Cat food can alcohol stove question

[wdanner]

My cooking pot is a Snow Peak Titanium 700 "mug." It's more like a cup than a pot. I've read where cat food can alcohol stoves may not work the greatest when a narrow base cup is placed on top because the flames heat more of the sides than the bottom. To remedy this, while also providing a better windscreen, I was planning to make my own version of a caldera cone, where the cup will be raised up about an inch and a half from the alcohol stove. This would allow the flames to stay more concentrated on the bottom of my cup.

What I'm wondering is, do I even need to bother punching holes in the sides of the can if I'm not going to be setting my cup directly on top of it? I'm planning to buy some denatured alcohol and do some testing before going out on my shakedown hike but I thought I would ask in case there were folks here who were experienced cat food can alcohol stove users.

[DuneElliot]

I'm interested in hearing answers on this as I have the same pot.

[saltysack]

I've tried several variations with SP 600 mug...mixed results...keep going back to my SP lite max canister...I just heat water and didn't like the hassle of the alchy set up...many like it but isn't for me...


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[V Eight]

I use a cat food can alcy stove. I made my windscreen out of an aluminum baking pan bottom. It is a little heavier than some materials, but I like it, and It takes a pretty good wind to move it much. I had a small diameter pot for a while. I made the screen tall enough to go three quarters up the side with only about an eight inch clearance all around. I found that my boil time was acceptable (did not time it). I kept the screen “high & tight”. Now I have a GSI kettle most of the time. While it is not nearly as narrow, I use the same method with it. I would say, do a little experimenting and you will find something you like.

[saltysack]

I use a cat food can alcy stove. I made my windscreen out of an aluminum baking pan bottom. It is a little heavier than some materials, but I like it, and It takes a pretty good wind to move it much. I had a small diameter pot for a while. I made the screen tall enough to go three quarters up the side with only about an eight inch clearance all around. I found that my boil time was acceptable (did not time it). I kept the screen “high & tight”. Now I have a GSI kettle most of the time. While it is not nearly as narrow, I use the same method with it. I would say, do a little experimenting and you will find something you like.

I also went to the gsi kettle when I'm not solo...great for boiling 2 cups of h20...


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[Wise Old Owl]

Hold off on replacing any cup... Ti is coming down due to demand and new cups or mini pots are featuring a spin off of the "reactor" that can be used with alcohol stoves...The radiator metal does a better heat transfer to the food or water to reduce needed fuel, and reducing weight in the long hikes.

The pots are featured on Amazon.

[capehiker]

Hold off on replacing any cup... Ti is coming down due to demand and new cups or mini pots are featuring a spin off of the "reactor" that can be used with alcohol stoves...The radiator metal does a better heat transfer to the food or water to reduce needed fuel, and reducing weight in the long hikes.

The pots are featured on Amazon.

What search words should we use?

[Moosling]

My cooking pot is a Snow Peak Titanium 700 "mug." It's more like a cup than a pot. I've read where cat food can alcohol stoves may not work the greatest when a narrow base cup is placed on top because the flames heat more of the sides than the bottom. To remedy this, while also providing a better windscreen, I was planning to make my own version of a caldera cone, where the cup will be raised up about an inch and a half from the alcohol stove. This would allow the flames to stay more concentrated on the bottom of my cup..

I built a windscreen out of some aluminum flashing and actually fit it tight around my pot holding it together with a Bobby pin seems to do the trick keeping all the flames underneath the pot.


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[GreenBlaze]

Instead of the cat food design where you can sit the pot directly on top, go for the Starlyte type that produces a flame from the center. It requires a pot stand, but it'll work great for your mug.

[yaduck9]

My cooking pot is a Snow Peak Titanium 700 "mug." It's more like a cup than a pot. I've read where cat food can alcohol stoves may not work the greatest when a narrow base cup is placed on top because the flames heat more of the sides than the bottom. To remedy this, while also providing a better windscreen, I was planning to make my own version of a caldera cone, where the cup will be raised up about an inch and a half from the alcohol stove. This would allow the flames to stay more concentrated on the bottom of my cup.

What I'm wondering is, do I even need to bother punching holes in the sides of the can if I'm not going to be setting my cup directly on top of it? I'm planning to buy some denatured alcohol and do some testing before going out on my shakedown hike but I thought I would ask in case there were folks here who were experienced cat food can alcohol stove users.

This may work for you......http://zenstoves.net/CatCanStove.htm

But, whatever you do, do not peruse the rest of the site. You will end up becoming spellbound, never to be heard from again.............

[wdanner]

This is kind of what I was thinking. A caldera cone windscreen also acts as a pot stand, holding it up off the flame. That's why I was wondering if I did that if I even need to bother punching holes in the side of the cat food can. I imagine this is done because when you sit the pot directly on top of the cat food cat it needs other holes so the fire can get air, but I wouldn't be don't that since my pot is raised.

[wdanner]

Instead of the cat food design where you can sit the pot directly on top, go for the Starlyte type that produces a flame from the center. It requires a pot stand, but it'll work great for your mug.

Forgot the quote. I guess I can't edit my post?

This is kind of what I was thinking. A caldera cone windscreen also acts as a pot stand, holding it up off the flame. That's why I was wondering if I did that if I even need to bother punching holes in the side of the cat food can. I imagine this is done because when you sit the pot directly on top of the cat food cat it needs other holes so the fire can get air, but I wouldn't be don't that since my pot is raised.

[yaduck9]

Forgot the quote. I guess I can't edit my post?

This is kind of what I was thinking. A caldera cone windscreen also acts as a pot stand, holding it up off the flame. That's why I was wondering if I did that if I even need to bother punching holes in the side of the cat food can. I imagine this is done because when you sit the pot directly on top of the cat food cat it needs other holes so the fire can get air, but I wouldn't be don't that since my pot is raised.

Can you get by without punching out holes(?)

I think your talking about an open flame type stove. The starlyte is an open flame type stove but it has the advantage of using a "wick" to help in the process of turning the alcohol from liquid to vapor. Have not used that specific stove, I am no help there.

But, if you go here http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm you will read about the various types of stoves and hopefully you will find something that will meet your needs.

But be careful, too much information can lead to "information overload" and "decision paralysis".

It only takes minutes to construct a stove. Make a few, try it, toss it, repeat, until you find what works for you.

[CamelMan]

If you lift the pot off the stove you'll depressurize it, defeating the design. It'll still heat but maybe it'll be less efficient? Certainly it'll take more time. I would go with what GreenBlaze said and try a different design, and that zenstoves page is a gold mine of information. (I've never tried anything else because I'm perfectly happy and don't want a canister stove. In fact I'm still using the same one I made for my section hike in 2010!)

I use an MSR Titan pot because it has its own handles and doesn't turn iodine water blue like my aluminum pot used to, even though supposedly it won't hurt you. It's maybe 5" across and seems to work fine so I haven't timed it.

[QiWiz]

My cooking pot is a Snow Peak Titanium 700 "mug." It's more like a cup than a pot. I've read where cat food can alcohol stoves may not work the greatest when a narrow base cup is placed on top because the flames heat more of the sides than the bottom. To remedy this, while also providing a better windscreen, I was planning to make my own version of a caldera cone, where the cup will be raised up about an inch and a half from the alcohol stove. This would allow the flames to stay more concentrated on the bottom of my cup.

What I'm wondering is, do I even need to bother punching holes in the sides of the can if I'm not going to be setting my cup directly on top of it? I'm planning to buy some denatured alcohol and do some testing before going out on my shakedown hike but I thought I would ask in case there were folks here who were experienced cat food can alcohol stove users.

You have the right idea - no need to punch holes IMO; you can probably go with an even smaller alcohol burner (see my DualFuel burners and burn patterns in the video for examples). Boil times may be a bit longer, but not much.