View Full Version : stove fabrication tip needed
I'm making a mini bull type stove following the directions at Zenstoves.com.
I am supposed to expand the lower piece so the top will slide in without crimping. They suggest using a full can of juice for the stretching die (I'm using V8 5.5 oz cans).
When I perform the stretch, the can splits. The split seems to start from an irregular spot on my cut. Try as I might, I can't make a perfect cut.
I saw Skidsteer's tip to use a red bull can, but I'm not willing to spend $4 to get the cans and don't drink red bull.
Might a pre-heat on the can to be stretched help??
Any other ideas??
Thanks In Advance.
PS the original minibull directions have been pulled from the web. How about that!! It had a different design.
You can try putting one can in the freezer to expand it and then use it for the outside part. Put it in a baggie so any mess will be easy to clean up.
Also, if you use a piece of fine emory cloth to clean up the cut edge, the can won't be as apt to split.
mweinstone
03-03-2010, 12:22
make a jig to cut all your cans. simply hold a razor blade down tight with your thumb on a small can the height of witch is the cutting height you desire and turn the can to be cut against the tiny part of the blade you allow to sit over the edge of the small can. also you can secure the blade to the cantop and the can to a workbench and then spin cans against it all day to cut them.two cans of same size pushed one inside the cut half of another to widen it is a slow and carful prosses and dosnt reliy on sharp cuts once learned. its about practice
try a campbells tomato juice can. i made a bunch of these and never had any trouble fitting the top and bottom together. i didn't stretch them out either. can't imagine there is much difference in the material of a different brand, but maybe? that's the best advice i can offer. good luck and let us know what works out!
Er um putting a can in the freezer will shrink it.
Thermal expansion. Heating will expand metal.
Certainly heating it up will make it easier to form.
This is a pretty simple stove and works well.
Made from a Heineken can bottom, coke can bottom and the top of an aluminum hairspray can.
I am working on a few others similar to this.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59220
This one works well too and is just a tealight stove with a heine can as a pot support. This is the lightest one I have tried.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z300/tammons3/Hiking%20gear/1cupstovekit.jpg
Red Beard
03-03-2010, 12:56
Er um putting a can in the freezer will shrink it.
Thermal expansion. Heating will expand metal.
Certainly heating it up will make it easier to form.
This is a pretty simple stove and works well.
Made from a Heineken can bottom, coke can bottom and the top of an aluminum hairspray can.
I am working on a few others similar to this.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59220
This one works well too and is just a tealight stove with a heine can as a pot support. This is the lightest one I have tried.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z300/tammons3/Hiking%20gear/1cupstovekit.jpg
I'm pretty sure he meant with the liquid still inside of it. Unlike many chemicals, water's chemical bonds stretch out once it freezes, and therefore it will expand and stretch the can.
mweinstone
03-03-2010, 12:57
putting a full unopened can of soda in freezer exspands it perfectly. remove when about to burst and thaw. empty and cut.
Got it. Yep that will expand a can for sure.
beakerman
03-03-2010, 16:02
you could also try heating the outter part and sticking the inner part in the freezer. This will make the inner part smaller and the outer part larger. If you work real quick you can then just drop them together and as the temps equalize they will seat tight.
Rockhound
03-03-2010, 16:19
Stove fabrication tip? Hmmmmmm. I got it. Tell everyone your stove can boil 5 Gal. of water in 2 minutes.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/0/5/2/3/dsc00046_thumb.jpghttp://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/0/5/2/3/dsc00047_thumb.jpg
It's done.
I tried the freezer: no go
I tried heating the outer: no go
I pushed the full can into it two or three times: no change
finally---
After fiddling around with no success, I made a small slit (1/8 in) this allowed me to get the two pieces started.
One burn to test. It will definitely need a prime pan.
The size fits the pot well, Very little flame up the side of the pot.
I will report with burn times for 1/2 OZ and time to boil. Maybe tomorrrow
Best I can tell:Results for 1/2 oz of alcohol.
6 min to a lift the lid, rolling boil
about 10 min total burn time
Not bad.