Gina
3-21-11, 7:23pm
In a couple of the recent disaster threads the subject of how to cook something if the power goes out. Here is an easy solution - the cat food can burner. :)
There are many homemade alcohol burners to be found on the internet. Some are complex, use various tools, and are sleek and come close to works of art. Others are simple and efficient - and cheap. To see many designs, do searches for catfood can burners, or pepsi can burners, etc. And you can see a several being made if you look around on youtube. Many people who hike use these because the are lightweight yet efficient.
This is the one I like. All you need is a simple small cat food can (fancy feast), and something to punch holes around the sides. And of course denatured alcohol for fuel. Denatured ethyl alcohol can be found at paint stores or homedepot. Rubbing isopropyl alcohol (at 70%) does nto have high enough alcohol %. You need about 90-95% to burn cleanly. Isopropyl also smells bad IMO. I beleive something called Heet would work too but I have never tried it.
The first one I made following something I saw on Utube was with a hole punch. While easy to make, and it burned well, I thought it might burn better with smaller holes, so I used an icepick, hammer over some thick newspaper, and made another. And indeed that one (on the right) burned much better IMO. That is the first picture - the two burners with holes. The second has a rough surface, but does not seem to be any problem. (I suppose in an emergency you could use that to grate cheese. ;))
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=231&d=1300748752
To use the burner, put a tablespoon or two of denatured alchol into the bottom of the can. Light the alcohol. Becareful - the vapors are flamable. I prefer one of those longer bbq lighters. Just one spark will light it. Make sure the burner is placed on a non-flamable surface.
This is the burner 'warming up' with just the alcohol aflame.
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=232&d=1300748756
Let it burn till it heats enough to not go out when you place your pan on top. 20-30 seconds? You are now ready to cook. Place (balance) your thin-walled pan (with lid) on top and cook. If the alcohol runs out and the flame goes out, refill carefully. To put out unused fuel, invert a larger can on top to extinguish the flames.
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=233&d=1300748762
There are many homemade alcohol burners to be found on the internet. Some are complex, use various tools, and are sleek and come close to works of art. Others are simple and efficient - and cheap. To see many designs, do searches for catfood can burners, or pepsi can burners, etc. And you can see a several being made if you look around on youtube. Many people who hike use these because the are lightweight yet efficient.
This is the one I like. All you need is a simple small cat food can (fancy feast), and something to punch holes around the sides. And of course denatured alcohol for fuel. Denatured ethyl alcohol can be found at paint stores or homedepot. Rubbing isopropyl alcohol (at 70%) does nto have high enough alcohol %. You need about 90-95% to burn cleanly. Isopropyl also smells bad IMO. I beleive something called Heet would work too but I have never tried it.
The first one I made following something I saw on Utube was with a hole punch. While easy to make, and it burned well, I thought it might burn better with smaller holes, so I used an icepick, hammer over some thick newspaper, and made another. And indeed that one (on the right) burned much better IMO. That is the first picture - the two burners with holes. The second has a rough surface, but does not seem to be any problem. (I suppose in an emergency you could use that to grate cheese. ;))
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=231&d=1300748752
To use the burner, put a tablespoon or two of denatured alchol into the bottom of the can. Light the alcohol. Becareful - the vapors are flamable. I prefer one of those longer bbq lighters. Just one spark will light it. Make sure the burner is placed on a non-flamable surface.
This is the burner 'warming up' with just the alcohol aflame.
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=232&d=1300748756
Let it burn till it heats enough to not go out when you place your pan on top. 20-30 seconds? You are now ready to cook. Place (balance) your thin-walled pan (with lid) on top and cook. If the alcohol runs out and the flame goes out, refill carefully. To put out unused fuel, invert a larger can on top to extinguish the flames.
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=233&d=1300748762