newbie pepsi can stove help

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rg598

Native
1/2L in 10 min is fine. There are stoves that can do it faster, but the faster a stove boils the water, the more fuel it wastes-more heat escapes to the surrounding air. From my tests, the best efficiency is a boil time of about 10 min.

As far as why it was giving you yellow flames, I think it was the fuel you were usings. Sounds like its a partially pressurized chimney design, so it should have no problem pressurizing.

On a somewhat unrelated issue, I've noticed that the design of the stove does not make much of a difference. Two stoves with different designs that throw out the same amount of fuel per minute will boil water in the same amount of time. You don't need a complicated design like that. It looks cool, but an open burner of the right diameter will work just as well without you having to play around with it. Try a "tuna can stove" design if you want more speed (throws out fuel faster).
 

BossCat

Tenderfoot
Dec 11, 2008
65
0
67
Scotland
As im into fire at the moment Iv'e been experementing with Alcahol Burners. I've made a few from all sorts of various tins and bottles etc

Heres a wee list of the type of materials I've used.

1. Small Snuff Tin - ok but doesn't burn to long.
2. Coke Cans - had a hell of a time trying to slot the two bottom halves together, ruined a lot of cans before I got it right.
3. An old Deoderent bottle & Tiny Coke Can. Found out by accident that the little coke can slips nealty over the deoderent bottle. This was/is quite a good one if I sayso myself. Takes a wee bit longer to prime but works a treat and you can put as much full as you need in to start.
4. Stainless Steel handle of a pot lid. This not a pressure burner like the coka can but rather just an open burner. (if you know what I mean?) works ok but just for simmering or keeping things luke warm.
5. Shoe polish tin. Great little burner. No need to mess about cutting and slotting anything together, just open tin - fill - close - prime - make tea :D It has a nice little rim around the edge to drill holes - thought I messed up a bit and put my holes to close together and ended up with one BIG yellow flame rather than a lot of little jets.

I'll rake out my box brownie and take a few pics of my constructions :D

In the meantime have a look at this guy - Bennieblueyes on Youtube, he's a master at stove construction and has come up with some amazing stoves....
http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=benniblueyes&view=videos

I think I'll try his Copper Pipe gizmo for my next attempt :D

TC

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tom57

Member
Jan 1, 2008
42
0
london
thanks again, i think ill make do with what ive made. wouldnt mind seeing other designs though, it might inspire me. ill try to post a picture of it in action soon
tom
 

Hammock_man

Full Member
May 15, 2008
1,453
529
kent
I have played with a few home made "soda" can stoves with mixed success. I keep coming back to the shoe polish design. As said earlier, so very easy to make, and to use just Open, Fill, Prime and Light.

I do accept that some designs are a bit more efficent but just to make a hot drink its not a big deal.

To heat up Boil in the bag meals I have used two stoves. Use 1 until the fuel runs out, swap it out while still hot and pop the 2nd one under and light. If needed the first can be refilled once it has cooled for a third burn ( by this time my water is onto heating pudding)

Play around, cans are free and meths is cheap !!!!!!
 
Mar 22, 2006
291
0
38
North Wales
if u have difficulty pusching the 2 cans together simply crimp the can that goes on the inside with a pair of pliers all the way around by gripping the lip of the can and twisting it
 

Black Sheep

Native
Jun 28, 2007
1,539
0
North Yorkshire
photobucket.com
I found a link to the Zen stove site (http://zenstoves.net/BasicTopBurner.htm) very useful it has loads of info on stoves and fuel

It also has templates and construction details for several stoves and pot stands to print and make.

I've make a few pop can stoves this week to experiment with different hole patterns and sizes I'll post so photo's when I get chance.

As for fitting the two halves together I made a dilator as shown on Zen's site and it works a treat.

Richard
 

gzornenplat

Forager
Jan 21, 2009
207
0
Surrey
2. Coke Cans - had a hell of a time trying to slot the two bottom halves together, ruined a lot of cans before I got it right.

Try the top of a Foster's can into the bottom of a coke can. There was a
difference of a few thou last time I was making them, but these things
change and probably depend on the individual machine that is producing
the cans.

It's always worth getting a variety of brands and trying different combinations.

Another trick is to cut the bottom half to size and stretch it by fitting it
over the bottom of an unopened can (the pressure will expand the can
slightly and help keep it there). You only need to do the first 15 mil
or so just to get the top half in more easily - build it up a bit at a
time - too much and you'll never get it off - and oiling it will a) help it
slide and b) keep the air in so the build-up of pressure helps you get
it off the unopened can.

Ian
 

BossCat

Tenderfoot
Dec 11, 2008
65
0
67
Scotland
I have tried various types of cans to see what fits what.

Here's one of my constructions made from an old Deoderent can and one of those tiny Coke cans. Just cut the bottom section off the coke can and it slips neatly over the deoderent can. You'll now doubt see that the D-Can has holes around the edge. I tried this method first and it worked ok, just simpley fill can and light, once its been going a bit slip a 2P over the big hole in the top.
I then found a tiny Coke Can in Morrisons (only place iv'e seen them)

stovecans1.jpg
stovecans2.jpg
stovecans3.jpg
stovecans4.jpg
stovecans5.jpg


stovecans6.jpg


You can see in the 5th pic the difference in size of the coke cans. Sorry about the burn pic but its the best I can get with the crappy camera I have. Once shileded the heat builds up in the cans and the flames get a bit higher.

TC

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