Copper Fire Log Heater: Burns clean with alcohol!

Mr. Gadgets13 says: Nov 24, 2012. 11:20 AM

cant see the picts...

Morana says: Oct 30, 2012. 11:40 PM

There are no steps anymore. What happened? Just header, table of contents and comments. Where is the content?

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nepheron (author) in reply to MoranaOct 31, 2012. 3:42 AM

I am very sorry, but the content of the instructable is gone. It's a long story, entirely my fault. It was not able to be restored by instructables staff. I might eventually make a replacement.

zappenfusen says: Dec 15, 2011. 7:32 AM

Sounds like a great project. Why am I getting nothing but blanks for pages? Everything but the actual photo's. Anyone have an answer or cure? Have I been banned? My payments are auto deduct, what gives?
Zappenfusen

cancandan in reply to zappenfusenMar 2, 2012. 5:53 PM

i getting the same, starts you wondering about the intrisical values of the website.

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frisbeechamp1983 says: Nov 21, 2011. 8:28 PM

it's still not working? should fix it.

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ckgarside says: Nov 10, 2011. 12:32 AM

Couldn't you use pearlite as the other 50% of the mix in the chamber to help evarorate the alcohol. I use that method for all my homemade burners and it lights up first time, no preheat required :)

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_Scratch_ says: Jun 15, 2011. 5:32 PM

I tried to make this, but didnt use copper end caps, just crimped the ends down... I failed horribly and almost burned my house down. I filled the log with acetone and lit it, but it turned out the crimped ends didnt seal, so acetone leaked everywhere, then the cap I used to fill it spilled, catching the plywood workbench I was working on on fire. So at this point I was scared out of my mind, so I took a spare rag, hoping I could snuff out the fire, but the rag soaked up the fuel and caught fire. I now had a flaming workbench, log and rag that I was swinging around, which incidentally caught the bottle of acetone on fire. I managed to blow everything out before it caught on the surrounding flammable objects, but it was rather close.

WendyLD3 in reply to _Scratch_Aug 18, 2011. 7:18 AM

let that be a lesson to everyone... DON'T crimp the ends down!!!!

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_Scratch_ in reply to WendyLD3Aug 20, 2011. 2:40 PM

Even better, right next to my bench was a entire cabinet of chemicals, flammable ones.

Quinn Z. says: Mar 21, 2011. 2:54 PM

were is this thing

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itsthatsguy says: Oct 16, 2009. 11:01 PM

i wouldn't worry about explosions, if the pressure got to hot then the cork would blow out (much like a spud gun) and leak flaming alcohol on the surface below =)

dragonsniper in reply to itsthatsguyFeb 9, 2011. 4:25 PM

lol

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Slicerr2 says: Feb 2, 2011. 6:25 PM

you can find here
http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/how-to-make-a-copper-fire-log-heater/A4PWASUPRVANIR1HKQKU9DIQ2C9O

coppeis says: Oct 26, 2010. 7:57 PM

Your Instructable is broken

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nepheron (author) in reply to coppeisNov 5, 2010. 4:57 PM

It's should be back online in a week or two. Sorry!

bryan3141 in reply to nepheronJan 30, 2011. 3:14 PM

It's 2011, do you know where your 'ible is? I don't see it here. Nice headers for the steps, though.

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nepheron (author) in reply to bryan3141Jan 30, 2011. 5:31 PM

The file is gone. I'm unable to delete this ible. Sorry.

theexpert in reply to nepheronNov 17, 2010. 6:00 PM

your instructable is not been working for weeks

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nepheron (author) in reply to theexpertNov 17, 2010. 6:10 PM

Hmm, I'll ask an admin.

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Saturn V in reply to nepheronNov 18, 2010. 3:53 PM

I want it to be fixed! I want to make one for the holidays!

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nepheron (author) in reply to Saturn VNov 18, 2010. 5:19 PM

I'm waiting for a response from an admin.
If you have any direct questions about the project, ask away! :)

theexpert in reply to nepheronJan 12, 2011. 1:31 PM

im still having problems with it and i really want to make it all i can see is 1Matrials

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Saturn V in reply to nepheronNov 21, 2010. 8:13 AM

I don't have any questions, but i do have something to say about it: This is a great idea, and it loooks really cool. I can't wait to make it!

coppeis in reply to nepheronNov 5, 2010. 7:14 PM

Thanks!!!

meister says: Jan 1, 2011. 5:17 AM

What happened to this instructable? Nothing is here

rokkit says: Aug 26, 2009. 6:13 AM

is there anything i could add to the fuel to change the burn color?

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nepheron (author) in reply to rokkitAug 26, 2009. 5:37 PM

I've thought about it before. Because it burns via alcohol evaporation you would need a colorant that evaporates with it. Probably non-existent v('_')v

Frag in reply to nepheronNov 10, 2010. 1:25 PM

if you search the types of salts used in fireworks you probablly could find one that, if mixed with the alcohol, would burn similarly.

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McGyver2 in reply to nepheronMar 26, 2010. 12:41 PM

Food Coloring of some sort in the Alchohol?

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jrh065 in reply to nepheronMar 22, 2010. 11:00 AM

A bit of table salt should make the flame more visible, but other colors may be more difficult to achieve.

Hat maker boy in reply to jrh065Sep 26, 2010. 3:03 PM

Boric acid for a deep green color. You can also use borax, which gives a more yellowish green.

Munchys says: Oct 4, 2010. 2:27 PM

Can I use lighter fluid?

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nepheron (author) in reply to MunchysOct 5, 2010. 9:15 PM

No, lighter fluid will probably be a very bad thing :)
It could explode!

boehmap says: Jul 23, 2010. 6:58 AM

What is the mat made of? Where can I find one? Thanks, great project, by the way.

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nepheron (author) in reply to boehmapJul 23, 2010. 8:55 AM

The mat is a rubber mouse pad with the decal removed. Its special because it appears to be made of aerated vulcanized rubber or silicone. It will not melt and will only burn at high temperatures (I have burned it before. It does not release smoke, the foam structure just collapses)

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jacobskousen says: May 6, 2010. 3:15 PM

Rubbing alcohol burns dirty (lots of soot and smoke). You'll get a clean, blue flame if you use HEET gas antifreeze (I think its methyl alcohol). Also, methyl alcohol doesn't smell and any spillage evaporates very quickly. You could use kevlar (aramid) cord wrapped a couple of times around the copper tube as a wick to absorb and burn some of the alcohol to preheat, allowing you to simply fill the log - spill some alcohol on the "wick" - and light it up.

I didn't see the CARBON MONOXIDE warning anywhere. Burning this thing in-doors, or even in a tent, could be dangerous.