Can Stove

Build a backpacking stove out of two aluminum cans: design is strong, reliable, and extrordinarily lightweight, burns alcohol fuels, and can be made for next to no investment of money. Boil water rapidly, deploy a 'campfire' in the middle of your house, and amuse yourself, with a stove that weighs ten grams and costs nothing.

Step 1 Assemble your parts

You're going to need:

Two empty aluminum cans and one full one. The type matters very little, although there are some bottom-brand beer cans that are simply too thin to make a good stove; this assumes a 12 oz can although obviously the 14 oz tall cans work since I'm using one.

A single edged razor blade

Some number of thumbtacks and a nail

A piece of flue tape (ideal) or heavy gauge aluminum foil

A ruler, book, and sharpie marker

Your life will be made easier by a hammer and a pair of scissors

Comments

[JohnDaSurivor]

Doctors in the U.S Don't recomend that you use aluminum cans or anything aluminum to boil water but yet... we do lol.

The Oxidation of Aluminum may be linked to demontia

[Inspiringideas]

They recommend not cooking your food directly in the Aluminum can or pot, but this aluminum is not touching your food, so it is ok. As long as you’re cooking the food in a Stainless steel or cast iron can or pot, your ok.

[Saddlebredcrazy]

made 2 of these yesterday but cannot get them to light correctly. I tried rubbing alcohol (only 50%) and i wasn't surprised when it didn't work b/c it has such a low alcohol content. I also tried camp stove fuel but when I held a match up to it, the center holes lit instead of the edge holes. I tried to keep my match well away from the center, but the center holes just caught a lot easier than the rim holes so i couldn't avoid it. am i using the wrong lighting method? do i need a different type of fuel?

[rvrfinn]

the stove wont light unless it's heated first. The way that I have found works best is to have the stove set in a shallow dish or "priming pan." After filling your stove with the desired amount of alcohol, pour a little into the priming pan so that it collects around the base of your stove. Light the alcohol in the priming pan. it heats the stove so that the alcohol inside becomes a gas and will ignite the jets. As for the center holes lighting, the best remedy is to simply place an old penny on top of the can, covering the filling holes. Use an old penny, one from before the 80s when they were still solid copper. The modern day pennies have a zinc core which can melt and potentially mess up your stove. Would also recommend higher quality fuel than rubbing alcohol. i use HEET (gas line cleaner, 91% methyl alcohol) in mine, it burns clean, no soot and little if any smell. It's available at any gas station. Hope this helps!

[Gelfling6]

I've made a similar stove burner. Can't remember the exact website I found it, but the entire top part was wide open. (easier lighting I imagine.) Been able to get 16-Oz (Pint) of water boiling from just 2-oz. of alcohol.

[Gelfling6]

I also cut the can bases to roughly 1-1/4" high, and inserted a 1-1/2" strip from one of the cans inside, with notches into the top & bottom edges, then fitted between the ridges (the actual can base if right-side up) to transfer heat down to the base, and create some kind of barrier to allow the jet holes to get some pressure. I've been since trying to improve the design, to create a solid top,but with a brass bolt through the center-top, and directing some more jets towards it.
The objective, the bolt would be a filler cap, as well as a catalyst to boil the alcohol inside..

[isetmyselfonfirefollowinginstructables]

Hey atman, great idea, but i made some discoveries of my own for those of you struggling out there... If you look at the first picture (tagged 16 holes) you can see the individual jets from the stove which looks really cool, boosts efficiency and heats much faster than a huge flame... Of course there is the center flame but you need that as a pilot flame of sorts... In that picture, believe it or not, i was using 70% rubbing alchohol... It works... You can use 91% if you so desire but its not necessary. The only minor problem with your design is that it takes far too long to heat up the alchohol into vapour, and that the jets dont actually show up. To solve this, i put 9 centre holes in the top of the stove for fill-ups and 7 holes a little higher up (see pic) which helps with heating up and instead of 32 holes, i put 16. Less holes causes for less vapour to escape so that the jets materialize and dont get sucked up by the pilot light and it betters the efficiency of your "Hobo stove". Also, less heat is lost in the boiling process due to less holes and this just makes your stove so much better and less finicky. The instructable was absolutely great, my only contributions would be to use less holes (e.g. 16) and make more holes in the center for faster heating and more reliability. In the end, i decided to actually put 32 holes to compare and found that while the jets did activate, they were sucked up into the larger pilot light for an enormous bonfire style blaze! You can see it in your picture where the blue is simply merging with the larger yellow mass, not burning independently. However, this was your idea and thanks a million for it, my little sister now roasts marshmallows indoors :) thanks to you and shes really happy about that.... Thanks again atman... PLease don't hate me for the essay i wrote, just trying to help whoever is having trouble because its truly a sight to see, the beautiful jets dancing around the center fire, anyone would love it....

[daniyalansari]

Can you make an instructable for this.
Thanks.

[A flyin muffin]

You are using WAY too many holes in the top :)
Wasting alcohol/ fuel.

[isetmyselfonfirefollowinginstructables]

I know... But i'm not looking to save alchohol in this one. It's a beast, boils water super fast and melts snow quickly too. I've made much more fficient versions with inverted jets to conserve fuel and provide the greatest amount of efficiency. By pointing the jets inwards, you can place less holes in the center so as to keep the stove going. The more holes you put, the faster it primes and fires up the jets. It's a tradeoff, your choice bro...

[TheMadScientist]

the large flame is coming from the alcohol in the center. the idea is to ignite only the alcohol fumes coming from the jets on the rim... thinking of a way to improve the design.

[Pizzapie500]

That's a big fire... Your little sister uses it to roast marshmellows INDOORS? Lolz.... My parents would kill me if I did that.

[isetmyselfonfirefollowinginstructables]

Ya it is... That's cause i used camping fuel (not a good idea) which is similiar to lighter fluid (petroleum distillate) which COULD cause an explosion due to excessive pressure developing in the internal chamber but i decided to test it out anyway and that was the result... It didn't explode because there were enough release points in my stove (that's my guess). However i would recommend using rubbing alchohol compound (from SHoppers Drug Mart for $3.50) which is 95% ethanol, i got the best results using that... The flame was entirely blue with an occasional yellow flicker and lasted for around 53 minutes with a full fill on the same stove. As for my parents. they weren't home and this was inside my garage. Had they been home, they would have probably cut my d**k off. However when is used 99% alchohol, 91% alchohol and 95% ethanol compund, i did so in the kitchen and the entire family roasted marshmallows on that one. The flame wasn't soo very high, quite similiar to the first picture except mostly blue and that was a lotta fun.

[A flyin muffin]

Wow, strict parents: cut your d**k off?
(Just kidding :)

[isetmyselfonfirefollowinginstructables]

yep... fml

[gerrits13]

this is a super good project i just made it in about 10 minutes and used rubbing alcohol for the fuel and it burns great and for a super long time

[stringstretcher]

I used an old can of Kiwi boot polish. The top and bottom fit snugly with no leakage, and it has a device that allows me to open the can if I need to. Although the can is smaller than this instructable, it is almost "ready-made!" I simply removed the paint-coating from the outside with a Dremel and a brush, then punched holes in the perimeter... warmed it up and poof! I have a blue flame heater using ethylene (Technical spirits). Great work!

[Xilseraf]

Fill the can whit water and freezze it, is more easy to cut it

[Spokehedz]

Just wanted to say that I finished the instructable just fine. Sadly, 4 cans of a fine local Microbrew had to be sacrificed in order to complete it... They will be remembered in flame!

Couple of things I noted:

+ Punching a single hole in the middle of the 'top' can, and then fitting the two halves together worked a lot better for me as I was unable to poke the holes without denting the cans by just holding it. Made fitting the two together impossible and ruined two 'bottom' cans before I realized what was happening. The single hole is there so that you don't make a pressure vessel that pops the two halves apart once you get them together. After that, punching the holes for the jets was a snap.

+ Using a full can to 'streach' out the other cans didn't really help me much... Just an observation. Might have been doing it wrong, but who knows.

+ Scoring the can required a full 3-4 passes around the can for me, and I ended up making a jig to hold the blades rather than using a book. The upshot is that I can make a bunch of these now, pretty quickly. (I have a resident soda-nut who drinks plenty of them--so I may be selling these soon!)

+ Rather than using Flue tape, I just cut some tabs that went through where the aluminum can was doubled up on itself for the internal structural support. It held it together just fine, and with the added benefit of no glue or whatever to carbonize on the inside of the stove. Also, I didn't have any flue tape...

I also made mine taller, because I goofed up and read the measurements wrong--but I don't expect that to change the overall effectiveness of the stove. The first fire is tonight after work. I'm sure it will be a fine addition to the camp pack roll.

[Eddie101]

I used cotton balls to soak up the fuel, it works really nice, you wana pull them apart though, I also used a wierd pin to poke these holes, its a pin but it has a handle.

[Eddie101]

Hey, what I did was alot less painfull. I took a sewing needle that is mounted with a handle and twisted and applied pressure with my palm. made nice holes real quick.

[akarabinis]

I have made a few of these with coke cans but I seem to be having a problem. I am using 91% alcohol and when I light it flames come out the bottom of the can where the two parts join together. Can anyone help with this problem? Thanks.

[knexfreak32]

you probably don't have a very good seal,try putting the bottom outside.

[A flyin muffin]

Fire Tip:

Blue/ clear flames = good

Red/ orange/ yellow flames = too much air/ not enough fuel

Pink flames= not enough air/ too much fuel

Green flame = YOU ARE USING TOXIC CHEMICALS AND ARE PROBABLY GOING TOO DIE IF YOU EAT ANYTHING COOKED ON IT :)

No flame = no air/ no oxygen/ no fuel/ no anything/ why are you still reading what no flame=? If you are still reading, then you probably shouldn't do any thing that has to do with a flame.

[snowluck2345]

Red/Orange/Yellow flames can bee not enogh air and incomplete combustian, depending on the fuel.

[Jezriel]

how i will light it... please.. answer me...

[A flyin muffin]

You have to pre-heat the stove. If you don't, then no alcohol sprays from the jets. Once the stove gets too hot to touch, the pre-heating is done. ALCOHOL MUST BE IN THE STOVE FOR THE PRE-HEATING TO DO ANYTHING.

[jj.inc]

I have to jump start mine to heat it up, so I put it in a little metal bowl and dampen the area around it with alcohol, then light it. It gets going fast, and it has much bigger flames on the jets at first, but then it cools down to the normal temp. This may not be necessary, I just cut one out real fast and it leaks all over.

[Millerspal]

Light it with a flint and steel (a spark from it), or a match or lighter. You get more stand off distance with a flint and steel.

[Mother Natures Son]

It's an excellent design, but I'm a bit perplexed--the stove goes out when I put something on it. Is a separate stand necessary?

[A flyin muffin]

1: Are you sure they go out? If you get it correctly, alcohol is almost invisible when on fire. It may be going out because you raise the pot too fast, which creates a small "vacuum" and and air rushes in fill it which blows out the flame when you think that the flame is put out.

2: Are you putting down pot too fast? You might be putting down the pot with too much speed which blows out the flame.

3: Are you putting the pot directly on the stove? This causes two problems. First, you could be creating too small of a space for air to flow properly which snuffs out the flame. Second, if the pot is too heavy, then it could crush the stove. That will cause alcohol too spill out and your face might burn off if the rest of the evaporated alcohol in the stove leaks out. You should always use a stand on stoves like this.

BE CAREFUL: Once the flame goes out, the jets are still spraying out evaporated alcohol. Open a window and let it cool down before you attempt to re-ignite the stove, as a flash fire could occur.

[wonderdog01]

me neither

[fireaudit]

however as far as i concern all the tricks with fire are a little bit dangerous so it cant be too overwhelmed to see this site

[weaponscollector94]

would everclear work as fuel?

[Jezriel]

how will i light it?????

[serpensphile]

To light this guy, pour about 1 or 2 tablespoons of fluid into the stove. I use the HEAT in the yellow container. Then get a metal lid or some sort of small metal container to place UNDER the stove. Place a *little* bit of fluid in the pan and light it. That will pressurize the stove (begin to vaporize the fuel in stove) with the heat generated by the burning fuel in the bottom pan and also ignite the vapor coming out the jets.

You can look up "Penny Stoves" on youtube and they'll show you how. Let me know if you have any trouble!

Just be careful and good luck!!!!

[Jezriel]

i dont really understand how to do this step...

[seamaas]

if you don't have pliers you can twist the thumbtack while pushing it is much easier

[Lancealator]

Works very well! Thanks. I had trouble fitting coca cola cans together though. I used a grinder to grind down a bump formed when slid-ding the bottom and top together. Then used another can to go over both the bottom and top you have to cover a huge crack. So basically i put another ring around the whole middle section. It solved my crack problem and made it sturdy.

[seamaas]

i lit mine and used it and when it cooled off the Al was weaker and dented easier can i still use it or should i still use it