Although the Heineken stove Nolan made looked pretty sweet, we experimented successfully with an even lighter and simpler model: the ever-popular cat can stove. A lot of hikers favor these because they're incredibly cheap (0.44 cents for the can) and very light (0.2 ounces). The fuel is denatured alcohol (found in hardware stores) or the gas-line antifreeze Heet (found in lots of gas stations and stores).
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| Empty, clean plastic bottles hold fuel well. Make sure they are marked as non-consumable! |
The entire preparation process took about 15 minutes. Here's how to make and use a cat can stove:
1. Gather your supplies: a small aluminum can (cat food cans are typically used; I chose Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers' Salmon), a Sharpie, and a hole punch. I also ended up using a tape measure to satisfy my obsessive-compulsiveness and a set of needle-nose pliers.
2. Remove the label from the can and clean the inside. I discovered during this process that the one thing grosser than seafood is seafood in gravy, prepared for cats.
3. Use the needle-nose pliers to press down the small aluminum edge around the inside of the can.
4. Use the Sharpie to make 16 evenly-spaced marks around the top edge of the can. This is where I used the tape measure. Since the can was almost exactly 8 inches around, my marks were every half an inch.
5. Make a line around the can 1/8th of an inch from the top.
6. Use the hole punch to punch a hole at each of the 16 marks you made in step 4. The top of each hole should line up with the line you drew in step 5.
7. Make another line around the can 1/8th of an inch below the bottom of your row of holes. Then punch 16 more holes. The top of these holes should line up with the line you just drew, and they should be spaced so that they fall between the holes in the top row. We removed the metal piece in the middle of the hole punch to allow it to reach further. If you have weaker grip strength (i.e. you are me), you may need to use two hands.
8. Pour your fuel into the stove. 0.75 ounces of fuel burns for about 8 minutes, which is long enough to boil two cups of water.
9. Carefully light the fuel.
10. Slowly place your pot on top. This forces the flames out the small holes. If you do this too fast, the flame will go out.
Many people also make a wind shield to protect their flames from spreading. I haven't made one yet, but Nolan made his from a deep foil roasting pan.
As a side note, we bought our plane tickets today. One way to San Diego, only $104 on Southwest!
DTPCT: 73!
Hi love!!
ReplyDeletea.) The cat food opening pic is priceless. And expresses my thoughts exactly about canned food. Barf.
b.) I read Guthook's blog, it was really helpful for me to imagine what you're in for. I really had no concept, lol.
c.) I did not know a hole punch would go thru metal.
d.) I <3 Sriracha (known in these parts as Rooster Sauce) big time!
Miss you!
Jeni--
ReplyDeletea. It was awful. I got some on my hand.
b. I've learned so much in the past few months!
c. It's just aluminum, so it's pretty weak.
d. I did not participate in the eating of the Sriracha.
e. Sorry for your loss.....boo Steelers!