DIY Alcohol Stove

For hiking, camping, biking, boating, Scouting, RV-ing - used by homeless, survivalists, search & rescue, disaster and third world relief.

This plan is human ingenuity at its very finest. For the cost of a few sodas, you can build yourself a camping stove like no other... lots of scientific data to back up the claim that it's the best travel stove for any money.

I built the alcohol stove last summer and used it on extensively on camping trips all over the country. It worked every time, 100% of the time, rain or shine. It is the perfect stove, especially for international use. If it gets confiscated at security, it takes about 30 minutes to make a new one. Fuel can always be found. Simmers perfectly.

Last year I posted the original instructions for a stove that I had been developing for years - one that is dependable, safe, lightweight, fast, efficient, but is still simple to make and use. This site documents the response to the first alcohol stove that is good enough to compete with gas stoves and keep canisters out of landfills. It will bake scones, or simmer a pot of real rice for 20 minutes with 2/3 oz., and make tea for two with 1/2 oz..

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 aluminum tape.
2. 
   
   Mark Burner HolesUsing the Sharpie, mark the bottom of one can with 32 holes. Start with two across, then four square, eight, sixteen and finally 32; eyeballing can give good results if done carefully.
3. 
   
   Puncture with thumbtacks. Go around the burner puncturing every other hole with a thumbtack, then go around again to get the rest of them. Be careful in this and other steps not to dent the can any more than necessary, handle towards the top and bottom and put pressure as evenly around as possible. The thumbtacks will bend, some of them, so you'll be going through a few.
4. 
   
   Add center drain holes. Take the nail and pound in seven holes in the middle of the bottom in a 'daisy' pattern. These are where the fuel drains into the chamber. The full can works fine to pound in the nail but a hammer works better.
5. 
   
   Score a grooveTaking the book and the razor blade, score a groove several times around the base of the can, 7/8" up.
6. 
   
   Cut can and peel along scoreusing the razor blade and scissors if desired, cut through the can near the score, and cut down towards the score at an angle. Peel the aluminium towards the score, and then along the score: it should part easily, leaving a reasonably smooth rim.
7. 
   
   Cut out bottom sectionUsing your book and razor, score the second can 1 3/8" from the base, and cut and peel along the score to make the bottom of the stove.
8. 
   
   Cut the middle wallOut of the wall of one of the cans, cut a 1 1/2" by 7" strip; this can be done by scoring and peeling but scissors work better. At least one long wall should be smoothly cut.
9. 
   
   Fit the wallTaking the middle strip, fit it to the inside of the top piece. Check the fit, making sure that the edge that contacts the top piece is entirely smooth. Tape down the bottom side of the middle strip with a piece of flue tape or crimp it down with heavy guage aluminum foil; flue tape is just heavy gauge aluminum foil with adhesive anyway, and the adhesive dissolves in altogether.
10. 
    
    Cut notches in middle wallThree V shaped notches in the bottom part of the middle wall, evenly placed.

I have included a video here on my simple DIY alcohol stove. It is different from what I posted here. A bit less complicated. Enjoy!

DIY Alcohol Stove