Author Topic: soda can stoves (Read 3019 times)

Alice Cooper · « **on:** March 28, 2003, 10:39:51 PM »

do any of you use homemade alcohol stoves?since i started playing with them, i can't seem to stop making them...so far, theres about eight rolling around here, with more in the kitchen cabinet...my wife is starting to complain.i remember on my first canoe camping trip years ago, we ended up with two coleman stoves,two gallons of gas,and enough canned goods, cooking oil, cast iron pots,to last a week...and it was only an overnight trip! now, i can carry my stove and fuel in my vest,and eat stuff that doesn't require rolling in cornmeal.do any of you have alcohol stove tips??

alpini · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2003, 04:24:44 AM »

I never made one. How do you go about this? Does it boil very fast?
Do you think it's economical in terms of efficiency?
I wondered about them.

Alice Cooper · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2003, 05:30:41 AM »

alpini, do a search, lots of good info on building them...just use a little fiberglass insulation in the construction...i use a pair of dividers from a drawing set to punch the holes, i havent found the hole size to be critical, tho some will tell you it is.16 evenly spaced holes do as well as 32, in my limited tests...and some tell you to use j-b weld to seal the joints, which i also found unnecessary.even the flue tape is not needed, if care is used to fit the cans together tightly...believe me, the more you make, the easier it gets...i usually make one, from start to boiling water, in about 25 minutes, that includes watching t.v. and drinking coffee too! try one, and let me know how you like it...

Anduril · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2003, 09:03:32 AM »

Alpini

Try looking here:

http://wings.interfree.it/html/main.html

Plenty of good ideas. Makin' the darn things is almost as fun as usin' 'em.

alpini · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2003, 11:17:53 AM »

Anduril
Thanks for the link, there are some really cool designs out there. This needs to be checked out closer, I need to get some cans together and try this. I marked the site.
Thank you

Alice Cooper · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2003, 02:28:39 PM »

i used up a half gallon of alcohol, plus several bottles of gasline antifreeze playing with these things...i found out that 16 holes was just as good as 32, 8 was too few, and the method of using aluminum muffin tins as an ajustable simmer attachment works great! you'll find all about those in your search on that site...i also use a little fiberglass insulation packed arond inside the bottom, just enough to help wick the fuel into the walls...you can pick a bit out of your attic....let us know how you make out,.....any probs, give us a holler...

Anduril · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2003, 08:25:17 AM »

Here's another good site

http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html

The "yellow bottle" gas line antifreeze is straight methanol, is about the easiest fuel to find and works great to boot. Drug store rubbing alcohol is 30% or more water, not recommended for stoves.

Bluedog · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2003, 09:28:16 AM »

Cheaperthandirt.com has the swedish mess kits for $5, but they sell out quickly.

That includes a pail, skillet, heating stand, 1qt fuel bottle and a genuine trangia stove.

For $5, you simply can't beat it. Even if all you want is the stove.

Bluedog · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2003, 09:31:36 AM »

BTW, denatired ethanol is available at ace hardware stores, way cheaper than methanol, and not nearly as poisonous or corrosive. I wouldn't use methanol except as an engine fuel or additive. Even subcutaneous absorption (through the skin) it can cause blindness and organ failure. Even slight contact can kill the skin.

Super Rat · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2003, 12:38:49 PM »

Those little mil-surp Swede or Swiss alcohol stoves are the best Ive ever used. Made out of brass I believe, you just screw off the lid, put some fuel in and they work great.

Have not seen them for sale lately, but for a while everyone was selling them, cheap. Been using mine for years.

.22 coyote · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2004, 04:28:22 PM »

Like Alice, I made a bunch as I was experimenting with them. After about the eigth one I had a design that I liked with regard to hole size, number of holes, hole size, shape, & number for flow into the wall, and a nice pressure fit. I used it all summer and decided it's light-wight, unique, and slow. I had to get a head start if I wanted to eat at the same time as my companions who were using canister stoves. I'm seriously thinking of getting something like an MSR Pocket Rocket for next season.

dla · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2004, 04:26:03 PM »

I built a couple of the Turbo V8 pepsi can stoves and found it very gratifying and educational. But they don't last. It's nice to know that I can make one with my pocketknife if necessary.

I bought a couple of Trangia burners from www.piragis.com - nice folks and good service. Ol Sven from Sveeden makes a very good burner, and for $11 its a good deal. Folks use these things for 25 years without a hitch.

If you can get the Swedish Military mess kits - great. If nothing else you get a great burner.

I used to love the roar, fireballs and occasional detonation of pressurized gas stoves - they blocked out the sound of the cars going by on the freeway. But the Alcohol stoves are so quiet that I can actually hear the wilderness around me while cooking - so strange.

Alcohol stoves are slower, but who gives a cosmic rip? They cook the food just fine. Unless you have some strange geeky need to mess with knobs, hoses, fireballs, etc., use the alcohol stoves. This is one area where the Europeans are way ahead of us.

deerhunter · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2004, 07:17:24 AM »

http://www.stmarymagdalen.org/scouting/troop38/troop38stove.htm

Anduril · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2004, 04:10:35 PM »

2 comments on the Troop 38 stove:

If you don't have perlight, don't sweat it. This stove works OK without it.
These stoves burn HOT. Don't expect a coat hanger pot stand to last very long.

flamenblaster · « **Reply #14 on:** April 04, 2005, 04:45:02 AM »

Havent tried using a can as stove..have cooked in them tho..cut off the bottom third of a can..break an egg and drop it in with just a few drops of water underneath..bacon grease is better tho..set it on some hot coals in the firepit and in a few minutes..poached egg. Also lay a beer can on its side..cut out a large rectangle from what will be the top..good for bacon strips..save the grease for eggs. Did this out camping when we somehow forgot ourcast iron pans that we usually cook in on the fire..forgot cooking oil too :cry: my better half wont let me live down that i never seem to forget the beer however :lol:

Neanderthal · « **Reply #15 on:** April 21, 2005, 05:09:07 PM »

Although I've made soda can stoves that work quite well, I wanted something a bit stronger. The Vargo "Triad" alcohol stove (Campmor $30) is made from Titanium. Strong, lightweight ( 1 ounce) and has a folding pot support. Folding legs raise it off the ground for better function in cold weather.

HuntenNut · « **Reply #16 on:** May 09, 2005, 02:06:25 AM »

I haven't tried the Vargo stove myself, but it has been getting pretty poor performance reviews. Check out http://www.backpackgeartest.org It does look like a neat design, but if it doesn't work well, whats the use?

For cold weather use, I like the Brasslite Turbo IID http://www.brasslite.com

This stove is under 3oz and will hold and burn up to 2oz of alcohol at a time. This will allow you to boil extra water for coffee and a meal off a single fueling. Also, the brasslite, being made of brass and having a "cold weather priming rim" around the bottom, primes very quickly and easily in fairly cold weather. I have used mine down to the teens with no problems. Just squirt a bit of alcohol in the priming tray and light it. The stove will be burning hot in a few seconds.

Bob Hurley · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2005, 04:46:29 PM »

Quote from: Bluedog

BTW, denatired ethanol is available at ace hardware stores, way cheaper than methanol, and not nearly as poisonous or corrosive. I wouldn't use methanol except as an engine fuel or additive. Even subcutaneous absorption (through the skin) it can cause blindness and organ failure. Even slight contact can kill the skin.

Be careful! The alcohol I bought at Home Depot is denatured by adding methanol. You still are at risk.

I went down today to the liquor store to get some grain alcohol for my stove. They were out, but this is a college town. :-)

Neanderthal · « **Reply #18 on:** May 15, 2005, 05:40:24 PM »

HuntenNut: I had the leaking/flareup problem the first time I used the Triad. The cause was easily recognized and even more easily corrected with a little JB Weld. And, yes, it does require a little more alcohol in the tray for preheating in cold weather. After filling the stove with alcohol, I just place a BB or small pebble over the filler hole. This allows the center to hold more alcohol for preheating. The Triad does, in fact, work quite well for me, and, with the use of the BB does not require the Triad to be completely filled thereby wasting fuel when just boiling 12 ounces of water. I've successfully used 0.5 ounce many times when only needing to boil 12 ounces of water.