Priming Wick for Alcohol Stove [and Pot Stand]

Priming Wick Made from Household Materials

An alternative to using a priming pan or a fibreglass wick wrap on your drinks can stove.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

You will need...

Needle-nose pliers with wire cutters (or Leatherman)
1 bolt, 5 or 6mm diameter (I used M6)

Thin, bendable wire like snare wire
Loft insulation

A tent peg or bicycle spoke is handy too!

Comments

[heathbar64]

I like this, I have been looking at these pop can stoves lately with an eye to survival in a hobo type situation. I like the neatness of your ignitor, but I'm thinking that it will quadruple the cost and complexity of your stove. cans are found everywhere, but wire and insulation not so much.

[mdefilippis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVRYInciXs

There you have it, What do you think? I had used a guitar string for the wire since i was out of snare wire and it seems to work really well. This will impress my scouts for sure.

Great DIY and definitely and AWESOME idea.

[gilsnax]

Good thought! I wish I'd had this sooner. As I write this, the electricity has only back on an hour at my house, after being out for a week from Hurricane Irene. I've used my stove to make coffee and noodles all week. I stood up better than 90% of the people I know, and did without the longest! The "tinkers" may not be the only ones to inherit the Earth, but will be able to make use of the leftovers!

[TrailH4x]

Mulled over this one for a while, loving the idea of the spring held fiberglass batting material, but was worried about the spring hanging up on something and being pulled out of form.

I've solved this by creating my spring, running a length of wire through the spring to tie around the entire circumferance of the can and then stuffing in the fiberglass. Still use the twisted loop on the opposite side of the can for removal and retightening.

Works great and have gotten over my anxiety about pulling the stove from my kit only to find a knotted clump of wire with fiberglass hanging out. Thanks!

[JohanJShaw]

Sounds good! Glad you got some use from this. I have been toying with the idea of an all-in-one stove, with a wick of this type attached around a stand under the pot, which might be a heine or normal beer can. Will need a reservoir maybe... Keep up the good work!

[profpat]

nice!!!

[DieCastoms]

Since I do not know, at all, I thought I would ask this question:

Will burning the wick ever consume it or does the fiber glass remain somewhat cool because only the alcohol's vapors burn?

I had a thought while reading this ible that if you were to make your coil around a piece of threaded tubing (the kind used for the center of a lamp) you could pack a little fiber glass into the coil through the tubing, unscrew the coil a little and pack some more glass, etc. I thought it might be a little more rigid while you are working and might be less-likely to deform the coil while you are packing it.

Just my $.02.
"DC"

[JohanJShaw]

So far, the wicks do not burn away at all (or build up much residue from the fuel). So the answer to your question is yes, the fibre stays below its burning temp. Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions, well appreciated!

[aristide202]

cool and elegant alternative to aluminium foil pan primer

[TrailH4x]

Nice, concise and easy to follow. Thanks. I build and make alkies and aluminum can pots. A few of your ideas will be headed to the patio this afternoon.

[emerson.john]

Every step shows a clever solution with excellent photography. Great job.

[acoleman3]

fianlly! an efficient way of priming your airtight! -bows deeply- thank you so much.

[acoleman3]

but i *do* have one suggestion. use a mild steel rod like making coil for maille links. you can get them at any major diy for pretty damn cheap. its better then a bolt cus you dont have to unscrew the coil from it. if the concern is about no gaps in the winding? just spread the coil in a few places and use those to touch off the primer fluid.

[RobFS1]

Very Good! Bravo on the Pot Stand Clamp!

[spark master]

I have made several pepsi g's and large versions of the thing (used huge iced tea cans). If you do not want to wrap fiberglass wick on the can (tinny at minibulldesign.com/) this is really nice I will be making at least one of these.

great idea, premade spring might in the end loose it sproing tension but shout be fabulous as well.

[scraptopower]

Genius! I love it. Thanks.

[JohanJShaw]

Thanks for the comment!

[tcronquist]

Go to a hardware store and buy a spring and load the insulation into the spring. This saves time and you can adjust the spring for tension of the can.

Tom C

[JohanJShaw]

I have not tried a manufactured spring yet. The wire is very cheap and probably something a lot of Instructables Members would have handy. I was going to experiment with different sizes of these wicks for a simmering wick stove. Thanks, suggestions always welcome!

[mdefilippis]

I used a guitar string. Worked just fine.

[trewq7]

try