alcohol stove thoughts

[danmc]

I've been thinking about alcohol stoves and making another and thought I'd bounce an idea off people here to see if anyone else has tried this and learned anything.

I'm currently using a penny alcohol stove made with the plans from http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/penny.html
I have no real complaints and will probably make another for some relatives but wanted to try something new too.

It seems that most of these stoves rely on getting the fuel hot by way of heat conducting through the metal. Aluminum is great for this because the thermal conductivity is quite high (this is why heat sinks for electronics use aluminum after all). But this also means it is fairly effective at a cold ground or cold air taking away that heat. I even came across one web page where someone mentioned he tried setting his lit stove on a block of ice and it immediately went out.

So what I'm thinking is something fairly similar to the penny stove but made with red bull or starbucks energy drink cans. Those are smaller diameter than normal 12 oz cans. Then I was going to wrap the stove with some sort of high temperature insulation like http://www.acehardware.com/sm-alpha-metals-non-asbestos-flame-protector-56850--pi-1290599.html for example. But maybe just some fiberglass insulation will work and that's much cheaper. Then the plan is to put the insulated stove into the bottom half of another can which is probably a 12 oz can for mechanical protection of the insulation.

In the end my vision is more or less a small version of the penny stove with built in insulation.

What I'm wondering is if this has the potential to get too hot internally or not. Or maybe it will just burn too fast to be effective at boiling water.

Anyone have any thoughts before I go ahead and try it out? It'll probably be a few weeks before I cut any metal so maybe I'll have some good ideas before then.

Thanks
-Dan (who really needed Yet Another Project)

[flandersander]

http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm


Check this out. Plenty of good info. As for the insulation, I think it would be a great idea. Great idea, but aluminum has a high melting point so overheating shouldn't be a problem. The question is will it just evaporate all its fuel in one burst? I guess you will just have to try it. I think I will try insulating one myself, if it works out for you.

[klkak]

I used my Jetboil all last winter and never had a problem with it over heating or not getting hot enough. Two fuel cans lasted the whole winter. We used it for coffee twice a day and lunch every day. I doubt I will ever mess with another alcohol stove.

http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Cooking-Systems/Personal-(PCS (http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Cooking-Systems/Personal-%28PCS))


(http://http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Cooking-Systems/Personal-%28PCS%29)

[bulrush]

A square of fiberglass insulation placed under the stove should work well. As should a ceramic tile. There are a few websites which mention that the alcohol stoves are difficult, or impossible, to use in very cold conditions (40F or less).

[klkak]

A square of fiberglass insulation placed under the stove should work well. As should a ceramic tile. There are a few websites which mention that the alcohol stoves are difficult, or impossible, to use in very cold conditions (40F or less).

Hence the reason I use a Jetboil!:D

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

try hemitite stones . a form of iron they absorb heat and quickly, they release it slowly. a liner of small stones may solve the problems.

[rebel]

I just made and tested the 1/2 penny stove. It works as advertised. I made mine from aluminum beer bottles. I don't see a real need for this type of stove. I think a wood burner would be better.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

I just made and tested the 1/2 penny stove. It works as advertised. I made mine from aluminum beer bottles. I don't see a real need for this type of stove. I think a wood burner would be better.

I dont know any thing about alcahol stoves, I use oil lamp/stoves my self.
thats not to say that they work better. with vegi oil you dont have explosive vapors. you can burn it and fry with it,or fry with it then burn it,... try frying frenchfries in alcahol! the oil lamp stove can use multiple wicks to provide as much or as little heat as needed, also you can use the lamp for light. this is a good example of an oil lamp stove..http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=16&pictureid=73

[crashdive123]

erunkiswldrnssurvival - do you have any pics of your lamps or stoves in action? I understand how oil lamps and stoves work, but in the pictures that you have posted I'm just not seeing it. Thanks in advance.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

up loading pics right now

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

erunkiswldrnssurvival - do you have any pics of your lamps or stoves in action? I understand how oil lamps and stoves work, but in the pictures that you have posted I'm just not seeing it. Thanks in advance.

Here is a CRAB lamp stove in action.... Notice that a layer of fine gravel heats the oil, and prevents the oil in the vessel from overheating or catching on fire, only the wicks will burnhttp://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/picture.php?aibumid=16&pictureid=113

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=16&pictureid=113

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=16&pictureid=114

[crashdive123]

Now I follow. Thanks for the pics.

[Wild Child]

I love alcohol stoves and we use them quite a bit. I'd love to see some photos of the stove you made danmc. I usually buy my alcohol stoves but I'd like to make one with my little boy... I think it would be fun.

[crashdive123]

Here's a thread with a few pics in it. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2260&highlight=alcohol+stove

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

Thoes stoves seem to be like mini jet engines! alchihaul with steroids. My oil stoves I may try one of thoes stoves but i'll take a Crab -n- oil with me too

[rebel]

Pics of my homemade stove:

[Rick]

Nice job. I love the 16 fl oz on the side! Nice fake out!:D

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

That is a nice job! I quess that I should catch up with the world and try building one of those

[crashdive123]

Good job Rebel.

[OldFart]

Lord I love alcohol stoves! They've become an addiction!

I've been using a cat stove burner with the Sterno stove for a number of months now. I use it almost everyday. I've tried the Sterno cans. There great for warming but aren't capable of really cooking something. If you just need to warm canned food they're great but for say frying meats the alcohol burners work much better. The one I've been using

http://site283.webhost4life.com/afmservices/trailgear/falk-rocket-cat-stove.htm

J. Faulks Rocket Cat stove works fantastic. It's a non-pressurized alcohol stove and is very quick and easy to light and use and since it is non-pressurized it should work fine even in the coldest of temps.

These stoves claim to be able to boil two cups of water in less than 4 minutes. Your mileage may very depending on circumstances. If for example your using the lightweight backpacking cookware the stoves will boil very quickly. Obviously if your gonna use an old cast iron pan the stove is likely to run out of fuel before completing the task. Takes a lot of fuel to heat all that cast iron. A wood fire is much better for cast cookware.

I find that I can fry 3 or 4 sausage patties and 3 eggs with about 1 3/4 to 2 fluid ounces of alcohol. I haven't timed it exactly but I lite it, dump in the sausage and roll a cigarette. By the time I'm done with the cigarette my breakfast is ready. It also does well for fry bread (bannock) and corn fritters.

Give one of these a try! It's cheap (made from cat food cans) to make and cheap to run. I found a couple of the Sterno stoves at a K-mart for $4.00 each. You can get the denatured alcohol from Lowes or Home Depot or any hardware.

Beware! it becomes an addiction!

Rick

[klkak]

I think I'll keep and use my Jetboil.

[crashdive123]

I'm a bit skeptical of the works fine in coldest temp claim. -20 will take its toll on an alcohol stove.

[OldFart]

I'll let ya know this winter Crashdive123. I've thought about throwing the fuel and stove in the freezer for a few hours and trying it but I don't think that is quite good enough. Anyway, from all I've read from some of the backpacking forums the non pressurized alcohol stoves are reported to work very well in the cold. We'll find out in a few months!

You might be right though! -20 is pretty cold and I hope I don't get to test it in those conditions!

Rick

[klkak]

I have an old "Optimus" stove that will burn almost any flammable liquid you pour into it. So I guess you could call it an alcohol stove if I had alcohol in it. I've used unleaded, white gas, diesel and naphtha in it but never alcohol. It is similar to the one in this picture.

[crashdive123]

I've got about 10 or so stoves hanging around. Some old, some newer, some home made. The only alcohol stove I've got is the little home made pepsi can stove. I suppose I could put alcohol in some of the multi fuel stoves - just never tried it.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

I have an old "Optimus" stove that will burn almost any flammable liquid you pour into it. So I guess you could call it an alcohol stove if I had alcohol in it. I've used unleaded, white gas, diesel and naphtha in it but never alcohol. It is similar to the one in this picture.

those are nice .

[klkak]

those are nice .

It'll boil water for coffee, heat up a can of chili and fry bacon. Unlike many alcohol stoves it will simmer. It's G2G.

[bulrush]

What is "G2G"?

[crashdive123]

good to go.....

[klkak]

Thanks for catching that for me Crash.

[Rick]

I've been looking around and finally found a supplier for the Swedish Trangia Cook set. The whole thing is $14.88 and the alcohol stove alone is worth that!

http://west.loadup.com/military/surplus/1999.html

You can find them all day long in the UK for L9.00 or L10.00.

[Runs With Beer]

I made 5 of these last week Different sizes, I have to say I think they work pretty good. every one I showed wanted one so I gave them away, Easy to make.

[Rick]

Oldfart - If you run into trouble with your alcohol stove not wanting to light when it's cold just hold the stove in you hands for a few minutes to warm up the alcohol. It should light okay then. You can also carry the alcohol bottle (flask, whatever) in your jacket next to you to keep it warm. The alcohol has to vaporize in order to burn and it will only do that when it is warm.

[tonester]

i know this is a really dumb question, but i have no experience with the pepsi can stove and i was wondering how do you put out the flame when youre done using it?

[crashdive123]

Aquious Film Forming Foam (AFFF) fire extingushier. If I don't have one of those, I just blow mine out - there are pretty Susceptible to the wind. After using them for a while you will get pretty good at using just the amount of alcohol that you need so that when the cooking is done, so is the fuel.

[danmc]

just wait for it to burn out. You're not putting that much fuel in these. What I'd recommend is you just try it out in your driveway a couple of times where you pay attention to how much water you're boiling and how much fuel you put in and you'll pretty quickly figure out whats the right amount to never need to worry about putting out the stove.

-Dan

[Gray Wolf]

Make your own, Stoves of all kinds!

STOVES:

1. Plumber's Stove
(& Fuel Bottle)
2. Shane Graber
Stove
3. Thomas' Stove
4. Fuzzy's Lil Stove
5. Perry's Alcohol
Stove
6. Perry's Solid-
Fuel Stove
7. Cat Stove
8. Kiwi Stove
9. Photon Stove
10. Bluet 206-mod.
11. SGT Rock
Windscreen
12. SGT Rock
Simmering
Soda Stove
13. SGT Rock
Turbo V8 Stove
14. Modified Esbit
15. Modified Trangia
16. Altoids Stove
17. Go-Torch Stove
18. Pop Can Stove
19. Convex Coke Stove
20. Jim Wood's Super Cat Alcohol Stove
21. Falk Wood Stove
22. Falk Cat Stove
23. Smity Camp Stove
24. Sheehan Stove
25. GOYA Stove
26. the FireLight Stove
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html

[tonester]

cool, thanks guys

[superior]

I build a modified version of the bill waite- penny stove It incorporates a thermal insulating cap on the bottom which uses air( an effective insulator) to prevent the problems you've mentioned. Mine also uses a cover to seal the stove completely, saving any un-used fuel. I use a combination of heineken cans and soda cans. I dont mean to brag but it's the best penny stove I've seen yet and I make them for my friends on request. My simmer ring provides a sterno flame that lasts for 45 min a a full tank.

[bulrush]

I've been looking around and finally found a supplier for the Swedish Trangia Cook set. The whole thing is $14.88 and the alcohol stove alone is worth that!

http://west.loadup.com/military/surplus/1999.html

You can find them all day long in the UK for L9.00 or L10.00.

Rick, This is the exact same kit I bought at http://www.cheaperthandirt.com.

When I bought it around 2005 they were $6.