I know Rock is all about mass production now, but…

[Major Slacker]

O.K., here's how to make a great, simple, alcohol stove. (Yes, I know it's a lot like the "Fast and Easy Weenie Stove", but not exactly.) It needs no additional stand to support a pot, it's cheap, light (6 grams in the aluminum / no fiberglass version, 18 grams in steel), efficient, strong (Somebody in a long-dormant thread said they would worry about stepping on a lightweight stove, so I took one of the steel ones, turned it upside down on the floor and balanced my 185+ lbs. on it without making a dent.), stable, simple to operate and ridiculously easy to make.

You will need:

a can -- Aluminum cans are my first choice. They're lighter than steel, rustproof and easier to work. Steel cans are very strong, but heavier, prone to rust and harder to work. 3 oz. cans from cat food, potted meat, chicken, tuna, deviled ham, etc., work great. If you want to boil a lot of water or cook longer use a Vienna sausage can -- about the same diameter as the 3 oz. cans but taller, holding more alcohol. If you have a big pot use a wider can from cheese dip, tuna, chicken, ham, specialty foods, etc.

a one-hole paper punch -- Pry off the thing that's supposed to catch the punches. It will make it easier to see what you're doing. Get rid of the tongue thingy in the middle by carefully forcing the handles apart. You can wrap tape around each handle to keep the spring from falling out, or you can use the punch without the spring.

a pair of pliers

fiberglass insulation (optional) -- You don't need much. Scrounge it up somewhere, or buy a small roll of pipe wrap at the hardware store.

safety goggles and gloves are a good idea, too.

What to do:

1. Depending on the can, use pliers to bend the pop top flange up toward the rim and flatten it against the side of the can, or use the pliers to flatten the jagged can-opener edge.

2. With the die (female) part out and the punch (male) part in, position the paper punch as close to the rim as possible. You should be able to feel the punch catch against the bottom edge of the flattened flange. Make sure you are below the rim, not on it. If you are using a Vienna sausage or cat food can with a taper below the rim, use the punch in and the die out and position the punch against the bottom of the taper. Put your thumb over the die or turn the can so the punched out piece doesn't fly into your eye. Punch the first hole.

3. Rotate the can 180º and position the punch as above. Punch the second hole.

4. Rotate the can 90º and position the punch as above. Punch the third hole.

5. Rotate the can 180º and position the punch as above. Punch the fourth hole.

6. Eyeball the midpoint between two holes and punch the next hole, repeating the process until you have one row of 16 holes, just below the rim, evenly spaced around the can. HINT: You can mark evenly spaced hole positions on the can instead of eyeballing them. Trace the can on a piece of paper and draw lines dividing the circle into 16; use a computer program like Adobe Illustrator to do the same; or wrap a strip of paper around the can, mark and cut it to size, fold it in half four times and wrap it around the can again.

7. Position the paper punch just below the first row of holes, midway between and about 1/8" away from two holes. The jaw of the paper punch might have a crimp or something that aligns with the rim in this position. Punch the second row of 16 holes.

(OPTIONAL) Loosely fill or wrap a strip of fiberglass around the inside of the stove up to just below the holes. This will serve as a wick for
the fuel, not as insulation.

I'm working on a simmer accessory and will post it when I have a photo.

[Lanthar]

I've been looking... It'd be cool to get one of these to work with a heineken can-pot (i've found a hole saw that fits perfectly... blue-mol, crap can't remember the size, I had to look at a few) but I don't think the physics / flame path works right, these seem to work more with wider pots. have however ordered that snowpeak ti bowl and will try something like this along with the ion i ordered from rock. and something else I have in mind if I can get some aluminum tins like rock has.

[Major Slacker]

Originally Posted by Lanthar

It'd be cool to get one of these to work with a heineken can-pot...

UPDATE 05/04/05: I'm using a Heineken can pot (and a different pack) now. The way it's formed makes it more durable than straight sided cans.

Here are photos and a template for stoves that work with the Heineken, Foster's and tall 24s. Adapt the previous instructions for V8 and similar cans. The key difference is a top row of half holes making tabs that fold out at 90º for the H and F cans and all the way down for the tall 24s. (UPDATE 05/04/05: Folding the tabs in 90º works better than all the way down for the tall 24s.)

UPDATE 05/04/05: Forget this:

If you want to get tricky, use the top of the can with the center cut out to double the sidewall and to hold the fill and window screen in place. It adds a little weight, but what the heck? It looks cool. The top goes in easier if you fire the stove once -- with just a few ml of alcohol -- after you punch the holes in the outer wall (the bottom of the can) and before you punch the holes in the inner wall (the top of the can). Insert the top, then punch the holes for the inner wall using the outer wall as a template.

[atraildreamer]

Google: Goya stove

We are thinking along similar lines.

Keep collecting those aluminum cans!

[toddhiker]

Atraildreamer:
I found your Goya stove awhile back and have tried (unsuccessfully) to find your particular can. I've also failed in finding a great working substitute. Your stove is really nice ----- where can I buy this size can?

Thanks,
Toddhiker

[Lanthar]

Goya Stove

Wow, intersesting... keeps the flame internal to the 'stove' that would allow you to use a cozy wrapped around the pot whilst cooking... would probably work for the Henie-Can-Pot... hmmm...

[atraildreamer]

Originally Posted by toddhiker

Atraildreamer:
I found your Goya stove awhile back and have tried (unsuccessfully) to find your particular can. I've also failed in finding a great working substitute. Your stove is really nice ----- where can I buy this size can?
Thanks,
Toddhiker

The can is from a large Goya sausage can. There is also a brand called LaFe which has a similar sized can, but I have not used this one yet.

Goya is a popular brand in the Hispanic and Portuguese communities. Check out any store in areas which have large populations of either group.

You might also try the aluminum cans in which various party dips are packaged. They are nearly the same size.

I have also made a type of low profile Goya by using an aluminum cat food can that is the size of a tuna fish can. You just have to use a lower profile can stove, making sure that the burner jets are not blocked. I have also used this type of can to hold a Jim Wood's design cat stove with good success.


Keep experimenting and have the fire extinguisher handy!

[atraildreamer]

Originally Posted by Lanthar

Goya Stove

Wow, intersesting... keeps the flame internal to the 'stove' that would allow you to use a cozy wrapped around the pot whilst cooking... would probably work for the Henie-Can-Pot... hmmm...

Yes.. I made one of Jason's Heinie pots, wrapped it with figerglass cloth (and glued it with hi-temp silicone sealer) around the middle for insulation when picking it up and had it work well with the Goya. The diameters are about the same so there is good heat transference.

[toddhiker]

Fired up my own new Goya for the first time and it's great. Boils 16 oz in 5:45. Among the other excellent features is it's versatility: Works w/ most any pot I could come up with (works best w/wider pots, but well w/Heine & SnowPeak Trek700) and can be easily (& temporarily, if desired) modified to work w/ TC5's, as well as my soda stoves. Also, as noted, no separate windscreen / potstand is needed for safe operation.

Atraildreamer: Special Thanks to you for your time and generosity!

Thanks, Toddhiker

[Skidsteer]

Originally Posted by Lanthar

Goya Stove

Wow, intersesting... keeps the flame internal to the 'stove' that would allow you to use a cozy wrapped around the pot whilst cooking... would probably work for the Henie-Can-Pot... hmmm...

Here are some photos of a stove with a similar but different design. I call it a 'Reverse Cat Stove' because the air induction is in the center of the stove, for the most part:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...atid=favorites

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...atid=favorites

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...atid=favorites

[oops56]

Well i guess i am not the only one to use screen hardware this just the top half of the jet boil got to get stove just the right so the flame hits the fins and bottom at the same time this jiffy heat stove works good

[SGT Rock]

That internal air induction idea looks sweet.

[Skidsteer]

Originally Posted by SGT Rock

That internal air induction idea looks sweet.

It's fast(too fast). I can get a boil in 3 minutes or less but it takes 20-25 ml to do it.

There are lots of ways to tinker with it, though. I'm not even sure that the holes around the top rim are needed at all.

The most surprising thing to me was that it did just about as well burning 70% rubbing alcohol vs. denatured. Should keep me out of trouble for a while.

[Skidsteer]

Originally Posted by SGT Rock

That internal air induction idea looks sweet.

I should mention that I'm not the only person this idea has occurred to.

I know for a fact that HOI thought of it too. His idea(from a WB thread])was different in design than what I came up with but the principle is the same. Great minds and all that jazz.

I didn't want to slight HOI by letting people assume that I was the only person to think of it.

[Major Slacker]

Originally Posted by Lanthar

It'd be cool to get one of these to work with a heineken can-pot...

At a Michael's Craft Store I found tins the perfect size for a Heineken can-pot-stove. They were in the candle making stuff, 4 in a package, lids and wicks included. I also found an assortment of hole punch sizes and shapes over in the scrap book stuff. To make my stove I used a 1/8" round punch to make two rows of alternating holes about half way down the tin.

I'm working toward making a Goya stove, but so far I've only bought two cans of Armour Chili (I aint big on little weenies) and trashed one of the cans chasing another idea in the middle of making the Goya.