How to Build a Simple Cooker Out of a Drink Can

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Try making a simple, lightweight, portable stove using regular beverage cans; it is a tool with practically no cost and allows you to cook for about 15 minutes. This is a very rudimentary version; there are other more complex stoves that use the same principle, but the one described in this article works despite the fact that the project is elementary. You need two half cans of drink to make the top of the burner and the bottom of the stove. The two parts are interlocked one inside the other to create a single solid and light element. The instructions described below concern the cutting of the two halves and the subsequent assembly; it also explains how to prepare and light the stove.

Steps

Step 1. Gather the materials needed for the project

Step 2. Make the base of the stove

Draw a dotted, straight line around the entire circumference of a of the cans about 3.5 cm from the bottom. If you find it difficult to draw a line of this type, put a rubber band around the can, making sure it is well stretched on the surface; follow this reference to draw the dashed circumference.

• Make a sharp incision along this line being very careful; use one of the tools suggested in the "Things You Will Need" section.

  

Step 3. Drill holes in the top of the stove (the burner):

• Remove the tab from the second can, otherwise it may make it unstable when you turn it upside down;
• Draw a straight, dotted line about 2.5cm from the bottom of the bowl;

• Turn the can upside down so you can puncture the base while it's still whole.

  

• Drill 16-24 holes around the circumference of the top portion of the inverted can; the openings should be evenly spaced (use a ruler or finger width as a reference). If the pin is very small, drill more holes, but reduce the number if it is large.

  

• Take a thumbtack and insert it into the can to make the holes. If you can't get enough pressure with your hand, tap it gently with a hammer. Hold the latter close to his head and slowly tap the needle as you grab it with your thumb and forefinger just below the plastic portion; be careful not to pinch your fingers, the plastic tip cover should still protect them. Make sure that the holes are smaller possible; if their diameter is excessive, you do not get good combustion; making holes of the correct size and arranged in the right way is the most complex part of the project.

  

• Make sure that all holes are identical to ensure even heating.

  

Step 4. Make a fuel drain hole

You can proceed in two ways:

• The first is to drill a hole as large as a screw in the center of the top portion. Get a short, wide screw for metal that acts as a stopper; make sure it fits snugly to prevent fuel from escaping from the opening.
• The second technique consists in making several small holes (such as those along the circumference) in the center of the burner but arranging them in the shape of a flower; make a hole in the center of the can and six more all around spaced evenly. Since these openings are very small, the fuel can bleed a little without overflowing; this is obviously a simpler approach if you do not have the possibility to obtain a screw, but it involves longer topping up times.

Step 5. Cut off the top of the can

Once the holes have been created using the resistance of the entire can, you can remove the upper portion; cut it along the line you drew earlier.

Step 6. Make small vertical notches

Once the top piece is separated, you need to make incisions to allow the two half cans to fit together. Make these cuts with a pair of scissors, taking care not to go beyond the edge (the rounded area); cut the burner in 4-6 equally spaced places (you can always make more incisions if you can't fit the pieces together gently). Alternatively, you can make holes with an awl in the middle area of the can wall and then engrave it at these points; this "trick" prevents the metal from tearing when you overlap the two halves.

Step 7. Fill the base with a fuel-absorbing material, such as perlite or vermiculite

In case there is no better, you can also use sand. Perlite is a natural silica stone found in many parts of the world, you can buy it in most gardening stores. The filling material acts as a "wick" and gradually releases the fuel evenly.

Step 8. Assemble the stove

Once you have poured the absorbent material and made the incisions on the top, it is time to join the various elements. Place the base on a flat surface, such as a table or the floor. Take the perforated lid and push it gently but firmly onto the base until it clicks; to make this easier, loosen the perlite or substrate you used a little. Some people recommend making a wedge with some leftover metal, so that the upper portion can be inserted with less difficulty; the burner should be concave and you can then pour the fuel into it.

Step 9. Prepare the stove for use

Make sure it is placed on a clear surface of flammable material; choose an area of the ground where there is no plant material or place the stove on a cake pan or plate. Based on the type of hole you made for the fuel, proceed to load your creation; only some flammable liquids are suitable (see the "Tips" section for more details):

• Plugged hole: remove the metal screw and slowly pour the liquid into the burner, letting it flow into the opening; fill the base for about 1/4 or half of its capacity and then replace the screw to prevent the liquid from overflowing;
• Small flower holes: pour the fuel into the stove by pouring it through the holes until you have filled 1/4 or half the capacity of the "tank". For this method you have to wait for the fluid to drip through the small openings, so it is not as fast as the first one.

Step 10. Prepare the stove

Pour a little more flammable liquid (about a teaspoon) into the center of the burner and use it to wet the holes on the edge as well (it will wear out quickly).

Step 11. Start the fire

Hold a match, lighter or candle near the edge of the stove and slowly move it around the circumference. Since the stove has already been prepared, the heat is distributed to the fuel inside.

Step 12. Kitchen

Place a pan on a stand and prepare the food. You can make a handcrafted support (read the "Tips" section) or use a commercial one. The fuel should be sufficient for about 15 minutes, but its duration depends on several factors, including weather conditions, outdoor or indoor use, and so on; do some tests before cooking a meal to understand how much time you have available.

Advice

• Instead of making a single stove, build half a dozen; try making smaller holes or distributing them differently. Don't just turn them on, try boiling half a liter of water instead to make sure your craft project works. Measure the time it takes to boil the water and the amount of fuel you need to burn. You have to optimize the efficiency of the stove and for this it is necessary to make several attempts to find the best model. A sharp ice awl is perfect for making holes, it also allows you to adjust the diameter of the holes by varying the depth to which it is inserted.
• You can also make a smaller stove using 20cl cans instead of the standard 33cl cans. The stove, fuel and matches can fit comfortably in a camping mug and allow you to make a great tea or delicious hot chocolate! The smaller stoves have a smaller capacity, if you have to cook a real meal, you have to build one with a large can.
• If you don't have a push pin, you can use a sewing needle or pointed wire.
• Peel off any metal strands that remain along the cut edges of the cans so you don't risk scratching yourself.
• The fuels you can use are denatured alcohol and ethanol (the latter is quite expensive).
• Some people recommend drilling a second ring of holes along the inside edge of the burner to heat the pan evenly.
• If the flame does not stay on, gently tilt the stove to one side and let the flammable liquid wet the rim. Try to ignite the fuel again by holding the lighter lit until flames form.
• You can polish the stove by scraping off the paint with a scourer; proceed before cutting cans to reduce the risk of denting the metal.
• Before lighting the stove you need to prepare it (especially if the weather is cold). The fuel supply must be inside the container but you must leave a small amount in the concave area of the burner. Light the fire on the top, the heat spreads into the stove triggering the combustion; the gases produced come out of the holes along the edge and ignite.
• If you don't have a stand already made to hold the pot, you can make a handcrafted one. Get a metal hanger or iron wire that can be easily modeled; cut it just below the hook portion and discard the latter, then unfold the rest to straighten it and later to shape it as a perch. There are several methods to get the result you want, use your imagination to create the most useful model for you; anything is fine as long as it supports the pan.
• This type of stove is perfect for travelers and hikers because it is lightweight and doesn't take up too much space.
• If you don't have a hammer, find a suitable rock that can gently tap the needle without breaking it; alternatively, you can insert the stylus or needle into the drill. Strange as it may seem, the stylus is as effective as a drill bit for drilling through soft aluminum, creating a round, sharp-edged opening without any dents.
• The disadvantage of a stand is that it requires the use of a screen. To make a support that also acts as a screen and protective structure, get a jar of coffee; cut it so that it is 15 mm higher than the stove. Use a can opener (the model that makes triangular holes in the top of the cans) to make several holes around the circumference of the can, near the base (but not the bottom). Keep the plastic cap to store the stove in the jar while traveling.

Warnings

• This cooker works only with denatured alcohol or pure ethanol; using gasoline, white petroleum, kerosene, propane, or another type of flammable liquid could cause a dangerous explosion. Isopropyl alcohol does not work very well, it may overflow on boiling and is strongly discouraged.
• Be careful not to burn yourself.
• If you make too many holes in the top, the fuel does not burn well. During a good combustion the flame should be mostly blue, but it is not easy to notice this characteristic in daylight; if yellow is the predominant color, the holes are too large.
• If you are a child or are concerned about getting hurt, ask for help from an adult, parent, or teacher to cut the cans. be careful that the knife or scissors do not slip during this procedure.
• When lighting the stove, do not keep your hands too close to heat or flames; if the metal gets hot while trying to start the fire, pause until it cools down.
• The flames of this type of stove are practically invisible, the fuel overflowing in the vicinity could catch fire and quickly develop a fire; proceed with great care and make sure there is no flammable material nearby. Do not use this stove near pets or thin, dry vegetation.
• Be careful when handling sharp objects to make holes in the burner.
• The cut edges of the cans are sharp, proceed with caution when handling them.