Zen and the Art of the Alcohol Stove

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Alcohol Stove Zen

What is Zen? It is a word that has many different meanings. The word Zen is a Japanese (禪) word and concept derived from the Chinese Chán (禪) which originates from the Sanskrit dhyāna ( ध्यान ) meaning meditation. Zen religion is a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism that focuses primarily on meditation in pursuit of enlightenment based on Buddha's teachings with influence from Taoist and Confucius teachings. Yet, beyond Buddhism, Zen has an openness that transcends all religions and non secular beliefs and allows all that seek truth a path and means to the mystical transformation of consciousness. And with this, the concept of Zen goes far beyond its original sacred teachings, and is now commonly used to describe many of the metaphysical concepts in the Western world. It is the epiphany of serendipity, the feeling of euphoria while surrounded by the magnificence of nature, and the bliss of finding inner peace that arises from seeking Zen.

Many backpackers are in fact Zen Seekers. Even though they may not be able to explain or be aware of why they venture out into the outdoors, many are doing so to experience an inner peace that comes from being connected with nature. And with stoves, Zen may be present with a simple system that heats our meals and drink without taking away from the unadulterated surroundings that we travel through.

For many, a Zen Stove is one that burns clean, is simple to use and doesn't place a burden on one's back while on a quest for Zen. And in this, the alcohol stove seems to best fit for this concept of a Zen Stove.

Alcohol Stove Zen Basics

The alcohol stove is really a great option for lightweight backpackers and has many advantages over other cook systems, but may not be suitable for every backpacker or situation.

If you are interested in a stove that runs on odorless fuel, need to carry as little weight as possible, like to go cheap as possible, enjoy recycling, strive to use eco friendly renewable fuels whenever possible, and/or require the ability to find fuel while walking across North America then an alcohol stove is for you. If on the other hand you need to be able to melt tremendous amounts of snow to stay alive, demand the luxury of a gas range while camping, need bombproof durability, and/or like monster truck nitro injected power in your stove then the alcohol stove is not for you.

Here's a modified KISS (Komplete Individual Simple Stoves) synopsis on alcohol stoves:

Advantages Lightweight - few ounces versus a pound or more Simplicity - just add fuel and light a match - no pumping, priming or pre-lighting required Reliable - many designs are fail-proof Quiet - generally can't be heard Odorless - if you spill alcohol all over your gear, you won't smell like a gas pump for the rest of your trip Availability of Fuel - can be found at any hardware store or gas station (great for thru-hikers) No Maintenance - no time or repair kit need for adjustments and cleaning Safety - fuel not explosive and can be easily extinguished Easily Transportable Fuel - don't need a heavy metal container to transport fuel - a disposable plastic water bottle is more than ample Low Cost - the cheapest around or even free (use common recycled items) Eco Friendly - uses a clean renewable energy source DIY (Do It Yourself) - Tools, metal and fire! DIY stoving is so satisfying that is has become it's own hobby Disadvantages Reduced Output - about half the heat output per ounce compared to other liquid fuels (white gas, butane, etc) and not appropriate for groups, long treks (greater than a one to two weeks without refitting) or melting snow Invisible Flame - refilling with fuel or handling the stove can be dangerous to those that depend solely on the sense of sight for evaluating dangers Cold Sensitive - most setups depend on vaporization of fuel and may not work well in frozen environments Lacks Brand Name - North Face wearing, Mountain House eating, Starbucks drinking, Honda Element driving "outdoors people" will refer to you as "ghetto" and/or "trailer park" Durability - if you step on your stove made from pop cans, you might have to say goodbye to hot meals for the rest of your trip DIY (Do It Yourself) - Many of the stove designs out there require you to fabricate your own setup which can prove to be challenging or inconvenient for many

If an alcohol stove sounds interesting, then read on about the six basic types of alcohol stoves and the differences in alcohol fuels. And for even more information - see:

Alcohol Stove Types

Fuels for Alcohol Stoves

Denatured Alcohol (ethanol with methanol (added as a denaturing agent), methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, water, and possibly other chemicals - aka methylated spirits, shellac thinner, marine stove fuel, liquid fondue fuel, chafing dish fuel)- and Found in marine shops and in the paint department of most hardware stores. Many brands of this solvent are specifically marketed for use as marine stove fuel and/or chafing fuel. This form of fuel has anywhere from 1% to 80% methanol and other poisonous chemicals in it. Because of the great variability of contents in denatured alcohol, some brands burn better than others. One trick to test the suitability of a particular brand of denatured is to burn a small amount in a dish and reject it if there is any residue left after it has burned. Lab grade ethanol may have benzene or other chemicals mixed in with it. Grain Alcohol (aka pure ethanol, pure grain alcohol, PGA, grain neutral spirits, GNS, rectified spirit, rectified alcohol, medical grade ethanol, ethyl anhydrous, moonshine) - Everclear Grain Alcohol and Golden Grain alcohol from the David Sherman Corporation come in 95% (190 proof) bottles. This fuel works well but is an expensive option and may be illegal or difficult to purchase in many places. It is also non-toxic and can double for medicinal uses. Grain alcohol can also be made at home in large quantities, though perhaps not legally in your area without special permits or permission (See TTB Forms). Pure ethanol (aka absolute alcohol or dehydrated alcohol) can also be purchased from chemical supply distributors and as medical grade ethyl alcohol for a very high price. Since production of alcohol greater than 95.4% requires a special dehydration process that includes benzene or glycerine, these fuels can be very toxic. Methyl Alcohol (aka methanol, wood alcohol, methyl hydrate, liquid fondue fuel, camp stove fuel, gas line antifreeze) - Found in some hardware store paint departments as paint thinner or at gas stations and general stores as gas-line antifreeze such as HEET brand (Yellow is Methanol, Red is Isopropyl). Hikers can stock up on HEET at Wal-Mart at the end of winter when surplus antifreeze goes on sale. You may also be able to purchase this for around US$3 per gallon at race shops that sell it as race fuel. The vaporization pressures of methanol are much higher than ethanol throughout the applicable temperature ranges and the jets in your stove might light up faster when using this fuel. This is also a very poisonous fuel and you should consider the health concerns of this fuel if you decide to use it long term (thru-hikers beware and others may want to avoid storing contaminated stoves in their cook pots or bowls). Air Brake Antifreeze is also mainly methanol with other additives. It can be purchased by the gallon, half gallon and quart at big truck parts shops. Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol, 2-Propanol, rubbing alcohol) Not recommended - Found in drug, food and general stores (HEET in red container). Rubbing alcohol is generally only 70% alcohol and won't work in many stoves. Alcohol with 91% or greater alcohol content will work, but will leave a sooty residue on your pot and brown water in your stove. The heat potential for this fuel is high, but it doesn't generally burn completely (yellow flame and unburned soot) and is generally mixed with water that isn't burned and hinders fuel efficiency. If you want to use rubbing alcohol (cheapest easily available fuel on this list) for fuel, you may want to use an open flame stove instead of a jetted stove. If you decided to use a jetted stove, you may need to use larger jets in your stove (#57 drill, pushpin size, ~1.4mm or larger) and try to empty as much left over liquid from your stove as you can after each use (as this will further hinder future fire ups) for it to operate. Gelled Alcohol (Sterno, Canned Heat, jelled alcohol) - or This is either methanol or ethanol trapped in a network of solid calcium acetate forming a gel. This gel is a little safer to use than liquid alcohol since there is less of a spill hazard. Unfortunately, most gelled alcohol stoves have small top openings and often don't get food hot enough to cook or bring water to a boil. This fuel usually comes in a resealable can and may be the best choice for young and clumsy campers, since kicking it over is less likely to cause a significant fire hazard as would other liquid and gas stoves. Due to costs and limitations, it is not highly recommended for most long distance backpackers. See Gelled Alcohol Stoves for more information. Diethylene Glycol (DEG, 3-oxa-1,5-pentanediol, diglycol, ethylene diglycol, or dihydroxy diethyl ether) Not recommended - Diethylene glycol is used in many brands of chafing fuels and must use a wick to burn. It is considered nonflammable by the US Department of Transportation, can be air transported and is therefore much more economical to transport and store. These transportation and storage classifications make it ideal for the retail market and it's safe to assume that any chafing fuel can with a wick uses diethylene glycol until proven otherwise. This fuel is difficult to light and is extremely poisonous. It is in fact the deadly chemical implicated in the 1937 Elixir Sulfanilamide Incident that killed 107 and was the main motivation for hastening of the enactment of the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This fuel can be used but is not recommended for backpacking stove use due to its toxicity and nonflammable nature.

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