tuna can campfire

[Elijah Gunn]

Several years ago I made some of these, and only just now got around to trying one out. Basically what it is is this. A tuna fish can filled with cardboard, and paraffin. To make one use a clean empty tuna can . Next get some cardboard, and cut it into long strips that are about an 1/8 inch shorter than the can is deep. Wind the cardboard up( like a clock spring) and put it into the can, totally filling it. Stick some string down into the card board to act as a starter wick. I plan to use a few starter wicks in each if I make more of these. Next, melt,and pour the paraffin into the card board filled can.
 The one I burned last night  did ok. It only had one starter wick that was located in the center. When it was lit it took about ten minuets for it to get burning all around. The burn was pretty clean,not too smokey, the flame was about 8 inches high. It burned for about an hour.
I  think that this has it's place in ones preparations.
Regards, Mark

[torpedoman]

thanks, i like that idea.

[DCRthe3rd]

when i was about 12 we made those in scouts.
Still use them to this day
I no longer use "starter wicks" just hold the can sideways and light it with you lighter or whatever ,you really don't need those wicks.
Take a coffee can and punch holes around the bottom SIDE of the can and then, on the top of the can "how do I explain this" from the top "open end of the can" cut down the can a little and make sure the length of your cut is longer than the height of the tuna can and now make another cut parallel to your 1st cut about the same length and make sure the 2 cuts are far enough apart that the tuna can would fit between those 2 cuts.
now fold that flap you just made down until it almost touches the side of the can.
Now turn the can upside down and slid the tuna can in threw the door you made.
You can cook on the can itself "if you crack an egg on the can it must be 100 percent level or egg slides off into the dirt"
or use a mess kit and place it on the top "bottom" of the can.
And remember the door you made with the flap? Thats your toaster. Slide a piece of bread into the fold and you can toast one side of the bread at a time. Plus it works best if you cut the cardboard so that the holes "tunnels" in the cardboard are pointing upwards , know what I mean?

[Duke0313]

when i was about 12 we made those in scouts.
Still use them to this day
I no longer use "starter wicks" just hold the can sideways and light it with you lighter or whatever ,you really don't need those wicks.
Take a coffee can and punch holes around the bottom SIDE of the can and then, on the top of the can "how do I explain this" from the top "open end of the can" cut down the can a little and make sure the length of your cut is longer than the height of the tuna can and now make another cut parallel to your 1st cut about the same length and make sure the 2 cuts are far enough apart that the tuna can would fit between those 2 cuts.
now fold that flap you just made down until it almost touches the side of the can.
Now turn the can upside down and slid the tuna can in threw the door you made.
You can cook on the can itself "if you crack an egg on the can it must be 100 percent level or egg slides off into the dirt"
or use a mess kit and place it on the top "bottom" of the can.
And remember the door you made with the flap? Thats your toaster. Slide a piece of bread into the fold and you can toast one side of the bread at a time. Plus it works best if you cut the cardboard so that the holes "tunnels" in the cardboard are pointing upwards , know what I mean?

I remember we made those the very first time I went to "day-camp" with my Sunday School buddies. Then we each made ourselves a "toad in the hole" with eggs and toasted bread. If not the tastiest, it was certainly the most thrilling meal I've ever eaten. We were all so proud of ourselves. Heck we were only 6 or 7 yrs old at the time. Thanks for bringin' back a wonderful memory!!!

[MarkNJ]

is there a name for these home made cookers?

[jlwilliams]

  You can use sawdust and wax too.  Nice if you use a table saw alot.  That is what the 'fireplace logs' are made of.

  My father used to go to the grocery store and get a produce packing box.  They are cardboard soaked in wax, or at least they used to be.  Probably plastic now.  Anyway, a few strips of that as a firestarter are worth putting in the back pack.

   Some time back, I saw a book about depression era hobos and the cookware they made from #10 cans.  The book showed how to make a whole set from a stove that you feed twigs into up to a set of pans form cans.  I thought about it too long and missed out.  Never found it again searching Amazon or google. 

  The fire in a tuna can sounds like a great thing to put into your hunting pack.  The most likely "survival situation' is just plain getting stuck out over night.  The tuna can fire could make the difference between an uncomfortable night and hypothermia. That's worth the pound or less that it adds to the gear.

[rlm2007x]

Why not just use a propane stove?

[Foggy]

we called them Buddy Burners and would set then under a taller can with vent holes put in with a church key

later
Foggy

[GRIMJIM]

You're showing your age calling it a church key.


I guess I am too knowing what you mean.

[mcwoodduck]

I'm only 41 and know what a church key is.
I even remember when beer came with them on the case.
as a little kid I thought it was funny to take them.
and on occasion still use one when making large quantities of stew.

[GRIMJIM]

that's kind of my point. Probably over 40 and you know what it is. Someone in their twenties would wonder.

[GRIMJIM]

Only 41? That's like George Burns calling 70 year old guys "punks".

I'm 44 BTW.

[mcwoodduck]

44   
Geezer!
 
Guys in thier 20 would not know what a party ball is either.
I think Coors stopped making them in the early 90's.