又比較難買,要去露營用品店先買到。高山氣都分幾種大少(其實邊爐氣都有細支既,不過好少見),下面係中等 size,有一種再細支啲既,另一種就再高身啲,揀邊款就視乎用量吧!當然亦可考慮埋行程,帶上山行得遠,當然越細支越好喇!

響香港既營地,咩氣都無分別,無需要特別追求高山氣。高山氣當然係較適合高山使用,但香港最高既山都唔使咯。另外,高山氣罐一般可以塞埋入個煲度,佔背包空間較細。但我通常會塞個水煲入個煲度,所以對我嚟講無大分別。當然,有時懶起嚟,我都會唔帶水煲,而直接放隻鈦杯上去煲水,咁又另計喎... 唧係咁,千變萬化,自己諗喇!


Gas 爐有好多種,下圖有個好似個蓮花咁既,有埋內置風擋,又有電子打火,都係幾十蚊,好似幾好咁喎!佢屬於分體式,有條氣喉接駁氣罐,而有款差唔多既,就無咗條氣喉,變成一體式直駁入爐身。呢件野既問題係,佢其實都算係重、又大件,所以我已經放棄咗佢了。

我又試過用下面既,即係簡單既一個爐頭,無風擋,連個 stand 都無,用高山氣就靠氣罐做 stand,即係一體式;若用邊爐氣呢,就要靠個 adapter 做 stand... 當中左邊大少少既,有埋電子打火,而右邊既呢,超細呢個,係全鈦金屬,無電子打火,又輕又細,重量不及右邊既三份之一!

呢度要提一點,電子打火呢吓野,其實唔太信得過,最好都係要帶多個火機。打唔著你都無仇報,當然,借火其實都幾易,但荒山野嶺都搏唔過 (假日除外,因為實有人)!

右邊呢兩個既係一體式,若果接邊爐氣罐用,就要用有三腳架那種轉插。


Gas 爐幾乎唯一唔既好處,就係每次露營都會產生空氣樽,而空樽亦難以回收,實在太唔環保了。你熱愛大自然先露營唧,當然要考慮環保問題!再者,有啲人怕重,回程時未用盡既氣樽,就會掉咗佢,令成件事更加之唔環保。最簡單既解決辦法,當然係送俾人,又或者帶返屋企下次再用。但無論如何,最後空既氣樽,你都係會揼咗佢。

坊間有工具可以 refill 高山氣罐,但這做法相當危險,個人不太建議。坊間亦有人教點樣放清啲氣,然後打個大洞,再攞去回收,但呢點同樣有相當危險性,個人亦不太建議了。

正因為咁,我就開始玩白電油爐。電油爐既燃料樽可以重用,所以無咗呢個棄置空樽既問題。用晒啲電油,就倒返啲入去,就係咁簡單。當然,一體式電油爐要小心,加電油時要確保個爐熄咗火,仲要冷卻了,才可以加,唔係搶火就大鑊!分分鐘唔係燒著,而係爆炸咯。
 


白電油可以在五金鋪買(有賣油漆既,或者大間啲既就應該有)。五金鋪買白電油,一般分樽裝和罐裝,個人強烈建議買罐裝既。因為樽裝其實係分銷拆細既方法,老闆用舊既啤酒樽分拆,但清潔情況成疑,電油有雜質呢,就可能會塞爐頭,係就大鑊了。話說塞電油爐並不是甚麼奇事,而大部份電油爐都有附送清潔工具,或甚至有士啤油咀添... 你知咩事喇咁...

而成罐呢買呢,不單係平啲,而且比較乾淨,塞爐機會大減,當然香港有土地問題,買一大罐呢,分分鐘幾年先用得晒,佔地方之餘,亦有一定危險性,話晒都極易燃物品丫嘛。



論火力,電油爐係最猛火既,佢絕對拍得住屋企既煤氣爐!電油爐用起嚟亦唔太多便,首先要加壓,有啲仲要預熱 (所謂唔使預熱,其實意思都係唔使分開一個工序架咋),要氣化過程穩定咗,先至可以開始煮食,否則會燒黑煲。

電油爐開爐時 (預熱階段),火勢比較難控制,有時出燃料太多,會燒到好高,如果在天幕下就要加倍小心,因為有時有機會燒到都未定架。當氣化過程穩定後,電油爐會產生相當大聲浪,有人誇張到話傾唔到計,其實又未至於既,但就真係幾大聲。大排爐既爐,又或者街邊推車仔既爐果種聲浪...

論燃料費用,電油爐幾乎最平,但當然柴爐係更平喇。

電油爐火力最大,最適合一班人打邊爐;但另一方面,如果一個人用,電油爐火力可能會太大,較到最細都仲太大,會沾底,如果用嚟煮飯,難度會相應增加。如果用鈦煲就更唔適合,分分鐘連個煲都燒到變形。電油爐比較難熄得細 (唔覺意熄埋火),細極都仲相當大咯。我估計呢點係因為佢要保持足夠熱力,去氣化啲電油吧...

電油爐都分一體式,同埋分體式,有啲分體式電油爐,可以用 gas 都得架,實行一爐兩用,有咩燒咩。分體式加油時,因為結構問題,火就一定熄咗架喇;但一體式呢,就要小心,千萬唔好著住火加電油,因為電油揮發性極強,咁搞法會搶火!

電油爐有唔少缺點,主要係會塞爐頭,又難用,聲大大,火力亦偏大,唔容易較細火,所以比較少人用。

說話某次我就係因為塞爐,結果只能夠燒柴,而呢次亦燃起我玩柴爐既興趣。

燒柴感覺更原始,而亦沒有棄置空樽既問題。燃料就地取材,亦省卻了帶燃料既重量。燒柴最大問題係會燒黑煲,而且煙比較大;而執柴同埋 keep 加柴,亦係額外既工夫!當遇上雨天或潮濕日子,更加無法可燒。

燒柴當然可以就咁燒,但煙會好大,而且煲會超黑,極難清潔!我果次突發燒柴就係咁,洗我一鑊金,但無辦法喇,好過餓死,或者取消行程丫嘛...

但...其實有特定既柴爐,可以讓柴燒得更加完整,減少黑煙,燒黑煲情況亦會無咁嚴重,清潔工夫亦因而大大滅少。其中一種係柴氣爐 (wood gas stove),簡單嚟講,呢種爐除咗燒柴,仲會利用空氣對流原理,燒埋大部份既煙,同時又增加熱度,減少黑煙。黑煙或者燒黑煲,其實係燃燒唔完整所致嘛 (incomplete combustion)...


上圖最右邊那張,就見到柴氣被燃燒既情況,啲火呢,係由旁邊既洞燒出嚟,狀似燒 gas 咁架 (因為真係燒 gas 嘛!)。柴氣爐既最大特色,其實係火從上而下燒,啲火一方面加熱個煲,另一方面,又藉熱力逼啲柴既水份同埋汁液出嚟,熱空氣上升,帶動鮮風從爐底上升,扯埋啲柴既煙向上,再被燃燒一次,連啲氣化既汁都燒埋,藉以滅少黑煙,減少 incomplete combustion,咁就無咁黑煲,同時亦增強熱度,一舉兩得!


柴氣爐既火力其實都可以唔錯,只要有優質和比較乾身既柴。燒柴其實感覺非常良好,一方面多啲野搞,在野外幹下慢活,享受過程,又可以發洩吓細個時想玩火既慾望!如果時間充裕,天氣又許可,其實我最鍾意用柴爐咯。

講開柴,其實一地都係,樹底下已經大把,千萬唔好劈樹...再者,新鮮木都唔好燒喇,其實仲犯法添。樹枝唔使大枝,因為大都放唔入,細細枝,排靚佢,勁好燒。開始時,可以加啲乾葉入去,好快就搞掂。

柴爐最大問題係燒黑煲,同埋受天氣影響。柴爐俾人感覺係唔環保,因為燒既時候有煙!但其實呢,植物生長時,會從環境吸收炭,而燃燒時,只係將啲炭釋放返出嚟,其實算係零和喎!再者,生物燃料係屬於可再生,總好過化石燃料!燒柴亦有相當驅蚊既作用。

如果要燒柴呢,建議帶把芭焦扇 (廢青扇),可以幫助燃燒得更好更旺,起火時亦極度有用。坊間有柴火發電爐,佢地內置風扇,不過就幾貴咯,我未玩過...

最後講埋酒精爐,其實我估計,大部份資深露營友都係用酒精爐既,或者 gas 爐。


酒精爐當然係燒酒精,而燒既係工業火酒。燒消毒火酒唔係唔得,但因為酒精成份較低,而且價錢又較貴,燒黑煲之餘,又火力細,何必呢?

工業用酒精,可以去五金鋪買,叫「士力水」,同白電油差不多價錢,好似仲平過白電油啲啲,以容量計其實係平過白電油,但因為每單位含既能量較低,所以其實係貴過白電油。

酒精爐既原理好簡單,所以好多人用汽水罐嚟 DIY,但為咗耐用啲,建議都係買返嚟喇。用法非常簡單,首先倒啲酒精入去,然後點火,完。

但過程是咁的:當酒清燒著了之後,酒精因著熱力而會慢慢被氣化,然後氣化了既酒精呢,就從酒精爐既氣孔上升,然後再被燒著,因為氣化咗,所以會燒得更快更好,火力亦加大了。

酒精爐既火力係最細,但又算係完全靜音 (除咗燒完熄果下會有聲);缺點係燒完之後,要攤凍返先可以再加燃料,然後又要再點火。若果未熄火,又或者未夠凍就加燃料,分分鐘會搶火,咁就慘慘豬!搶火係會爆炸,唔單止係燒得猛,唔係講笑既!呢個亦係酒精爐既最大風險,初學者務必小心。尤其係日間好難睇到有無火架,因為個火主要係深藍色。頹就搵手感覺有無火,認真就搵條幼樹枝,或者枯葉放埋去,睇吓會唔會燒著。



酒精爐火力弱,每次添燃料只可用大約三十多分鐘,加燃料亦不容易 (上面解釋過),所以屬於係自私爐... 因為火力弱,所以也不宜打邊爐,一個人慢食除外。

話雖如此,高手們能把壞處化為好處。舉例,酒精爐燃料雖然要常添加,但卻可以精準控制,所以有人鐘意用佢嚟煮飯,因為只需要固定了燃料份量,等佢燒乾了一轉,然後自然會熄火,之後唔使理佢,尤得佢再焗一陣,就剛好煮得完美。

酒精爐簡單,所以亦最輕便;佢火力細,亦適合配合鈦煲,不會易沾底,又不會燒壞個鈦煲。個人認為酒精爐同鈦煲實在係天生一對。

酒精爐好輕,又唔需要獨立燃料樽去運作,所以佢雖然慢,但你可以帶多幾個去架嘛,一樽燃料,倒入幾個爐,一齊煮,掂晒!你無得一樽 gas 幾個爐一齊用嘛,但酒精就可以了。


酒精爐結構簡單,分別在於材料、煲架同埋風擋。上面呢種算係煲架,勉強都有啲風擋既作用。


呢種呢,煲架就最簡單,只係兩片金屬片,唔用時可以拆出嚟,成件野放晒入個杯度!呢個係 titanium 料,所以極輕,佢重有兩圈出氣位,火力更大。

小結

咁用咩爐好呀?簡單答就  gas 喇!

行得遠例如要上山咁呢,我會用酒精爐,因為佢夠輕便,而行遠山亦唔會食得太複雜,火力亦不需要太大。

如果三五知己食大餐,gas 爐就最好喇...

如果大棚人,就電油爐喇,火力夠大,唔會餓親大家...

一個人逍遙遊,就用柴爐吧,享受全大自然生活...

If I can only keep one... that would be a gas stove.