How to make an alcohol stove
- Thread starter soggybottomboy
- Start date
I used a design I found online- super cat I think? ( http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/SuperCat/index.html ) Anyway, here are some pictures... cat food can, smaller pop top cat food can, bottom cut from another small cat food can, and some pop rivets. I used a regular paper hole punch for the holes.
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The Foster's can (like I needed an excuse to buy one) made a good water container. I was most interested in finding out how long/how much fuel it would take to boil 8 oz. water for a dehydrated meal. Overall, the little stove did well.
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There was a breeze blowing to the left, so I played around with a wind screen made from aluminum valley roll- can't find any pics of it assembled, but it is the piece of sheet metal in the background... windscreen V 1.0 was the wood blocks- careful, those burn. The sheet metal shield did lower the time to boil the water, but it's one more piece of stove to keep up with.
I tried a couple different fuels- 91% Isoproply alcohol, HEET in the red bottle (it is methanol- careful with that stuff), and I have a little bottle of Golden Grain, but I haven't tried it yet (in the stove that is)... I have some time and temperature readings for each fuel- I'll have to try and find the envelope it's written on. I remember it took about two tablespoons of Isoproply alcohol to boil 8 oz. of water. I also remember that the stove was more efficient burning one tablespoon completely, then refilling with the second tablespoon and relighting. I had boiling water in just under 10 minutes IIRC.
[Broken External Image]:
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The Foster's can (like I needed an excuse to buy one) made a good water container. I was most interested in finding out how long/how much fuel it would take to boil 8 oz. water for a dehydrated meal. Overall, the little stove did well.
[Broken External Image]:
There was a breeze blowing to the left, so I played around with a wind screen made from aluminum valley roll- can't find any pics of it assembled, but it is the piece of sheet metal in the background... windscreen V 1.0 was the wood blocks- careful, those burn. The sheet metal shield did lower the time to boil the water, but it's one more piece of stove to keep up with.
I tried a couple different fuels- 91% Isoproply alcohol, HEET in the red bottle (it is methanol- careful with that stuff), and I have a little bottle of Golden Grain, but I haven't tried it yet (in the stove that is)... I have some time and temperature readings for each fuel- I'll have to try and find the envelope it's written on. I remember it took about two tablespoons of Isoproply alcohol to boil 8 oz. of water. I also remember that the stove was more efficient burning one tablespoon completely, then refilling with the second tablespoon and relighting. I had boiling water in just under 10 minutes IIRC.
Hmm... Well, A useful item if I run into a supply of alcohol in a SHTF situation. Carrying ANY liquid fuel on a forced move seems like it would be a problem. That's why i was hoping it worked for gas, may be scavenge that easier. But definitely a good item to be able to make and use.
That's right... light it, wait for the alcohol to begin to boil, then put the can of water on top- It's supposed to burn the alcohol vapors produced by the boiling liquid. The isoproply (pictured) was extremely dirty- the HEET was much cleaner and more of the gas stove flame you would expect, but it was invisible in the daylight, so I didn't take a picture. You could see cone shaped distortions from the burning methanol- just have to trust me on that one.
I should try the grain alcohol at dusk... I expect the grain alcohol would be clean burning but safer to handle than methanol. In low light I should be able to get a picture of blue, cone shaped flames.
There's a balance to be struck between the amount of alcohol vapors vs. air volume in the can. Of course, the holes in the side make a difference too.
they work well i've got a friend that uses one
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they work well i've got a friend that uses one
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they work well i've got a friend that uses one
