Very easy...I purchased the stove already converted 2 years ago.

There is a large outdoor show here every year and one of the vendors sells these stoves for $60.00 which I thought was a very good price. I had talked to the vendor for quite some time and he told me that the stoves take about an hour or so for him to put together (excluding the purge time and paint drying time.) He also makes a couple of different models and also had a couple of larger drum stoves that I was interested in. At last year's show, I looked for his booth and could not find it so I am hoping to see him at this years show in March as I wouldn't mind getting a larger stove.

I wonder if he takes trade ins. The reason I asked is that I have a couple of propane cylinders that are nearing retirement age; that would make a nice recycling project.

For indoor home emergency I use one of these;

http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/Natural_Gas_Double_Gas_Boiling_Ring_with_FFD.html

to boil water I would use a Simplex No4 Kettle (the one with the built in heat exchanger base). The heat exchanger on the base of kettle makes all the difference in increase efficiency by a wide margin. The Esbit and Primus Etapower pots are also extremely efficient at transferring the heat to the water.

http://www.simplexkettles.co.uk/acatalog/Standard_Kettles.html

When using a standard 15Kg LPG bottle this will allow me to boil approx 1.25 metric tons of water.

I love the stove. It would be great for a big ice fishing shack. Also, I have an identical bow saw hanging on my garage wall.....I think :-)

Lots of good stove options here. Now for my two cents.

For a backpack portable (i.e. bug out on foot) stove, I'd choose the MSR XGK. Why? Well, for one thing it'll burn just about any liquid petroleum product known to man: Coleman Fuel, kerosene, jet fuel, Av gas, auto gas, diesel, fuel oil, naptha, etc. The first two will burn best, but the others will work. What fuels will be available in a bug out situation? Auto gas and diesel are widely distributed, and you can siphon from a gas tank as has been mentioned. Now the rougher the fuel, the rougher it is on your stove. If you're going to use non-standard fuels, they'll work, but make sure you've got a good maintenance kit. I would think the "Expedition" kit is the one to get.

The XGK has an excellent reputation (although no stove is 100%) as a "takes a licking and keeps on ticking" stove.

HJ

In cold weather, I would agree with you 100%, but if temps are only at freezing or slightly below, I would go with an alcohol stove. The reasoning is similar. The stove can handle a variety of types of alcohol, ranging from Everclear and high proof booze down to hand sanitizer. The basic stove is much lighter and is so simple a caveman can do it. Personally, I find that last characteristic very reassuring.

If you and I ever bug out together, we will be set for anything.

lol

Yeah, an alcohol stove is a good choice. Dead simple. No pump or anything to go wrong. For the weight and size of an alcohol stove, why not throw one in your kit.

I'm thinking that liquid petroleum fuels will be easier to find in a disaster/emergency. There's a gas station on practically every corner, and every vehicle's tank is a potential fuel source.

HJ