DIY Alcohol Charcoal Starter

[guitarfish]

Amongst my eclectic endeavors that help pay the bills, I build custom ultralight alcohol stoves for backpacking. This is a bare bones version that I use to start my charcoal chimney. I built this one for my son, using basic hand tools to demo for my fellow kettle kats.



This is the stuff you'll need. Only one can is needed, Fancy Feast size, 3 oz.



Start by wrapping the can with blue tape, folding the tape over itself on the end. This gives it a leading edge that gets marked along the side. This is were the lay out will start.



The lay out. Five holes 1-1/2" apart, 1/2" down.

 

Carefully score the can, trying to keep the same groove all the way around, barely going all the way through only at the end.



Use a popsicle stick or flat blade screwdriver to carefully press out the disc. The edge is extremely sharp, so be careful! I wonder how this would taste grilled 
Dispose of the food, rinse out can, carefully sand opening to remove sharp edge. I find #0 steel wool works best.

 

Put layout tape back on the can, then punch holes with large thumb tack or awl.



Next enlarge the holes with a #1 Phillips screwdriver, then again with a #2 Phillips. This will give a finished hole that is about a 1/4". If you want to be a real pro, fill the can with water, freeze, and then drill with a step bit.



This is what it looks like finished.



Although you can use 70%+ isopropyl alcohol, denatured alcohol works best and will burn way hotter. 2-3 Tablespoons is more than enough to get a full size starter going really well.



Pour fuel in the burner and start with a long lighter. Set a chimney full of charcoal over the burner. It's best to do this on the kettles charcoal grate for added wind protection. This pic shows the burner after it has warmed up about 90 seconds. It burnt better than 11 minutes using 3 Tablespoons.

Some notes:
-Mileage may vary, especially in extreme cold and high altitudes.
-Works great for warming a grill before cleaning.
-For added safety a small amount of fiberglass insulation can be added to the bottom( about a 1/4" ) to act as a wick, and to prevent spills.
-Isopropyl Alcohol will burn cooler with a yellowish flame. 4 Tablespoons would be more appropriate for starting a chimney full of charcoal.
-Please be careful, build and use at your own risk. Never use anything other than alcohol in this burner.

Enjoy    



 







   

[AZRaptor]

Very cool. About how far below the side holes does the level of fuel come up to when you use 3 tablespoons?

[Jason]

Love it! I might make one to start our fireplace.

[guitarfish]

@AZRaptor  Approximately 1/8" from the inside bottom of the burner. You can make a small indentation in the side with a small screwdriver for a repeatable level.

[mrbill]

nice write up! looks like it'd get a chimney going in no time at all.

[fedex]

Thanks, can't wait to try this.  New Fire Pit starter.

[MrHoss]

Fire good.

[fedex]

First time I was sort of happy to have a cat.  Not "Fancy Feast" but it should work.  HD run tomorrow for liquid fire.

[MeatAndPotatos]

There was a story I read of a guy using one of those little stove top burners that are self contained, with the gas right under the burner.
He was using it to start chimneys... And the whole thing exploded.
Storing fuel directly below the chimney is not a great idea, they throw out a lot of heat... Granted, much less fuel in one of these, but still may not be the safest way to start a chimney.
Then again, the safest way is usually the most boring anyways... [emoji14]

Then again with one as open as this likely not much risk. I have seen some of these stoves, like the soda can ones that are closed up enough that they could pop. Thinking of the penny stoves...

[guitarfish]

@MeatAndPotatos  Sounds like he was using a pressurized camp stove fueled by propane/butane or Coleman fuel (naptha) not a good idea. This stove/burner is called a chimney burner. No pressure is ever built up. Basically a super efficient chafing dish burner.

[weldboy]

Will try this for sure! Great idea


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MeatAndPotatos]

@MeatAndPotatos  Sounds like he was using a pressurized camp stove fueled by propane/butane or Coleman fuel (naptha) not a good idea. This stove/burner is called a chimney burner. No pressure is ever built up. Basically a super efficient chafing dish burner.

Yeah, that is what he was using. That's why I went back and added that second paragraph. Some of the DIY alcohol stoves (like the penny stove I mentioned), are basically an enclosed aluminum container, with a small hole for filling and a couple more so that as the heat from the stove warms the alcohol inside, pressure forces the gas out through the holes like little jets. Get one of those too hot for it to relieve pressure fast enough and it *might* pop...still probably a long shot, but not worth it.
I was on tapatalk so your pictures were small, but with a stove like you built with the wide open top, I can't imaging any trouble... I'd use that.

[Josh G]

@guitarfish how long of burn do you get and how do you put it out?

[1buckie]

That's a pretty nifty little invention!!!

I just squirt some 99% down the sides of the chimney & into the paper underneath.....nothing left but a few thin paper ashes & gets going quick....

[guitarfish]

@Josh G It burns its self out. Burn time around about 10 minutes +/- . Depending on what type alcohol is used and Temp and altitude conditions.
@1buckie Nice! There is definitely more than one way to skin a cat I remember  my late brother Tommy starting his Charcoal with an old school Hitachi heat gun. You had to plug it in to it's own dedicated 20 amp circuit or it would trip a breaker :0 By the way thanks for commenting, I have learned so much from your posts!