View Full Version : Pepsi Stove Pot Stand
I just made a Pepsi stove and I'm very excited to use it on an upcoming trip, but I am having trouble with a pot stand for it. The website I got the stove directions from recommended using welded wire fence. Anyone know a source for welded wire fence? Lowes only had chain link. I've even been checking out all the fences I drive by to see if I could cut off a corner somewhere. they are all chainlink! Any advice on making a stand would be helpful.
Look in the window screen section instead of the fence section. The squares are only 1/4" big.
Haiku.
Youngblood
06-06-2003, 10:14
I have made several pot stands by bending coat-hanger wire. BTW, I have also found that not all coat-hanger wire is the the same gauge, or thickness. If the wire gauge is too small, the pot stand will wobble a little with a pan full water...the heavier gauge wire stays rigid.
The wire fencing or screening is sometimes known as hardware cloth.
IdahoDavid
06-06-2003, 12:31
I've also seen stands made by using a second slightly larger can like a tuna fish or shrimp can. Use a church key opener to put triangular openings around the top edge and punch some air holes with a nail around the bottom edge.
cburnett
06-07-2003, 12:05
At trails days 6 moons design had a pepsi stove, stand and windscreen $14 (plus shipping). Now, i'll try to describe the stand
three tent stake size bars bent at each end down about 1.25 in. Two stakes were placed in one of three, i'll say, bullet shells that tightly held the stake ends. The shells were about 2.5 in. long and had reinforcement along the top and bottom edge. (it probable wasn't a bullet shell but some brass tubing ?#?#) together three stakes and three 'shells' made a sturdy triangle for holding the pot.
Stove/Windscreen (http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith/newdesign.html)
more stove ideas (http://antigravitygear.com/products/mamas_kitchen.html)
I have come to understand that my participation in this forum is counter productive. In an attempt to ammend this I am deleting my posts and have requested to have my account deleted
..."Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi...NO Coke!"
whatsup with all the fuss???????
by the time you hand-make your alcohol burning stove, (many hours) carry the fuel, get a wind screen arent you looking @ MORE than 4 oz???????????????????????????????????????????????? ?
Maybe its just than feelin' of accomplishment!
i've got a home-made (pepsi)alcohol-burnin' stove....it sits @ home in my office next to my other not-often-used materials...my old machetti, my
boombox, my 8-lb-tent, my NON-breathable-rainjacket, etc, etc
i'll take my MSR Pocket Rocket anytime!
jaybird
www.trailjournals.com/JAYBIRDANDJIGSAW
tlbj6142
07-14-2003, 13:29
The Pocket Rocket is the perfect weekend/week-long stove (I own one). However, I would be concerned about fuel availablity along a long trail.
Given that an empty MSR canister weights more than entire stove kit from the above (http://www.trailquest.net/dlgcscookset.html) link, I think the weight savings are worth it. Don't forget to include a pozy cozy (23g for my 2qt pot) to further reduce the fuel consumption.
IdahoDavid
07-14-2003, 14:34
I've been carrying an alcohol stove since I purchased one from REI in the mid-70s and have since made a lighter version from an Altoids tin. Both have been very useable in all seasons for 99 percent of the cooking I do. Especially for those of us with little or no mechanical skills, having a lightweight unit with no moving parts is a godsend, as is using a cheap, readily available fuel.
Bill Strickland
12-10-2003, 21:23
Welded wire makes the best potstand, but hardware cloth works. It is soldered as opposed to welded, but an alcohol stove won't melt the solder.
Cedar Tree
12-11-2003, 07:29
A member of this website, Brian, sell stoves and a simple yet efficient and light potholder/windscreen combo off Ebay. Do a search at Ebay for Alcohol Stove and I bet one of his offers will turn up. I just received mine on Monday. Cedar Tree
Cedar Tree, how do you like it?
Link to my stovesMy stoves (http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=outdoorequipmentsupplier&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&page=1&rows=25&showpics=1&stab=0)
Rain Man
12-11-2003, 11:24
You don't really need a pot stand with all Pepsi can alcohol stoves.
Let me put in a plug for this one, which I used in GA last month. I love this stove and the proprietor was wonderful to deal with. No, he's not a brother-in-law nor is he paying me to say this! LOL
http://www.antigravitygear.com/products/stove.html
I have the stove, the windscreen, the cozy, and the pot.
Anyway, my two cents.
Rain Man
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NJPacker
01-15-2004, 14:00
I had the pleasure to deal with Brian (stove guy). I purchased one of his total cook kits and have been very pleased with the performance. The stoves are made in a professional manner and the windscreen works as advertised. A definate worthwhile purchase. Thanks again Brian.
NJpacker
SGT Rock
01-16-2004, 03:34
Anti Gravity sent me a Momma's Kitchen. Nice set up for a pair of hikers that want a little more than simple water boiling. It is a bit much for a solo hiker, but they have other set ups. I say they are worth a look.
I have made some great stands from bailing wire and some OK ones from coat hangers. Hardware cloth is the best if you are making your own. Just don't sit over the stove and inhale the fumes since it is made from galvanized steel.
NJPacker
01-16-2004, 09:57
Anti Gravity sent me a Momma's Kitchen. Nice set up for a pair of hikers that want a little more than simple water boiling. It is a bit much for a solo hiker, but they have other set ups. I say they are worth a look.
I have made some great stands from bailing wire and some OK ones from coat hangers. Hardware cloth is the best if you are making your own. Just don't sit over the stove and inhale the fumes since it is made from galvanized steel.
SGT ROCK.....thanks for the information. You can never learn enough about alcohol stoves. Everyday, newer, more innovative stoves are being created. It's fun experimenting with all the new stuff out there. Thanks again. Your input is always interesting and useful.
NJpacker
gardenville
01-18-2004, 19:19
SGT ROCK.....thanks for the information. You can never learn enough about alcohol stoves. Everyday, newer, more innovative stoves are being created. It's fun experimenting with all the new stuff out there. Thanks again. Your input is always interesting and useful.
NJpacker
I have used that galvinized Hardware Cloth for pot stands and other things and never really liked it. Aaron at BrassLite.com is now selling the Stainless Steel wire cloth like he uses on his stoves in 1 foot square pieces for $3 a sq ft. plus shipping. I have been after this SS stuff for a long time but didn't want to buy the minumin quantiy the supplier required. I am not sure if I can do this or if it will work but here is a link to it. http://www.brasslite.com/order.html#wirecloth
I just ordered a piece 1 foot by 3 foot and can't wait to replace all the nasty galvanized stuff with this.
SGT Rock
01-19-2004, 01:39
I think that stailess steel cloth would be a good investment. I think that the galvanized is good for tinkering and figuring out how you want to make the stove stand, but then invest in some stainless steel.
gardenville
01-19-2004, 02:33
I think that stailess steel cloth would be a good investment. I think that the galvanized is good for tinkering and figuring out how you want to make the stove stand, but then invest in some stainless steel.
It is always good to hear from you. You might say I got my Spurs in VN as a 2LT, Infantry PLT LDR for D Troop. 1/1 Cav. Some years later I was the E Troop CMD, LANG at good old Ft Polk, LA. Take care.
Nightwalker
01-19-2004, 15:24
You don't really need a pot stand with all Pepsi can alcohol stoves.
Let me put in a plug for this one, which I used in GA last month. I love this stove and the proprietor was wonderful to deal with. No, he's not a brother-in-law nor is he paying me to say this! LOL
http://www.antigravitygear.com/products/stove.html
I have the stove, the windscreen, the cozy, and the pot.
Anyway, my two cents.
Rain Man
.
Tin Man was at the SORUCK this weekend, and put on a good demo of how to make his stoves. I wimped out and bought one from the charity garage-sale table, however. :)
Frank
NJPacker
01-19-2004, 17:30
gardenville,
Thanks for the info. I'll be ordering some the stainless steel wire cloth. I just built a few stoves and need the stands to go with them. I'll be experimenting with the wire cloth. NJpacker
SGT Rock
01-20-2004, 10:42
The Cav is still representing here today.
I'm coming home hell or high water. There are some trails out there waiting for me...
Rain Man
01-20-2004, 12:08
I'm coming home hell or high water. ...
Hell we understand, but you have high water in Iraq, do you?!!! LOL
Truly, it will be a wonderful day when all our military is safe and sound at home! We all look forward to that day.
Rain Man
SGT Rock
01-21-2004, 02:26
Hell we understand, but you have high water in Iraq, do you?!!! LOL
Truly, it will be a wonderful day when all our military is safe and sound at home! We all look forward to that day.
Rain Man
Yes, actually we do have high water. I'll find the pics I took and post my hammock suspended over a swamp that wasn't there the night before. Then the pictures of the pier I built out to my hammock suspended over the water so i could still sleep there. :D
I looked that the antigravity stove and what an inventive design change. I am going to try to make a stove like that and cut the weight of a pot stand.
Has anybody used this stove and how efficient is it compared to the PCT style pepsi can stove?
Sparky!
Rain Man
01-21-2004, 12:35
I looked that the antigravity stove and what an inventive design change. ...
Has anybody used this stove and how efficient is it compared to the PCT style pepsi can stove?
Sparky,
I can't give you statistics, but I can say I built over a dozen pepsi can stoves for practice and the Antigravity Gear stove beat them handily AND doesn't need a pot stand. I used it on my last mini section hike in GA and love it.
That was good enough for me. :)
Rain Man
.
Rainman,
Where did you get the plans from? I think I can figure it out but a set of plans would make sure I did not miss something.
I make the PCT style and I find it fairly easy.
Thanks!
Sparky!
snuffleupagus
01-21-2004, 21:43
I have made some great stands from bailing wire and some OK ones from coat hangers. Hardware cloth is the best if you are making your own. Just don't sit over the stove and inhale the fumes since it is made from galvanized steel.Danger!!! Danger!!!Danger!!!The fumes that are given off when you burn galvanized hardware cloth can be lethal if not just harmful. Especially if you are cooking in an enclosed area like a tent. I believe the residuals from the zinc being burned out of the steel creates arsenic. Arsenic cannot be leached from the body by any organ. Therefore over time you could get enough of it in your system to creat a very serious headache that will never go away. There have been times when cooking with my little coke can stove that the burning hardware cloth stings my eyes. The black residue that crumbles off the mesh screen is both carbon and zinc w/traces of arsenic so don't eat it either. Eventually, after enough carbon is burnt out of the steel the galvanized cloth will become brittle and break down. If you are sitting close to your stove while it's boiling it could end up in your lap.
I'd advise using stainless steel hardware cloth as well, or make a pot stand out of heavy gage wire that is not galvanized. Sgt Rock shows a cool little pot stand on his web site, made from heavy gage wire.
Rain Man
01-21-2004, 21:53
Rainman,
Where did you get the plans from? I think I can figure it out but a set of plans would make sure I did not miss something.
Sparky, while I looked at many online sites and used ideas and suggestions from several, the one I finally settled on was the Cobra stove. Here's the URL.
http://www.boblog.org/at/cobrastove.htm
I gave him a suggestion he said he was going to incorporate into his instructions, but I don't think he has yet. No need to snip and bend and break sections off at a time. Just score around the can until one point goes all the way through. Then start a tear there and the entire top portion of the can will come right off in your hand clean as a whistle.
Here is the URL for the Antigravity Gear stove I now use.
http://www.antigravitygear.com/products/stove.html
Rain Man
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StoveStomper
01-28-2004, 10:59
Cedar Tree, how do you like it?
Link to my stovesMy stoves (http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=outdoorequipmentsupplier&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&page=1&rows=25&showpics=1&stab=0)
Nice setup!
How does the windscreen fold and attach together?
I tinker a little with gear myself.
My Stuff (http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith)
Cheers,
StoveStomper
Nice setup!
How does the windscreen fold and attach together?
I tinker a little with gear myself.
My Stuff (http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith)
Cheers,
StoveStomper
The windscreen comes apart into 2 halves. They cant be folded, but can be rolled and can be on the inside of your pot, mug, ect. They work FANTASTIC in my gatorade mix mug. To assemble, simply clip the 2 sides toghether, and insert the 2 gutter nails. A very stable, and more importantly, durable, platform. I have used the same windscreen for about 5 months, and I have stepped on it 3 times. Each time, I bent it back to the origoinal form, and it still holds an incredible amount of weight. I tested the current one I use last week for the amount of weight it can hold....29lbs! And thats after it has been abused 'till the sun go down! Ive gotten many happy emails from people about the design and performance of the windscreen :).
Brian MacMillin
OutdoorEquipmentSupplier
Future Thru Hiker 2013 (After Grad school)
I think I built every can stove on the net and I like the design used by antigravity the best, however there is room for improvement. The alcohol sits in the can bottom so it takes a long time (1min.) for the alcohol to boil and light the side jets.
I added 000 steel wool to the can within the walls (to wick the fuel up inside), 2 peices about 1.5 inches long on oppsite sides, now when you add alcohol to the stove it dissappears, it is mostly within the inside and higher up so the alcohol boils much faster.
It is ez to bump a picknic table and this will make the cook pot fall so I cut a ring out of an aluminum cal. gas bottle and drilled holes (3/8") all around the top and bottom. Now the pot is steady, and the can gets going faster and the flame just comes out of the holes in the alum. ring.
I still keep the MSR around thinking someday I will use up that gallon of coleman fuel, but I think the can will rust through first.
jmaclennan
03-01-2004, 23:01
Someone may have already mentioned using three or four tent stakes as a stand (multifunctionality), but I've also used and seen others use a few rocks as a potstand. Tent stakes can't be used in shelters, which stinks if it's raining (unless there's a descent overhang). Sometimes it's hard to get them into the ground where you want to cook as well. Balancing isn't usually an issue with stakes as it is when using rocks. Rocks work as somewhat of a windscreen as well (I stress the somewhat), but it can sometimes be difficult (finding three rocks a good height and mostly flat). Rocks can be brought into shelters, but if it's raining, you might not want to retrieve them unless you're very hungry (which isn't usually a problem). Alternatively, if the wholes are far enough on the side of the can, you can put the pot right on the stove (I've never done this, but have seen others do it).
I have a can stove and it works GREAT... and by the way fuel is readilly available..........
I made my stand out of Aluminum flashing (easilly found at any hardware store)...it weighs .5 ounce and works great.
Cut a 3" by 12 " section from the stove.Mark the aluminum on the top edge at 3,6, and 9 inch marks. Mark the bottom at 1.5, 4.5, 7.5, and 10.5.
Then make one horizontal line 3/4 of an inch from teh top...do another for the bottom.
Use these lines as guides...folow the marks and cut a wave pattern with the marks as the top of the waves and 1.5 inches asay the bottom of the wave.....then fold the metal into a circle and tape it with foil tape.....The waves will serve to provide for peaks for resting teh pot on and the holes between waves allose oxygen in....Good Luck
If you have left over fuel can you just pour it back into your fuel bottle and use it?
Miss Janet
03-07-2004, 13:27
C-H-I-C-K-E-N W-I-R-E, there it's spelled out for ya.
i've never here it called any thing else. steel cloth is what pipe fitter use to to sand down pipe burs, that' not what you want, it's a fine mesh. you want chicken wire, it's has about 1/4 inch mesh made of hardened metal.
for a wind screen you afix aluminum foil around the mesh, leaving just one 1/4 inch mesh layer exposed so air can get in. after awhile the foil will get dirty which is easy to replace.
magic
Well, up in New England, there's a different product called chicken wire, and it's probably not suitable for a pot stand.
When sanding metal, it's emery cloth that gets used. Used by plumbers, among others.
Hardware cloth is a 1/4 inch welded wire fabric. Don't know how it got it's name, but that's what it's called.
If you have extra fuel, you can just pour (unburning) fuel back into your fuel bottle.
In the areas I've lived, what is called "chicken wire" is unsuitable, as Peaks pointed out. Hardware cloth is the right stuff in my region.
I really liked the stove stand I used on the AT. I just took an MSR windscreen, and poked holes in it to run two Aluminum gutter nails through (which I was using as tarp stakes too.) Thus, I had a very stable pot stand that could be used on nearly any surface, at no extra weight since I wanted a good wind screen anyway. (A good wind screen is very important for the efficiency of alcohol stoves.) There's a picture of my setup on the bottom of this page (http://www.bucktrack.com/Appalachian_Trail_4.html) Click on the photo to enlarge. I plan to replace the Trangia with a Brasslite on my next hike.
Grimmace,
I use aluminum gutter gard, and it seems to work well.
bigkingtut
03-31-2004, 10:45
:cool: I took an old tomatoe paste can, cut it down made 2 v shaped cuts on either side, the made holes about the diameter of a pencil all the way around the can... it works great.....
MDSHiker
03-31-2004, 12:13
Yes, what Rain Man said...you don't need a pot stand if you make your stove like the one at AntiGravity Gear. I use the same design and it works great. Just put your pot on the stove...problem solved.
I also use the antigravity stove...it weighs in at .4 oz including the windscreen. It will boil 2 cups of water using less than an oz of fuel in most conditions. You are only supposed to use denatured alcohol in it. You have have to find a nice flat spot to cook on since there is no pot stand. When I use this stove my kitchen consists of the stove, windscreen, antigravity 3 cup pot with cosey and I carry my fuel in a 16oz Platypus sport bottle. The pop top on the platy bottle safeguards spilling alot of fuel when filling the stove which I have seen several people do with other fuel containers. I also use the plastic top from a pepto-bismal bottle to measure out my fuel because it already has markings on it. This rig weighs in around a 1 lb when I include a lexan spoon and a cup.
deeddawg
03-31-2004, 14:28
Yes, what Rain Man said...you don't need a pot stand if you make your stove like the one at AntiGravity Gear. I use the same design and it works great. Just put your pot on the stove...problem solved.
What size and number of holes did you use on the outside? I may make one of these this weekend to try out. Thanks.
For a Scott Henderson open style Pepsi can stove, just drill or poke about 36 holes evenly spaced around the outside of the ridge on top of the burner. For a small pot, use a 12 oz pepsi can with the bottom cut off and the pop-top still intact. Upside down, this item will nestle with the top ridge of the Henderson stove and pressurize it without blocking your holes. For a larger pot, use a 24 oz "Grande" beer can (I used Coors) cut off at the top. The bottom ridge of the 24 oz can fits outside the Pepsi can top ridge, again creating a pressure seal. In either case, you can slip your aluminum "pot" snugly over a water bottle to save space and protect it.
Walt
What size and number of holes did you use on the outside? I may make one of these this weekend to try out. Thanks.