Stuck inside on a cold and rainy day, our 6 week old sound asleep, my nine year old chicken pox inflicted Cub Scout and I decided that today was the day to make a penny stove.

We used 2 empty cans of Molson Canadian, 1 full one, on exacto knife and a bit kit to give us an even edge.

So far, we haven't used any jb weld and we haven't tired it out yet. But, my husband is on his way home with a yellow bottle of Heet so we can give it a go!

Better make them now, no more pennies in Canada.



Coke can works too, I made two with them since I don't have any beer can either.

LOL@jzmtl!

I never gave much thought to what brand of can we used but now my son is on the hunt for something in a gold can so he can make a gold stove. I suppose, though, that different companies might use different grades of aluminum in their cans. A thicker one would last longer, I suppose, and probably have different heat exchange qualities?

We're going to keep working on this and try to improve it. We didn't sand any edges or seal the seam on this this one. There are also different designs that we'd like to try.

I've never used one of these before so am a little unsure about how best to light it. I've seen people use a warming plate/cup and others just light it at the filling holes. Any suggestions?

I believe the warming plate or priming cup helps ignition in low temperatures. In balmy climes just get the match near the holes and away she goes....

Thanks hikermor! It's good to know what the differences are. This is more than just a 'make camping stuff on the cheap" process for us. It's also a science experiment so we're going to try it both ways.

I'm currently on the hunt for a good website for kids to help explain some of the science, so we'll have a better understanding of our own observations. If anyone knows of such a site, I'd be grateful for the guidance.

LOL! I actually bought this beer specifically for this project. Not sure which ends up being better for the environment in the long wrong, but I like the taste out of a glass bottle better than out of a can.

Jacqui... once your Scout sees the value of an alcohol stove, a Trangia is a nice birthday present..a lot more durable, doesn't need to be pre heated (at least down here) and the simmer ring allows you to control the heat...

two sites for alcohol stoves, Second site goes into design and science more than the first.
http://wings.interfree.it/html/
http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.html
regards

Oh, dear, playing with stoves. Tsk, tsk. Nothing good will come of it. Just look at me.

The principal of the penny stove is fairly simple. You fill in the center hole with methyl (HEET) or ethyl (drinking) alcohol or a combination of the two ("denatured" alcohol). You put the penny on the fill hole so nothing comes out.

Then you "prime" the stove by putting it in a shallow "priming pan" (I use the lid from a tea tin), pouring a little alcohol into the priming pan, and igniting the priming alcohol.

Now, here's the science: The priming alcohol heats up the alcohol inside the stove. The hotter the internal alcohol, the more vapor it emits. That vapor needs somewhere to go, but there's a penny blocking the fill hole. The only way out is through the small jets around the rim of the penny stove. The vapor is the only thing that will burn. Liquid alcohol will not burn as is. As the vapor rushing out the jets burns, there's a thermal feedback loop that occurs: heat from the jets warms the stove which warms the alcohol which emits yet more vapor which rushes out the jets where it is burned heating the stove... and so on. It's pretty cool.

So, where are the flame shots?

HJ

Thank so much, Jim! the science experiment continues today when we light it. Stay tuned for those flame shots.