Today I am going to show you how to make a "Jet Stove". A stove that can fit right into your pocket! The stove can be powered by hand alcohol or anything similar. There are tons of useful applications for it. You can use it for camping, for winter warming, during brownouts, when you run out of LPG tanks or for emergency purposes. Just follow the simplified instructions and you will do fine.
I used an Apple, iPhone 4G to take pictures of the project.
What Is A Jet Stove?
A jet stove is a small piece of contraption that uses alcohol as its fuel. It works when the can gets heated by the burning alcohol around it, heating the can causes the alcohol inside the stove to evaporate into flammable fumes, the fumes now exit the holes, the fumes now ignites into flames. It is a cycle.I used an Apple, iPhone 4G to take pictures of the project.
Here Is My Video:
Step 1: Tools And Materials
Click on material to see where to buy.
Tools:
- Multi Purpose Pliers (Leatherman)
- Dremel (or similar)
- Scissors
- Sanding Paper (Fine)
- Marking Pen (Sharpie)
Materials:
- Alcohol (Ordinary/ Denatured)
- 2 Empty Soda Cans (Recycled)
- Super Glue (Gorilla)
Tools:
- Multi Purpose Pliers (Leatherman)
- Dremel (or similar)
- Scissors
- Sanding Paper (Fine)
- Marking Pen (Sharpie)
Materials:
- Alcohol (Ordinary/ Denatured)
- 2 Empty Soda Cans (Recycled)
- Super Glue (Gorilla)
Step 2: Washing The Cans
Be sure to clean the whole can by rinsing it with water. You wouldn't want impurities to mix with your alcohol. Mixing impurities with alcohol will degrade the stove's performance. After rinsing it with water dry it with a piece of cloth.
Step 3: Marking The Can
Use a marker to mark the can, try to use a flat base like an eraser as a guide to your marker, rotate the can in a circular motion until you complete the markings.
Step 4: Cutting The Can
First, puncture a small hole on the upper part of the can. Then use your sharp scissors to cut your desired measurements. Remember start cutting from top to bottom and the other can must be shorter than the other one (as shown in the last picture). After cutting both of the cans, sand the cans until the label wears off. Be sure to sand the label off the cans. If you don't sand it, the label will somehow melt and turn black thus ruining your stove's appearance.
Step 5: Putting The Cans Together
This is now the tricky part, sticking both cans together is the most painstaking task you will encounter in making the stove. I advice you to bend the shorter can's edges so it would be easier to insert the short can to the long can. Insert the short can into the long can. Use your Dremel tool for grinding the sharp edges left by the can.
Step 6: Applying Super Glue
Try to apply super glue into the small gaps left . Be sure to seal it or else flames might exit an unsuspected areas. Keeping the stove airtight as possible is a "must". Let the glue sip in the gaps. Notice that the super glued area should be the bottom part, Shorter can facing downwards and the longer can should face upwards. Flip the can after gluing it. Don't forget to let it dry for about an hour.
Step 7: Drilling Some Holes
Drill you holes using a Dremel tool or just simply use a sharp object to puncture the can. Pleas do not make you holes too big nor too small. Don't forget to use a tape measure to guide your holes. Do not make your'e holes too big nor to small. Use a drill bit that is used for PCB making.
Step 8: Sanding Everything
Sand every last ink of the printed label, ink from the label usually burns then turns into a black substance. You wouldn't want to mess you stove's appearance.
Step 9: Learning How To Make It Work
Steps:
1st.) Pour alcohol into the stoves fuel inlet.2nd.) Cover the inlet with a coin or magnet.
3rd.) Pour alcohol "around" the stove.
4th.) Set the alcohol around the stove on fire.
5th.) Wait until the jets works, you will hear a boiling sound.
6th.) Your'e done! Have fun modifying it :))))
![Priming Wick for Alcohol Stove [and Pot Stand]](http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FK2/8VFR/GP7IFJ91/FK28VFRGP7IFJ91.SQUARE.jpg)
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
But, how is it a "stove"? What can you "cook" with it? I thought anything to "cook" would crush the little can... so what could you use it for? I am by no means trying to disappoint you or upset you or be rude... I just would like some ideas on what to use it for (I got the idea for a little heating source lamp type thing)...
Going camping so I will use this when I go.
Oh and Great Instructable, this has many uses and could cook food during a power outage or other disaster.
One thing though, about the hole size, you state "not too big, nor too small".
Might be a good idea as to state what size you made yours. you can always say "It's not too critical, but mine were 1mm or 0.042 in.". just sayin'. Always a good idea to give exact information when instructing so the person learning will know to expect it to work as good as yours, if not, because they failed to follow instructions. But, hey, still a great instructible and hope to see more from you.
I will try to do something like this in the near future...
BEFORE you wash out the cans, fill them half full of water and freeze them.
Now, you have a solid core to back up the can while removing paint -- can even buff it off with a wire pad on a power drill if you want.
Let them stand and thaw, pour a drop or two of soap in and shake to foam, wash the cans out and proceed ...
Bravo !
In the images, you'll see a small metal 'dish.' That's the priming pan. Add a little fuel to it first, then fill with about 2 oz. of HEET through the top (two holes under the penny.) Then, light the fuel in the priming tray. This heats up the fuel as well as ignites the jets.
I've never used any kind of sealant. I get about 15 mins of burn time indoors, various outdoors (you may have a hard time keeping/getting it lit in colder temps, less burn time in windier weather.) Be sure to have a windscreen. Flashing will accomplish this. Also, for a pot stand - three metal tent stakes works great.
1: Use a wire brush attachment on your dremel to remove the paint from the can.
2: If you don't have a drill bit small enough for the outer holes, use a small nail.
3: If you get superglue on your hand, nail polish remover removes it with ease.
Hope i helped some of you out.
However, i ran into some troubles on the way...
So here are my additional hints for expanding the cut cans:
- Use a full (and prefferably pressurized) can to expand the cut one.
- Press the full can in the cut one and not the other way around (Cut over full)
- You can press quite hard if you add the water (see next point) to expand almost all of the cut can. I normally expand 2 third of the height of the cut can.
- Always put 5-10 drops of water in the cut can and dont turn them (The full and the cut can) over if they are inside each other. Now if you want to have them apart, simply hold your lighter under the cut can and the steam-pressure pops them right apart. If you expanded more than a few mm you have no other way to separate them again.
I often repeat the expanding 2 times till they really fit snuggly.
If you press the 2 cut halves together (one expanded, one NOT), be sure you have at least one hole already drilled to let the air escape.
It also helps to have both cut cans the same height: If the inner & top (hole-containing) can is around 1mm away from the cut line of the lower & outer can you know: This is the end ynd you shouldnt go any further.
I once made such stoves just for fun out of Coke and Redbull-cans... till i found out that a lot of people found them cool and i made a ton of gifts. :)
Here is a SIMPLE SAFETY FACTOR to incorporate into your project,put in (( STEEL WOOL)) ,this prevents pre-ignition(Explosions) in case other fuels are mistakingly used, by lowering ignition temperature.