Penny Stoves

[Stealth]

I have recently started making and using penny stoves. There is a reason that these stoves are preferred and used by the homeless people across America. The materials are readily available everywhere and so is the fuel. It is basically an alcohol stove. I have one in my glove compartment of my car, one in my backpack and several at home. In case of an emergency where you need to boil water or do some cooking, this little stove is the trick. It uses denatured alcohol, Heet(gasline antifreeze) or Isoprophyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol). It will burn the 50%, and 70% Isoprophyl alcohol, but the 91% will produce more heat, as will the denatured alcohol. Whether storms, floods, snows, tornados, hurricanes, or earthquakes and any other disaster, is a good reason to make one, or several. I have been making them and passing them out to all my neighbors. Good Luck. stealth

[Peculian]

Hi Stealth.

Please correct your youtube.com link as it is not directing me to the link.Thank you.

edit:youtube link is now OK! Thanks.

[Guruji]

What happens if one doesn't have alcohol in a disaster?

[Stealth]

Almost everyone keeps rubbing alcohol on hand. I would think it would be a standard universal household item. I keep mine in my backpack and vehicle in a metal whiskey flask. It should never get weak or evaporate as long as I keep it closed tight. I don't know why the link don't work. I will try another one. There are many penny stove DYI's on you tube, in case this one doesn't work either. Penny Alcohol Backpacking Stove - YouTube I really like the other design much better, and mine are of the other design. Good Luck. stealth

[Stealth]

My instructions

I cut two soda can bottoms, one 1"" high, the other 3/4'' high. After deburring, I push the shorter length over the bottom of the longer one to stretch it. I crimp the edge of the larger one to fit inside the smaller one. I put fiberglass insulation, or folded cotton or similar to act as a sponge for the alcohol. I then put the longer one in the shorter one and push until it bottoms out. I then mark 16 positions on the outside rim and use a small nail to punch the holes on the shorter one. I then punch five small holes in the center. If you have trouble lighting it, use a jar lid or similar, anything with a small lip, and a diameter larger than the stove, After filling it with alcohol or similar, place a penny over the holes in the center. Pour a small amount into the lid(primer pan) and light. It will catch fire almost immediately. Good Luck. stealth

[Stealth]

caution

When first lit it may flare up so use a long match or grill lighter just to be safe. It won't make a big fire/explosion, but it can burn your fingers. In times of need, some people sit these on top of their regular stove(in between the eyes) and cook or boil water with them. Positioned in the center, it will work with just about any size pot or pan, or you can make a shroud(larger than the stove, same height or close to the same height) and use it to rest your pot or pan on. Mine burns about 15 minutes per fill up and will cook any canned foods, make coffee, tea or boil hotdogs and chili before going out. Be careful and good Luck. stealth

[ewizard]

I would suggest you use ethyl alcohol (strong whiskey is a good source as all drinking alcohol is ethyl alcohol) since the work or PhD Dr. Hulda Clark (microbiologist) suggests that isopropyl alcohol is a very probable cause of cancer. It was found in the body of every person with cancer. I never allow to to be used on myself. I suspect some part of the medical establishment knows it's bad properties. Also referred to as rubbing alcohol it has no good properties that can't be had by much safer substances. Avoid the vapors as even small quantities in the body are considered dangerous and a probable trigger for cancer. If your body senses are any measure of it's safety mine says isopropyl alcohol smells bad, stings in some cases on the skin, and is something I would avoid totally based on body senses if I didn't know what it was.

[Stealth]

Any alcohol based fuel will work. Ethyl works great, as does Coleman fuel. I wouldn't use gasoline, but most any other flammable would work. I haven't tried it, but I would think that most cooking oils would also work, although they might be hard to ignite. Alcohol based mouthwash and hand soap may also work. Waterless hand cleaners contain alcohol, but I am not sure how much. Most mouthwash contain SD alcohol, but I don't know if it is enough to burn. You would have to experiment to find which solution works best for you. Good Luck. stealth

[Stealth]

Most people I know only use these in emergencies or as a quick heat and go stove. I know most hikers, hunters and fisherman carry one to use in case of accidentally getting wet and having to dry off quickly to prevent hypothermia. Also some hikers use one to quickly heat up a can of soup or other canned foods on the go. They don't have to take the time to gather wood to build a campfire. They can take the can they ate out of and put over the stove to smother it out. It will be cool in a minute and ready to be put in a plastic Ziploc bag and returned to their backpack. If you let it burn all the way our of fuel, there is no need for the plastic bag. One man I talked to said that last year he was without electricity for 6 days and used this stove to cook on while his power was out. He sat this stove on top of his regular stove, in between the eyes, with plate underneath. He said he made hotdogs and chili, soup, cooked rice, oatmeal, canned corn, beans, peas and beef stew. However you choose to use one, they are quick, handy and efficient. Good Luck. stealth

[Stealth]

other info: You can take a soda plastic soda straw, grasp the end with a pair of needlenose pliers and burn the end to seal it. Then fill with whatever you want and do the same on the other end. I use these to save garden seeds in but many people use these for hiking, camping picnics, hunting, fishing or emergencies. Some things you can use are (salt, sugar. pepper, olive oil, vinegar, peroxide, alcohol, seasonings, medicine, matches, cotton balls, and especially bleach). Using a medicine dropper put 16 drops of bleach in a straw and seal it, pour in a gallon of water and shake. Let sit for 20 minutes and it is purified. Straws take up less space and weigh less than any other storage system. Also use the pultab to make a slipknot. Tie a small rope, 1/4'', to the larger hole. Then thread through the larger hole and then through the smaller hole. It makes a great slipknot that can be reused many times. The rough edge on the pulltab actually helps to keep the rope from slipping. Good Luck. stealth

[Stealth]

Here are the BTU outputs of the penny stove, as well as other alcohol stoves.
Heet(yellow Bottle) gas line antifreeze 8400 BTU's
Methanol 9610 BTU's
Denatured Alcohol 11,700 BTU's
Other alcohols produce less BTU's with lesser amounts of alcohol
by volume. 91%, 70%, and 50% Isoprophyl alcohol can be used
Good Luck. stealth