While researching propane/butane backpacking stoves online, I've noticed a lot of backpackers using simple homemade alcohol-fueled stoves. Some designs seem easy/cheap to build and the fuel is readily available and cheap. As a DIY guy and infrequent backpacker, I'm thinking about giving this a go. This design seems to be simple to build while allowing some flexibility in cooking:

4 in 1 Cat Stove

This site seems to have the most overall info:

Zen and the Art of the Alcohol Stove

Does anyone here have any experience with making or using these kinds of stoves?

I have never personally made one but I have several friends who made them and I have gotten to use them.

IMHO they are good for summer solo trips or maybe short trips with two people. They are very light and can boil small amounts of water quickly (which is pretty much all you need it to do if you're by yourself.) However, they don't have the burn time or umph for large groups or winter camping.

I've made a stove out of an altoids tin and perlite before... it worked great at home. wasn't the easiest to use in the field.

but it was cheap and easy to make!

Wow, some of those stoves in your links are pretty fancy. The ones I used/saw made were made from two coke cans and were simialar to the open jet or low pressure side burner ones in the second link.

All my friends that made them said they were pertty quick and easy.

quote:

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They are very light and can boil small amounts of water quickly (which is pretty much all you need it to do if you're by yourself.) However, they don't have the burn time or umph for large groups or winter camping.

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That was my understanding of their biggest pro/con. The design in my first link seems to have a simple way to choke off the air supply, thus reducing the heat for a longer simmer. Worst case, I think this could be a good backup to take along with a few teaspoons of alcohol.

i've always thought of the large bottle full of gas that i'm carrying as my back up

That first stove did look pretty interesting. If you end up building something like that, let me know how it works.

[This message has been edited by ccard257 (edited 5/22/2008 2:11p).]

will do