What is this? Old alcohol stove, or...

[FanMan]

I think this came from my late inlaws' antique shop... it looks like a giant version of the Trangia alcohol stove I use for backpacking, but this is much larger, around 6-7" diameter. Pre-sterno chafing dish warmer, maybe?

 

[Whitenuckler]

View attachment 338806

I think this came from my late inlaws' antique shop... it looks like a giant version of the Trangia alcohol stove I use for backpacking, but this is much larger, around 6-7" diameter. Pre-sterno chafing dish warmer, maybe?

Do you think it had a glass top and was a light? I see it has a little handle.

 

[FanMan]

Do you think it had a glass top and was a light? I see it has a little handle.

I don't think so. The way the holes are arranged is just like my backpacking stove, and the lid on the right fits just like the lid on the backpacking stove.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I don't think so. The way the holes are arranged is just like my backpacking stove, and the lid on the right fits just like the lid on the backpacking stove.

Was there a wire or metal stand to hold a pot? Most portable stoves have something like that. Does it look like it uses a wick? I think it would need one if there is no pressure.

 

[FanMan]

No stand, no wick, but the backpacking stove has no wick, either. But this one does have a tube through the middle, which I think is for air.

I don't have any alcohol here at the cabin or I would have tried it already.

 

[Whitenuckler]

No stand, no wick, but the backpacking stove has no wick, either. But this one does have a tube through the middle, which I think is for air.

I don't have any alcohol here at the cabin or I would have tried it already.

Too bad it didn't look like this. Be careful with that and do it outdoors in a firepit.

antique brass & copper camp stove vintage alcohol stove for camping backpacking

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It looks like an oil lamp to me.

 

[Whitenuckler]

No stand, no wick, but the backpacking stove has no wick, either. But this one does have a tube through the middle, which I think is for air.

I don't have any alcohol here at the cabin or I would have tried it already.

Does the pack packing stove you have use a little piston to pressurize the fuel? I remember my Coleman stove. It burned a liquid gas but you had to pump it up. I think if you just put some alcohol in there it will probably not light or go out as it will use up the O2.
Try it, but also pick up a round wick and some clean burning lamp oil.

 

[FanMan]

I finally remembered to try it after dark, as you can't see the alcohol flames in daylight. So, this is definitely a low pressure alcohol stove, just like the backpacking stove I have. The way it works is the heat from the fire in the center warms the fuel tank, helping to vaporize the alcohol and push the vapors out through the holes where they ignite. It actually works surprisingly well.

I'm thinking that center tube is a place to plug in a missing pot support (grate). So I improvised and boiled some water:

I didn't measure it, but it was about 1.3 quarts, and took 10 minutes to boil, uncovered, but it was a bit breezy... this type of stove needs a windbreak.

So now I'm just wondering just what its intended use is.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I finally remembered to try it after dark, as you can't see the alcohol flames in daylight. So, this is definitely a low pressure alcohol stove, just like the backpacking stove I have. The way it works is the heat from the fire in the center warms the fuel tank, helping to vaporize the alcohol and push the vapors out through the holes where they ignite. It actually works surprisingly well.

View attachment 339006

I'm thinking that center tube is a place to plug in a missing pot support (grate). So I improvised and boiled some water:

View attachment 339007

I didn't measure it, but it was about 1.3 quarts, and took 10 minutes to boil, uncovered, but it was a bit breezy... this type of stove needs a windbreak.

So now I'm just wondering just what its intended use is.

Good work. OK, yes maybe that hole was for the pot rack grate. It really works well. How long will it burn? I guess they had no way to control it. When you make a grate you should have it adjustable from boil to warm.

 

[FanMan]

That 10 minute burn used about 1/2" of fuel depth. The smaller but similar backpacking stove has a cap with a sliding shutter for rudimentary heat control. I don't know what if anything further I'm going to do with it, I really don't need another portable stove. This was just a "see how it works" exercise.