What is a Good Container to Boil Water in?

[Firecraft]

I don't really want to buy anything. I tried getting a soup can and duct taping string around it about 5 times as tight as I could. So I had a soup can with string handles. I hung a wire through my fire pit and tried to suspend the can over the flame, but the strings broke off after a few minutes. Like I said I want one I can make at home without spending any money. I like to make things myself.

[your_comforting_company]

Couldn't you just use tongs to set the can in or very near the fire instead of using string for handles?

[crashdive123]

The soup can has a plastic liner - while not a big concern when boiling water - just make sure your can is full (so the plastic won't melt). Instead of duct tape, poke two holes near the top (on opposite sides) and make a large looped handle (bail) with a coat hanger. Another good "water pot" from a can - although I suspect you may be too young to purchase it - is a 24 ounce Heineken can. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...light=Heineken

[JPGreco]

You can use pretty much anything that can hold water to boil water and that includes plastic bottles and paper cups, its just a matter of setting it up properly.

I do have to giggle though that you used the wire as the hanging line and the string as the handles. As crash said, poke two holes, but run the wire through there and you will have something that will be pretty resilient.

[Sarge47]

1st, never use anything that can catch fire near an open flame, ok? 2nd, find a 1 lb. coffee can and a coat hanger. 3rd, gather your tools, an awl, a pair of pliers and some heavy-duty wire-cutters should do the trick. 4th without gouging yourself use the awl to poke two holes, opposite of each other right near the open top of the can. 5th, using the wire cutters, cut the coat hanger down to a good length. 6th, finally, use the pliers to bend the ends of the piece of coat-hanger to fashion a handle in the holes you poked. Now you should be the pride of any Hobo out there & ready to ride the rails.

Better yet, you could earn some green, go down to your local Wal-Mart & buy one of these:

http://www.walmart.com/search/search...h_constraint=0

the reviews are outstanding! If your Wally World doesn't have one they offer free shipping to your door if you order online! Don't give up on making your own, however. But at some point you'll need the proper gear!

[JPGreco]

1st, never use anything that can catch fire near an open flame, ok?

But you look so much cooler boiling water in something everyone else thinks will burn.... (though I would never boil water in plastic unless I absolutely had to)

The old coffee can may be the best DIY way though since it's a nice large container with a large open top.

[Firecraft]

Yeah boiling water in a plastic can frequently and drinking it will give you cancer eventually.

[Sam]

Take whatever can you want to use and turn it upside down in the fire and burn out the plastic. Then you won't have to worry about it.
-Sam

[Canadian-guerilla]

i wait until recycle day
then ride around on my bike and pick up a few #10 cans and/or smaller sized cans

make a fire inside a #10 can
set a smaller can ( with water ) inside on top of the fire/wood

have pliers ready to take smaller can out or use some bent bike spokes

[Rick]

Yeah boiling water in a plastic can frequently and drinking it will give you cancer eventually.

I'm not certain you can make that claim given all the variables involved. It certainly might and one could reason that it probably isn't good for you but I'm not sure you can make such a positive statement.

[hunter63]

Isn't the reason stainless steel water bottles are talked about so much, is to boil water in?
How about aluminum?

DW picked one up at the flea market a week ago, but it was painted alum..........?
I picked up a little Billy Pot, and that's stainless......does fit in fanny pack......but just.

[Rick]

It may not be painted. It's becoming more and more common for the interior of aluminum water bottles to be coated with a food grade polyester powder that is baked on. Folks are concerned about aluminum in direct contact with food and beverage so the industry is starting to use the powder. It's BPA free by the way. I have no idea what food grade polyester does to your innards.

[JPGreco]

well a stainless steel water bottle would be an excellent thing to have considering this is emergency prepardness sub forum and not the making stuff one. You could boil the water in it and leave it in it to trek with. A pot makes for a poor transport item when it comes to water.

Though in all honesty, there is so much trash spread around, you could probably find any number of containers with caps and just boil water in any metal pot and fill those for transporting.

[crashdive123]

Just a note for our young Firecraft....If you use a metal water bottle (or other metal container) for boiling water, make sure it is not double walled. Boiling water in one of those could cause the vessel to rupture - maybe violently.

[hunter63]

Just a note for our young Firecraft....If you use a metal water bottle (or other metal container) for boiling water, make sure it is not double walled. Boiling water in one of those could cause the vessel to rupture - maybe violently.

Good point, Thanks for pointing that out....I tend to forget sometimes, that there are some that take posted information as truth, with out considering the possible variations,sources and common sense.

[your_comforting_company]

But you look so much cooler boiling water in something everyone else thinks will burn.

If the point is to "look cool" use a gourd.

[crashdive123]

If the point is to look cool, I am soooooooooo screwed.

[hunter63]

I thought the point was to be "Hot", not cool........Remember? Boiling water?

[crashdive123]

Oh well......still screwed.

[Rick]

I stayed with phat. At least I'm close on that one.