Homemade alcohol stoves

[FUBAR]

#3579

I had someone inquire on my statement on homemade alcohol stoves for backpacking/hunting. This is a great site that shows many different designs, how to make them and each styles benefits and drawbacks. Also explains what you can use in them. f you decide you don’t want to attempt to make your own, I have seen them for sale on sites like ebay.

http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm

[David Petersen]

#21653

Fubar — an interesting link! Back in my ultra-light backpacking days I used an alcohol stove for a couple of years … basically it was just a small can that I poured the fuel into and lighted, with a little grate over the top to support a small pan. I think the weblink you provide is pretty good in describing the pros and cons of alch. “stoves.” I no longer use this rig for reasons of my own, but for ultra-light deep-backcountry hunters the Zen appeal alone makes it worth a try. dp

[FUBAR]

#22599

I’ve never hunted out there in your mountains. Would it be cold enough that a feller would have trouble getting a good burn? Like the Zen site says, they get a little finicky when cold

[William Warren]

#23048

Interesting site. Lead me to check out the Super Cat home made stove. Now I gotta make one just for the heck of it.

[David Petersen]

#23692

FUBAR — In any conditions they are susceptible to even light winds and are very slow to heat or boil water. That and my dislike of carrying liquid fuel in my pack prompted me to end the experiment. Like many things in life, tiny alch. stoves are more charming in their appeal than they are practical. I now use a little Peak1 stove that screws into one of the newer “flat” cans of propane/butane fuel mix. The stove itself is just folding wings, sturdy and compact. There is also a compact 50-watt tent lantern. The hassles here are the weight of the fuel canisters, and that you have to pack out the empties. They cost about $5 a can, which ain’t cheap. Yet one can will last through many pots of water and meals if you’re judicious, and the fuel is blended especially for fast lights and hot burns in deep cold and high altitudes. It’s a basically fail-proof system and I swear I think you could melt alumunimum with the intense heat it produces. Want you’re coffee water fast on a cold morning? Nothing I know of beats this. Several backpack stove companies now offer stoves and fuel but I think the WalMart setup is as good as any and far cheaper. I use mine for car camping also, when one burner is enough. One camper’s experience. dp

[FUBAR]

#23893

My dislike of canisters, besides wwhat you mentioned, is that I am never sure how much fuel is left and so I am always carryinbg another canister for backup. So now I have the weight of two. I only use food that needs rehydrating, so only boil water. I thought maybe the alcohol would work, though I see your points. I also have thought about the Drioxide tablets with the little folding stove. They also have those little stoves that you add sticks to and I believe a battery keeps a little fan blowing on the fire to keep it burning hot

[William Warren]

#24040

Here’s a link to a website that deals with the homemade alcohol stoves made from cat food cans.

http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/SuperCat/index.html

Dave is right about the peak fuel it is hotter but you mentioned using wood or tablets. On this website it shows how to make a wind screen system for the stove which they call a fire bucket. It protects the flame and makes using the stove safer. You can also use tablets, wood chips or sticks in the fire bucket if needed, provided it is legal to do so. I camp at low altitude along coastal plain rivers so it might work there and being able to use a small amount of wood instead is attactive too since it is usually wet and the fire getting away is not likely.

[Charles Ek]

#25004

Just so everyone knows — the Zen Stoves site is the single finest resource on the subject of all kinds of backpacking stoves, whether alcohol, compressed gas, gasoline, kerosene, Coleman fuel, etc.

[Robert Gilbert]

#25679

I have to agree with the Zen stove site . My go to stove is one that I made out of tomato juice cans . It will boil a litle over a pint of water with 3/4 ounce of alcohol . The key here is to have a good wind screen . The wind screen can also double to burn wood if allowed where your travels take you. A small thermous is good to have ’cause once you boil your water you can fill the thermous and still have enough left over for some sort of instant meal or hot drink .
The Esbit solid fuel stove works well also but is more expensive to opperate . Either one will get you through a week or so if you plan it through . Thye best part of all this , at least for me , is trying to improve on the design . A good way to keep your sanity during the winter months .

[FUBAR]

#26039

What style did you make with the juice cans? Does it have the holes around it. Those look to me to be the way to go

[Robert Gilbert]

#26831

I am not sure of the correct name ; however it has eight holes 1/16th ” around the inside of the bottom , plus a filler hole of 1/4 ” which can be closed with a thumbscrew .The other half is filled with fiberglass insulation . I have also JB Welded a piece of kerosene lamp wick to the outside of stove about 1/2 way up. It acts as the primer so there is no mess in lighting the stove . I would guess the whole stove is about 1 1/4 ” high . Holds an ounce of alcohol and will burn for about 12 to 14 min . Using a windscreen helps and there are lots to choose from on Zen’s site .Last but not least I’ve found that the ” Green denatured alcohol that HD sells doesn’t burn as hot as regular denatured alcohol plus it soots up my pot .:) So…. hope that helps :):):) !!!

[SteveMcD]

#26988

Interesting thread. I just received an old WWII GI Pocket Stove that was my father’s during the war. He had given it to my cousin back in the late 50’s. My cousin was going through the garage and found it, and thought, this needs to go back to my Uncle’s son, who I know can use it. So there is a lot of family history in the stove I will carry. But they all are pretty cool and conveinent, potentially a lifesaver too.

[Robert Gilbert]

#27064

Steve , the stove you mentioned could be one of the Esbit type stoves . They use solid fuel tablets and are good stoves also . I’ve used both types and for a weekender could very comfortably use the Esbit type of stove . I’d use the stove spareingly and if you like the way it works ,buy a new one .They are only about $6.00 .Put the family history on the shelf for display and semential value .

[SteveMcD]

#27094

Thanks for the info, Mr G. 8)

[Charles Ek]

#27343

Pretty unlikely an Esbit stove was G(overnment) I(ssue) in WWII — it’s a German company founded in 1936. 😀

Here’s the real deal: Coleman WWII GI Pocket Stove.

[Robert Gilbert]

#27539

Charles , read my first sentence . It doens’t state what brand of stove it is . Just says a type of stove .
Thanks for the history lesson.

[SteveMcD]

#27899

eidsvolling. Mr. G .. you are correct. They were contracted by Coleman for the Government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GI_pocket_stove

[new moon]

#32375

This is an interesting topic for me being involved with Search & Rescue here in the state of Colorado. Flight For Life often flys us into some remote territory to rescue somebody, but they only fly one way meaning we have to hike ourselves out. They take the patient of corse. The point is that FFL is very particular about what we can bring with us for fuel to cook with. Officially the only thing we are allowed to bring age fuel tablets. Unofficially most of the pilots don’t care what we bring. I like to bring my alcohol stove because of it’s light weight nature and I think it does a better god than the tablets do. I’ve done a fair bit of heating with them and it takes about 1oz. of alcohol to boil 1 cup of water at 12000ft. It’s slow but it is really only there for backup. I’m still using the stove I made years ago.

Josh

[turok]

#47301

Check out the march/april issue of backwoodsman. There is a great article on making a a mini stove out of an exhaust pipe adapter. The fellow that wrote it is a native Alaskan. very simple, straightforward and reliable, easy to make. I’m gonna try to make one when I get the time. Thing burns solid fuel bars or small pieces of wood.
Check this out. (I know it doesn’t burn alcohol, but fuel bars and sticks are easier to pack in/find in the woods).

Mike

[Backcountry Joe]

#53507

I have made and carried a HOBO style beer can stove for years. 2 beer cans a little fiberglass and some white fuel is all you need. If you want to be fancy you can bend up a coat hanger for something to set your pot on(I use rocks).

[Author]

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