# Alcohol stoves



## Big Country1 (Feb 10, 2014)

Does anyone use a alcohol stove? I have a homemade Cat-can stove i made, that goes into my GHB. I see it as a great option for fast and easy cooking, but only lasts until the alcohol is gone. Thoughts?

I took a small can of cat food, emptied it out and drilled 8 vents around the top edge. It fits snug down into a Cambells soup can. 8 holes around the bottom of the Cambells can and 8 arond the top. It works great!

I have been using HEET, a gas line antifreeze. Is there a better option? I heard that Everclear works decent but puts off alot of soot, but i like the redundency that the Everclear offers. Could be used as fuel for the stove, for sanatizing, and ofcourse too drink :grin:

Thanks BC1


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## 3percent (Dec 28, 2014)

I have two types. I made the first one out of a cat food can (nasty stuff, lol) and it works very well.

Then I bought a pre-made one from a local outdoors outfitter. I kid you not, the cat food can one gets hotter and boils water much faster.

I use denatured alcohol as it's fairly inexpensive. Does the trick.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I've never used an alcohol stove, but it looks like an interesting project and I will probably build one. I've seen some of the youtube videos, it doesn't seem hard to do.

At present, my GHB contains wax stoves.


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## 3percent (Dec 28, 2014)

They are fun to build and only cost a few dollars. Can be made from soda cans too. It's a good afternoon project when you are sitting around with nothing to do and you have already inventoried your beans and bullets for the third time that day, haha.


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

I use the 91% rubbing alcohol.


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## Charles Martel (Mar 10, 2014)

I've got a couple alcohol stoves that I made from soda cans. The bigger of the two (made from the bottoms of two extra large energy drink cans) burns very hot for about 20 minutes. It boils water almost as fast as my jetboil, but is far lighter/more versatile. I keep them in our bugout bags, along with a bottle of everclear (I use everclear as fuel because it works well, and has other *ahem* "medicinal" uses as well).


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

Those stainless water bottles work pretty good too.


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

Too many trees here to carry a non-wood fuel stove. Got too much weight in my bag as it is. I keep a few fuel tablets just in case I'm on the move are in wet weather and don't have time to hunt for dry wood. But my thoughts are if I have time to cook food then I have time to find wood.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I can see how an alcohol stove could have advantages over a wood fire. A wood fire is noisy and it smokes; gathering wood requires a lot of movement, important if you want to escape detection. Alcohol burns clean and quiet, and can probably even be used indoors if you don't overdo it.


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## Big Country1 (Feb 10, 2014)

3percent said:


> I have two types. I made the first one out of a cat food can (nasty stuff, lol) and it works very well.
> 
> Then I bought a pre-made one from a local outdoors outfitter. I kid you not, the cat food can one gets hotter and boils water much faster.
> 
> I use denatured alcohol as it's fairly inexpensive. Does the trick.


I have never tired anything other than the stove ive made. Mostly due too the fact that i cant buy anything without thinking to myself, " How can i make this for less money? or How can i make this outta the materials i already have?" The "Cat-can" stove cost me nothing except fuel price, and it works better than i thought it would.

I am having a hard time finding the denatured alcohol. I thought it would be easy too find, but every time i ask i always get a crazy look.... Maybe i just look crazy, i dunno lol


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## Big Country1 (Feb 10, 2014)

Tennessee said:


> Too many trees here to carry a non-wood fuel stove. Got too much weight in my bag as it is. I keep a few fuel tablets just in case I'm on the move are in wet weather and don't have time to hunt for dry wood. But my thoughts are if I have time to cook food then I have time to find wood.


I agree... This is in my GHB, which is for short term survival and getting from A-B... I carry a homemade wood gas stove, similar too the solo stove in my BOB, which too me is for long term survival.


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## Big Country1 (Feb 10, 2014)

Eventually the alcohol will run out. Thats why i consider it for short term survival. For longer periods, my fuel of choice is wood. Its (almost) everywhere


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Big Country1 said:


> I am having a hard time finding the denatured alcohol. I thought it would be easy too find, but every time i ask i always get a crazy look.... Maybe i just look crazy, i dunno lol


Try the big box home improvement stores. Denatured alcohol is used to thin stain/lacquer and should be in the paint department.


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

I have home built ones and a numerous Trangia Spirit stoves. I find that "HEAT" (pure methanol automotive fuel deicer) sold in Wally World in the yellow bottle ($1.40 for 16oz.) to produce the highest temperature. The Spirit stove can be carried full of fuel (great advantage) in a pocket and will cover a couple meals. I carry the stove and a little 8 oz. bottle of fuel on a 3-day outing and usually have fuel left over.

I've placed a Spirit stove (filled) in my BOB, truck console, hiking essentials pouch, etc. I do use other stoves/fuels, but for a multi-fuel source, small package, grab and go stove, I'm really partial to the Trangia.

Oh, I'm not a Trangia spokes-person or stock-holder or any such&#8230; just into ultra-light solutions.

EDIT:



Big Country1 said:


> Eventually the alcohol will run out. Thats why i consider it for short term survival. For longer periods, my fuel of choice is wood. Its (almost) everywhere


I agree completely. I always exhuast local fuel options before resorting to packed-in options.


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## Big Country1 (Feb 10, 2014)

sideKahr said:


> Try the big box home improvement stores. Denatured alcohol is used to thin stain/lacquer and should be in the paint department.


Im going to have too give them a look... I tried automotive stores and walmart, but no luck yet. They have a paint thinner but its not the right kind (i dont think), or its an aircraft thinner and that crap is non flammable


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

I'm showing off my typical A-Stove setup here&#8230; this one with a Trangia, but home-built works as well too. It's all pretty easy to make up. This setup lives in my 3-day BOB.

____ *Complete Kit *________________*The Pieces *_______________ *With Screen *___________ *Without Screen *


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

I have one made from a soda can. Only fuel I have run in it so far is 91% isopropyl. On a full tank it burns around 20 minutes, which is enough to boil 2 cups of water for a dehydrated backpacking meal and heat up the pot/cup again for a hot drink. I need to try some other fuels because the isopropyl burns pretty dirty. My boil time was over 10 minutes @ 35f and around 800 feet above sea level. I wonder if I would get better results with a different fuel. And possibly some sort of stand/windscreen needs to be made for mine. Here's a sideways action shot:


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

If there is a race track anywhere around you methanol should be easy to find and cheap by the gallon.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I buy methylhydrate( gas line antifreeze) from any big box store, but my favorite is fondu fuel from the local dollarama store( it is methylhhydrate with a blue dye)

Eventually I would like to put a bad batch of wine through a homemade still, but so far all my wine has been very tasty.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

I don't have a stove in my bob but instead have a grill modified from a BBQ grill.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

The crazy looks your getting is becouse denatured alcohol is a precurser ingredient in drug making. 
Most paint stores should have it, we use it by the 55 gallon drums, at work, so I have some...
Check back, I did a pictorial thread on making penny can stoves. They are a simple fun project.
I have been tinkering with sterno cans, trying to make it sealable, so you could just keep the alcohol in it.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Arklatex said:


> I have one made from a soda can. Only fuel I have run in it so far is 91% isopropyl. On a full tank it burns around 20 minutes, which is enough to boil 2 cups of water for a dehydrated backpacking meal and heat up the pot/cup again for a hot drink. I need to try some other fuels because the isopropyl burns pretty dirty. My boil time was over 10 minutes @ 35f and around 800 feet above sea level. I wonder if I would get better results with a different fuel. And possibly some sort of stand/windscreen needs to be made for mine. Here's a sideways action shot:


Arklatex, check at dollar tree. For a tin of cookies, the blue sugar cookies, it makes a great screen and pot support.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Sorry, blue tin, not cookies. The cookies are good too.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

pakrat said:


> I have home built ones and a numerous Trangia Spirit stoves. I find that "HEAT" (pure methanol automotive fuel deicer) sold in Wally World in the yellow bottle ($1.40 for 16oz.) to produce the highest temperature. The Spirit stove can be carried full of fuel (great advantage) in a pocket and will cover a couple meals. I carry the stove and a little 8 oz. bottle of fuel on a 3-day outing and usually have fuel left over.
> 
> I've placed a Spirit stove (filled) in my BOB, truck console, hiking essentials pouch, etc. I do use other stoves/fuels, but for a multi-fuel source, small package, grab and go stove, I'm really partial to the Trangia.
> 
> ...


I'm partial to the Trangia alcohol stove myself. For 15 bucks you can't go wrong. The biggest issue, which is really not an issue is making or finding a stand and windscreen. I like the double cap system because it allows fuel to be stored in the stove and way to snuff out the flame when done.


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

Seneca said:


> I'm partial to the Trangia alcohol stove myself. For 15 bucks you can't go wrong. The biggest issue, which is really not an issue is making or finding a stand and windscreen. I like the double cap system because it allows fuel to be stored in the stove and way to snuff out the flame when done.


The Trangia link I put out sells various stands, but I make mine out of 1/2" hardware cloth (fencing) and aluminum flashing... and a couple pop-rivets w/washers. It takes about half an hour and about 40¢ worth of materials. The commercial ones are way over priced.

I also include a standard small-mouth canning jar ring with my kits. They nest over the bottom of the stove nicely for storage and flip over to make a handy base to elevate the flame if desired and keep the stove off the cold ground... helps the fuel warm up faster and produce a better higher pressure flame.


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## MrPrepsky (Jan 11, 2015)

I've made a few homemade stoves and the only problem is I find myself making a new one every few months, soda cans aren't exactly the most reliable of material. I recently got one as a gift called the go bag stove, its super light and solid, I don't see myself needing to make one again. It puts out way more heat too.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

I've made it out of 2 pop cans as well and use methyl hydrate as the fuel. Burns clean and hot and 2 cups will rolling boil 2x on a full load. Works great. Not a good long term but great in a get home bag or a day bunny hunting. And that's how I use mine.


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

I want to mess around using an alcohol stove as the heat source for a rocket stove. I’d like to find a six inch long tube with an ID only slightly larger than the A-stove (slip the A-stove inside), that was light weight, fire proof inside, but had high insulating ability such that it focused nearly all of the heat produced by the A-stove within the tube, ie not thermal conductive… I think it would be amazingly efficient. 

A lot of the heat produced by A-stoves escapes into the air around them. Channel and direct that heat and you’ve taken it to the next level.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Big Country1 said:


> I have never tired anything other than the stove ive made. Mostly due too the fact that i cant buy anything without thinking to myself, " How can i make this for less money? or How can i make this outta the materials i already have?" The "Cat-can" stove cost me nothing except fuel price, and it works better than i thought it would.
> 
> I am having a hard time finding the denatured alcohol. I thought it would be easy too find, but every time i ask i always get a crazy look.... Maybe i just look crazy, i dunno lol


Denatured Alcohol Home Depot in the paint section in 1 gallon cans.


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## jbrooks19 (May 22, 2014)

I have been looking into this for awhile now, I will be gathering the material i need and building one soon.


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## John M (Jan 17, 2015)

Hope you guys don't mind my asking but how do you plan on fueling these things when SHTF? I guess if you had the stuff you could make alcohol, but for most people it does'nt seem practical. Although having a solid alcohol source seems like a great idea.

I really want to get a few of the less expensive stoves, I just dont want to have to deal with the fuel issue.

Let me know what you guys think.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

John M said:


> Hope you guys don't mind my asking but how do you plan on fueling these things when SHTF? I guess if you had the stuff you could make alcohol, but for most people it does'nt seem practical. Although having a solid alcohol source seems like a great idea.
> 
> I really want to get a few of the less expensive stoves, I just dont want to have to deal with the fuel issue.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think.


In my case these are just an ultralight stove option for the bob or ghb. Not a long term thing... however they will run on moonshine if you were able to make it.

Learn to cook on a woodstove and over a fire with cast iron.


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## haydukeprepper (Apr 28, 2013)

3percent said:


> They are fun to build and only cost a few dollars. Can be made from soda cans too. It's a good afternoon project when you are sitting around with nothing to do and you have already inventoried your beans and bullets for the third time that day, haha.


LOL. Classic Sunday afternoon!


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