The Lynx effect / stove.

[pwb]

A while back I read a great post on building an alcohol stove from a deodorant can, can't for the life of me find it now though. Hopefully someone will point it out .

Anyway here's my attempt, using an old Lynx deodorant can to make a ' Whitebox ' type stove.

First pull off the plastic twist top and cut of the top close to the rolled edge.

Then cut the can in two , I used the fist line in the letter N as a mark, and file four feed slots in the neck to allow the alcohol to flow.

De-burr and push the two halves together, then level the top of.
To make marking the position of the holes easier use a strip of paper . Those shown are roughly 1cm spacing and 1.5mm sized holes . luckily this seems to work OK . Lastly put three 3mm sized pop rivets around the rim.

A Good rub with wire wool removes any sharp edges and the paint also shines the stove up great .

I gave the stove a trial run in a cold workshop . Workshop temp was 8 degrees C and using 50ml of meths it boiled 2 cups of water in 7 mins 30 secs and lasted for 13 mins 15 secs from first being lit.

Had fun making the stove and it works really well .

 

[jungle_re]

Great bit of home made diy stoveage like it alot. How have the pop rivit fared with the heat?

 

[pwb]

Great bit of home made diy stoveage like it alot. How have the pop rivit fared with the heat?

Should be OK, the original 'Whitebox' is/was of similar construction.
The whole stove is aluminium and is loads thicker than the cat stoves I've made in the past , never had one of them melt... yet .

Pete.

 

[Mang]

It looks good shiny! What's it like piercing a pressurised container? Did you pull the top off or cut it first? Does it 'fizz' about until truly empty?

 

[pwb]

It looks good shiny! What's it like piercing a pressurised container? Did you pull the top off or cut it first? Does it 'fizz' about until truly empty?

Just made sure it was totally empty. I've cut into tins before without problems. The propellant is Butane so a little care and common sense is required but I just cut the top of ,at arms length , with the dremel.
I suppose if someone is worried they could drill a hole first and flush with water.
The work shop does smell great now though.

 

[andybysea]

I tried a very similar thing yesterday but the two halves would'nt fit inside each other(the misses vasiline intensive care deo) plus i used a very old and blunt jnr hacksaw which wasnt great, this thread inspires me to try again, and now i know a lynx can would work( i just need wait till ive got myself a dremmel,been after one for a while)
very professional looking job well done.

 

[conall]

A while back I read a great post on building an alcohol stove from a deodorant can, can't for the life of me find it now though. Hopefully someone will point it out .

Anyway here's my attempt, using an old Lynx deodorant can to make a ' Whitebox ' type stove.

First pull off the plastic twist top and cut of the top close to the rolled edge.

Then cut the can in two , I used the fist line in the letter N as a mark, and file four feed slots in the neck to allow the alcohol to flow.

De-burr and push the two halves together, then level the top of.
To make marking the position of the holes easier use a strip of paper . Those shown are roughly 1cm spacing and 1.5mm sized holes . luckily this seems to work OK . Lastly put three 3mm sized pop rivets around the rim.

A Good rub with wire wool removes any sharp edges and the paint also shines the stove up great .

I gave the stove a trial run in a cold workshop . Workshop temp was 8 degrees C and using 50ml of meths it boiled 2 cups of water in 7 mins 30 secs and lasted for 13 mins 15 secs from first being lit.

Had fun making the stove and it works really well .

Proper job the post your thinking of might have been the one I posted (deo meth stove) like yours

 

[scrogger]

Thats a fantastic little stove, I have made loads of pop can stoves and saw one done like yours by an american guy with an aluminium beer bottle. I have been looking for something to have a go at using and had thought about pressurised canisters but after research was put off as people said it was dangerous.

So the cutting of the top posed no problems at all?

Thanks for posting this its got me thinking again.

Andy

 

[JonathanD]

How cool is that. Gonna have to give that a go

 

[pwb]

I have been looking for something to have a go at using and had thought about pressurised canisters but after research was put off as people said it was dangerous.

So the cutting of the top posed no problems at all?

Didn't pose me a problem anyway Andy. I think if you go slow and keep your face well clear, should be fine. Perhaps use a hack saw for the first cut around the top.

Proper job the post your thinking of might have been the one I posted (deo meth stove) like yours

Thanks Conall that's the one , just could not find it other wise I would have posted a link to it .

Conall's Deo Meths Stove.

 

[jdlenton]

Excellent thread excellent idea

having seen this I've just spent the last hour in the workshop and I made one, have to say it went quite well seen as though i wasn't taking my time

it got a good rolling boil on 500ml of water in a good time (didn't time it will do later)

Just a few observations:

1. i drilled the top of mine with a 4mm drill to depressurise there were still some contents left in the bottle and to my surprise there wasn't even a hiss as the Drill penetrated. I simply pored the remaining contents down the sink.
2. When i pushed my top into my bottom!! it didn't quiet go in central so there is a small bulge in the lip at on side and no bulge diametrically opposite. I'll have to figure a way of getting it to go in parallel.
3. The pop rivets i don't have any so i didn't use any it seems to work fine with out then as a friction fit do they serve any other purpose?
4. Mine was very susceptible to breeze a foil windshield sorted that out though so not really an issue

Other than that I'm very pleased with the outcome its stronger than a pop can stove, much lighter than a standard burner and (considerably quicker to the boil, this is obviously an anecdote)

I really like this new take on the recycled hand made stove, there will always be nay sayer to home made burners but this ones a great idea and works very well, it will be my burner of choice the next time i go the the hills

cheers puub

James

 

[Chinkapin]

Very nice! I prefer the side burners like you guys have made. Then you dont need a pot stand. The heavy aluminum foil found in the disposable roasting pans works well and is quite durable, for a windscreen.

 

[penvisser]

Very impressive!

thanks for sharing.

atb,

Jan

 

[John Fenna]

The work shop does smell great now though.

Realy? - What did you use to hide the smell of the Lynx?

 

[Mesquite]

Realy? - What did you use to hide the smell of the Lynx?

Got to admit Lynx isn't my favourite smell, nor the little wifeys' so when my son comes over stinking to high heavens with the damn stuff windows are opened.....

 

[John Fenna]

I have heard it described by teachers as "Essence of year 9".....

 

[pwb]

Just a few observations:

1. i drilled the top of mine with a 4mm drill to depressurise there were still some contents left in the bottle and to my surprise there wasn't even a hiss as the Drill penetrated. I simply pored the remaining contents down the sink.
2. When i pushed my top into my bottom!! it didn't quiet go in central so there is a small bulge in the lip at on side and no bulge diametrically opposite. I'll have to figure a way of getting it to go in parallel.
3. The pop rivets i don't have any so i didn't use any it seems to work fine with out then as a friction fit do they serve any other purpose?
4. Mine was very susceptible to breeze a foil windshield sorted that out though so not really an issue

Hi James,

I must admit I wasn't at all sure the tin would work. I was trying to get something like those stoves made in America from aluminium bottles and with far more space in the double wall. Conell's stove is closer to achieving that by the looks of it.

My tin also developed a slight bulge on one side . I did read on Zen Stoves about stretching the lower half of the stove with an unopened can of the same size, might be worth a try.

Only really put in the rivets because I had the Whitebox Stove in mind does seem pretty secure without them though.

Whitebox stove:

Agree about the windshield, a must have.

Realy? - What did you use to hide the smell of the Lynx?

But Lynx makes you irresistible , unfortunately it's my 'workmate' they're all after.
Story of my life .

 

[jdlenton]

I'm not sure pubb what difference the wall thickness actually makes but this seems to work well even at 2mm ish

as for the off center push fitting of the lid i wonder if:

The rim needs annealing to make it soft after deep drawing. I think this will need to be done carefully I'm going to try rubbing a little soap on the rim then heating (with a very small flame) the rim until the soap turns black this should soften the edge up to accept the push fit .

Pre-stretching the rim I've seen this described where you put a little water in the part to be stretched, you then stretch it over a full can, light a little meths around the base, this boils the water, pressurises the bottom cylinder and pops it off! I have never tried this and think that it has the potential to go very wrong so I'm going to light it and stand well back.

Make some sort of press to help push the top in central and the bottom and top nice and parallel.

J*

 

[Robbi]

what a great stove !!

a couple of quick questions.....do you just pour the meths in the top and then light the small holes ?.....how much meths did you put in it ?

Thanks for the tutorial.

robbi

 

[jdlenton]

what a great stove !!

a couple of quick questions.....do you just pour the meths in the top and then light the small holes ?.....how much meths did you put in it ?

Thanks for the tutorial.

robbi

I had mine in a little titanium stand filled it half full put some meths in the stand and lit the lot. I didnt measure the meths

i think in pubbs first post he mentions a volume.