[at-l] Alcohol stove questions

[terry_norton@iname.com (Terry Norton)]

Karin,

Here are a few answers:
> I am trying to decide if I want to keep my gas
> stove... or get an alcohol stove for my thru hike.
>
You may wind up using both depending on when you hike. I used a "high power"
stove during months when the evening temperatures dipped near or below
freezing.  Alcohol is too slow and too inefficient under such conditions.
On the other hand, it is difficult to beat for the remainder of the year.

> 1)If you don't burn all of the fuel that you dump into
> the alcohol stove when cooking dinner.  Do you pour
> the remaining (dirty?) fuel back into the bottle with
> your unused fuel?

It is your choice.  If I think I may be running low, I save my fuel.  If
not, I allow it to burn off.  Often, most of what remains evaporates quickly
after extinguishing the stove, so the issue is moot.  There is often a
subtle competition between us "alcoholics" to pour out just enough fuel to
cook dinner.

By the way, I usually use a 20 ounce soda bottle to store my fuel.  They
seal well and can be inexpensively replaced.

> 2) Do most of these stoves have a wick?
Nope.  The simplest stove is a 3 ounce tuna can with about 8 "triangle" can
opener slots cut around the top rim (the type made by a church key type
opener).  Although the pot can be placed directly on top of the tuna can
after the stove has warmed up, I usually carry a pot support made out of
1/2" wire mesh.

> 3) Has anybody any experience with the alcohol stove
> that uses wood-stove pellets soaked in alcohol ?

I haven't experimented with this.  I have started campfires with alcohol on
the night before going into town.

> 4) Is there anyway to regulate the heat?  Say, when
> cooking rice... and you want a very low simmer?

There are a couple of tricks.  You can carry a piece of heavy duty aluminum
foil and cover most of the top of the can to slow down the burn rate.  You
can also add a small amount of water to the alcohol to slow it down.
Personally, I just stir every few minutes.

My suggestion is to get a tuna can, some gas line dryer (made with methyl
alcohol), and experiment.  You will learn more by playing with it than you
will in asking 100 questions.

Cheers,
Terry
GAME'98
MEGA'01
4000 miles of alcohol stove use