Wax Stove

[MCBushbaby]

So i had a bunch of used up candles sitting around and, not wanting to throw them away like most people would, I decided to reuse all the waste wax. Since all were differently scented, making another candle might not be the best idea. So I quickly decided to make a wax stove (yes, a candle stove on steroids).

Wax stoves, I theorize, are easier to use in winter when you can't find suitable tinder for the hobo stove or your canister/alcohol stove is acting up. Just light it like a candle and cook. All in one package, you don't have to worry about fuel bottles, stove priming, etc.

You can find all the pictures I took during the process here (http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/562853877yCKShT).

Instructions:

Collect and chop your waste wax into pea-sized pieces. They don't all need to be this small, but it decreases melting time. Remove any old wicks or impurities.
Cut the bottom off a soup can to serve as your stove container. I used the bottom 3 inches of a family sized Spaghetti-O's can.
Fill a skillet with 2" of water. heat to boiling.
Fill your stove container with wax pieces and place in the boiling water (make sure the water does not rise over the stove lip). You may need to place something heavy on top of the stove container to prevent it from floating or waning to one side. Add wax as necessary until liquid wax reaches within 1cm of lid.
While the wax is melting, cut a 8" strip of corrugated cardboard the height of your stove. Coil it tightly.
Once wax is melted, remove can from water and add cardboard coil. The coil will probably expand and not stay tight so use toothpicks or bailing wire to keep it in the shape you want. This will be your wick.
Leave to cool. I left it on the table for an hour.
Once cooled, the wax may slump lower than the liquid form. Add diced waste candle on top to fill in any gaps.
Light your cardboard. This may take some time as the cardboard will have absorbed wax and you'll need to burn it off before it catches.
Once caught, enjoy the heat!


And since I'm a gram weenie (:P), I weighed it. 183g. Might sound like a lot but that includes the fuel as well as the stove. Now, compare this to my "ultralight" pepsi can alcohol stove and fuel: 20g (stove) + 204g (fuel)... The candle stove weighs less! I have to test how long it'll boil a pot of water and how long the wax will last overall, but I think I have found another ultralight option that is easier to use!

[Rick]

Mitch - Nice job!! You can melt the wax/paraffin in the microwave. It's quicker and you have much less mess to clean up. Use a measuring cup so you have a pour spout. I just popped it in and hit high and kept an eye on it. Once you are done making your candle/stove, there will be a film of wax left inside the measure cup. Just run it under hot water and the wax will melt away.

[Ole WV Coot]

If I had a birthday cake it sure would be hotter than that. Great idea but what does it smell like? Would sure hate to get out in public smelling like a "sweety" to the guys.

[nell67]

What's wrong with smelling like a sweetie,Coot???

[MCBushbaby]

If I had a birthday cake it sure would be hotter than that. Great idea but what does it smell like? Would sure hate to get out in public smelling like a "sweety" to the guys.

I used a blueberry, raspberry and some kind of lavender candles. I'm not a smell expert but the stove scent is neither bad nor 'feminine'. My only complaint is when you blow it out, it creates a lot of post-burn wick smoke. That only lasts about 10 seconds though. It also creates soot while burning but that's to be expected

[crashdive123]

Nice job Mitch. Looks like it should burn pretty hot with the large surface area of you wick.

[Ridge Wolf]

I made a snow melter stove from an idea I got in a book somewhere... you know the one. It uses the same principle but I need to get one of the specified candles, ahh, newick I think as those are the only ones apparently that have the required circumfrance of the candle container for the groove at the bottom of the paint can. Hmm, go figure... I have looked for other containers and can't find any the same size.

[Rick]

Ridge - I'm sorry but I have no idea what you just told me. My brain is probably in idle. Can you post a pic?

[Ridge Wolf]

As soon as I take one with the digicam.. Been meaning to do that anyway...:D

[Ridge Wolf]

206

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208

Here is that snow melt stove I was talking about. I took a quart size paint can and cut the bottom out of it, cut vent holes (6 of them) on two sides of it and then put rivots on 4 sides (opposite each other) above the vent holes to hold the coffee can above the flame from the newick candle. I needed to put a sleeve around the rivots for stronger support so I used half inch pieces of auto fuel line and they worked out nicely. The candle (canister type, with three wicks) is to fit in the lid groove on the (now bottom) of the paint can and heats the coffee can which has snow in it. I have a large plastic mixing spoon which I got from Mrs. Ridge Wolf and cut that down to fit inside the coffee can for transport (not pictured). All that is needed is the candle. The whole apparatus fits inside it's own stuff sack and then into the backpack it goes. :D I'll carry this in the winter time when the snow flies up in the mountains here.

I got this idea and it is a copy of the one that is in 'Build the Perfect Survival Kit'... by McCann

[BraggSurvivor]

Ridge, when you fill the can with snow, how long does it take to melt the snow?

By the way, you need a lamb to knock that grass down in your back yard? :D

What color do you want?

[Ridge Wolf]

Ridge, when you fill the can with snow, how long does it take to melt the snow?

By the way, you need a lamb to knock that grass down in your back yard? :D

What color do you want?

That is an unknown factor as I haven't tried it... (I just made it last month and haven't had time to get up to the snow yet, nor order the candles). I just checked the book that I got the idea out of and it doesn't say how long it takes, only that a metal lid from an old tea pot (I used the original coffee lid) is used on the coffee can to melt the snow faster. The candle would be a newick 44 and the coffee can holds three of them in transport. I would imagine at this point that it really doesn't take that long once the can heats up.. there is a word of caution though.. and that is to melt a little snow in the bottom to water and then add more snow. Otherwise, you'll end up burning out the bottom of the can as the snow melts and creates an air cavity underneath it.

:D I thought goats did that... I got blackberry vines out there that I have been trying to get rid of for years... that area is slated for a rockery,waterfall and pond when I get around to it. However, Mrs. Ridge likes pigs.. so pink would be fine.. :D

[BraggSurvivor]

Sorry Ridge, pink one is slated for the grille tomorrow.

Cutting the grass is over rated anyways.

[Ridge Wolf]

Sorry Ridge, pink one is slated for the grille tomorrow.

Cutting the grass is over rated anyways.

I agree.. She told me to put the charger on one of the lawnmower batteries today.. lol. btw.. that is a one lb. coffee can in that stove. got to get those candle cans though..

[Ole WV Coot]

Guess your right Nell I am just an old sweetie cause all the women at the senior citizens' home seem to think so.

[Rick]

Ridge - Nice job!! Picture, thousand words and all that. Do you still have the lid for the paint can? Why can't you use the lid for the bottom of your stove ? You could place any type of candle you want on the lid and sit the stove over the top of it. It would still be compact and fit your carry sack. It would still be self contained.

I made one similar to that but I really like your design. It would make a nice emergency stove year 'round.

[crashdive123]

mitch - I'm thinking that the wick not being bound by wire will create more surface area burning at once, which in turn will produce a hotter cooking source. have you tried it binding the wick yet? If so, is there a difference in boiling/cooking times?

[Rick]

Mitch - I made a similar stove out of a shoe polish can and got about a 15 minute burn time. It's post 17 here:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1230&highlight=survival+stove

Crash - I had never considered binding the wick. Good idea. Thanks!!

[Ridge Wolf]

Ridge - Nice job!! Picture, thousand words and all that. Do you still have the lid for the paint can? Why can't you use the lid for the bottom of your stove ? You could place any type of candle you want on the lid and sit the stove over the top of it. It would still be compact and fit your carry sack. It would still be self contained.

I made one similar to that but I really like your design. It would make a nice emergency stove year 'round.

there is only about an inch clearance between the bottom of the paint can and the bottom of the coffee can I know I could use tea candles but one wick wouldn't get the can hot enough as fast resulting in wasted candle burn time. Also, that newick 44 candle is in it's own can and the top rim of the candle can fits into the groove of the paint can (where the original paint can lid fits in) and is weighted by the wax forming base stability. The candle wax and three wicks thus set below the bottom of the paint can creating more space. If I put as many as three tea candles on a flat bottom (paint can lid) they would block the vent holes and restrict the air flow in theory.

[Rick]

Make your own. You could use a shoe polish can as I did or some other small container. Use a wick (or multiple wicks) instead of cardboard. If you just want to melt snow then it should work just fine. I managed 15 minutes of burn time on the shoe polish can and 150F, which should be plenty for a couple of warm drinks. The shoe polish can will let you snuff out the flame by dropping the shoe polish lid on it. And, of course, it's reusable.

[canid]

you could even forgo the making if you where in a real pinch and just use the shoe polish in the can.

[Rick]

I had never thought about that, either. It's petroleum based so no reason it won't work. A lot a smoke, I would think.

[canid]

you never take a lighter to your shoe polish to soften it? if you're not creful, it ignites, and burns with a smelly, but otherwise clean flame [the kiwi stuff i use anyway]. suppose it smokes a tad when you put it out.

[Rick]

Never have. Never thought about doing it.

[canid]

even if the flame dosen't look smokey, i'm sure there's a fair bit of soot. i'll try it later.

[Ridge Wolf]

Didn't think of a shoe polish can.. Do they make those in 3 1/2 inch diameters?

[crashdive123]

Shoe polish burns well, don't know about the soot. Putting polish on a new pair of boots, I have always melted a bit and applied it (fills the grain much faster this way). Just lit a fresh can while sitting at my desk. Very tall flame, a bit of soot, should burn for quite awhile.

[crashdive123]

RW - the only cans I have are 2-1/2 inches. Not sure of the diameter of the larger cans.

[Ridge Wolf]

Shoe polish burns well, don't know about the soot. Putting polish on a new pair of boots, I have always melted a bit and applied it (fills the grain much faster this way). Just lit a fresh can while sitting at my desk. Very tall flame, a bit of soot, should burn for quite awhile.

Used to (warm) the polish a little with the old zippo after putting it on the boot for that added spit shine effect too... :D

[crashdive123]

Yep - nothing funnier (well maybe there is) than a bunch of guys - 80 or so - sitting around in bootcamp with their shoe polish cans lit. Kind of a candle light kumbya moment.:D

[Rick]

My cans are 3 inches and that includes the thumb lever to pry to the top off.

[crashdive123]

Hmmmmmm????? Gives me an idea (heads to workshop with shoe polish can). I'll report back.

[Rick]

And another plus is....if you carry the shoe polish you'll have the nicest looking muddy boots in the forest......:D

[Ridge Wolf]

Yep - nothing funnier (well maybe there is) than a bunch of guys - 80 or so - sitting around in bootcamp with their shoe polish cans lit. Kind of a candle light kumbya moment.:D

Ahh... the comeradery... best done in white boxers at midnight....:D

[crashdive123]

Started with small, empty can of shoe polish


Used hole saw to cut small hole in center (almost) of can lid. Cut thin strip of aluminum flashing.



Drilled small holes around the edge of lid. Stapled aluminum flashing to form inner wall. So many projects - so little time.



Assembled stove.



Placed on my hardware cloth base, surrounded by hardware cloth pot holder. Added about 1/2 ounce of alcohol. I need to re-do the inner wall for a better seal in order to get the flame to come out of the "burner holes" rather than center.

[Ridge Wolf]

Now, there is an idea crash.. I have seen that same idea made out of a soda pop can cut down to two bottoms (one over the other) with no hole in the center. As I remember, you lit the alcohol in the open bottom and put the other bottom over the top and closed it (or something like that.... probably just lit the fumes at the small holes around the edge..) Those are in production I think also. I'll try and make one of those instead of using a candle and see what happens. Thanks.

A person could probably do the same thing with an altoids tin. They make those with the hinged lid and one with the press lid also like a shoe polish can.

[crashdive123]

The Pepsi can stoves are pretty popular. I've found a few different designs on the net. I'm going to play around with some different ideas to see what works best for me. One of the designs that I've run across is what I tried to do with the shoe polish can. You can't see it from the pictures, but I've cut two little notches into the inner wall. This allows the alcohol to get outside the wall into the burner area. Once the temp rises enough, it should allow the vaporizing alcohol to "burn" through the small holes. In this one, I cut the inner wall to short - need to make a better seal to allow that to happen.

[Ridge Wolf]

Here ya go crash.. http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/penny.html

Aahh.. I see, there is more to it than just drilling holes in a can.:D Well, I'll try it and see what I come up with.

[MCBushbaby]

I can tell you quite a bit about the pop can alcohol stoves since I've make at least two dozen trying to get the fuel efficiency better. The best I can manage (with titanium pot, windscreen/reflector, and testing the distance between stove and pot) is 60ml(1/4cup) Methanol for 900ml (~4cups) cold water in 7min cavitation time, 10 min rolling boil (http://ourwilderness.freezoka.com/equipment_stovechezzer.html). It's rather disgustingly wasteful. I doubt the penny stove got 900ml+ to a complete boil with 40ml of fuel in less than 10 minutes... But not to be deterred into buying a $100 Superfly, I've begun a lengthy QA testing including these variables:

Distance from stove top to pot bottom
Diameter of wind screen/reflector wall
Draft in reflector (intake/exhaust)
Stove design (number of jets, size of jets, direction of jets)
Fuel used (Ethanol, Methanol, Denatured Alcohol)
etc


So I'll let you know which is the best design and setup in a couple months :)

[chiggersngrits]

good stuff mitch. i have been looking at getting one of the swiss army mess kits that comes with the brass alcohol stoves. that would also give me an excuse for having a couple gallons of everclear around," just for emergencies". keep us posted on your results.

[Rick]

Ridge - If you are interested in alcohol then look at the Trangia stove. The are small and incredibly cheap. I have one and I really like mine. It would probably fit your stove just fine. The big killer to alcohol is the wind but the design you have would resolve that issue. You can pick one up for less than $20. Just the basic burner.

http://www.climber.org/gear/images/TrangiaStove.jpg

http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com/trangia-westwind-stove.html

[crashdive123]

Thanks Ridge Wolf - I now have another design to add to my list.....and a reason to drink a pretty good quality beer.

[Ridge Wolf]

Isn't Everclear that high potency stuff that transcients used to get downtown? Comes in a pint bottle as I recall.

[Ridge Wolf]

Thanks Rick.. I'll look into that. I have a small single burner stove made by exponent that screws into a pressurized fuel can but it is always good to have a back up...

I am also looking for a small coffee pot. about 3 inches across by 4 inches tall with the basket and perk innards. I'll probably have to look on the net as I can't find one that size locally. It is for coffee while I build a real fire.. :D

[Ridge Wolf]

Crash... Guiness... invite me over.. BOB.:D

[Ridge Wolf]

Today, I tried making a small alcohol burner by using an altoids tin can.. didn't work.. but it had design problems... Duuhh.. read the plans for one before attempting this on your own... I overdrilled and the rubbing alcohol (not a good fuel but ok for testing) ran out the bottom and all over the bench.. easy cleanup as I just burned it off.. but?? never try this at home..:eek:

[Rick]

A little larger than you want but....

http://www.rei.com/product/401153

Of course, if you want to be vogue, you would need to carry a French coffee press, a grinder and/or an espresso maker....all specially made for the backpacker.

[bulrush]

Regarding flame/heat efficiency: I've been told the hottest part of the flame is the top of the inner flame. A match flame has an outer orange flame, and inner whiter flame and the hottest part is the top of the whiter inner flame. I would imagine an alcohol flame has something similar but I never noticed it before.

[Alpine_Sapper]

Regarding flame/heat efficiency: I've been told the hottest part of the flame is the top of the inner flame. A match flame has an outer orange flame, and inner whiter flame and the hottest part is the top of the whiter inner flame. I would imagine an alcohol flame has something similar but I never noticed it before.

Some pretty good information regarding flame, color, and temperature, and the why of it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame

A good example of what you are referring to regarding non-luminous flames can be found on this page:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060819211223AAMksEE