I made the Altoids/perlite/aluminum screening/Green Denatured Alcohol stove a few days ago, and it worked just fine. I didn't measure the amount of alcohol, just spilled some in. Two cups of water in a blue-enameled steel cup boiled in about 7 minutes, but this was in the house, not in the wind. I set the stove on one red clay brick (flat), set two more on edge on each side, placed a small kitchen rack over all, and lit the stove.

The aluminum screening was new, and didn't show any sign of melting, but I wouldn't be surprised if it deteriorated after multiple burns. I stopped in at a local metals shop and asked about SS mesh, but they didn't have any. A coarse expanded steel mesh cost $5/sqft, so I'll assume SS was out of my financial range. I got 3 sqft of window screening for $1.24: lots of stoves!

Jackie, aluminum can stoves don't seem to be strong enough to tolerate flames right against the metal. I'm not the expert that HikinJim or Blast are, but I would limit them to the double-wall alcohol (only) stoves. The regular soda can stove has a double wall, and I think only the fumes burn. When you set a container on them (pin holes on the outside, below the rim), the fumes flare out to make a nice burner.

I wouldn't make the tuna can (cardboard/wax) stove with anything but a 'tin' (steel) can, like tuna cans or the cat food cans that require an opener.

And if you're burning sticks, stay with the steel cans, too, for the reason you discovered. Aluminum has its place, but not for everything.

I ran across some empty paint cans while looking for the Kleen-Strip Denatured Alcohol, and bought one. I wonder if there is a simple way to remove that coating inside?

Sue