The Shane Graber Stove

Editor's note: comments page

Comments from the Web Community   I set this page up to allow other users of this alcohol stove (or any other alcohol stove, for that matter) to showcase their ideas, findings, etc. from using their alcohol stoves. Nice pages on the construction of your stove. I've used a Trangia for years and really like cooking with alcohol. In my Scout troop, we had the boys made the pop-can stove and they love them. I'll try your design in the future and we'll let the boys compare them. I have a couple of comments for you: 1) The accelerated burn time for the Trangia is the reason they lead the market in Europe for alcohol stoves. None of their competitors can do this either. I think you are correct in your assesment that the stove burns hot and then it's more efficient. They use a custom metal alloy that is prepared for them and I suspect it's part of their secret. 2) Don't try burning really volitile fuels like white gas in your open stove. They will not burn in a controlled fashion and will not vaporize well. You'll just end up with a big ball of burning fuel. We tried it with one of the pop-can stoves and it wasn't pretty. Kerosine will probably not work either, as it generally requires a wick to continue to burn effectively - too oily I think. If you do try a test with white gas, light a match on a long stick and bring this over the stove. The vapors will light long before you can get near the fuel, and they are quite explosive - unlike alcohol.  Our little pop-can stove actually exploded the first time we tried white gas. It was a great object lesson for the boys. Regards, -Tim   at-l-digest        Saturday, January 16 1999        Volume 01 : Number 1042 Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 10:53:19 -0500 From: Tim Hewitt <thewitt@fairchildsemi.com> Subject: [at-l] Alcohol Fuel Comparison Hi, Though not exhaustive, I thought I'd publish this little piece of alcohol stove fuel trivia. I tested three different fuels last night in my Trangia Mini. The test was done with cold tap water (no temp taken - this is a relative test - outside temp was 20 degrees, water was very cold to drink), in my kitchen under controlled conditions (no wind, 70 degree, etc). The stove was allowed to cool to room temperature between tests. The three fuels I burned in the stove and the time to boil 2 cups of water are below. Boiling meant large bubbles coming off the bottom. I used a titanium pot with cover in place - looking under the lid every 10-15 seconds after 8 minutes burn time. The pot was placed on the fire right after the fuel was lit. Fuel Boil Time Notes Denatured Alcohol label reads: "Shellac thinner. Alcohol stove fuel. Contains: Ethanol, Methanol, Methyl Isobutyl Ketone, Acetone" 9 min 30 sec Stove liked this fuel Rubbing Alcohol label reads: "70% Isopropyl Alcohol by volume." 17 min 20 sec Seemed to burn "cold" ICE O-Dry label reads: "Isopropyl alcohol based gas line anti-freeze" 8 min 30 sec Really dirty - sooty burn The gas line antifreeze worked well as far as heat content is concerned, but it blackened the pot as badly as a poor wood fire wood have. The Rubbing Alcohol just sort of lazed around the burner and never really took itself seriously. The Denatured Alcohol burned hot, clean, and the stove jets were really screaming at the end. I suspect that subsequent boils would have been very fast - Trangia tests in the past have resulted in 5 minute boils once the stove heats up. Just thought I'd share. - -Paddler <snip> * From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |  http://www.backcountry.net  * Return to the Make Your Own Backpacking Alcohol Burning Stove and Pot Stand page...   Copyright 1998, Shaneo's Sites http://www.fulton-net.com/~sgraber/comments.htm

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