Use for Fores-- Make an alcohol stove

[kenfyoozed]

Well I saw a video posted the other day by AZframer of an alcohol stove made from a soda or beer can. I enjoy canoe camping and I am always looking for a way to cut down weight and volume. Especially now that i have my 2 boys who like to go with me. I searched the net an found a few designs, but here's mine. Made from the ideas of many others all put together. I can build one of these under 4 mins. I use my fores for fuel, and can boil a cup pf water in less than 3 min. 1oz of fuel last about 10-12 min. Here's how I did it.

PS. the tools were my wife's, shes into scrapbooking. and has way more money tied up in scrapbooking than ill ever have in distilling. She does have some cool tools, and even lets me abuse them buy cutting and piercing cans. Gotta love her.

Materials:
2 Cans
Scissors
Needle nose pliers
Something to make small holes with, ie. awl, nail, needle, drill bit, push pin
Marker
Some way to make a measurement
Small hammer


1. Making the cups. Mark a line around the can. I used a book to place the marker on, and just spin the can to get a nice line around the can. Do both cans before you remove the marker to keep the height the same. I eyeballed it at about an inch or so. The deeper the cup you make the more fuel to burn longer but also takes longer to hea



2. Puncture side of can with scissors and work your way down to the line you made and cut out both cups.




3. Use pliers to crinkle the top 1/4" or so of one cup. Use the taller of the two if they weren't cut just perfect to each other. To crinkle, grasp the side of the cup in the pliers and give a little twist.




4. Take the other cup and pierce one hole in the center. This is first to allow the air to escape when you side the two toget



5.Then slide together, use hammer to gently nudge if needed.



6.Pierce four more holes, these holes allow fuel to enter the cup.



7. Mark holes around the edge. I used a pattern of 16 holes, this seems to work the best, then puncture right at the line between the color of the can and the silver bottom. Which is now the top.



Now your all done. Next Ill show how to fill and light.

[kenfyoozed]

Now to fill and light.....

1. we need a priming pan. I used a lid from a tin can. I cut the can on the side to leave a rim around the top of the can.



2. Place stove on priming pan.



3. Add fuel to the center of the stove. It will drain inside. I added fuel and filled the center part twice, and let it drain into the inside cavity.
Add a coin, to cover the holes, and refill the the center part allowing some to overflow down to the priming pan



4. Light the stove and make sure it is burning all around. On top and from the priming pan.





what we are doing is heating the alcohol inside the stove to turn it into vapor. Sound familiar? Once the vapor starts to escape it ignites and begins to burn. Suddenly we have a burner/stove we can work with.





Hope you enjoyed, and hope im not out of place posting this here. A great way to use our fores, easy enough to give as gifts to camper, hikers, or perfect for when the power goes down and you need a hot meal.

[Tater]

Nice job .Looks simple enough.Bet theirs some interesting adaptations of those out there .Bet several will show up made by members now.

[LWTCS]

Thats cool.
Pretty sure Rad has a couple different designs that he has cobbled together also.

[Smokehouse Shiner]

Just whipped one up and tried it. 50 ml. of fores/heads at 82% burnt for right at 10 min. Pretty cool. I'm gonna build a slightly larger version to light the coals in my charcoal chimney starter. I'll snap some pics next time I grill.

[rubber duck]

Just whipped one up and tried it. 50 ml. of fores/heads at 82% burnt for right at 10 min. Pretty cool. I'm gonna build a slightly larger version to light the coals in my charcoal chimney starter. I'll snap some pics next time I grill.

Now that's a good idea, I have 3 different alcohol stoves that don't get used a lot, using one to light the charcoal is a great idea.

[cob]

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 76&start=0 cob
edit: my latest evolution pressure stove. small 5.5 oz. v8 tomato juice cans. 24 jets # 68 drill all jets are angled for even pattern. 20 ml. heats 2 cups of water from 50f. to rolling boil in 6.5 min. naturaly it's called the V 8. cob
edit 2: better picture

[kenfyoozed]

Thanks for that link. These little things are addictive and legal. Great to see other designs that worked. I tried afew if the open center design but they would go out after placing the pot on. I'll try again.

I like the charcoal starter idea.

Only takes a spark to ignite other ideas.

[Bushman]

Great idea, I will give it a go!

[rad14701]

Yep... I'm addicted to alcohol stove building... I have a couple totes full of them now...

[kenfyoozed]

Yep... I'm addicted to alcohol stove building... I have a couple totes full of them now...

whats your favorite design?

[rad14701]

whats your favorite design?

I like the double-walled designs better than the straight pressurized like the Penny Stove design like you've documented...

I have some build pictures for one that I think I've uploaded to at least one other site... I'll see about uploading them when I get a chance...

[kenfyoozed]

Thanks Rad, I tried a double wall twice but both were hard to keep them lit while lowering a pot on top. I would love gonads your build and get some tips.

[Bushman]

Thanks Rad, I tried a double wall twice but both were hard to keep them lit while lowering a pot on top. I would love gonads your build and get some tips.

+1 on this

[Smokehouse Shiner]

I've built a couple of these now. I ditched the beer cans and made one using tin food cans, going for a little more heavy duty design. Works real well, just a little harder to get lit sometimes. Takes longer to heat the metal and vaporize the likker. A larger priming pan helps remedy this. I've had great sucess lighting my charcoal chimney with my lil whiskey stove. No pics, it's always too dark by the time I get to lighting the grill. I usually use a propane burner. Lighter fluid makes me wanna retch.....

[kenfyoozed]

Thanks Rad, I tried a double wall twice but both were hard to keep them lit while lowering a pot on top. I would love gonads your build and get some tips.

just to clear things up, i post from my iphone, and it has this stupid way of guessing what i want to type, the above should read, I would love to see your build.

I in no way or shape ever love gonads, I mean seriously where the hell did that come from?

[Smokehouse Shiner]

[quote="kenfyoozed"]kenfyoozed wrote:
Thanks Rad, I tried a double wall twice but both were hard to keep them lit while lowering a pot on top. I would love gonads your build and get some tips.


just to clear things up, i post from my iphone, and it has this stupid way of guessing what i want to type, the above should read, I would love to see your build.

I in no way or shape ever love gonads, I mean seriously where the hell did that come from?
[quote="kenfyoozed"] I wasn't gonna say anything......Oh my, thats good stuff.

[rad14701]

As posted elsewhere...

Ok, I scrounged a couple cans while out for an evening walk so I decided to take a few pictures of the assembly process... Man, 12oz beer cans sure are a lot thinner than pop cans which makes them harder to work with... Anyway, the only thing missing here is the actual fluting and seaming process... For anyone attempting to make one of these stoves, I'd recommend using either a 16oz or 24oz can because you don't get much extra can when using a single 12oz can...

Here are the parts dimensions as best as I can recall... The inner wall, made from the can top, was 1" tall... The outer wall, made from the can bottom, was about 1.675" tall before fluting and seaming... The lower inner wall, where the fuel goes, was 1/2" tall... If I would have used a 16oz can I could have made a larger fuel reservoir as well as a bit more aluminum for fluting and seaming...

The raw beer can.



The top cut off the can.



The center of the can top removed - top view.




The center of the can top removed - bottom view.



The parts ready for assembly. Note the lower inner wall resting in the grove left in the can top.



The parts assembled and fully seated. I drew a marker line where the inverted can top sits about 1/8" below the outer wall.



Here the outer wall has been fluted down to where the inner wall ended, the fluted portion has been coaxed inward and downward, and has been smoothed out to form an air tight seam.



After measuring to assure that the flame jets will be positioned above the shoulder of the inner wall, 5/8" down from the top edge, 32 holes were made using a sewing needle. By angling down at 45 degrees as soon as the hole is started you can get a bigger hole without piercing the inner wall. The stove is ready for it's maiden burn.



I had less than an ounce of 90 percent ethanol onhand to do a quick test... The jets bloomed within 30 seconds... A saucepan filled with 16oz of tap water, without a lid, came to a boil in under 5 minutes but only continued to boil for about 30 seconds... The saucepan made a perfect seal when using the stove as a pot stand...

Another successful build...

[Samohon]

Nice one Rad, gonna give this a go... When I go climbing I take a Primus stove and a canister of gas with me everytime...
I'll try this and give it a test... Any ideas on a wind shield...?
I was thinking a fold-able piece of fire-blanket...

Thanks man... Great Idea. another use for my high proof foreshots...

[Husker]

that is a really nice looking version Rad.

One question. Do you need to notch the bottom edge of that inner ring, to get the fuel to flow to the outer fuel chamber? I would think so, but did not see that in your build.

H.

[cob]

Nice one Rad, gonna give this a go... When I go climbing I take a Primus stove and a canister of gas with me everytime...
I'll try this and give it a test... Any ideas on a wind shield...?
I was thinking a fold-able piece of fire-blanket...

Thanks man... Great Idea. another use for my high proof foreshots...

my lightest wind screen is cut from the bottom of a disposable aluminum roasting pan. cost $1 and rolls up and fits inside a heineken pot.
a little heaver and sturdier was cut from 4" aluminum duct. cost. $0 from inventory in shop. also rolls up
i also have a commercialy available tri-fold aluminum from a yard sale. .25cents
the heaviest is a truck (lorry) drivers log holder. $1 goodwill store. cob

[Samohon]

Thanks cob, all good alternatives to the wind shield...
Gonna make one up as soon as I can find an hour or so, really neat and light stove...

I'll let ya'll know how I get on... Thanks fellers...

[cob]

that is a really nice looking version Rad.

One question. Do you need to notch the bottom edge of that inner ring, to get the fuel to flow to the outer fuel chamber? I would think so, but did not see that in your build.

H.

H. if you focus that one steely eyeball carefully on rad's last photo. left inside, there appears to be a small cresent cut, two pictures up is two small shadows that if they follow a pattern (rad without a pattern ) would indicate 4 fuel ports. just my tuppence. cob

[Husker]

that is a really nice looking version Rad.

One question. Do you need to notch the bottom edge of that inner ring, to get the fuel to flow to the outer fuel chamber? I would think so, but did not see that in your build.

H.

H. if you focus that one steely eyeball carefully on rad's last photo. left inside, there appears to be a small cresent cut, two pictures up is two small shadows that if they follow a pattern (rad without a pattern ) would indicate 4 fuel ports. just my tuppence. cob

I saw that also, but also see the line he drew with a marker, so was not sure. That's why I posted a question. Cause if it is supposed to have fuel lines, and they are not cut, it dont work I've been down that path before.

H.

[rad14701]

I nip out the small fuel pass-through notches with a paper punch... Either 3 or 4, evenly spaced...

I have also made a pair of fluting pliers to help in folding the top lip over to form the vapor sealing seam... For one or two they may not be necessary, but I bang them out for kicks in an effort to come up with a perfect design...

I also have this design made from a 24oz beer can which increases the overall size significantly...

[rad14701]

Here is a crappy picture of a burn test using a 16oz can version to heat a stainless steel saucepan containing 16oz water...

[cob]

i want to see the pliers. cob

p.s. no fuzzy pictures either (of the pliers) cob

[rad14701]

i want to see the pliers. cob

p.s. no fuzzy pictures either (of the pliers) cob

Those are short pieces of coat hanger wire super glued onto the pliers jaws... I used cellophane to keep the pieces from gluing together...

[cob]

thanks. cob

[Rum Bum]

This might be a good disguise to get a fuel distilling license or whatever they're called. You could make these little can burners and supply the fuel as a little side "job". Would this possibly be a good enough reason in order to get a license. And if the po-po ever came to inspect you would just have to hide your drinkable hearts.

The burners are cool I'm gonna try and make one now.

RB