I found my phone (again) in a pocket I swear I already looked in. For years I blamed my missing possessions and their unexplained relocation on the mutant french fry people who lived under my driver's seat. When I removed the front seats from the car (and later replaced the driver's seat) I eradicated the clan, so I'm going to start blaming gremlins.
Anywho, I took a break from child related crafts today in favor of something more practical. I first started thinking about making a stove after reading a post on Mungo Says Bah where he makes one from a coke can (totally cool, check it out). After browsing the web I decided on a tin can stove powered by Sterno, something close to the one on Instructables.com.
At Work!
Materials:
Large Can (I feel kind of sick after eating that many peaches)
Sterno ($2 at walmart)
Two Long Bolts
Can Opener
Knife
Screwdriver (to make the holes)
This was so easy to make that I really should have done it earlier. The stove is small, the gel Sterno burns clean (no smoke), and it doesn't look like a stove. A few people walked by while I was cooking lunch and reading under a tree, and no one looked twice. That being said, there are a few drawbacks, the first being that there is no way to regulate the heat. This means that while the stove is great for heating water and making pasta, something like, say, Spagetios (hypothetically) burn to the bottom of the can if not stirred constantly. At some point I'm going to try using a skillet, but for now my tin can cup matches the decor. This is, of course, not the only way to make a stove. Check out this video of other awesome designs and shoot me a message if you have any tips.
This is something we used to do when I was camping a lot as a kid. They are great for windy conditions. But, these days I don't get out enough. I really should camp more often.
Great idea Ash, all you need is a jiffy pop pan of popcorn to go with your movies now. just like campfire popcorn. i can almost see you making smores on it now.
Awesome! Thanks for the plans and the links. Try to stay cool! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I try to avoid any recipe that says "stir constantly" so I'm thinking my food would be stuck to the bottom of the pan!
ReplyDeleteThis is something we used to do when I was camping a lot as a kid. They are great for windy conditions. But, these days I don't get out enough. I really should camp more often.
ReplyDeleteYeah I keep saying I am going to make one but have not as yet ..... lol.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea Ash, all you need is a jiffy pop pan of popcorn to go with your movies now. just like campfire popcorn. i can almost see you making smores on it now.
ReplyDelete