Diet Coke Can Stove

[Canyonero]

I just finished making my first lightweight alcohol stove. I have been testing it using 70% ethyl rubbing alcohol ($1.69 for a pint at Martin's in MD) and it took about 15 min to get a cup of water to boil. It does burn clean unlike the isopropyl I tried first...should've known better . I am wondering if this is adequate, or if I should look into getting denatured alcohol from the hardware store (I assume it would have a higher alcohol/lower water content). Pretty much just curious as to what people use because 15 min to boil a cup of water seems like a pretty long time.

[Rasty]

Heet (yellow bottle) from auto parts store. Really close to 100% alcohol. Burns clean. 4 twelve ounce bottles for $6

[kayak karl]

http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm scroll to the bottom. types of fuel. i use HEET in yellow bottle.

[dale1627]

I've given up on using a soda can stove. Mine burped alcohol when I set a pot on it. Burned my jacket liner and poly pants. I only section hike so the weight benefit and fuel isn't an issue for me. Now trying to find my ideal canister stove.

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[moytoy]

Use yellow Heet or denaturned from the HW store. Rubbing alcohol smokes and doesn't burn hot enough. I've been using a penny style alky stove for over 10 years and it works great for me. A cup of water should take 4-6 min to boil depending on temp of water and ambient temperature.

[Don H]

Or you could use Everclear. It has it's advantages, duel use ya' know.

[kayak karl]

if the frirst stove doesn't perform the way you want just make another one, then another one, then another one, then another one, then another one, then another one,...................................... then another one,

[Velvet Gooch]

Or you could use Everclear. It has it's advantages, duel use ya' know.

Exactly. A glug for the ol' Trangia and a splash for me. No toxic fuels in my kit

[Turk6177]

Funny you posted this because I just made the same stove (penny stove 2.0 is what it was called it on the website I used for instructions). I used Heet for fuel as the people already said above. I found 1 tablespoon in the stove and one on top to prime the stove brought a pot of water to a boil. It burned out relatively soon after. I used a pretty large piece of aluminum foil for a wind screen. I still need to make a pot stand. I don't think this stove is intended to have the pot sitting right on top of it. I believe in the web site I used, they used irrigation stakes to make a pot stand. I tried a coat hanger, and it was way too weak. I did use JB Weld to seal where my two cans come together. Has anyone found any different results by putting more, smaller burner holes? (12 instead of 6?) Here is the web site for the stove I made. http://www.jureystudio.com/pennystov...einstruct.html I have not tried the simmer ring, but the web site says you can simmer a pot for 20 minutes if you use it. We'll see.

[kayak karl]

for wind screen/stand go to (2:00 min) in video. i made mine from roof flashing and tent stakes. held it together with paper clips at seam.

[Hiker Dave]

I just finished making my first lightweight alcohol stove. I have been testing it using 70% ethyl rubbing alcohol ($1.69 for a pint at Martin's in MD) and it took about 15 min to get a cup of water to boil. It does burn clean unlike the isopropyl I tried first...should've known better . I am wondering if this is adequate, or if I should look into getting denatured alcohol from the hardware store (I assume it would have a higher alcohol/lower water content). Pretty much just curious as to what people use because 15 min to boil a cup of water seems like a pretty long time.

I made several coke can stoves and had pretty much your results until I found this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-35L_xdtQE.
I have made several of these and use denat or heet and it works great, boil two eggs everyday at work. One cup of water boils in say 4 minutes and it continues to boil for about 13 minutes on an ounce and a half of fuel. The stove also serves as the pot holder so it is an all in one deal. To simmer foods I just put the pot on and then off the stove when it starts to bubble, I think he shows how to make a simmer ring but not sure. Good luck and I am trying it out in the GREAT outdoors starting this sunday north of Erwin .

[Spokes]

My go to fuel on the trail is denatured alcohol since it's so readily available. I'd only buy HEET in a pinch.

[Whack-a-mole]

I bought a coke can type stove and thought it was cool until I saw the video on how to make one out of a cat food can. Made one of those and threw the coke can type in the trash. No comparison in my opinion.

[Rain Man]

I bought a coke can type stove and thought it was cool until I saw the video on how to make one out of a cat food can. Made one of those and threw the coke can type in the trash. No comparison in my opinion.

DITTO. Though I will admit I made a pressurized alcohol stove from 9.5 oz soft drink cans. That stove fits perfectly inside my super cat stove. Thus, I can carry two stoves without taking up more space or getting crushed, and the weight is negligible.

My go to fuel on the trail is denatured alcohol since it's so readily available. I'd only buy HEET in a pinch.

DITTO.

RainMan

.

[Canyonero]

I bought denatured alcohol today at Home Depot and it certainly burns better...maybe too well. I was vaporizing alcohol way faster than I wanted to and had flames coming out around the side of the pot I was boiling water in. I think it's because I have too many holes in my can. In order to reduce the vaporization rate, I was thinking of adding some water to the fuel before I light it. Has anyone done this and how did it go? I would try making another stove but I don't have the tools readily available here at my apartment so I'd really like to find a way to make this one work! Thanks!

[kayak karl]

don't alter fuel just make new stove or plug some holes in the one you have.
how much fuel? -how long? - to boil 2 cups
pictures would help

[Canyonero]

I used about 2 oz. of fuel I believe. I did not measure it but the fuel burned out in about 20 min. It took 11 min to boil 2 cups of water. Here is my setup.

stove.JPGpotstand.JPG

What could I use to plug the holes?

[kayak karl]

J-B Weld Epoxy or similar.

[kayak karl]

this is where i learned to make stoves years ago. http://hikinghq.net/stoves/stove_compare.html go through forum for old posts on DIY Stoves. good reading.

[Another Kevin]

I would try making another stove but I don't have the tools readily available here at my apartment

Tools? A single edge razor blade and a paperback book are the best tools for cutting the can. Wedge the blade in the book, and spin the can against it. Make the jets with a pushpin (which doubles as a cleaning tool, so carry it with the stove). It's a little easier to spin the can against the blade if you C-clamp the book to the table, but that's optional. Since I use a crimped rim for the burner (the inside bit, with the jets), I also find a pair of pliers useful. None of this is anything that I didn't have around back in the days when I was an apartment dweller; in fact, the razor blade is the only item that I don't ordinarily have in my pack! (I suppose the knife blade on my Leatherman tool would do in a pinch.)

Cover the fill holes with a pre-1982 penny - google "Penny Stove" for more than you ever wanted to know about why, and how to operate a design like this.

Oh, and the stove will burn slower if you direct the jets upward. A lot of what boils the alcohol is the heat transferred to the can when the flame hits the lip of the can. Take your pushpin and bend them up, and see if that makes a difference. Or, as someone suggested, J-B Weld over a few of your jets.

Also, how are you priming the thing? These pressurized stoves tend to burn way too fast until the priming fuel runs out. A few drops is all it takes in warm weather.

Don't overfill it, start with 1/2 oz or so of alcohol for the first burn and work out how little you need to boil a half-litre of water.

Don't water down the fuel, that just leaves water and unburnt, unusable fuel in the stove at the end of the burn, and makes the flame sootier.