A Cubical Pocket Stove

Even with all of the fast food restaurants in my area I occasionally find use for this stove to make boiled eggs or hot water for coffee or tea. If you are careful you can use it in your cubicle at work to do the same thing. For pan fried foods, however, I do not recommend this stove but rather one of the pressure pocket stoves, since your fry pan needs to move around.

If you need boiled water for coffee, tea, soup or to make eggs then this stove will get you there.

Step 1: Basic Materials

Acquire some small, pocket sized, zip lock storage bags and some paper towels, absorbent paper drink coasters or tissue paper. Try to avoid using absorbent material that might contain unwanted chemicals. Tissue paper works okay but becomes delicate to handle when it gets wet. Ever tried to dry your hand with tissue paper? What a mess!

Step 2: Cut Out the Stove

In this example I used the bottom of a tall coconut water drink can as a form to cut out the stove. You can use a regular soda can or any metal can that you want to use later for the pot.

Note: While these "pads" can also be used as regular hand towelettes and as emergency first aid wipes you may want to use serialized gauze pads instead of paper towel to avoid chemicals in the paper that may leach chemicals you do not want to get into an open wound.

Step 3: Place the Stove in the Bag

I found a package of 100 pocket size bags at the flea market for $1.

Step 4: Add Some 91% or Some "salted Out" Isopropyl Alcohol

Just pour enough inside the bag to saturate the paper towel.

Step 5: Usage

At your cubicle when you are ready to cook just place your stove on something that will protect your desk from fire, heat and flame. I used an empty tuna can, turned upside down.

Step 6: Add the Cooking Pot

Place the pot on top of the stove. (To help prevent the alcohol from vaporizing too fast when the pot starts to boil you can cut out a piece of window screen to place between the pot and the paper.)

Step 7: Light It Up

If smoking is allowed in your cubicle then a match will work fine. If not use a lighter.

Step 8: Get Your Food Ready for the Boil

I boil eggs or make tea most of the time

Step 9: Plop It in or Use a Spoon

This coconut water can will easily hold three large eggs, but sometimes some water must be removed to prevent spill over before the last egg is added.

Step 10: Tips

- Trimming the stove to fit the bottom edge of the can will help improve the stoichiometric ratio.
- You can use an eyedropper to add more fuel. Just be careful not to burn your fingers or spill any on your desk.
- Keep a glass of water handy to put out any accidental fire.
- If the fire alarm goes off put out the flame, hide the pot and stove and follow the instructions given for the fire drill.
- Try to look innocent and puzzled, but agitated and bewildered at the same time by such an interruptive event. Also be sure to walk and not run.
- In case someone sees you or smells smoke coming from your cubicle and reports you here are a few tried and true responses:
> "Care for a hard boiled egg?"
> "When did they fix the microwave?"
> "The Instructable said it was perfectly safe."
> "I had a glass of water handy."
> "I do this at home all the time."
> "Rubbing alcohol is not supposed to smoke."
> "My kid is studying to be a Boy Scout."
> "These pads are great if you ever nick yourself."
> "You can get salmonella poisoning from eating raw eggs."

Step 11: Experiment

Try other types of absorbent material, pots and stands.

Picture below shows use of Heineken 24 oz beer can for pot.