# Alcohol stove instructions



## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Ok, recent interest caused me to wanna jot down these simple insrtuctions for the alcohol stoves..
materials needed- 2 same sized aluminum cans, 1 razor knife, thumbtack. denatured alcohol, penny.
I have seen lots of mods and videos, but I can whip out one of these in about 5 minutes. Simple, fun.
space knife about 3/4 inch off work platform somehow. I use a large roll of tape, to hold knife flat and flush. rotate can to scribe and score with tip of razor knife.
seperate the bottom half. using second can, try to stretch the aluminum slightly, by inserting the can into smaller cut peice, and twisting.
now trim second can to same 3/4 inch section, you will have two half's. 
carefully, slowly, work the second peice into the first piece, it is a pain sometimes, sometimes it will just go right together. 
before trying to close completely, use thumbtack to punch a center hole in one half.
Now just slowly tap and squeeze both halfs together until it is closed.
For the "jet holes", I start at 3,6,9, 12 oclock position, poking holes, then split that up until it has 12 or 16 holes.
DONE.
for first lighting, I was timid, not using enough alcohol. Pour in about 3 tablespoons of alco.
put penny on top to cover filling hole, add another tablespoon of alco on top. 
Light, after initial flareup, i usually hold my lighter against the side of can to increase the pressure building.
Pretty simple, VERY FUN. Im a pyro. I have an added one to my gear, and have one in the truck. I carry the alco in "shooter" bottles, that way noone mistakes it for water or anything.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)




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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Love the stove idea


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## Titan6 (May 19, 2013)

Wow Nice... Thanks For the information and post..


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## Sinkhole (Nov 17, 2012)

Gives me a reason to buy canned beer for once instead of bottles. :roll:

Has anyone tried some sort of wicking material inside like cotton balls or something? I wonder how that would effect the burn rate?
Speaking of, how long does that baby burn?


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## wesley762 (Oct 23, 2012)

Sinkhole said:


> Gives me a reason to buy canned beer for once instead of bottles. :roll:
> 
> Has anyone tried some sort of wicking material inside like cotton balls or something? I wonder how that would effect the burn rate?
> Speaking of, how long does that baby burn?


I made a few of these last year, I did not add any cotton or anything but they burned for about 12 to 15 minutes on average.


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## jesstheshow (Nov 18, 2013)

add petroleum jelly to cotton


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

haven't tried anything but Denatured alcohol. It creates a pressure inside the can, wich makes it sound like propane stove. I haven't timed a burn cycle yet, but I promise, it puts out some serious heat. 
Another "trick" i liked was to put some "wooden skewers", which looked like dowell rods to me, in your storage bottles of alcohol, they are like small super fire starters.
Bieng a certifed PYRO, i also have some "hobo candles", and tea light candles, along with steel wool, ducttape, and superglue.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Deebo, with just a couple more ingredients you have the makings of some real mayhem.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Mr Paul, I have a very troubled background.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Glad to hear that it is in your background....


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Bumping


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

That's a good idea. I suppose you can put a can of chili or soup on top?


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Yes ma'am, I have little surrounds, that cans sit on, and keep the wind down. 
Don't think I forgot about you Lady


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

They work real good for heating up water, but heating cans of food is tricky because they get so hot. Maybe with a big can to hold water and put the smaller can in like a double boiler.


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## SecretPrepper (Mar 25, 2014)

Sinkhole said:


> Gives me a reason to buy canned beer for once instead of bottles. :roll:
> 
> Has anyone tried some sort of wicking material inside like cotton balls or something? I wonder how that would effect the burn rate?
> Speaking of, how long does that baby burn?


My Granddad and his his friends had coffee can heaters that we used in deer blinds. The top of the can was used as a throttle we would put a role of toilet paper in the coffee can then fill with grain alcohol. That thing put off some serious heat and would last for a morning and afternoon hunt before you needed to refill it. Man that was a long time ago thanks for jogging back some great memories.


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## BearReed (Oct 11, 2014)

Deebo, glad you bumped the thread. I was checking it out earlier so my son and I made one when he got home from school. I see now that you have 16 holes in yours but we ended up making it with only 8. I already had the alcohol. I've got an alcohol stove in my boat so I just grabbed some of that stock.

The hardest part was getting the two halves together but I found that it was easier to take the one that was going to go on the inside and use my thumbnail to put very slight dents at the lip where it first meets the other one where you put them together, and go all around it, making about 20 of them or so. This made it easier for me to put them together without ripping the aluminum. 

We ended up setting it up at ground level and creating sort of a gravel volcano all around it for a bit of a wind break and my son heated up his dinner on it. LOL It put out some great heat and the burn time was about 12 minutes. The flames were a bit long but not too bad. I think that's where the 16 holes would probably do better, giving it a more efficient flame like the one in your picture. 

Fun to do! And it officially holds the record for my lightest stove. Thanks for the post.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Kool that you are teaching him. 
Yes, I haven't made one in quite awhile, but after you do one, it gets easier every time.


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## just mike (Jun 25, 2014)

Thanks Deebo, going to build one this weekend and giver it a try. Have to drink a couple of beers first.

Now I have another reason to "make" some alcohol.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I love these stoves and have one that works great.

A friend of mine built his with a fiberglass wick ( there are no jets) because he claims that the stoves that have jets will not pressurize if they are sitting on ice or snow. 

I still use this style but it is something to consider.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

I have access to k-wool now at work, it is an asbestos free blanket that we use to hold heat. Really a lot like muffler insulation, I have thought about making another one. 
As far as not vaporizing or jetting on snow, I don't know, I have a cookie tin that I use to keep the super hot can from burning anything.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I like the idea, but it needs to come with a boatload of warnings. Yes, alcohol stoves are great in many circumstances, but alcohol is tricky. The big danger is that alcohol can burn without any visible flames. That picture shows an alcohol flame that is oxygen-poor. If you have a tent, you could set yourself and all your gear AND your tent on fire.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

For sure. The flames in picture were when it was first lit. When it starts jetting, it is hot, hot enough to burn a tent down. 
That's why I don't sell them. 
I have some sterno cans with screw on lids that I think would make awesome stoves with alcohol, that look Luke jetboils stove.
I assume no responsibility or credit for the stoves.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I'm so glad to see that no one has suggested using grain alcohol.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

It's more of a case of assuming that you use it. After all, the goal is to do the most with the least. If having drinking alcohol around worries you, pack Everclear. That way you remove the temptation.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Cant get denatured alcohol in Canada. Yup you read that correctly. This would be an great little project and a great way to get a quick cup of coffe out in the bush - small game season is ON - any other fuel choices for something like this? Im just about to buy an MSR stove.....


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

TacticalCanuck said:


> Cant get denatured alcohol in Canada. Yup you read that correctly. This would be an great little project and a great way to get a quick cup of coffe out in the bush - small game season is ON - any other fuel choices for something like this? Im just about to buy an MSR stove.....


Bacardi 151 might work, 180 proof evefrclear would work.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Any alcohol over 140 proof will work in a stove. That is 70% alcohol by volume.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

To burn my bacardi would be sacreligious!


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

TacticalCanuck said:


> Cant get denatured alcohol in Canada. Yup you read that correctly. This would be an great little project and a great way to get a quick cup of coffe out in the bush - small game season is ON - any other fuel choices for something like this? Im just about to buy an MSR stove.....


In canada, you can buy methyl hydrate alcohol gas line antifreeze at canadian tire, and dollarama sells fondue fuel which is methyl hydrate with a purple dye.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

The main issue here is that alcohol stoves are horribly dangerous unless used in controlled conditions. That's because they burn with an invisible flame, are very prone to spills when tipped, and the resulting fire is hard to put out. Once you spill it on porous materials, they simply act as wicks and the continues and/or spreads. It's impossible to put out an alcohol fire with water unless it's a confined space.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

TacticalCanuck said:


> Cant get denatured alcohol in Canada. Yup you read that correctly. This would be an great little project and a great way to get a quick cup of coffe out in the bush - small game season is ON - any other fuel choices for something like this? Im just about to buy an MSR stove.....


I hear that HEET works, it's a gas additive. 
Really, no denatured alcohol? I'm sure some higrade rubbing alcohol would work.

And yes, everyone, open flame is dangerous. 
I had a coworker teach boy scouts how to make and use these.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

For the price of two cans of soda, you could find out if Coleman lantern fluid would get hot and jet this up?


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I'll watch from over here...-> x


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Im sure there has to be an alternative not researched it yet. A water bottle with fuel and a premade stove could go a long way when not even fire is possible.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

I can say from experience that 91% isopropyl alchohol does work in these stoves.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Not sure about the 70%. Haven't tried it yet.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

It's just fire????
Please remember, I assume no responsibility. 
I am a pyro. Having been "fully engulfed", I have respect but admiration for fire. 
Better?


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Alcohol 90% have to look into that one. I have to be sure fuel works because if i dont build the stove right well it takes that out of the equation. I like the alcohol idea as it can be used to help sterilize and clean wounds too.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I don't know why you insist on ethanol but here it is at canadian tire.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/h...starters/bioflame-ethanol-3-78l-0643537p.html

I like the fondu fuel at dollarama. And the price is right.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Not insisting on anything i dont know what works and am trying to learn what does. And you are saying this works so thank you! Be a great weekend project while camping to build a couple of these.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I've burned just about any alcohol that happens to be around. Methyl, ethyl, rubbing alcohol(isoprop). I havn't tried non alcohol fuels, I bet some of them work too, but be skeptical the first time you use something. For example, I might try unleaded gas, but I think I would do a test burn with only a tblspn of gas in the stove, then if everything is fine, try it again with 2 tablespoons of gas. Gasoline is a tricking one, I've seen how it flares up in a firepit, and wouldn't want the same thing to happen to me with an alcohol stove. Pick your location carefully and plan for the unexpected.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Hey, just wanted to revisit this topic. I recomended using regular gasoline, and i have to admit that the more i think about it, the more i think it is a bad idea. I think a flare up/small explosion could happen with gasoline. I won't be trying it, I hope anyone that does will approach it with extreme caution.


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## Dubyagee (Nov 9, 2012)

Do not use gasoline in a homemade stove!!! Or Coleman fuel. Heat, vapor overload and boom!

I used 70% isopropyl with good results. Made a stand and use a tea light underneath to heat the alcohol. Runs long enough to boil two cups of water using four tablespoons of fuel.

These were before the tea light. I used the paper soaked with some alcohol to preheat it.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

My daughters school was throwing out a bunch of these stainless bottles in the lost and found at the end of they year so I snagged them - for purposes other than water because ewwwwww.
I find them to be MUCH more robust than a penny stove or can stove.





And for fuel, I've used all forms of isoporpyl, grain and denatured alcohol.. I've also used heet and berryman b-12. I don't have a favorite, they all seem to do the trick.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Bumping to the top, for @LunaticWrench


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