Pepsi Can Alcohol Stoves & Various Pot Stands

Slider Stove Construction Details














Home | Bud Bottle stove | Pot Stands | Cat Stove | Pressurized Stoves | Open Top Stoves | Slider Stove | Gear Top | China Hat | Cover | Storage | Simmer Device | Heat Ring | Contact





How to Build a Slider Stove

I have designed a couple of stoves that are easy to build and perform exceptionally well.  I have not seen either of these designs anywhere else.  This one, which is my favorite stove, I call a Slider Stove because the top slides into the bottom.  This is one of the two stoves that I attempt to show people how to build.  Like other web sites I have to put in a disclaimer:  If you build either of these stoves you do so at your own risk.  Alcohol is flammable and dangerous if used incorrectly.  No warranty for functionality is expressed or implied.
















1- Cut the bottom 1” inch off a Pepsi can, (optional label sanded and SOS pad polished for looks). This is all that is needed for the bottom.

canpolish1.jpg

2- To make the top, cut the bottom off of another Pepsi can that is 1/16 inch shorter that the bottom, (optional label sanded and SOS pad polished for looks). Make a 1-1/4 inch diameter hole in the center of this can using a box cutter.  This is something I do not do well.  I have seen videos of individuals making one pass and knocking out the center.  I use a small screw and washers to provide a guide to cut around and it takes me several times around to finally cut a groove deep enough.  Once the circle is cut and starting to penetrate through you can use a box cutter to cut the inner part of the circle on the top into pie slices and you can then bend these pieces back and forth to remove.

holeparts1.jpg

sliderholecut1.jpg

3- Mark 6 evenly spaced half-inch strips around the top that now has the hole in it.  These strips go from the curve on the outside edge of the can to large opening.
4-Using scissors cut all strips from the large opening to the outer radius.
5-Using the box cutter, make a scribe from one tab edge to the other.  This will make a cleaner
opening than with scissors. 
6-Bend the tabs to be removed back and forth to fatigue the metal and aid in tab removal.
7- Stove parts are now complete.

sliderapart1.jpg

8- Place the top with the half inch slots inside the base until it has square holes.  This is the high fire position.

slideopen1.jpg

9- Put alcohol in the stove making sure not to over fill so fuel comes out the holes. Light the stove and put the pot on a stand that is about 1.5 inches above the stove.
10- When it is time to simmer, remove the pot and press the top straight down with a flat metal item being careful not to tip the stove over.  The top will go into the base and close the air intake holes which cause the stove to run slower.  It has also increased the distance from the stove opening to the bottom of the pot.  Below is a regular Pepsi Can Slider Stove and a Mini-Slider stove in the closed position.

slidersclosed1.jpg

11- Once the stove is in the simmer position it CAN NOT be put back in a higher fire position until all the fuel is burned out and the stove cools off so it can be refilled and relit.
12- I like to store the top by removing it and turning it over and putting the bottom inside the top.  This helps to keep the tabs sprung a bit outward so the tabs will be tight enough when inserted inside for use. It also allows other things to be put inside the stove.  This is unlike other stoves that waste the space inside the stove.

sliderstacked1.jpg

MINI-SLIDER STOVE
Follow all the same directions as above using either 8.3 ounce energy drink cans or a 5.5 ounce tomato juice cans.  I recommend using the same type can for both top and bottom because there are very slight difference in diameters between these two.   The base is 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 inches tall and the top is 1/16 inch less. The hole in the top center is 1-1/8 inches in diameter.  There are six slots in the top that are just shy of ½-inch wide.

UPDATE:
A problem that I have had about 1/3 of the times recently on vacation is the stove gets hot and softens the thin metal fins that are insterted into the bottom.  This can sometimes cause the stove to cock at an angle and never get to a full fire.  This also makes it more difficult to push the top straight down to go to simmer fire. 
 
 I solved this by cutting 3-4 evenly spaced and less than 1/8-inch notches in the teeth that go into the can and bent the bottom portion outward to prevent the top from falling in and the top portion inward.  Photo below.

slidersfincut.jpg
















Thank you for visiting my site.  LAST UPDATED 05-16-16