I just made an alcohol stove from a couple of aluminum cans. I followed the steps shown here :http://www.metacafe.com/watch/839102/cool_little_miniature_stove/
I want to test it, but have no alcohol and won't be heading to the store for a few days. I do have some Ronsonol lighter fuel that I use in my Zippo. I figure that the stove and the lighter work in a related fashion, and so I expect that I could use the lighter fuel. Don't want to injure myself, though, so I figured I had better ask.
The fuel bottle states that "CONTAINS NAPHTHA" but there is no other mention of what it is made of.
Darn, that's what I was afraid of. Now I won't get to test it for a couple of days, as I can't get to the store before then. *sigh* At least now I know and won't injure myself. Thanks!
If you do buy HEET, make sure you buy the yellow bottle. The red bottle contains Isopropyl alcohol. It can be used in a pinch, but it smells REALLY bad and leaves and thick carbon deposit on EVERYTHING.
Neither of them do you want to be inhaling nor ingesting. As long as you are using both of them in a well ventilated area and do not pour it into your food or stick your face next to your stove you should be fine. Heck this is true for just about all the fuels. The only one I can think of that would be "ok" is pure ethanol but both ingesting and inhaling will get you drunk might quick.
Yes you can use lighter fluid but it will probably ruin your pots the first time with "black" smut. The lighter fluid will give off really heavy black smut...Hope that helps...Happy Trekking...sabre11004...
The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there !!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!
Medical alcohol is 30% water and will also leave a nasty black smut on your pots and every thing else that it gets close to...Hope that helps...Happy Trekking...Sabre11004...
The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there !!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!
Your alcohol should be at least 80% alcohol. You can find methanol (methyl alcohol) in the paint thinner department also. Or using any booze that is 160 proof or more should do it, but that would be a waste, wouldn't it?
I have found that the 70% isopropyl simply does not want to stay lit, plus it leaves carbon on your stove and pans.
I was going to make a joke that "lighter fluid makes more sense than heavier fluid" but then I thought that someone might misunderstand the joke and think it was ok to use lighter fluid.
MNS
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YMMV. Viewer discretion is advised.
using petroleum based stuff like that in an alky stove can be kinda dangerous.
Thanks for the warning Phat. I've wondered about adding just a dash of white gas, or gasoline in ethyl alcohol to bump-it-up just a little. Especially for winter.
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