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The last alcohol stove you'll ever need!
Backpackers, Hikers, Campers and Survivalists
are discovering this versatile backpacking stove.
This powerful little stove can boil 2 cups of water in less than 5 minutes and runs on denatured or 70% rubbing alcohol. This is my version of the original Cat Stove (by Roy "TrailDad" Robinson) with an easy to build wire pot stand.
I will show you how to build one of the best all weather, non-pressurized, alcohol trail stoves available today. This stove is versatile, with one minor modification it becomes the simplest pressurize turbo stove I've found.
TOOLS & MATERIALS:
Cost - Less than $1.50.
Note: You can also build this pot stand from heavy duty wire used to hang suspended ceilings.
Carefully ignite through the top exhaust hole with a lighter or match. Wait about 30 seconds for the stove
to heat. Pour 2 cups of water into your cooking pot and carefully place it on the wire pot stand, followed
by placing your windscreen around the pot.
Problems: Three piece stove as opposed to one or two pieces. To avoid spilling make sure the wire pot
stand is opened wide enough (before igniting) to support the cooking pot. Use only small backpacking cooking pots with this stove.
Tip: you can control the cooking times by adjusting the air flow into the stove.
For faster cooking times increase the air flow by placing the stove on the ground and dig little
trenches that extend under the rim of the simmer base, this will allow extra air into the stove for faster boil times. For medium
cooking times cover only two air intake holes in the simmer base. Be careful, too much air will degrade the
performance of this stove. Experiment a little, it's allowed.
Due to the 8 holes around the center of the 3 ounce burner, you're limited on the amount of fuel
you can use with this stove. Warning: excessive fuel will overflow out the holes in the 3 ounce burner which
will create a fire hazard when ignited. For safety do not exceed 6 tea spoons of fuel in this stove. If you
have a need to boil larger volumes of water use my Super Simple Cat Stove.
Here's my test results boiling 2 cups of water using 4 tea spoons (or 2 table spoons) of denatured alcohol. Note: the tests were done at sea
level, temperature 72 degrees, no wind and low humidity. The results are the average of 3 tests each.
Tips for faster boil times ...
Depending on the weather, humidity, temperature, wind and cooking pot used the
performance and burn times will vary. You may need to use more fuel to compensated for climate
changes.
If you want to increase the total burn times, place a small amount of fiberglass
insulation in the bottom of the 3 ounce burner. Make sure the insulation is below the 1/4" intake holes.
This will slow down the evaporation of the alcohol, lengthening your burn times.
HOW TO SIMMER: This stove is versatile. It can boil 2 cups of water with 4 tea spoons of
denatured alcohol in 4 to 5 minutes using the standard configuration shown in step 5 above. BUT, it
can also slow cook and simmer for up to 45 minutes using the same 4 tea spoons of denatured alcohol.
To simmer - Set up the stove as described above with only two adjustments. (1) Cover the 4 air intake
holes (on the simmer base) with dirt or use a 1" x 12" strip of tin foil, wrapped around the simmer base,
secured with a paper clip. (2) Now place the half moon simmer plate over the exhaust hole in the simmer base.
To control the flame, use a twig or wire to adjust the simmer plate over the exhaust hole.
SIMPLE PRESSURIZED TURBO STOVE: Here's a very simple pressurize stove. This is the Super Cat Stove
configuration (by Jim Woods) which
consists of only the 3 ounce burner with the cooking pot. With this setup you'll boil 2 cups of water
in about 4 minutes. This is the perfect configuration if all you need is to boil water fast.
To start this stove ... Place the stove on a safe, flat noncombustible surface. Pour
4 tea spoons of denatured alcohol into the 3 ounce burner. Carefully ignite with a lighter or
match. Wait about 1 minute for the stove to heat then carefully place the cooking pot on the stove.
Pre-heating this stove may be required to sustain the flame after the pot is placed on the stove. To pre-heat
place a small piece of tin foil under the 3 ounce burner. Bend up the edges creating a bath tub around the stove.
Pour a little denatured alcohol into the tub then carefully ignite with a lighter or match.
Wait about 1 minute for the stove to heat then place the cooking pot on the stove. Note: pre-heating
will shorten the burn time, so use extra fuel to compensate.
Note: This simple pressurized stove works best with denatured alcohol. I've tried 70% rubbing alcohol but since rubbing
alcohol is cut with 30% water, it just does not have the proper heat output to work well with this pressurized configuration.
You can make a wire pot stand with shorter legs to help support this pressurized stove - OR - sink the legs
of the pot stand into the ground to the height of the 3 ounce burner.
Problems: The small 3 ounce can lacks stability, unstable platform for cooking pots. Can not simmer.
Does not work well in cold temperatures, you may need to pre-heat to get the stove going. Requires more fuel than
other alcohol stoves.
WINDSCREEN: This stove is shown without a windscreen. I'm assuming you're familiar with
building and using a windscreen. If not, windscreens can be easily made out of aluminum foil or
disposable aluminum pans used to cook large meats like turkey. A windscreen will greatly improve the cooking
efficiency of your stove. They are a must have item.
To build a simple windscreen use a long piece of tin foil, folded in half long ways. Fold over the edge
where the two sides meet 3/4". Puncture small air intake holes through the folded seam every 1-1/2".
Wrap the windscreen (with air intake holes on the bottom) around the stove, pot stand and cooking pot,
secure with a paper clip. The tin foil should extend from the ground to about 3" up the side of the
cooking pot with a 1/4" gap around the pot.
EXTINGUISH THE FIRE:
TIPS:
Always use stoves outside! Never use a stove inside a building, tent or survival structure.
1) This stove is designed for use "only" with small backpacking cooking pots!!!
PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:
DISCLAIMER:
Build time - 25 minutes.
STEP 1. PUT ON YOUR SAFETY GLASSES!!!. Always use eye protection when working with metal.
Make the burner. Take the 3 ounce can of cat food, remove the lid and drill 8 (evenly spaced) 1/4"
holes around the center of the can. Use your dremel tool or file to grind down the jagged edges on the inside of the drilled holes.
Note: You can also use a paper hole punch to make the holes. IMPORTANT: For best performance - do not alter the hole size or their placement around the can.
STEP 2. Make the Stoves Simmer base. Take the 5.5 ounce cat food can and drill
4 (evenly spaced) 1/4" air intake holes around the can. These holes should be placed from 1/8" to 1/4"
down from the lip of the can. Using your tin snips (or hole saw) cut a 1-1/2" exhaust hole in the bottom center of the can. The exhaust hole must
not exceed the inner diameter of the smallest circle in the bottom of the can. For best performance -
do not alter the hole size or their placements around the can.
Use your tin snips and cut a half moon simmer plate from the discarded
cover from the 5.5 ounce can. Bend up a corner to make it easy to grab. Note the small hole in the simmer plate.
I use a small bent piece of coat hanger placed in the hole to adjust the simmer plate.
STEP 3. Make the wire pot stand. Take the three coat hangers and cut out the long straight section
from the bottom rung of each hanger. Measure a 4.5" inch section in the center of the wire, using your
pliers bend two 90 degrees angles (in the same direction) to create the legs. Cut the legs off at 2.5" inch
lengths. IMPORTANT: For best performance - do not alter the size of this pot stand.
STEP 4. Assemble the wire stand. Cut two 2-1/4 inch long pieces of 1/4" hollow copper tubing and slide it over two legs of the
pot stand, then do the same with another pair of legs. I prefer to leave the last pair of legs free in order
to make adjustments for different pot sizes and also for storage. Secure the legs in the copper tube by crimping or
squeezing the center of the copper tube with your pliers or pounding flat with a hammer.
STEP 5 - Finished. Place the 5.5 ounce simmer base over the 3 ounce burner. Place the wire pot stand over
the simmer base (adjusting to the size of your cooking pot) followed by placing the cooking pot on the stand.
TO START THIS STOVE: Place the stove on a safe, flat noncombustible surface. Pour
3 to 4 tea spoons of denatured alcohol into the 3 ounce burner. Place the 5.5 ounce simmer base over the 3 ounce burner.
Now place the wire pot stand over the simmer base making proper adjustments to support the cooking pot.
Benefits: Simple to use. Quick boil times. The best all weather stove. Adjustable pot stand. Adjustable
flame control. Variable cooking times, fast, medium or slow. Stores inside your cooking pot.
Use a larger (4 to 6 cup) thin walled backpacking cooking pot. A larger pot will absorb heat better than small pots which lose
heat up the sides. Always use a cover on your cooking pot. Use denatured alcohol instead of 70%
rubbing alcohol. Use a windscreen.
By covering the 4 air intake holes in the simmer base, you're choking off the air supply into the stove. This will create a low temperature
slow burning flame.
Benefits: Very simple, very efficient. One piece pressurized stove. Rapid boil times.
For storage wrap the windscreen around your fuel bottle and secure with rubber bands.
Since this is an alcohol fueled stove the only safe way to extinguish a burning fire is to
place an opened ended can (larger in diameter than the 5.5 ounce can) over the top of the stove. This
will cut off the air supply and extinguish the fire. DO NOT attempt to blow the fire out and DO NOT throw water on the stove, this will only spread
the fire.
2) This stove uses alcohol based fuels like denatured or 70% rubbing alcohol. Be careful with alcohol
stoves because the flame may not be visible in the light. WARNING:
Never use gas or petroleum based fuels in this stove, doing so will melt and destroy the stove.
3) Always wipe you hands of any spilled alcohol before lighting the stove. Failure to do so could
cause injury when you ignite the stove.
4) Make sure the wire pot stand is opened wide enough (before igniting) to support the cooking pot. Always place the
cooking pot on the center of the pot stand.
5) Keep all body parts and clothes away from the stove at all times.
6) To avoid flare ups, always remove the cooking pot slowly from the stove.
7) Always remove the cooking pot from the stove before stirring its contents.
Problem: In cold weather the fire may have a hard time starting.
Solution: The stove is not hot enough to sustain the flame. You need to pre-heat the stove. Place a
piece of tin foil under the stove. Bend up the edges of the foil to make a bath tub around the stove. Pour a
little denatured alcohol in the tub. Carefully light the tub and wait about 1 minute. This will pre-heat
the burner, allowing the flame to continue when you place the cooking pot on the stove. Note: pre-heating
will shorten the burn time, so use extra fuel to compensate.
Use common sense and safety at all times when using any stove. The author of this web page will not be responsible for
any injury or damage resulting from the construction or use of this stove design. If you choose to build, use or
experiment with this design, do so at your own risk.
I also have an excellent wood stove, check out my ...
Wood Burning Trail Stove
You like it but don't have time to build one:
Send us an email for a price. We would be happy to make one for you.
Send the author an e-mail
jfalk@pobox.com
Visit us at ...
www.TrailGear.org