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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen
years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. DL |
#2
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Better than STERNO
TwoGuns wrote:
I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. Here's a start: http://www.sciencecompany.com/sci-exper/flamecolors.htm |
#3
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Better than STERNO
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:41:56 -0800 (PST), TwoGuns
wrote: invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Maybe add a bit of motor oil? |
#4
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Better than STERNO
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:45:36 -0800, Jim Stewart
wrote: TwoGuns wrote: I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. Here's a start: http://www.sciencecompany.com/sci-exper/flamecolors.htm Dissclaimer on thier Sodium Chloride- "Sorry, we regret we are unable to ship chemicals outside of mainland USA and Canada. Hazardous chemicals and chemicals restricted to ground-only shipping, may not be exported out of the USA." I didn'y bother checking but I suspect they have the same note on the Di-hydrogen Monoxide. H. |
#5
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Better than STERNO
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:41:56 -0800 (PST), TwoGuns
wrote: I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO Hotter than Sterno -- is that like bigger than a neutrino? g If your cooking involves more than heating cans of Dinty Moore get yourself one of these: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/35241..._Base&subrnd=0 -- Ned Simmons |
#6
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Better than STERNO
TwoGuns wrote:
I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. (...) I made a little stove out of two tuna cans soldered together (top to bottom) with a 1.5" hole in the top. Hardware store alcohol works great and it is cheap. http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/pro...px?SKU=1204254 (3.79 for two liters) --Winston |
#7
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Better than STERNO
Winston fired this volley in news:ifb0ee0r65
@news7.newsguy.com: I made a little stove out of two tuna cans soldered together (top to bottom) with a 1.5" hole in the top. Hardware store alcohol works great and it is cheap. http://www.acehardware Winston, if you haven't already, look up the "Penny Stove". You can get a lot more energy and fuel efficiency out of alcohol when it's run at the proper gas pressure. The little Penny Stove will boil a pint cup of water in about five minutes on a couple of teaspoonsful of alcohol. LLoyd |
#8
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Better than STERNO
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:38:13 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote: Winston fired this volley in news:ifb0ee0r65 : I made a little stove out of two tuna cans soldered together (top to bottom) with a 1.5" hole in the top. Hardware store alcohol works great and it is cheap. http://www.acehardware Winston, if you haven't already, look up the "Penny Stove". You can get a lot more energy and fuel efficiency out of alcohol when it's run at the proper gas pressure. The little Penny Stove will boil a pint cup of water in about five minutes on a couple of teaspoonsful of alcohol. One of these works for day-long power outages here, along with LED booklights. http://tinyurl.com/2v3hdqr And I got an alcohol stove (SVEA Swedish mess kit) off eBay a couple years ago. http://www.digihitch.com/review69.html -- Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. -- Epictetus |
#9
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Better than STERNO
Larry Jaques fired this volley in
: One of these works for day-long power outages here, along with LED booklights. http://tinyurl.com/2v3hdqr FWIW, those are _impossible_ to adjust for a low simmer (having only two or three discrete "stops" in the adjustment; and no, you can't 'trim' them). They also are so affected by even a light breeze, that they're just about unusable anywhere but indoors or inside closed-up tent. I have a couple for indoor power emergencies, but don't really like them. OTOH, I have a little Chinese two-burner butane stove I got from a Haitian importer friend, and it's about the dandiest little miniature stove you could want. It tunes to anything from a roar to a bare simmer, and the canned butane is sold by many ACE hardware stores. LLoyd |
#10
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:
fired this volley in news:ifb0ee0r65 @news7.newsguy.com: I made a little stove out of two tuna cans soldered together (top to bottom) with a 1.5" hole in the top. Hardware store alcohol works great and it is cheap. http://www.acehardware Winston, if you haven't already, look up the "Penny Stove". You can get a lot more energy and fuel efficiency out of alcohol when it's run at the proper gas pressure. The little Penny Stove will boil a pint cup of water in about five minutes on a couple of teaspoonsful of alcohol. Thanks, Lloyd! --Winston |
#11
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
"OTOH, I have a little Chinese two-burner butane stove I got from a
Haitian importer friend, and it's about the dandiest little miniature stove you could want. It tunes to anything from a roar to a bare simmer, and the canned butane is sold by many ACE hardware stores. LLoyd " The only problem with Butane or Propane is in extremely cold weather they will freeze up. I'm not sure at what temperature but I believe it is around 25 below F. I know it got cold enough to freeze my propane torch with a full 20# bottle in Alberta one night. It was around 50 below that night and the only thing that kept my truck running was a tray of Kingsford Charcoal brickettes under the oil pan. Thankfully my Cat engine was spotlessly clean or I would have caught the truck on fire.Of course very few people are going to be cooking outdoors or camping at anything below zero unless they are wearing a uniform. DL |
#12
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
You might try putting a copper wire around the flame area (so it's actually
in the flame), to see if it makes the nearly-invisible flame green.. which may not be visible in sunlight. That's why alcohol burners are relatively unsafe compared to other fuels. -- WB .......... "TwoGuns" wrote in message ... I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. DL |
#13
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Better than STERNO
TwoGuns wrote:
I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen I noticed that a can of sterno-ish stuff I have here called "power heat" is marked "unlawful in Pennsylvania". It looks like the standard food service tray heater to me, but with a steel can, instead of aluminum. What's the deal with PA and these things? |
#14
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
TwoGuns fired this volley in news:5abee347-16d5-
: The only problem with Butane or Propane is in extremely cold weather they will freeze up. The both will freeze themselves up if the demand is too high, so the tank boils. Propane starts to wimp out at about 0F, although it's useful well below that. For butane I don't know the specs, but I have a butane palm torch that will not yeild a useful flame below about 20F, and it sounds like "nothing there" when you open the valve. LLoyd |
#15
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Better than STERNO
"Cydrome Leader" wrote in message
... TwoGuns wrote: I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen I noticed that a can of sterno-ish stuff I have here called "power heat" is marked "unlawful in Pennsylvania". It looks like the standard food service tray heater to me, but with a steel can, instead of aluminum. What's the deal with PA and these things? Kalifornification. |
#16
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Better than STERNO
Cydrome Leader fired this volley in news:ifb8cd
: What's the deal with PA and these thing Some states don't consider the ethanol in them sufficiently "denatured" to escape drinking (and taxing as liquor). For that matter, some brands are NOT denatured in any way... just gelled. "Sterno drinking" is well known. LLoyd |
#17
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Better than STERNO
Not quite what you asked about:
http://hikethru.com/hiking-informati.../alcohol-stove On 12/27/2010 13:41, TwoGuns wrote: I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. DL |
#18
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Better than STERNO
Louis Ohland wrote:
Not quite what you asked about: http://hikethru.com/hiking-informati.../alcohol-stove I don't think that's going to work with my pressurized alcohol stove. -- Richard Lamb email me: web site: www.home.earthlink.net/~cavelamb |
#19
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Better than STERNO
"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:
Cydrome Leader fired this volley in news:ifb8cd What's the deal with PA and these thing Some states don't consider the ethanol in them sufficiently "denatured" to escape drinking (and taxing as liquor). For that matter, some brands are NOT denatured in any way... just gelled. "Sterno drinking" is well known. Just make your own: http://www.myscienceproject.org/j-shot.html Cheers! Rich |
#20
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Better than STERNO
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:48:57 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote: Larry Jaques fired this volley in : One of these works for day-long power outages here, along with LED booklights. http://tinyurl.com/2v3hdqr FWIW, those are _impossible_ to adjust for a low simmer (having only two or three discrete "stops" in the adjustment; and no, you can't 'trim' them). I boil water or bring a meal to temp. What's to simmer? They also are so affected by even a light breeze, that they're just about unusable anywhere but indoors or inside closed-up tent. Quite true. I have a couple for indoor power emergencies, but don't really like them. When I got to brew and drink coffee during a long (day) power outage, I praised mine highly, TYVM. OTOH, I have a little Chinese two-burner butane stove I got from a Haitian importer friend, and it's about the dandiest little miniature stove you could want. It tunes to anything from a roar to a bare simmer, and the canned butane is sold by many ACE hardware stores. Cool. -- Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. -- Epictetus |
#21
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Better than STERNO
On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:57:18 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote: C4, aka semtex,is a nice solid fuel with smokeless and nearly colorless flame for heating rations or making tea. Right. Just don't try to put it out with a hammer. -- Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. -- Epictetus |
#22
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Better than STERNO
Ned Simmons wrote:
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:41:56 -0800 (PST), TwoGuns wrote: I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO Hotter than Sterno -- is that like bigger than a neutrino? g If your cooking involves more than heating cans of Dinty Moore get yourself one of these: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/35241..._Base&subrnd=0 I bought one of those years ago since my Tranglia alky burner really didn't get it. I REALLY should have read the instructions as I set my kitchen counter on fire when testing it. No real damage since I had a fire extinguisher at the ready but it was a real chit your trousers moment. Wes -- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller |
#23
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Better than STERNO
Larry Jaques fired this volley in
: ). I boil water or bring a meal to temp. What's to simmer? My stainless steel camping percolator. It likes a barely turnin'-over percolation rate to get good coffee AND not boil over with a full pot. That two-step knob just won't give a good rate. LLoyd |
#24
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Better than STERNO
On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:38:44 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote: Larry Jaques fired this volley in : ). I boil water or bring a meal to temp. What's to simmer? My stainless steel camping percolator. It likes a barely turnin'-over percolation rate to get good coffee AND not boil over with a full pot. You BOIL COFFEE, you heathen bastid? No wonder your karma is bad. A sane man does NOT perc coffee, he drips it. That two-step knob just won't give a good rate. I have continuously variable flame capability in mine, just like a propane torch. I just can't figure a reason to simmer anything during a power outage. -- Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. -- Epictetus |
#25
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Better than STERNO
Larry Jaques fired this volley in
: You BOIL COFFEE, you heathen bastid? No wonder your karma is bad. A sane man does NOT perc coffee, he drips it. Heh! The _best_ coffee is made cowboy style, but I can't get the wife to drink it. She doesn't like chewing on the grounds. (which is the best part). If I could enjoy cowboy coffee, I wouldn't care about what rate the burner worked. LLoyd |
#26
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Better than STERNO
On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:12:43 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote: Larry Jaques fired this volley in : You BOIL COFFEE, you heathen bastid? No wonder your karma is bad. A sane man does NOT perc coffee, he drips it. Heh! The _best_ coffee is made cowboy style, but I can't get the wife to drink it. She doesn't like chewing on the grounds. (which is the best part). If I could enjoy cowboy coffee, I wouldn't care about what rate the burner worked. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Steve Ackman just had a heart attack hearing that, I'm sure. -- Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. -- Epictetus |
#27
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Better than STERNO
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:41:56 -0800 (PST), TwoGuns
wrote: I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. DL Few drops of saturated salt solution will make the flame Yellow. -- Boris |
#28
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Better than STERNO
When I was a kid, I found that a squirt of Ronsonol lighter
fluid gives alcohol a yellow flame. -- Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org .. "TwoGuns" wrote in message ... I have used STERNO when camping or hunting for years. About a dozen years back I discovered a better product than STERNO for about one tenth the cost. My local Sam's Club sells a hand sanitizer under their Maker's Mark label. A two liter jug of this with a hand pump sells for as low as $5.50 when it is on sale. It has a built in hand pump and I always have one in the shop. I started using this as a substitute for STERNO when I was packing for a fishing trip and discovered I was out of STERNO. I remembered reading the label on the hand sanitizer and it said it was 70% Ethyl Alcohol so I tested it and it definitely burned hot. I have since started filling empty STERNO cans with this and it works great. I know it is a hotter fire than STERNO (A friend has an InfraRed thermometer and we did comparison tests with STERNO vs the hand sanitizer and the sanitizer burned a lot hotter) and it has a pleasant smell. My only PROBLEM with it is that the flame is almost invisible. Do any of you have an idea of something that could be mixed in with the hand sanitizer that would make the flame more visible? When I am the only one in the area when I am using this I am not worried however I would hate to see some other person accidentally get burned. Just to keep this on topic I will mention that I have used this in small soldering projects when their was no electricity available for my soldering iron. DL |
#29
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Better than STERNO
Steve Ackman fired this volley in
: I was just following along, being amused, tempted to point out that boiled coffee, above 5000' or so, is just fine, and that you hadn't asked Lloyd his elevation before gasping, (see my boiling temperature calculator @ http://twoloonscoffee.com/map/boiling_point.php ) Well, my _current_ elevation is just above sea level, but my coffee does taste better in Loveland than here. LLoyd |
#30
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Better than STERNO
Larry Jaques wrote: On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:57:18 -0600, Don Foreman ? wrote: ?C4, aka semtex,is a nice solid fuel with smokeless and nearly ?colorless flame for heating rations or making tea. Right. Just don't try to put it out with a hammer. WIMP!!! ;-) -- For the last time: I am not a mad scientist, I'm just a very ticked off scientist!!! |
#31
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Better than STERNO
On 2010-12-30, Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Larry Jaques wrote: On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:57:18 -0600, Don Foreman ? wrote: ?C4, aka semtex,is a nice solid fuel with smokeless and nearly ?colorless flame for heating rations or making tea. Right. Just don't try to put it out with a hammer. WIMP!!! ;-) What does C4/semtex look like? I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Enjoy, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero --- |
#32
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Better than STERNO
On 30 Dec 2010 02:57:46 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote: On 2010-12-30, Michael A. Terrell wrote: Larry Jaques wrote: On Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:57:18 -0600, Don Foreman ? wrote: ?C4, aka semtex,is a nice solid fuel with smokeless and nearly ?colorless flame for heating rations or making tea. Right. Just don't try to put it out with a hammer. WIMP!!! ;-) What does C4/semtex look like? Playdough http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&s...=&oq=&gs_rfai= I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Enjoy, DoN. "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive, difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." --Gene Spafford, 1992 |
#33
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Better than STERNO
DoN. Nichols wrote:
(...) I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Enjoy, DoN. Esbit? http://www.esbit.de/index.php?id=79 --Winston |
#34
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Better than STERNO
On 30 Dec 2010 02:57:46 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote: I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Probably hexamine. High nitrogen content, lots of heat, burns clean, no ashes. Still used for fuel tablets, check ebay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexamine Best -- Terry |
#35
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Better than STERNO
Terry fired this volley in
: Probably hexamine. High nitrogen content, lots of heat, burns clean, no ashes. Still used for fuel tablets, check ebay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexamine The tabs are kind of pricey from the usual camping/mountaineering supplies, but you can buy bags of hexamine and press your own with a homemade tabletting press (similar to a cheese press) for about $3.00 per pound. Or, it can be melted (hotter than wax) and just poured into moulds. Hexamine is a flammable subtance, but not otherwise regulated as HazMat. We use it as a low-energy fuel in compositions that must burn cleanly and cool. LLoyd |
#36
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
Aparently, you didn't get the joke. C4 is a high explosive,
used by the military. However, if it's treated gently, it burns politely. Same deal with dynamte, I'm told that can be burned, and it burns politely. No explosive outbursts. I think it's unlilkely that was the fuel cubes for your model engine. -- Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org .. "DoN. Nichols" wrote in message ... ?C4, aka semtex,is a nice solid fuel with smokeless and nearly ?colorless flame for heating rations or making tea. Right. Just don't try to put it out with a hammer. WIMP!!! ;-) What does C4/semtex look like? I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Enjoy, DoN. |
#37
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
On 2010-12-30, Gunner Asch wrote:
On 30 Dec 2010 02:57:46 GMT, "DoN. Nichols" wrote: [ ... ] What does C4/semtex look like? Playdough http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&s...=&oq=&gs_rfai= O.K. Not the white fuel blocks which I was remembering. I sort of figured that you would have an answer to my question. Thanks, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero --- |
#38
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
On 2010-12-30, Winston wrote:
DoN. Nichols wrote: (...) I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Enjoy, DoN. Esbit? http://www.esbit.de/index.php?id=79 That could be it. Packaged differently since the early 1950s. :-) Where I lived at the time I was not able to get more fuel for the steam engine. I do seem to remember that it was made in Germany, but that could be wrong. Thanks, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero --- |
#39
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
On 2010-12-30, Terry wrote:
On 30 Dec 2010 02:57:46 GMT, "DoN. Nichols" wrote: I remember white cubes which were provided as the fuel for a kid's model steam engine. I never knew what they were, and no longer have the steam engine, so it does not matter -- but could something like semetex have actually been provided with a toy back in the early 1950s? Probably hexamine. High nitrogen content, lots of heat, burns clean, no ashes. Still used for fuel tablets, check ebay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexamine Thanks! Likely correct -- and likely to be the German pre-packaged stuff from the article which I just answered (and whose name I've forgotten already. :-) Thanks, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero --- |
#40
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Better than STERNO
DoN. Nichols wrote:
(...) Thanks! Likely correct -- and likely to be the German pre-packaged stuff from the article which I just answered (and whose name I've forgotten already. :-) Esbit, DoN. Esbit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esbit http://www.modelengines.com.au/retail_catalogue_27_page/W00100_item.html http://109.228.2.28/d.asp?product=ESBIT20X4 --Winston |