Backpacking Stove

Ran accross a great little backpacking stove design on youtube that is made out of a stainless steel water bottle from the dollar store....about 2.99 each or at Walgreens.

A person with a dremil and a drill can make one in about 15 minutes. Dremill heavy duty cutting discs are required for the stainless steel. Aluminum bottles cut much easier.

Here is the video but I would recommend looking at the tips below after looking at the movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDMJs0lvlNw

We made 6 of these and they make a great project for Rangers.

A couple of tips. I made a few wooden jigs to make things easier.
a. cut a 2x2 1" 5/8" tall to mark the height of the stove.
b. my bottles had a resessed bottom so the inside bottle top was cut 1/8" shorter.
c. I notched the bottle top with the same cutting wheel I cut the bottles with.
d. I used a bench top sander to sand the edges quickly. Then finished up with 220 sandpaper.
e. cut a 1/2" wooden jig that shows the index points to mark the drilled holes at..the bottle fits in the cut out part for easy marking.
f. Made a jig out of 3 1/2" 1x4 cut on band saw just a bit under the inside diamater of the water bottle so one could put the block in a vise and it holds the water bottle while your cutting it.
g. On the drill press I put a 1x2 x 12 long board that over hangs the table that I used to drill into and the bottom of the water bottle would touch the end of the board that is sticking out past the drill press table so all the holes lined up going around the bottle.
h. I put in some wall insulation in the bottom of the stoves to keep spills down. (if they get moved and the fuel gets sloshed around the insulation keeps this to a minuimun.) Just a small piece that goes inside the stove.
i. A cheapo cooking grease can with a lid makes a great pot.
My son drilled 1/8" holes in his and it will boil 2 cups of water in about 4 minutes but it's to hot to cook food on. I recommend a drill bit about half that size. It will boil 2 cups of water in about 6 minutes.

You can use Automotive HEET (yellow bottle) or Denatured Alchohol in the paint cleaner section at Walmart or lowes ...a gallon goes a long way and it's really cheap. 70% rubbing alcohol will get black suit on your stuff.. Get 90% or higher for clean buring.

Mark Jones