Use for Fores-- Make an alcohol stove

[rad14701]

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

Aside from the fact that it's cheaper and easier to go purchase a yellow bottle of Heet at any discount or automotive store, or denatured spirits from somewhere like Home Depot... Making ethanol for sale, even for stoves, takes you into a whole new realm of complexity... You have to deal with transport issues and on and on... Not to mention liabilities, like having some teenager get burned using your stove fuel... And then there is the issue of mandatory denaturing if the spirits are to be sold...

I know, always the pessimist and never the optimist... But that's what I get paid to be, plus it's how I initially view almost everything... If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it...

Heck, I've even been following several pop can stove makers at war over selling specific stove designs... And I've even heard of manufacturers sending out cease and desist letters to people reselling their cans which have been re-purposed as stoves... Always one angle or another to get wrapped up in litigations...

[Rum Bum]

...Making ethanol for sale, even for stoves, takes you into a whole new realm of complexity...

I'm just thinking of the best way to make it more socially acceptable. Once something becomes scientific and environmental it is impossible for others to criticize it without hurting themselves. Once we figure out a way to make your hobby exactly that, it will then be an accepted practice.

If only I knew how to make a remote control car or plane that could recycle the otherwise wasted product. Building one would be fun but it would take a lot of research and time away from actually making drinkable spirit which is the main objective.

One of the admins should start a whole separated discussion section called Other Uses for Ethanol where people can talk about projects like this one making burners and if someone knows how to make alcohol powered engines that would really be fascinating. Not only would it intrigue a lot of us but it could help the ones of us who want to be on the safe side, get an experimental license (or whatever they are called, can someone tell me the name).

I just looked and there's a section called Alcohol as Fuel, which is close enough to Other Uses. I'm gonna look around there maybe some people have posted some sensible uses.

RB

[DJserious]

My stove didnt do anything except set my patio (concrete) on fire. I put it out with the hose I had standing by. Probably due to my poor craftsmanship. Makes me glad I didnt build my still.

[ricrellim]

In 2004 I hiked the Appalachian trail from Georgia to Maine. I hiked the first 100 miles with an esbit tablet stove. I used beer can stoves the remaining 2074 miles. The little suckers work and a bottle of heat can be found at any gas station.

[CH3CH2OH]

This is the best one i've made so far. I have made a lot of them over the years and this is a great design.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBk21lmr6IM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

They work great and once the die is made you can make several stoves in about 5 minutes.

I used the bud bottles but the venom ones are a little larger and might be more stable.

[Rum Bum]

Best stove I've seen A+ man!

RB

[Husker]

Wow, that is one hella good engineering there. A very strong ONE PIECE stove.

H.

[rad14701]

I have several aluminum drink bottles waiting to be made into these stoves... Like I need a couple more...

[seaguy]

...Making ethanol for sale, even for stoves, takes you into a whole new realm of complexity...

I'm just thinking of the best way to make it more socially acceptable. Once something becomes scientific and environmental it is impossible for others to criticize it without hurting themselves. Once we figure out a way to make your hobby exactly that, it will then be an accepted practice.

If only I knew how to make a remote control car or plane that could recycle the otherwise wasted product. Building one would be fun but it would take a lot of research and time away from actually making drinkable spirit which is the main objective.

One of the admins should start a whole separated discussion section called Other Uses for Ethanol where people can talk about projects like this one making burners and if someone knows how to make alcohol powered engines that would really be fascinating. Not only would it intrigue a lot of us but it could help the ones of us who want to be on the safe side, get an experimental license (or whatever they are called, can someone tell me the name).

I just looked and there's a section called Alcohol as Fuel, which is close enough to Other Uses. I'm gonna look around there maybe some people have posted some sensible uses.

RB

This may border on breaching the forum politics rule but I have to say that the way we have allowed our leaders to care for us from the cradle to the grave ( as some say ) we almost need a permit to go outside. The point of this forum for about half of us is a political statement in itself. I hope that campers don't start getting inspected by the forest rangers for using "illegal" gear. We might be opening up a new source of revenue and jobs for the forestry department by making these stoves.. Just finished mine

[Prairiepiss]

I have to say that is an impressive build CH3CH2OH. I like it.

[cob]

CH3CH2OH i first thought that was tinny from mini bull design.
http://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/searc ... design&ql=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
tinny has built a few alcohol stoves into a complete enterprise.
there is a utube link on his site for his inumerable stove builds. most are done well enough to be tutorials. cob

[IRCJB]

While is is a great way to utilize fores, I know one of y'all will show off with some good stuff, and have a stove burning an all blue flame.

[marco]

NIce! I'm already burning my little fores with a spoon nearby burner under the pot.
Collecting a bit of those, with this stuff you can make a whole run without spending LPG! Every cent counts!

[S-Cackalacky]

This is a fairly old thread, but I'm a newbie hear and just now stumbled upon it.

My wife thinks I'm OCD because I make so many of these things. I've made several soda can stoves, but I think the best ones are made from the thicker aluminum containers. One of the better ones I've made is from a Suave hair mousse can. the can has straight parallel sides at the bottom half and then tapers up for a couple of inches. It burns almost too good - puts out a hard massive flame and tends to burn up the fuel quickly.

Another good one is made from an aluminum water bottle that I bought from the Family Dollar Store. It's a little wider diameter (maybe 3 inches) and puts out a nice flame and burns for a long time. I used a design for this one from a youtube video.

Someone mentioned that the flame on their stove goes out when they set the water pot on it. This is caused by the cold water container transferring its cold temp into the aluminum stove. Someone on Youtube had a solution for this. He marked off a few evenly spaced areas (about 1/4 inch wide) on the top of the stove and then filed away about 1/8 deep on either side of each of those areas. This lifted the water container far enough above the main body of the stove to allow less cold temp transfer. This works on non-soda can stoves. You could try creating something similar on soda can stoves by dabbing a few beads of JB Weld at evenly spaced intervals around the top.

S-C

[Condensifier]

I just found this one on youtube: Tornado Wick Alcohol Stove.

and here it is in action: Petal Stove II

It's pretty slick only with this design you can't put a pot or pan directly on top of it but it's pretty easy to fabricate a stand like in the second video.

[WildWest]

Just built one today for fun.. works great

[rager]

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...

clothing dryer metal duct!

[blind drunk]

anybody know if fores can be used in an oil lamp? "we" hate the smell of that oil but appreciate a good flame.

[Dnderhead]

i would not advise it,feather more alcohol will give off little light.

[blind drunk]

Thanks.

[6ix]

I made a few of these a few years ago after seeing a vid on youtube.. I was running my foreshots through it as well and had some pretty impressive results but I had a can go "pop" on me once - I think it had run out of fuel and the flame got into the can - top hit the roof, the coin was never found and my undies needed changing

[gmm213]

I've made them for camping from everything from pop cans to coffee cans. I wish I still had some. Didn't grab any when I was moving

[Uncle John]

Made my first one ever! In a big truck, bored silly.
I'm out here in Montana waiting for my load tomorrow.
I have no tools for that kind of stuff, but I managed to hack out the parts with my two inch whittlin knife, then went inside and asked for a pin which was kindly given off the cork board behind the counter and "bingo" portable mini stove. (And mini survival bunk heater.)
I had no fuel either so I went back inside (I'm at a fleabag truckstop) and bought a can of heet. Worked like a dream.
What a blast!
Thanks Kenfyoozed for a cool and useful post.
J.

[S-Cackalacky]

Just recently finished up an eight pack of Bud Light in the aluminum bottles. Will be going into full camp stove production very soon. I've made them from aluminum cans and other containers, but never the bottles. They seem a little more heavy duty than the cans. Will be sending my brother in FL a couple for his hurricane kit.

[Uncle John]

Between trucking runs and (now just lately working on a pot/reflux idea) the hobbying I'm addicted to, I sometimes need to go out and escape to relax deep in the woods with my camper, or sometimes I just do the "bare bones survivin" thing and walk in with next to nothing but a blowtube and a knife and bed roll for a day and a half.
These little gems will come in handy for a cup of coffee or even something fresh to throw in a small 6" fryin pan for sure.
How much more can some beans, a small bottle of fores or any other fuel weigh than the regular cooking stuff? Probably a lot less more than likely.
More neat stuff to try out, cool!
The simpler the methods and the closer to the "caveman" idea the better.

No prep camping lol. Thanks for the post KF,
J.

[The KYChemist]

Of all the pop can stoves, I've seen, this model is by far my favorite.http://www.instructables.com/id/Aluminu ... hol-Stove/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I've actually made one, and now guard it like crazy, since these bottles have become hard to find. It self primes, by lighting the center. No messy plates of fuel, like some models. I can boil two cups of water in about 8 min and maintain a flame for about 15. This is with a standard med size saucepan. The flame also covers the entire bottom of the pan. And a good tip... Clothing gift box cardboard, wrapped in aluminum tape, makes a great windscreen.

[Uncle John]

That looks pretty cool SC,
The one I just made according to KF's instructions (and then had to rebuild it into another for screwing it up) works like yours in respect of lighting the center and it then self ignites the outer burners.
As soon as I can manage when I get home, I want to try making that swaged double wall single piece cooker and try to use that out in the bush.
That's the best one I've seen yet.
My other camp cooker method has been the 4 split 12" log fired up in the center. But that's another story.

[IrishEnigma]

What about something like this to heat a medium sized bedroom? Anyone try this successfully with the fores/heads?

[Uncle John]

Hi Irish,
First thing comes to mind when you say that is Danger.. alcohol is a bugger to deal with in runaway mode (IE, the cat knocked it over or something.)
Oxygen consumption would also be a worry for me. Been there.
On the other hand if proper equipment is available for something like that I'd say try it. Had a good alcohol range on the boat..worked like a dream. Be careful.
J.

[IrishEnigma]

Hi Irish,
First thing comes to mind when you say that is Danger.. alcohol is a bugger to deal with in runaway mode (IE, the cat knocked it over or something.)
Oxygen consumption would also be a worry for me. Been there.
On the other hand if proper equipment is available for something like that I'd say try it. Had a good alcohol range on the boat..worked like a dream. Be careful.
J.

Actually that is the first thing that came into my mind as well. But was wondering of anyone had done something like this but safe as well, or even not safe to give me an idea and can further it to being safe.