Hey MM, I recently designed a stove, The Colima... named after Volcano Colima which I can see from my desk.

The Colima runs on regular rubbing alcohol Isopropyl 70%
(not denatured alcohol shellac thinner).

Until now the use of rubbing alcohol as a fuel has been hampered due to poor stove design in where the alcohol burned too “cold”, inefficiently, smoked, and dirtied the stove and the pot.

The stove is designed differently than any other stove I've seen online. It is simple, but is not a pepsi can or cat food can stove.

Here are some of its beneficial features:

Weighs 3 ounces

4" diameter by 6" tall in size. (has storage for 4 ounces of extra fuel inside)

Made from mostly recycled materials with a total cost of about $2.50

The stove runs on common rubbing alcohol and NOT denatured alcohol, so it is not burning Methyl ethyl Ketone (also known as Butanone), nor is it burning Methanol or Acetone. All three chemicals are in denatured alcohol, but not in rubbing alcohol.

Operates cool enough that you can hold the stove in your hand while boiling a pot of water. The stove is designed to contain the high heat produced by the flame. The exterior surfaces of the stove do not reach a temperature that would cause combustible materials such as grass, leaves, twigs, tent floors, paper, clothing, etc., to ignite. The fuel and flames are not pressurized, so they do not flare up the sides of a 5 ½ in. diameter pot. I run the boiling tests with the stove sitting on a cotton cloth on my wooden desk, right here next to my monitor. Of course, it should go without saying that you should be cautious where you place any source of fire in the outdoors.

The stove can be returned to your pack with one minute of cool downtime

Does not soot up the pot or stove. Leaves only a 2 inch diameter circle of ash under the pot.

The design incorporates a built in wind screen and can be used in wind, rain or snow

Very stable and strong. ( I stood on the stove for 30 seconds on one foot and it showed zero visible damage.) Was not lit!

Here are the latest test results:

Stove # 1 - Test # 10 (01/19/08)
Containment cell # 1
Windscreen # 3
Fuel cell # 4

Altitude: 5700 ft.
Ambient temperature: 56 degrees
Fuel: 3 tablespoons rubbing alcohol Isopropyl 70%
(NOTE: NOT denatured alcohol shellac thinner)
Water: 8 oz (58 degrees)
Cook pot: 24 - oz capacity, 5 1/4 in. diameter, aluminum.
Prime time: 30 sec.
Steam forms: 5 min. 10 sec.
Standard food serving temp of 160 degrees reached: 5 min. 15 sec.
Bottom bubbles: 6 min. 10 sec.
Boils: One mile altitude = 7 min. 30 sec. (sea level 5 min. 23 sec. boil time)
Fuel total burn time: 21 min. 35 sec. ( 3 tbsp. rubbing alcohol )