I've always wanted to make my own penny can stove and today was the day.
Total cost: 20 minutes of my time. Works great.
2 12 oz. aluminium soft drink or beer cans insides rinsed out and dried
1 small piece 3" wide fiberglass pipe wrap insulation (I used a 6" piece folded double) to act as a wick. Some folks dispense with this.
1 United States one-cent piece dated BEFORE 1982 as '82 or newer are made of zinc not copper and will melt.
Tools:
A short length of scrap 2x4 lumber (actual thickness is 1.75"
1 box cutter razor blade (the trapezoidal shaped type)
1 fine tip felt marker aka 'Sharpie pen"
1 bulletin board "push pin" (plastic handle)
A multi-tool with pliers on it (or needle nose pliers)
I needed the bottom 1.75" of both soft drink cans. On a work table I held the razor blade down on the wood block with one hand letting a little bit stick out and slowly turned both cans against the blade edge until they were scored (takes a bit of time). Using both thumb on the upper portion of the cans I pressed below the score mark separating the can bottoms. I placed the folder over piece of insulation in one can half and set it aside (It's the bottom of the stove).
On the other can half around the circumference I marked 16 dots (4 then four more then four more) then poked through each dot with the push pin. On the bottom surface (which becomes the stove's top) I marked then pierced 5 holes like you'd see on a gambling dice. i used the coin to trace around to ensure all holes would fit inside the circumference of the penny when stove is in use.
Next step was to flute the edge of that same piece with the pliers making a "flute" ever 3/4" and 1/2" deep in order to fit the top piece into the bottom. You carefully work the top into the bottom while gently rotating the fluted top half until it slips into the bottom piece and then gently press the halves together without crushing the stove. Then I turned the stove upside down on the work table and using the wood block gently tapped the halves further together to finish.
Outside for test run. I had a yellow bottle of HEET (methylated spirits used as a fuel line antifreeze) for fuel. Placed the stove on a brick on the driveway, poured approximately 1.5 oz. (45ml) of HEET into the top holes of the stove making sure to spill a little bit down the side of the stove and then lit it.
Stove primed easily and was in full bloom in maybe 15 seconds. Tossed the penny on the fill holes of the lit stove and away we go. Run time was about 8-9 minutes.
Now i need to fashion a pot stand (maybe use wire mesh aka "construction cloth" and some sort of wind screen.
Total cost: 20 minutes of my time. Works great.
2 12 oz. aluminium soft drink or beer cans insides rinsed out and dried
1 small piece 3" wide fiberglass pipe wrap insulation (I used a 6" piece folded double) to act as a wick. Some folks dispense with this.
1 United States one-cent piece dated BEFORE 1982 as '82 or newer are made of zinc not copper and will melt.
Tools:
A short length of scrap 2x4 lumber (actual thickness is 1.75"
1 box cutter razor blade (the trapezoidal shaped type)
1 fine tip felt marker aka 'Sharpie pen"
1 bulletin board "push pin" (plastic handle)
A multi-tool with pliers on it (or needle nose pliers)
I needed the bottom 1.75" of both soft drink cans. On a work table I held the razor blade down on the wood block with one hand letting a little bit stick out and slowly turned both cans against the blade edge until they were scored (takes a bit of time). Using both thumb on the upper portion of the cans I pressed below the score mark separating the can bottoms. I placed the folder over piece of insulation in one can half and set it aside (It's the bottom of the stove).
On the other can half around the circumference I marked 16 dots (4 then four more then four more) then poked through each dot with the push pin. On the bottom surface (which becomes the stove's top) I marked then pierced 5 holes like you'd see on a gambling dice. i used the coin to trace around to ensure all holes would fit inside the circumference of the penny when stove is in use.
Next step was to flute the edge of that same piece with the pliers making a "flute" ever 3/4" and 1/2" deep in order to fit the top piece into the bottom. You carefully work the top into the bottom while gently rotating the fluted top half until it slips into the bottom piece and then gently press the halves together without crushing the stove. Then I turned the stove upside down on the work table and using the wood block gently tapped the halves further together to finish.
Outside for test run. I had a yellow bottle of HEET (methylated spirits used as a fuel line antifreeze) for fuel. Placed the stove on a brick on the driveway, poured approximately 1.5 oz. (45ml) of HEET into the top holes of the stove making sure to spill a little bit down the side of the stove and then lit it.
Stove primed easily and was in full bloom in maybe 15 seconds. Tossed the penny on the fill holes of the lit stove and away we go. Run time was about 8-9 minutes.
Now i need to fashion a pot stand (maybe use wire mesh aka "construction cloth" and some sort of wind screen.
There are lots of variations on these, and they work very well. 
Retiree living on a boat might opt for the alky stove. 
Made a few, have the Triangia, but the one I stuck with was the White Box Stove.
