Making your own alcohol stove for backpacking is a great way to save money and reduce your environmental impact. Alcohol stoves are lightweight and easy to use, making them an ideal choice for anyone looking to cut down on their pack weight. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of how to make an alcohol stove for backpacking.
The first step in making an alcohol stove is deciding which type of stove you want to make. There are two main types of alcohol stoves: canister stoves and cat-can stoves. Canister stoves are easy to make and use cans or bottles as fuel containers, while cat-can stoves require more work but burn hotter and more efficiently.
Once you’ve decided which type of stove you want to make, it’s time to gather the necessary materials. For canister stoves, you’ll need a soda can or beer bottle, a drill, scissors or tin snips, and a few other small items such as wire mesh or a paper clip.
For cat-can stoves, you’ll need two empty aluminum cans (such as soda or soup cans), scissors or tin snips, pliers or needle-nose pliers, and some wire mesh.
Making the Canister Stove
Making a canister stove is pretty straightforward: all you need to do is cut some holes in the top of your soda can or beer bottle. Start by marking out where you want your holes with a pen or marker; then use your drill (or scissors/tin snips if you don’t have one) to cut out the holes. Make sure that all the holes line up evenly across the top so that your fuel will burn evenly.
Making the Cat-Can Stove
Making a cat-can stove requires more work than just cutting some holes in a can; instead, it requires bending metal into shape by hand. First, mark and cut two small slots in one end of each can; then bend these slots slightly outward with pliers or needle-nose pliers. Next, take some wire mesh (such as window screen) and wrap it around both cans so that it covers the slots and creates an air intake system.
Finally, connect both cans together using more wire mesh by wrapping it around the outside of each can until they’re securely connected together. Once your stove is assembled, add some fuel (alcohol) into both cans and light it up!
Conclusion
Making an alcohol stove for backpacking is simple yet rewarding – not only will it save you money but also reduce your environmental impact! All that’s needed are some basic materials such as empty cans/bottles and tools like scissors/tin snips/pliers; depending on which type of stove you choose (canister or cat-can), different steps may be required during assembly but either way they’re both quick and easy projects that anyone can do with minimal effort!