meths and plastic

[Steve M]

I'm still a little confused as to which bottles are good for meths and which are not. I'm guessing an old nail polish remover bottle will be fine.

 

[pwb]

Looks as though it's safe to store alcohol fuel in any reasonably sturdy plastic bottle.
Here's a handy link:

http://zenstoves.net/FuelStorage.htm

Kind of surprises me because I've see plastic containers do strange things when in contact fuels, even paraffin . Maybe it's just petroleum based products you have to watch :bluThinki .
Might be best to buy a dedicated fuel bottle like a Trangia one, that's what I did. Better safe than sorry .

Pete.

 

[Steve M]

The Trangia ones are a bit big, albeit safe.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Coke bottles work fine.

When that "World Cup" thing that they play by kicking a ball around was all the rage on the TV, the shops stocked these little 250ml Coke bottles shaped like foot balls. Fantastic for storing Meths in. The polyester is impervious, they are rated as pressure vessels, the seals don't leak, and if the seal does eventually leak, its easy to get a new cap.

Finally, with the 500ml bottles, when you have finished the trip, you can bin the bottle if you don't want to trouble with taking it home, not something you can do with the commercial meths containers.

 

[pwb]

The Coke bottles sound ideal .
If your after something smaller what about the small Nalgene bottles.

http://www.nomadtravel.co.uk/catalog/view/nalgene-travel-bottle-set?froogle

When I made a hobo stove I used a similar type bottle to carry meths for a Trangia burner, it fitted inside the pot .

Pete.

 

[tommy the cat]

Someone on here said panda bottles worked fine, not tried them myself as I cant bring myself to drinking the contents.
D

 

[tombear]

I've been using a a Platypus "Little Nipper" for a couple of years now and had no problems with that, even for long term storage.

Tom

 

[Humpback]

I have used a small nalgene bottle for day trips for over three years without problem. I use a proper Trangia fuel bottle for longer or non solo trips.
Alan

 

[big_swede]

Ethanol is more chemically aggressive than naphta-based fuels, paraffin and petrol.

 

[gzornenplat]

Ethanol is more chemically aggressive than naphta-based fuels, paraffin and petrol.

That may be true in certain cases (for example, H2G2 notes
its effect on certain carbon-based life forms) but as far as containers
go, if you can keep vodka in it, you can keep pure ethanol in it.
And in my experience, the 10% wood alcohol in meths doesn't
change that.

 

[big_swede]

That may be true in certain cases (for example, H2G2 notes
its effect on certain carbon-based life forms) but as far as containers
go, if you can keep vodka in it, you can keep pure ethanol in it.
And in my experience, the 10% wood alcohol in meths doesn't
change that.

I'm not quite sure what you mean?

Ethanol is safe to keep in most plastic bottles. And that gives that you can store naphta or petrol in plastic bottles too.

 

[gzornenplat]

I'm not quite sure what you mean?

Saying that ethanol is more aggressive than petrol implies 'if you can keep petrol in it,
you may not be able to keep ethanol in it' and therefore that if you buy a proper petrol
can from a garage, ethanol might still melt it.

I was pointing out that since the alcohol in vodka *is* ethanol, then if you feel OK
about putting vodka in it, then you should feel OK about putting pure ethanol in it.

Since meths is usually 90% ethanol and 10% methanol (i.e. it is just spirits (as in
'pub') that have had methanol added (been 'methylated') then I was also saying that
the methanol (which you don't find in pubs) doesn't seem to make it more likely to
melt things IME.

 

[rik_uk3]

The Trangia ones are a bit big, albeit safe.

What, a half litre bottle with saftey pourer is too big? They are not big in the scheme of things, are designed to hold meths, and the safety pourer works very well

Can be got cheaper, but they are so good for all fuels, never had a problem storing paraffin, naptha or meths and they won't leak on you
http://www.cave-crag.co.uk/1610/Trangia-Fuel-Bottles.html?referrer=froogle


Smarvell, do yourself a favour and just get one of these mate. When it comes to carrying liquid fuels its not worth experimenting unless you really know what you are doing. Just buy the Trangia bottle and the job is done.

 

[stijnb]

what's wrong with the bottle your meths came in?
if it's too big you might want to try a hip flask, don't confuse it with your "non essential bushcraft item" hip flask though or you might end up burning all your precious booze.

 

[rik_uk3]

what's wrong with the bottle your meths came in?
if it's too big you might want to try a hip flask, don't confuse it with your "non essential bushcraft item" hip flask though or you might end up burning all your precious booze.

The bottle it came in is fine, but look at the bottle and compare to the Trangia bottle with safety pourer, which is the strongest and safest to use, its not rocket science to see that a tenner spent on a pukka fuel bottle is money well spent, hip flasks are for booze

 

[Shewie]

I agree with Rik here, the half litre Trangia is just the job for a weekend out. They`re proven in the field and the anti-spill pourer is excellent.

 

[Steve M]

I'm not disputing their quality, just looking at other options. If I can use my (ex-wife's, honest) nail polish remover bottle for now then all the better. I just don't want to put meths in the wrong thing.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

I have used many different plastic bottles from Insect repellent containers, contact lens fluid bottles, to drinks bottles to what i use now Body shop 150ml bottles (i think they were shower gel).
150 ml does about 2 full burns on my "coke stove".

I've never had a case of plastic melting, or cracking, or anything else. and I've used meths all over the place. If you aren't sure try small amounts in a bottle before trips

Only thing i would say is choose a bottle with a see-though plastic so you can see how much you have left!

(just for the record I've done the same with petrol and again never had any problems)!

I'd be interested what plastic does melt or whatever with meths!

 

[Hammock_man]

I buy my meths in a plastic bottle, so why not carry it around in a plastic bottle??

I have an Aluminum tube which the bottle fit into loosely which provides additional protection in transit

 

[big_swede]

I have used many different plastic bottles from Insect repellent containers, contact lens fluid bottles, to drinks bottles to what i use now Body shop 150ml bottles (i think they were shower gel).
150 ml does about 2 full burns on my "coke stove".

I've never had a case of plastic melting, or cracking, or anything else. and I've used meths all over the place. If you aren't sure try small amounts in a bottle before trips

Only thing i would say is choose a bottle with a see-though plastic so you can see how much you have left!

(just for the record I've done the same with petrol and again never had any problems)!

I'd be interested what plastic does melt or whatever with meths!

I think you will have a hard time finding a plastic that melts with meths. And hence will melt or dissolve with petrol.