Fw: [pct-l] Homemade alcohol stove

["Joanne Lennox" <goforth@cio.net>]

----------
> From: Joanne Lennox <goforth@cio.net>
> To: Brett Tucker <blisterfree@surfree.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Homemade alcohol stove
> Date: Saturday, January 16, 1999 10:04 PM
> 
> Holy Smokes! You used white gas in your alcohol stove!!!!!!!!!  In a
> partially closed space of the stove, especially where there are all those
> little sharp tabs and edges, which if the thing blew apart might
> ............with an explosive fuel like white gas! Phew , you must have
some
> kind of guardian angel!
> 
> I Standard disclaimers apply here, I can't be responsible for how you
build
> your stove or what you do with it, but you might check out the following:
> 
> HEET, available at gas stations, I think it is methanol
> 
> Denatured alcolhol solvent (also called methylated alcohol), ethyl
alcohol
> with a small amount oif methanol added to make it undrinkable - available
> at any hardware in the solvents section.  Also available in our town of
700
> souls at the grocery store.
> 
> Crystalclear ,ethyl alcohol - available at the liquor store, more
> expensive, can be drunk, burns hotter, gains moisture and water on
exposure
> to air (SHOULD NOT BE DRUNK STRAIGHT).  STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY.
> 
> I built and tried to use both the pop can version, and the tomatoe paste
> can version of the home made alcohol stove.  I put a ring of cotton
webbing
> inside to act as a wick, I also made the holes very small with the end of
a
> sharp finishing nail - smaller than you can with a thumb tack.
> 
> The tomatoe can version burned a flame about 3 inches above the large
> tomatoe can I was using a a pot support( 5 inches high, with a 1 inch
pipe
> hanger spacer, and lots of holes for aeration), and wind screen.  It
boiled
> 2 cups of water in 12 minutes, and would continue to burn for another 8
> minutes on 1/8th cup of denatured alcohol. I enlarged the holes in the
top
> can, and found that the flame was cooler and lower.  Back to the drawing
> board.
> 
> The pop can version, I wasn't even able to easily get the fuel to get
> inside the can easily.  I found that I could "oilcan" the sides and sucks
> some fuel into the inside so that at least I could test it. Then it
wouln't
> stay lite, even with the central depression full of fuel. I enlarge the
> holes , still the same problems.  I enlarged the holes again, stayed lite
> for about 10 seconds.  Back to the drawing board. 
> 
> My 30 year old Sigg alcohol burner boils 2 cups of  water in 6 minutes
(not
> a roiling boil), and will boil the next pot in 3 minutes.  The Sigg
weights
> 3 ounces, has a 1/8 cup measuring cap, which also screws on and protects
> the burner holes and allows one to carry alcohol in the stove.  Needless
to
> say, when it comes to a choice between these three stoves -  the
> heavyweight Sigg wins hands down.
> 
> Actually, I thought it was a real kick making these stoves.  Although, I
> was disappointed in their preformance, I am still going to fool around
with
> some of the parameters and see if I can't get the things to work better. 
> But I am not going to use White gas with any of them.
> 
> The reason I am interested in Alcolhol is not only that the stoves are
> lighter, but also alcohol can be shipped through the mail (methanol is
> still poisonous and probably should be shipped separately from food)
> 
> Finally I did my boiling tests in the garage, near a half openned door. 
> Despite the good ventilation, I noticed that I developed a cough from the
> methalated alcohol fumes, which I still have 5 days later.  I do not know
> whether I am especially sensitive, or wether the absorption of methanol
> through lung tissues is very iritating.
> 
> sincerely yours
> Goforth
>  *
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