Sunday, May 3, 2009

Using a "Penny" Alcohol Stove and Wick Alcohol Stove

The pic shows a wick stove burning under a kegcan pot with windscreen.
How to light a wick alcohol stove.

The wick stove is easy. Just estimate how much fuel you need ( it gets easier the more you do it) and pour it in. It will fill through the center hole. If you are not sure how much you need, just fill it up. If you are done cooking, you can blow it out and pour the unused fuel back in the tank. After the fuel is in, light it with your match/lighter. It will blacken your pot a bit, like a wood fire.


How to light a jet alcohol stove.

Pour 90% or better alcohol, like yellow bottle HEAT from the auto store or denatured alcohol from the home store. Fill the stove through the center hole. After filling place a penny over the hole to keep in the pressure. You can get fancy and screw in a small bolt, but a coin works fine. Spill a little fuel around the stove or use a "crack torch" lighter to preheat the stove. After it is preheated for a few seconds the alcohol will start to boil and vapor will be forced out of the holes. Light the vapor and the stove will continue to burn hot and clean until it runs out. Once it's running it preheats itself to sustain the fire.

2 comments:

  1. What fiberglass material do you use with this pot? Where did you get it?
    Thanks very much,
    Jonathan in St. Paul, MN

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  2. I use a 2" wide fiberglass band. Most guys use a couple layers of fiberglass sheetrock tape.

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