I’ve been dealing with depression on and off for awhile. This video popped up as a recommendation last week. I’ve been watching your videos regularly since- your joy and zeal for life and teaching that you put into these has helped me a lot since I started watching- I just started building a little heater like this with your video and instructions- it isn’t pretty, but it’s got me active and happy while I do it. I can’t thank you enough.
Hey guys. I've suffered with depression all of my life. One thing that helped me a lot, if you're good at something try doing a competition and try winning something. Winning is a great feeling no matter what's going on. Have a great day fellas. :)
You know how they say people get to the end of their lives and they "wish they had one more day"? You suffer from depression, so do I, but less now that I thought of this. How would we like it if we came to the end of our Lives, begging for one more day... " oh but you already had it!?" We spent it feeling sorry or bummed out about something that happened that was obviously beyond our control and that we are unable to fix instead of just moving on. With a human loss, what can you say except goodbye? It can't be undone..? What good is our sadness going to do for it? It won't fix it or take it back, or change anything in any way. I personally was caught up in a matter of human loss. My sorrow won't bring them back, it didn't make any of the memories anymore precious, and what could they say from their side? I'm pretty sure it wasn't their idea to go and die!? But now that he has I'm sure he'll be just fine. That means it's for me that I cry and not for them. Maybe I'm selfish, or a little unsure of what the future will bring, or a little of both. But as long as I'm still on the right side of the grass I'm going to have to confront both. I may as well do it with my feet solidly under me and my chin Held High.
I'm clumsy, how do I ensure I don't burn my house down with this? Seems like a great, cost-effective alternative to getting my chimney inspected and starting that up, btw. I don't mind the cold, but I don't want anyone in the household getting sick, and we need an alternative to electric heat.
Yes, I too was sucked in by this man's enthusiasm, but sadly the heater is dangerous, it gives off as much unbreathable fumes as it does heat. And YES, I carried out exactly the same experiment using the same items as Rob used, 100% carbon fibre wick, stainless steel mesh, I even bolted on a brass handle and brass feet to the heater body. The heater gave off a great heat, but also gave off as much unbreathable fumes as it did heat. I was a CORGI registered gas engineer, although now long retired, and I would not recommend you use this heater without a chimney or flue incorporated in its design to remove the products of combustion (fumes) that this heater produces. Otherwise, this heater would be dangerous to use in any confined space or room. I think that it is back to the drawing board for Rob and this heater which is in need of a complete re-design. Frankly, to be quite honest, this heater is dangerous and should never be used.
I am going to make this. I am a 78 year old woman in a cold part of Australia and gas prices are too high. I need help in the evenings and this will be it. I don't have the tools to make the feet but may try and get help from the younger males in the family who have tools. Thank you so much : )
Thank you sir. We do alot of work with the homeless to help them overcome addictions, while doing we warm tent canopies we setup. Thanks for your great ideas, they have reached the cold on Canada.
This was brilliant for its simplicity and extremely encouraging the way you presented it! I think the world is just starting to undergo a lot of big changes and I'm all for prepping, but I get discouraged by the cost of many solutions b/c I'm paycheck to paycheck like many people. This is exactly the kind of info the average person needs to stay warm and have fun doing it; thanks so much!
What I really like about your videos, it's their truthfulness. You are not making videos to accumulate views; you are teaching stuff we can replicate and use. Great job!
@UCg5B32iT6pOqvcY6wddkO0A So long as you're paying attention to what you're doing, you should be fine. Just keep an eye on things and change them as need be.
I would suggest that people make the stove top fan for the heater it runs off the heat of the heater so no power is needed ......Very easily made...Can find it by just DIY Stove top fans ..cheap to make0
A free substitute for the s/s mesh would be the inner mesh on a truck air filter. Some filters have a finer mesh on the inside. I've used it on another project and it works like a charm. Very innovative heater Robert...nice.
just needs an upright rotisserie in front and you can cook with it also while it heats .. be great for roast beef any fowl ham's ... even homemade donair or shawarma too ...
Amazing. You can see the heat waving up like heat off of a runway as soon as you lighted it. I think you have made something that millions will benefit from. God bless you Rob.
@@SI00000 Which is correct lit or lighted? 'Light' Has Two Past Tense Forms: 'Lit' and 'Lighted' Both words are correct. Light is one of those rare English words that has two acceptable past-tense forms.
Sadly, the heater does not work, it gives off fumes within minutes of ignition and the room or space becomes unbreathable quite quickly. I too, thought that this as a wonderful idea that Rob had found, but sadly not. Yes, I used 100% carbon Fibre and stainless-steel mesh as Rob did, I even put the brass handle and brass feet on the casing. You need some form of chimney that leads outside, but even then, it needs to be properly tried and tested. I also found that the Methanol burns out very quickly. If you fill the tin to half of its capacity it will burn out within thirty minutes, which also makes the heater expensive to run. As I said before, It gives off great heat but it is not viable as a home heater.
BRILLIANT! Also, Roberts enthusiasm just gets through - he sounds as though he's in on one of the best pranks ever - infectious! However, it's serious and practical stuff, nicely done!
Great invention thankyou. I own a small 25l still to make ethanol. I'll be making this and running it on my ethanol. Great simple design, perfect timing for this winter rip off Britain's fuel prices. You are a Saint to lots of people, your free advice is invaluable
I have stainless steel water distiller been told it can make brandy from cheap bottle sherry but too frightened to try would blow kitchen up I think ?? Anyone??
Loved this project - so much so I've started experimenting with variations. Having done that I have a couple of recommendations: First, that "small hole" on the inner can - my first attempt at the "stove" part blew the inside can clear into the air about 10 minutes after I started it with about 1/3 full with alcohol. People - if you try this project, Make sure the hole is either very, very small or much larger to prevent potential rocket-cans! A large hole will evac the pressure. You can use a rolled up piece of the carbon felt to act as a firestop in the hole - that blowing off is a lot safer than the can! Second, putting the whole heater inside the reflective surface works, but it also puts the fuel in the reflective path. In a longer burn on mine, I found the outside can to be difficult to touch, and the alcohol started to boil a bit, resulting in a more aggressive burn and shorter burn time. I'm planning on putting the heater into a cut down coffee-can (i.e., larger than the bean can) and filling the coffee can with water to help keep the fuel cool. Plus I plan on cutting some aluminum to act as a heat shield, making it about the diameter of my reflector, and securing it around the outside can and under the mantle. This will direct the heat from the mantle away from the base, helping to keep the alcohol even cooler. I also modified the mantle design - mine mantle to the outside can (not the inside) and the top piece of can, securing them together and helping to prevent any blown off cans. I also used a light gauge steel tube brazed between the top piece of can and the center of the small can with a hole cut in both, so I can use it to fuel the lower can. This makes the whole assembly one piece. If I have to replace the wick material, I can do that by removing the screws at the bottom of the mantle, pulling the two pieces apart. Regarding my reflector, mine will sit inside a five gallon steel can with a fairly wide opening cut in the side of the steel can about 3 inches from the bottom. That way, in the case of the unit spilling alcohol, any flammable liquid is contained in the heater itself, preventing a bigger fire from occurring. All in all, sir, thank you for the inspiration!
Handy DIY projects are so satisfying...when you know what you are doing. Thanks. They also keep your mind off the drama of the world and make you think you can survive a Mad Max zombie apocalypse which....you probably can. Thanks again.
I've watched this video more than any other on RUclips lately, I'm new to the channel and I've ordered everything I need to build mine. Given the current circumstances I think a resource like this needs sharing far and wide (I'll do my bit). I'm so glad I found Mr Robert Murray Smith, the best practical science teacher I never had :)
@awatt If I could post an image of it on here, I would. It looks pretty good and was an easy build, but the methanol I used set off my carbon monoxide detector almost immediately, and it didn't matter if my burner and detector were on separate floors! I bought the fuel on Amazon. I then switched to using ethanol, and that was fine, but it doesn't make the mantle glow in the same way. The Ethanol didn't set my detector off even when it was right next to the heater. This has made the reflector element of it redundant, but I wouldn't burn Methanol in it again.
@blackbulldog4897 6 months later (sorry, YT didn't notify me of your reply) I used a small sheet of stainless steel for the reflector which I polished up, bought from Amazon, and I got the felt (welders mat) from ebay.
Turn the flame into infrared via a gauze or mantle and reflect the radiated heat into the room. Exactly the same working principles as the old Valor paraffin heaters we used to have in the 1960s👌
Quick, easy and inexpensive to make and operate. It isn't just highly functional but with the addition of the brass ormalu it looks good as well. Absolutely brilliant, I'm in Canada and we appreciate any and all methods of heat production. Thanks for this informative and entertaining tutorial. André
Dear Sir, This Bostonian got up at 3:30 am due to incredibly atrocious noises outside, flicked on my computer and began to watch your informative video. How can I begin to tell you how I appreciate your mirth, humor, spirit and "WARMTH?" ...."Everyone needs a bit of brass." Oh, thank you Sir! Actually, I now know what I have been missing! ;-) You are correct. Thank you for giving a weary heart some respite with a laugh! Keep on, -J
@@NewNoob-vq4uh I use the auto product HEAT in the yellow container, not the red container. it works good and burns long and clean. In my research, it lasts longer than other fuels.
As a designer and engineer I have just stumbled on Roberts channel , spot on and interesting. What I would say to yourself if you have had depression etc is carry on being practical and creative. It stimulates your mind and there’s nothing better that creating / making something yourself with pride . Trust me whatever it is you take interest in it will open up your world in more ways than one , all the best for the future . Well done Robert what a genuinely nice guy 👍and I’ll get round to watching more footage later .
You always take it to the next level with your builds. It truly is a handsome piece of kit. Taking it to a crazy level would be a way to raise and lower the wick where it can be tuned just right and extinguished as well. Brilliant build as it is.
Awesome video! Just a reminder to have several battery operated carbon monoxide detectors in use while using any home made heat source. Stay safe this winter. Blessings to you and yours!
You are right to be concerned. In 1983 I helped remove 5 dead bodies from a shelter where they had been operating liquid fuel stoves for heat but with inadequate ventilation.
Right. Fire inside with no chimney. What could go wrong? Come to think of it, why do I have a chimney for my regular furnace? Think of al the heat I'm just throwing away.
"Awesome" Job! Not only is it a simple efficient heater, but is made out of sturdy readily available materials and looks good enough to make people think that you purchased it online. Love the brass legs and handle they give it a classy touch! 👍
Absolutely love this, definitely inspired me to create my own, my old man has a wood burner and has an ingenious fan on top, uses a thermo electric generator between the stove and the fan which runs the fan via the temperature difference, soon as the fan kicks on it blasts the hot air across the room, makes a huge difference to how quick the room heats up, it would definitely be a nice add on for the heater, not to mention how interesting thermal electric generation is
@@markdandeneau3404 thanks and i appreciate that but I wasn't meaning put the fan inside (or circulating air inside) i was meaning put the fan on top like you would a stove, heat rises so the top will get hot, I was just meaning redirect that rising heat out circulating the heat as opposed to it just rising up where alot of heat would be lost but i couldn't imagine this would effect the mantle
I have seen these things and they are expensive gimmicks that make bugger all difference. Save your money if you want something other than an interesting toy.
Pardon the pun, Brilliant! This is the best DIY heater I’ve seen. As you said, it’s the simplicity of it! I imagine it could be made larger if needed. ❤️🇨🇦
I love this idea. Keep coming back to it. I want to use it for my mini-camper, but I want to also maximize the air exchange, to defeat condensation, which is bad in those little boxes. If I put this heater (or a smaller one) in a box with lots of glass in it, with an air intake in the front, like the front damper on any wood stove. Then using 1/2-inch screws for spacing, stick the 2.5-inch chimney pipe inside a 3.5-inch diameter section of stove pipe. However much the alcohol burner breathes, it's exhaling up the chimney. Use that draft to bring in fresh air from outside that gets heated coming in through the space between the 3.5" and the 2.5" pipes. That would guarantee the air would get turned over and I wouldn't be damp in the morning. My Mini-camper has doors on either side, so I can make a plywood or composite insert for one of the door openings and cut a hole for the double-walled pipe I'll have for the horizontal stretch. I don't want the double wall part to be vertical, because I don't want convection to fight the convection cell I'm using to power the air circulation. But I bet if I make the horizontal stretch 8 or 10 inches, the incoming air will be warmed up by the hot chimney running up the middle. Maybe instead of screws as spacers, I should add longitudinal fins to the 2.5" pipe in the center. Conduct more heat to the fresh air passing over it. But I think that would create a little blower bringing fresh air across the top of the stove. The stove would be breathing air from the bottom of the camper. The fresh air coming in would be heated by the chimney on its horizontal journey through the plywood insert. Winnerwell puts out a triple-walled pipe section for going through walls. But I don't think it's made to bring fresh air in. Anyway, I'd like to do a simple version, and then maybe add a reflector to the back two sides of the stove. facing the corner the stove would be in. It's easy to cut holes in those old ammo cans and put windows in 'em and I bought some window glass for wood stoves that's tempered and nice and thick. The one thing I didn't like about RM-s's heater was it was burning O2 and not helping the air exchange. I really wanted it in an airtight box and help the space breathe, by bringing in warm fresh air.
@@ThinkingandTinkering Hey Rob, I love this and have one built with all the correct parts etc but.... Mine only lasts half an hour whether I have about two cm of methanol or half a tin? What could it be? Please help mate!
I built this as a back up and it works great, but I run it on distilled alcohol as it is a safer and a cleaner burn for my truck cap when my fireplace runs out of wood. I will credit you for the build when I display it in my next snow camping video on my new channel. Thanks for the info.
Thank you, that is awesome .I lived through the total electric blackout here in San Antonio Tx, man made and of course it had snowed and it was so so cold. That would have been useful , now that I know, I will make one for my home.
I've been making methanol stoves for a few years now but have never seen this modification yet. How very cool. I will try this out on a smaller scale with my backpacking stoves. For some reason you remind me a bit of Fred Dibnah. Thanks for the upload!
@@modelracecar We installed ventless gas heaters in our drafty farmhouse, and if it wasn't for the low oxygen cutoff sensors, we would be dead. You don't know what an adequate amount of ventilation is until it's too late. At least get a carbon monoxide detector.
@@spuriouseffect as long as you have some ventilation, and that by no means requires a full open window, with a CO monitor as a precaution, plus the usual safety common sense when working with open flames etc etc your good to go
Ok- my first prototype was a success, thanks Robert. Key thing I noticed was that having too much wick showing over the lip of the bottom can is a bad idea and leads to the burner running too hot. However, everything worked as it should and got the room nice and warm in a few minutes. The reflector I made from an old BBQ charcoal starter pipe cut in half and lined with aluminium foil. This is nice and sturdy so I just need a flat metal cap for this to put the woodburner fan for any stray heat. Overall, I'm astonished at how effective this is.
Absolutely wonderful videos!!! You sir are THE MAN! You belong on global television , you could educate all these young folks that have no clue of how day to day stuff works, much less how to fix it…. You are a treasure and I really enjoy and respect your work Sir, THANK YOU!!!!
That would be pointless imho, because when magnets are heated above 176° Fahrenheit (80° Celsius), magnets will quickly lose their magnetic properties. The magnet will become permanently demagnetized if exposed to these temperatures for a certain length of time or heated at a significantly higher temperature. So it would work at the start after which it would lose it's magnetic properties...
@@GreenCanvasInteriorscape you're welcoma man. Glad to be able to provide some extra knowledge...I always read most of the comments for the reason you mentioned as well. Have a magnificent day...
For a DIY contraption it even looks elegant! not often achieved. I like the simple refill method, make a second burner. If you do that you are also fuelling it up with all parts cold, and as methanol burns almost invisibly this would minimise the possibility of fires and burns. Good job!
Put a second layer of aluminum behind the reflector with 1” inch stand offs to prevent burning anything that comes in contact with the reflector and it creates a draft or surface for hot air to rise getting more heat in to the air. There is a type of glass called boro silicate that you put around the out side of flame and you will still get heat with out the direct possibility of contact with an open flame.
So simple, yet so practical for when power goes out. I'm going to get mine built ASAP. Thanks for your brilliant practical videos Robert. Sub'd last week, great channel.
@@ingulari3977 CO coming from that is true but it’s burning *so* cleanly that it’ll take a huge amount of time for it to produce enough to be serious, and that’s in a considerably enclosed space
@@ThinkingandTinkering Thanks for saying 6ins,and then 150mm,I'm a bloke of a certain age,prefer old money, cheers,I'll raise a glass to you later, and to my dad,would have been 112 today.
I wish I could post a pic of my camp rocket stove with an inverted, fancy, metal-screen trash can on top, a pot of hot water atop that semi-circumvented by a cutoff of two foot metal roof flashing. You keep me warm while I build a proper hearth pad and pipe pass-throughs, in a house years from insulation let alone windows... Thank you!
Hi. thanks for taking the time to detail this build. I too had trouble sourcing the carbon filter, I ended up using some exhaust pipe heat wrap made from glass fibre. worked a treat.
I gathered and ordered all the parts and made this, but mine ended up being a rocket instead of a heater! 💥💥 Important safety tip. To prevent the inner can launching like a rocket when you light it, you need to make sure you pack enough felt wicking down between the two cans to prevent any flashback! 🤣
Same happened to me..😬. The carbon felt is at the same level as the outer smaller can..should it be lower? Or should i put a bigger hole in the smaller can...like a pressure relief? Cheers
@@Mr_Mz518 You'll likely get a smaller flame if the wick is a bit lower and a bigger flame if it's higher. I ended up making a big hole in the smaller can and placed a penny on top.
Love your enthusiasm after the build when things work n look well... its great to still have the spirit of your inner child... many people ignore...caught up from the complexities of a sophisticated world and a self complicated life. Beauty of simplicity is refreshing... Thanks
Currently building a workshop in my garage which is unheated….given todays energy crisis and soaring costs I’ve just found my garage heater…thanks a lot…seems like an interesting wee project to build.
Brilliant , love it !! make it a tad safer by putting one of them super strong magnets on the bottom of the can and you can bump into it and it wont fall over. Going to build on for my shed, fantastic !!
Fabulous. My power went out for about 5 hrs and I woke up to a 32• room Fahrenheit. This would come in handy as well as keep my electric bill down on days when it's not so cold . Superb !
The shiny aluminium is obviously great as a reflector. But it might be an idea to paint the rear surface with some matt black stove paint, because that texture and colour is actually a superior infrared emitter.
I have watched this video twice. I am both fascinated and somewhat disturbed by the simplicity and complexity of your design and thought processes. That said, I see the value in your ideas. Please keep being you.
This is a useful item to have, a non-electric heater. I realized I didn't have any of the items to hand so I priced them out & came up with a conservative $93.00 (including fuel). Amazon sells an indoor propane heater for $84.00 & kerosene heater for $105.00. If I had most of the bits it would be worth the go. Unfortunately for me I'm stuck getting the completed piece instead. I did enjoy your video, it was creative & clear enough that I felt confident I could succeed building it. Thanks
Love it. I love the mantle. Ibhave been using ethanol soaked lost insulation in a bean tin as a prototype and was wondering how to go about making a mantle. Your whole device is brilliant. Simple is always good.:)
After several failed attempts I was finally able to successfully create one, now! can I make it use vegetable oil as a fuel supply, I believe I can, if it wasn't for these videos my family would have froze this winter, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS!!!!
One more suggestion could you do a room temperature check before and after the heater has been in operation with a 1 hour spacing? As well as provide some brief details of the room size and how well it is insulated so that viewers will have a realistic indication of what they can expect otherwise brilliant video.
A simpler way to figure out how much heat is released is to look at the amount of fuel consumed. As the fuel is burned, the heat will be released. Methanol has about 57,000 BTU per gallon. Some fuels like diesel have about twice that amount of heat. Just taking a guess from the size of the can he is holding I suspect there is about 1 cup of fuel, maybe a little more. If one cup of fuels lasts four hours, it would burn about 8 cups in 24 hours. That would be about 1/2 gallon of fuel per day so about 28,000 BTU per day. To simplify this that is about 1,000 BTU per hour. It could easily be more. Maybe 2,000 BTU per hour.
@@arjanmuyen3684 While it is true a radiative heater can direct heat at an individual, and make that individual both "warmer," and make that individual "feel warmer." The amount of heat that is directed is important. It is well known in the world of physics and in the wold of heating and air conditioning how much heat a space needs. In the United States, a normal 1500 watt 120 volt electric heater gives off 5,115 BTU. According to my calculations, the heater here gives off between 1/4 to 1/2 of the that amount of heat. One small portable electric heater is generally not considered enough heat to heat a house. Sometimes it can heat one small room in a house.
Great video thanks, very educational. I have been inspired to make two versions using methanol as the fuel. Firstly, an off the shelf pocket meths stove with a 4" tall 1mm mesh mantle jubilee clipped around the stoves screw thread. I have topped the mantle with the lid of a jam jar. It works great either on its own or underneath one of the off the shelf BS-150 Outdoor Cosy heater caps from video 1786. When the BS-150 is used, I can boil a camping kettle in minutes. Second version is a duplicate of the tin can burner in this video, but instead of making the surround stand in this video I have simply placed it inside an existing old cast iron chiminea. As the chimney flue is not needed I have just put a cake tin on top and it keeps my tin mug of coffee warm as well as heating me in the garage. I wouldn't have considered doing these if it wasn't for your videos. So I'd either be using a gas camping stove or installing a wood burner chimney. I'd now be happy to take the chiminea indoors now if our central heating goes down. Thanks again.
Excellent job.... If you forgo the handle on the lid you could use one of the fans that narrow boaters use to distribute the heat. Your enthusiasm is very infectious!!!! Looking forward to the methanol production vid!!
@@williamclay190 You might be surprised at the amount of power these TEGs can put out. Don't go for the expensive ones though, they are made for really high temperature gradients and won't work in this situation. The ones on eBay for about £4-5 work quite well. Connect them to a LTC3780 (that's what to search for) based buck-boost converter (very high efficiency) to give a steady voltage output.
The addition of a mantle as well as a reflector is genius not to mention the overall aesthetics of the brass feet and handle. Nicely done, Sir! I've got all the parts to build a similar-size stove as this one. I think I want to scale this up just a little bit--not a great deal. One additional thing I thought of was to add a small magnet to either the bottom of the fuel can or the floor of the lower cake tin to provide some additional stability. I will probably not use a neodymium magnet as that might be too strong of a pull on the fuel can. Of course there is the law of diminishing returns w/ all of this but I think it will be worth the effort to find out.
@@Goody2shzToo Will do! It's clear why Robert has 300k subscribers. One thing I will do little different is the handle. Here in the USA, some people have cast iron wood stoves (sometimes called Ben Franklin stoves) and they have metal springs around the handles so you can touch them without getting burned. I think I will try that instead of the brass handles. And I will try my best not to "go crazy" with this heater as Robert admonished. I probably won't do a continuous feed line; I'm going to keep it simple!
Well, I don't know hot this burns, but magnets lose their magnetism in high heat. That's why there are refrigerator magnets and not oven door magnets. So, this may be too hot for magnets to work and once the magnets are done in by heat, they are done. Of course, I found out by sticking frig magnets on an oven. Little magnets. So maybe, they just weren't great magnets! IDK.
@@katyaflippinov9197 that’s true but I’m thinking the bottom probably won’t get as hot as the top. Of course I won’t know until it’s assembled and working. Another option would be to bolt in the bottom of a slightly larger can in which to place to fuel can. Half the fun is trying out different things!
This would be MAGNIFICIENT for emergency heating, and better yet with a few bricks of limestone behind it, you'd have a very serviceable radiant heater! I could see one being in the fireplace this winter for the inevitable power outage. Once you get it up to temp, provided you have somewhere for the exhaust to leave your domicile (a flue for instance, cough), waste oil would be another contender. I save all my oil from oil changes to power my forge, but this would be an excellent stand-in when I'd rather save my readily burnable fuels for generators or whatnot. Solid home run, Robert! 👍
I like that idea mate - I am thinking of a fuel tank and feed system but I was worried about the heat with a fuel tank so close because it does get hot - the bricks idea would help with insulting the fuel tank and storing the heat - brilliant add mate - and yes the waste oil would be good
I’m 3 min into the first vid I’ve ever seen from this channel and I can already tell I’m gonna sit here and binge until morning. It’s currently 11:43pm
I just stumbled across this video and it actually gave me exactly the info i needed to make rocket stove in to a heater. Had the idea but now i know the materials that will work. Thank you for great video sir
Robert, if you cut a 4" hole out of the top where the handle is, you could probably boil a kettle full of water for tea or cook on it. You could use a disk shaped piece of steel to cove the hole when not in use or another baking tray on top with your brass handle attached to that if you like, then the cover can be lifted off. Burning your hand could be a problem with handles on top as someone is bound to try and pick it up while hot, there's always that someone 😆 It could be a stove and a heater. I'm thinking similar to how the top of a pot belly stove works, it might be a slow cooker but what's the rush anyway while taking five 🙂 I like this idea of yours by the way, looking forward to more updates, stick with this one for a bit please 👍
I love this! Could you suggest any other fuel to use as methanol is not that cheap to buy unless its bought in large amounts. I have a Chinese diesel heater that I used to run on red diesel. I will run it on Heating oil that I managed to get cheap from a friend but that wont last forever and being a future proofing kind of person Im trying to find alternatives to use. I think a mixture of heating solutions will work best for me. I live off grid on a boat using solar for electricity. I still love every video you make and cant help connecting with your sheer, unabashed joy at the results of your experiments! I hope you know the difference you are making to many peoples lives by the information you are imparting. Well done Robert..you lovely lovely Man! :o) xx
@@ingulari3977 No, it won't be on him. If you stab yourself in the face with a knife, it that on Victorinox? You take your life in your hands every time your cross the road or take a breath. Being mortal can make you miserable and avoidant or curious and experimental. It's an aesthetic choice kinda thing. I think I detect which one you've chosen.
Your vids are brilliant Robert. Just subscribed after watching this one. Definately going to build this one, it will be great in my little workshop (yes it's well ventilated). Cheers
Thank you very much for your time. It took me a while to get accustom to the accent but I did. Thank you again for the straight forward explanation and demonstration, great idea. Enjoy Life and keep being a blessing, from Bridgeport Connecticut
I have been making some heaters lately too! strangely similar design (been using beer kegs and gas and a steel cylinder with holes in it, but i expect this fuel option with fine gauze mesh would result in simlar output.) will send an email soon. excellent work! (yours is a superior design as much more simple components)
I made one and it exploded. That small hole at the top acts as a ignition hole. Made the hole much bigger ( 8 mm ) and dropped a short carriage bolt 6 mm in as a gravity pressure valve. This works good. No explosion since. Also easy to refill through the hole .
@@chasejdmartin Yes, mine gives off acrid fumes as well which irritates my eyes and makes them water. I'm using 99.9% pure methanol and 100% carbon felt.
Brilliant video, as soon as I saw it come up on my feed I knew it would be the next thing I build. Finally got all the components together (a fun part was standing in the canned food aisle testing out various combinations, finally settling on a stout Dinty Moore’s beef stew can and a large dog food can, now both my dog and I can have a snack 😊) I haven’t read all of the comments so I’m not sure if it’s been asked, but have you thought of a way to turn it off? Possibly an oversized “snuffer” that you could put over top of the can once the mantle is removed? EDIT: remember to put something over the hole on top of the interior can. Trust me.
Absolutely brilliant Mr. Murray. Love the unbridled enthusiasm. Bout to trek around Australia and I will no doubt be taking a lot of your wisdom with me. So refreshing to see workable content. Thankyou very, very much.
It may be hard to find metal cans that are not coated with plastic (especially tomatoes which are acidic). Don't see why this design is not sold commercially. Great Job!
Worst case you can just burn the plastic out (outdoors we hope!) and still use the can. But definitely a plastic-free can would be much better as you say.
Hi Rob,well done I want to make some of these,but was thinking about fumes smoke,how much smoke does it give out.I want to use this for keeping my conservatory warmer which has plants.
Neat heater!!! This is my second winter living without grid electricity and I have been heating with experimental heaters. I have been playing with candles, alcohol stoves, oil lamps and kerosene. I love the mantle and reflector design. I intend to try it next. I'm currently using a big aluminum air cooled cylinder head suspended just above an oil lamp. It gets hot and the aluminum cooling fins dissipate the heat into the room. It's not perfect but it is cheap and runs all night. The idea came from the terracotta candle heaters and the fact that I have condemned cylinders laying around everywhere. The next improvement is going to be a fan for circulation.
Looks like it would be easy to add a chimney to vent outside, or the whole thing could be used in a fireplace instead of wood. Have you considered adding a thoriated lamp mantle for a brighter light? Very nice project and great, simple design.
Re chimneys.. Lightweight backpack stove enthusiasts sometimes make such out of long strips of titanium rolled in a spiral. Can get a long length packed up a smallish convient volume. Once red hot/cooled Titanium will want to spring back into chimney shape. Long chimney also radiates lots heat. . Up Draft from such a chimney is also great for getting a wood fire or BBQ going
@@garychandler4296 thoriated mantles are the things used in Coleman lanterns to make them put out a lot more light than the mere flame will produce. The mantle glows white-hot.
@@ordinaryaverageguy76 Thanks. I hink other metallic salts might do nearly as well, and possibly ceramic wool or fiberglass. Incandescence puts out more UV, and seems to me, more heat.
I’ve been dealing with depression on and off for awhile. This video popped up as a recommendation last week. I’ve been watching your videos regularly since- your joy and zeal for life and teaching that you put into these has helped me a lot since I started watching- I just started building a little heater like this with your video and instructions- it isn’t pretty, but it’s got me active and happy while I do it. I can’t thank you enough.
Exactly the same with me.
Hey guys. I've suffered with depression all of my life. One thing that helped me a lot, if you're good at something try doing a competition and try winning something. Winning is a great feeling no matter what's going on. Have a great day fellas. :)
I am happiest when lightening fires 😊
You know how they say people get to the end of their lives and they "wish they had one more day"?
You suffer from depression, so do I, but less now that I thought of this.
How would we like it if we came to the end of our Lives, begging for one more day... " oh but you already had it!?" We spent it feeling sorry or bummed out about something that happened that was obviously beyond our control and that we are unable to fix instead of just moving on. With a human loss, what can you say except goodbye? It can't be undone..? What good is our sadness going to do for it? It won't fix it or take it back, or change anything in any way.
I personally was caught up in a matter of human loss. My sorrow won't bring them back, it didn't make any of the memories anymore precious, and what could they say from their side? I'm pretty sure it wasn't their idea to go and die!? But now that he has I'm sure he'll be just fine. That means it's for me that I cry and not for them. Maybe I'm selfish, or a little unsure of what the future will bring, or a little of both. But as long as I'm still on the right side of the grass I'm going to have to confront both. I may as well do it with my feet solidly under me and my chin Held High.
Hang in there , keep fighting , im so happy to hear that you feel better and are moving around.
Praise God
Finally the RUclips algorithm recommended something that is not garbage. Good video dude, very informative.
Right! Truly enjoyed that.
I'm clumsy, how do I ensure I don't burn my house down with this? Seems like a great, cost-effective alternative to getting my chimney inspected and starting that up, btw. I don't mind the cold, but I don't want anyone in the household getting sick, and we need an alternative to electric heat.
@@chaztikov make a wider base and fully section off the spot in your house where you will be putting it. Think baby gates or pet play pens.
@Throw Away this what you say is not true... only sheep belive this
Yes, I too was sucked in by this man's enthusiasm, but sadly the heater is dangerous, it gives off as much unbreathable fumes as it does heat. And YES, I carried out exactly the same experiment using the same items as Rob used, 100% carbon fibre wick, stainless steel mesh, I even bolted on a brass handle and brass feet to the heater body. The heater gave off a great heat, but also gave off as much unbreathable fumes as it did heat. I was a CORGI registered gas engineer, although now long retired, and I would not recommend you use this heater without a chimney or flue incorporated in its design to remove the products of combustion (fumes) that this heater produces. Otherwise, this heater would be dangerous to use in any confined space or room. I think that it is back to the drawing board for Rob and this heater which is in need of a complete re-design. Frankly, to be quite honest, this heater is dangerous and should never be used.
I am going to make this. I am a 78 year old woman in a cold part of Australia and gas prices are too high. I need help in the evenings and this will be it. I don't have the tools to make the feet but may try and get help from the younger males in the family who have tools. Thank you so much : )
@@julietajanzen2648 did u ever make it and how did it work?
@@ishagriffin2444I was going to ask the same, 4 months on and no reply I wonder did she become a victim of the cold last winter?
How did you get on neighbour 🇳🇿💕🇦🇺
The feet are drawer knobs. Easy to find.
I want to take this time to thank you for not selling out to advertisements. Stay solid my guy. A shining pillar of society.
Thank you sir. We do alot of work with the homeless to help them overcome addictions, while doing we warm tent canopies we setup. Thanks for your great ideas, they have reached the cold on Canada.
This was brilliant for its simplicity and extremely encouraging the way you presented it! I think the world is just starting to undergo a lot of big changes and I'm all for prepping, but I get discouraged by the cost of many solutions b/c I'm paycheck to paycheck like many people. This is exactly the kind of info the average person needs to stay warm and have fun doing it; thanks so much!
What I really like about your videos, it's their truthfulness. You are not making videos to accumulate views; you are teaching stuff we can replicate and use. Great job!
If the length of time it burns is not correct, then it isn't a great help.
@@shantz7 So why would he lie you need to do your own version and use the exact same stuff he does to get the same results don't be a party pooper.
@@joed.4038 - Punctuation is a GOOD thing. Maybe you could try using some the next time around?
I love it when people can enjoy and be proud of their work. Great stuff mate! 👍
@UCg5B32iT6pOqvcY6wddkO0A
So long as you're paying attention to what you're doing, you should be fine. Just keep an eye on things and change them as need be.
I would suggest that people make the stove top fan for the heater it runs off the heat of the heater so no power is needed ......Very easily made...Can find it by just DIY Stove top fans ..cheap to make0
@@Theresalove34 So what about fumes?? Will it be safe to burn in your home when it's snowing outside re there is no vent,
A free substitute for the s/s mesh would be the inner mesh on a truck air filter. Some filters have a finer mesh on the inside. I've used it on another project and it works like a charm. Very innovative heater Robert...nice.
just needs an upright rotisserie in front and you can cook with it also while it heats .. be great for roast beef any fowl ham's ... even homemade donair or shawarma too ...
Thanks, I was just wondering where I’m going to get ss mesh !
Amazing.
You can see the heat waving up like heat off of a runway as soon as you lighted it.
I think you have made something that millions will benefit from.
God bless you Rob.
Lighted??
@@romak4756
I should have used lit right?
It seems in America it is more common to use lighted while areas with more British influence use lit.
@@SI00000 Which is correct lit or lighted?
'Light' Has Two Past Tense Forms: 'Lit' and 'Lighted' Both words are correct. Light is one of those rare English words that has two acceptable past-tense forms.
Sadly, the heater does not work, it gives off fumes within minutes of ignition and the room or space becomes unbreathable quite quickly. I too, thought that this as a wonderful idea that Rob had found, but sadly not. Yes, I used 100% carbon Fibre and stainless-steel mesh as Rob did, I even put the brass handle and brass feet on the casing. You need some form of chimney that leads outside, but even then, it needs to be properly tried and tested. I also found that the Methanol burns out very quickly. If you fill the tin to half of its capacity it will burn out within thirty minutes, which also makes the heater expensive to run.
As I said before, It gives off great heat but it is not viable as a home heater.
@@robertmarsh6673 Rob says it burns for several hours. You may still be doing something wrong.
that without a doubt is the most impressive thing I have seen for making a simple stove! My hat off to you sir!
a cooking pan, a lid, sheet of metal, 2 soup cans, wire mesh and finally rubbing alcohol... now you can't beat it's simplicity... :)
BRILLIANT! Also, Roberts enthusiasm just gets through - he sounds as though he's in on one of the best pranks ever - infectious! However, it's serious and practical stuff, nicely done!
don't give him ur hat he'll just turn it into a giant wick for burning his granny
Wonderful presentation of a simple idea, no time wasting padding or promoting. An example of how to do it properly❤
Thanks so much!
My friend here deserves a show of his own .GREAT!JOB SIR
Great invention thankyou. I own a small 25l still to make ethanol. I'll be making this and running it on my ethanol. Great simple design, perfect timing for this winter rip off Britain's fuel prices. You are a Saint to lots of people, your free advice is invaluable
My son who lives in France runs his Citroen C2 on Ethanol. €20 for a full tank and it’s sold at most garages.
@@AJ-hi9fd Ethanol is very bad for vehicles and it will destroy the engine, fuel tank, gaskets, seals, and fuel pump.
@@johnmknox I did wonder this, having said that, it’s an old car and my son loves stripping engines so he’s probably not too worried 👍👍
I have stainless steel water distiller been told it can make brandy from cheap bottle sherry but too frightened to try would blow kitchen up I think ?? Anyone??
@@mermaidlafemme1022 Would you ba able to set it up outside? Until you get more confident that may be a solution.
Loved this project - so much so I've started experimenting with variations. Having done that I have a couple of recommendations:
First, that "small hole" on the inner can - my first attempt at the "stove" part blew the inside can clear into the air about 10 minutes after I started it with about 1/3 full with alcohol. People - if you try this project, Make sure the hole is either very, very small or much larger to prevent potential rocket-cans! A large hole will evac the pressure. You can use a rolled up piece of the carbon felt to act as a firestop in the hole - that blowing off is a lot safer than the can!
Second, putting the whole heater inside the reflective surface works, but it also puts the fuel in the reflective path. In a longer burn on mine, I found the outside can to be difficult to touch, and the alcohol started to boil a bit, resulting in a more aggressive burn and shorter burn time. I'm planning on putting the heater into a cut down coffee-can (i.e., larger than the bean can) and filling the coffee can with water to help keep the fuel cool. Plus I plan on cutting some aluminum to act as a heat shield, making it about the diameter of my reflector, and securing it around the outside can and under the mantle. This will direct the heat from the mantle away from the base, helping to keep the alcohol even cooler.
I also modified the mantle design - mine mantle to the outside can (not the inside) and the top piece of can, securing them together and helping to prevent any blown off cans. I also used a light gauge steel tube brazed between the top piece of can and the center of the small can with a hole cut in both, so I can use it to fuel the lower can. This makes the whole assembly one piece. If I have to replace the wick material, I can do that by removing the screws at the bottom of the mantle, pulling the two pieces apart. Regarding my reflector, mine will sit inside a five gallon steel can with a fairly wide opening cut in the side of the steel can about 3 inches from the bottom. That way, in the case of the unit spilling alcohol, any flammable liquid is contained in the heater itself, preventing a bigger fire from occurring.
All in all, sir, thank you for the inspiration!
WOW! Would love to see your design 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
Oh, I didn't realise the inner can needed a hole in it... I've just tested mine without any hole at all. Phew.
Can you share a video on your design
Also, couldn’t you just wrap the outer can with some of the carbon felt as an insulator?
Very impressive. This is gonna come in handy for a lot of people struggling with energy bills this winter. Thank you for posting.
Yes, if they don't set their house on fire or poison themselves with carbon monoxide.
If you find very cheap fuel...
I just Love how you always manage to find an easy, simple and yet beautiful solution!
Thank you! Cheers!
Handy DIY projects are so satisfying...when you know what you are doing. Thanks. They also keep your mind off the drama of the world and make you think you can survive a Mad Max zombie apocalypse which....you probably can. Thanks again.
I've watched this video more than any other on RUclips lately, I'm new to the channel and I've ordered everything I need to build mine. Given the current circumstances I think a resource like this needs sharing far and wide (I'll do my bit). I'm so glad I found Mr Robert Murray Smith, the best practical science teacher I never had :)
Hi Jamie, where did you order the aluminium and carbon felt from?
How did you get on with it?
@awatt If I could post an image of it on here, I would. It looks pretty good and was an easy build, but the methanol I used set off my carbon monoxide detector almost immediately, and it didn't matter if my burner and detector were on separate floors! I bought the fuel on Amazon. I then switched to using ethanol, and that was fine, but it doesn't make the mantle glow in the same way. The Ethanol didn't set my detector off even when it was right next to the heater. This has made the reflector element of it redundant, but I wouldn't burn Methanol in it again.
@blackbulldog4897 6 months later (sorry, YT didn't notify me of your reply) I used a small sheet of stainless steel for the reflector which I polished up, bought from Amazon, and I got the felt (welders mat) from ebay.
@@jamiedalton2623
Thanks for taking the time to reply
Turn the flame into infrared via a gauze or mantle and reflect the radiated heat into the room. Exactly the same working principles as the old Valor paraffin heaters we used to have in the 1960s👌
I like your attitude and style brother thank you
Function, form & low cost, dream combination. Beautiful. Keep 'em coming Robert.
i can watch your videos on an on just to see your energy and enthusiasm, i can skip coffee
Quick, easy and inexpensive to make and operate. It isn't just highly functional but with the addition of the brass ormalu it looks good as well. Absolutely brilliant, I'm in Canada and we appreciate any and all methods of heat production. Thanks for this informative and entertaining tutorial. André
akshuly the man is stinking rich he only looks poor and ur beloved ornamentation is all solid gold
Dear Sir,
This Bostonian got up at 3:30 am due to incredibly atrocious noises outside, flicked on my computer and began to watch your informative video. How can I begin to tell you how I appreciate your mirth, humor, spirit and "WARMTH?" ...."Everyone needs a bit of brass." Oh, thank you Sir! Actually, I now know what I have been missing! ;-) You are correct.
Thank you for giving a weary heart some respite with a laugh!
Keep on,
-J
Just a heads up - You can get a 2 ft section of aluminum duct @ Home Depot already formed in a half circle for $5. Works great 👍
Do they have "Home Depots" in Jolly old England?
@@larrysmith3558 Lowes
Where can you get methanol? I checked Home Depot and it’s not listed on their app.
@@NewNoob-vq4uh I use the auto product HEAT in the yellow container, not the red container. it works good and burns long and clean. In my research, it lasts longer than other fuels.
I also use oils like olive oil, corn oil, and vegetable oil.
As a designer and engineer I have just stumbled on Roberts channel , spot on and interesting. What I would say to yourself if you have had depression etc is carry on being practical and creative. It stimulates your mind and there’s nothing better that creating / making something yourself with pride . Trust me whatever it is you take interest in it will open up your world in more ways than one , all the best for the future . Well done Robert what a genuinely nice guy 👍and I’ll get round to watching more footage later .
Let converse📤❤😊
Think I'll go read my bible. Thanks
You always take it to the next level with your builds. It truly is a handsome piece of kit. Taking it to a crazy level would be a way to raise and lower the wick where it can be tuned just right and extinguished as well. Brilliant build as it is.
Awesome video! Just a reminder to have several battery operated carbon monoxide detectors in use while using any home made heat source. Stay safe this winter. Blessings to you and yours!
This seems like it would be dangerous to do in your home.
You are right to be concerned. In 1983 I helped remove 5 dead bodies from a shelter where they had been operating liquid fuel stoves for heat but with inadequate ventilation.
@@mrfitz96 hence get some ventilation or join the Darwin awards club
Right. Fire inside with no chimney. What could go wrong? Come to think of it, why do I have a chimney for my regular furnace? Think of al the heat I'm just throwing away.
"Awesome" Job! Not only is it a simple efficient heater, but is made out of sturdy readily available materials and looks good enough to make people think that you purchased it online. Love the brass legs and handle they give it a classy touch! 👍
Glad I saved those brass feet from an old stand!
Absolutely love this, definitely inspired me to create my own, my old man has a wood burner and has an ingenious fan on top, uses a thermo electric generator between the stove and the fan which runs the fan via the temperature difference, soon as the fan kicks on it blasts the hot air across the room, makes a huge difference to how quick the room heats up, it would definitely be a nice add on for the heater, not to mention how interesting thermal electric generation is
Since this is an infrared heater it works by reflecting the heat. A fan would cool down the reflector and reduce the heat output.
@@markdandeneau3404 thanks and i appreciate that but I wasn't meaning put the fan inside (or circulating air inside) i was meaning put the fan on top like you would a stove, heat rises so the top will get hot, I was just meaning redirect that rising heat out circulating the heat as opposed to it just rising up where alot of heat would be lost but i couldn't imagine this would effect the mantle
I have seen these things and they are expensive gimmicks that make bugger all difference. Save your money if you want something other than an interesting toy.
@@jb-dn3ct where did you get a gigantic jug of ethanol?
@@rfmjm368 I believe places that sell racing fuel have it for cheap.
Pardon the pun, Brilliant! This is the best DIY heater I’ve seen. As you said, it’s the simplicity of it! I imagine it could be made larger if needed. ❤️🇨🇦
Scale it up to a 4L paint can. Would easily last all night, and being a larger circumference a larger flame.
I love this idea. Keep coming back to it. I want to use it for my mini-camper, but I want to also maximize the air exchange, to defeat condensation, which is bad in those little boxes. If I put this heater (or a smaller one) in a box with lots of glass in it, with an air intake in the front, like the front damper on any wood stove. Then using 1/2-inch screws for spacing, stick the 2.5-inch chimney pipe inside a 3.5-inch diameter section of stove pipe. However much the alcohol burner breathes, it's exhaling up the chimney. Use that draft to bring in fresh air from outside that gets heated coming in through the space between the 3.5" and the 2.5" pipes.
That would guarantee the air would get turned over and I wouldn't be damp in the morning.
My Mini-camper has doors on either side, so I can make a plywood or composite insert for one of the door openings and cut a hole for the double-walled pipe I'll have for the horizontal stretch. I don't want the double wall part to be vertical, because I don't want convection to fight the convection cell I'm using to power the air circulation. But I bet if I make the horizontal stretch 8 or 10 inches, the incoming air will be warmed up by the hot chimney running up the middle. Maybe instead of screws as spacers, I should add longitudinal fins to the 2.5" pipe in the center. Conduct more heat to the fresh air passing over it. But I think that would create a little blower bringing fresh air across the top of the stove. The stove would be breathing air from the bottom of the camper. The fresh air coming in would be heated by the chimney on its horizontal journey through the plywood insert.
Winnerwell puts out a triple-walled pipe section for going through walls. But I don't think it's made to bring fresh air in. Anyway, I'd like to do a simple version, and then maybe add a reflector to the back two sides of the stove. facing the corner the stove would be in. It's easy to cut holes in those old ammo cans and put windows in 'em and I bought some window glass for wood stoves that's tempered and nice and thick.
The one thing I didn't like about RM-s's heater was it was burning O2 and not helping the air exchange. I really wanted it in an airtight box and help the space breathe, by bringing in warm fresh air.
I’m off to the shed...!
it is an awesome heater mate - tested it last night at home - talk about cozy
Right behind you!
@@ThinkingandTinkering I could see someone selling a stainless version on Amazon as a trendy camping stove for some outrageous price
@@ThinkingandTinkering looking forward to seeing a video about gasifying wood if that’s the term for making methanol
@@ThinkingandTinkering Hey Rob, I love this and have one built with all the correct parts etc but.... Mine only lasts half an hour whether I have about two cm of methanol or half a tin? What could it be? Please help mate!
I built this as a back up and it works great, but I run it on distilled alcohol as it is a safer and a cleaner burn for my truck cap when my fireplace runs out of wood. I will credit you for the build when I display it in my next snow camping video on my new channel. Thanks for the info.
Thank you, that is awesome .I lived through the total electric blackout here in San Antonio Tx, man made and of course it had snowed and it was so so cold. That would have been useful , now that I know, I will make one for my home.
You're one of those creative people we are so lucky to have on Earth.
Brilliant mind And Great Work shop♥️♥️♥️
I've been making methanol stoves for a few years now but have never seen this modification yet. How very cool. I will try this out on a smaller scale with my backpacking stoves. For some reason you remind me a bit of Fred Dibnah. Thanks for the upload!
How much carbon-monoxide does a heater like this produce? How dangerous is it to use indoors?
@@modelracecar We installed ventless gas heaters in our drafty farmhouse, and if it wasn't for the low oxygen cutoff sensors, we would be dead. You don't know what an adequate amount of ventilation is until it's too late. At least get a carbon monoxide detector.
@@modelracecar And how many people who build their own heaters are going to consult with a qualified heating engineer?
if you put it in your back pack you will be very warm indeed .. .. as you cook ... yum...
@@spuriouseffect as long as you have some ventilation, and that by no means requires a full open window, with a CO monitor as a precaution, plus the usual safety common sense when working with open flames etc etc your good to go
love it, Blue Peter for adults!!
for sure mate
I never tire of the lessons I learn on this channel. Amazing stuff at every turn!
I've made small alcohol stoves using carbon felt and it works great. I like your use of the screen as a mantle. That's a great idea.
Ok- my first prototype was a success, thanks Robert. Key thing I noticed was that having too much wick showing over the lip of the bottom can is a bad idea and leads to the burner running too hot. However, everything worked as it should and got the room nice and warm in a few minutes. The reflector I made from an old BBQ charcoal starter pipe cut in half and lined with aluminium foil. This is nice and sturdy so I just need a flat metal cap for this to put the woodburner fan for any stray heat. Overall, I'm astonished at how effective this is.
Great job matee, thnx going to save my life this winter much obliged keep up the wonderful work 2👍🏼🤗
What kind of alcohol? Thankyou kindly.
@@hazztv6317 Methanol
Is bio ethanol also an option?
@@mrc3063 I don't see why not. Ethanol has a higher energy density than methanol so I would consider what that means in terms of trying this safely.]
Absolutely wonderful videos!!! You sir are THE MAN! You belong on global television , you could educate all these young folks that have no clue of how day to day stuff works, much less how to fix it…. You are a treasure and I really enjoy and respect your work Sir, THANK YOU!!!!
That is great! You could use a magnetic mechanics dish to hold the cans, stop them from tipping over.
That would be pointless imho, because when magnets are heated above 176° Fahrenheit (80° Celsius), magnets will quickly lose their magnetic properties. The magnet will become permanently demagnetized if exposed to these temperatures for a certain length of time or heated at a significantly higher temperature. So it would work at the start after which it would lose it's magnetic properties...
@@Lalaland.001
I didn't know that... Thanks
So much to be learned in the comments
@@GreenCanvasInteriorscape you're welcoma man. Glad to be able to provide some extra knowledge...I always read most of the comments for the reason you mentioned as well. Have a magnificent day...
For the time we are in this could save many families over the winter great content as always Robert thanks a mill.
It could also burn down half their street...
For a DIY contraption it even looks elegant! not often achieved. I like the simple refill method, make a second burner. If you do that you are also fuelling it up with all parts cold, and as methanol burns almost invisibly this would minimise the possibility of fires and burns. Good job!
Put a second layer of aluminum behind the reflector with 1” inch stand offs to prevent burning anything that comes in contact with the reflector and it creates a draft or surface for hot air to rise getting more heat in to the air. There is a type of glass called boro silicate that you put around the out side of flame and you will still get heat with out the direct possibility of contact with an open flame.
So simple, yet so practical for when power goes out. I'm going to get mine built ASAP. Thanks for your brilliant practical videos Robert. Sub'd last week, great channel.
oh wow - cheers mate good to have you on board
@@ingulari3977
You missed Rob talking about safety didn't you?
@@scotttovey common sense is NOT that common anymore
@@ingulari3977 CO coming from that is true but it’s burning *so* cleanly that it’ll take a huge amount of time for it to produce enough to be serious, and that’s in a considerably enclosed space
@@ThinkingandTinkering Thanks for saying 6ins,and then 150mm,I'm a bloke of a certain age,prefer old money, cheers,I'll raise a glass to you later, and to my dad,would have been 112 today.
I wish I could post a pic of my camp rocket stove with an inverted, fancy, metal-screen trash can on top, a pot of hot water atop that semi-circumvented by a cutoff of two foot metal roof flashing. You keep me warm while I build a proper hearth pad and pipe pass-throughs, in a house years from insulation let alone windows... Thank you!
Hi. thanks for taking the time to detail this build. I too had trouble sourcing the carbon filter, I ended up using some exhaust pipe heat wrap made from glass fibre. worked a treat.
foreskin not big eneough eh?
I gathered and ordered all the parts and made this, but mine ended up being a rocket instead of a heater! 💥💥
Important safety tip. To prevent the inner can launching like a rocket when you light it, you need to make sure you pack enough felt wicking down between the two cans to prevent any flashback! 🤣
I have to ask how was the rocket?
Sounds like you had an anomaly 🤓
@@debbeet6309 not fun when you're stood next to it 😂
Same happened to me..😬. The carbon felt is at the same level as the outer smaller can..should it be lower? Or should i put a bigger hole in the smaller can...like a pressure relief? Cheers
@@Mr_Mz518 You'll likely get a smaller flame if the wick is a bit lower and a bigger flame if it's higher. I ended up making a big hole in the smaller can and placed a penny on top.
Love your enthusiasm after the build when things work n look well... its great to still have the spirit of your inner child... many people ignore...caught up from the complexities of a sophisticated world and a self complicated life. Beauty of simplicity is refreshing...
Thanks
Wow... so glad I found this amazing channel 👏
awesome mate
Me too!
That build is brilliant. Always keep things simple, then they will work. Even my kitchen got warm watching this 👍
Currently building a workshop in my garage which is unheated….given todays energy crisis and soaring costs I’ve just found my garage heater…thanks a lot…seems like an interesting wee project to build.
Brilliant , love it !! make it a tad safer by putting one of them super strong magnets on the bottom of the can and you can bump into it and it wont fall over. Going to build on for my shed, fantastic !!
Cool idea!
Someone else commented that magnets lose their magnetism when they are heated and they do not return to being magnetic when they cool
What a genius setup you have made! Will def be making a few of these! Thank you so very much for your skill sharing!
Fabulous. My power went out for about 5 hrs and I woke up to a 32• room Fahrenheit. This would come in handy as well as keep my electric bill down on days when it's not so cold .
Superb !
The shiny aluminium is obviously great as a reflector. But it might be an idea to paint the rear surface with some matt black stove paint, because that texture and colour is actually a superior infrared emitter.
I agree, that is fantastic. Thank you for coming up with this design and putting it out there. Brilliant.
I have watched this video twice. I am both fascinated and somewhat disturbed by the simplicity and complexity of your design and thought processes. That said, I see the value in your ideas. Please keep being you.
This is brilliant, thank you. I have been looking for something to heat a shed and I think I have found it. And you managed to make it look good too!
if u have to heat ur shed ur not putting it to proper use
This is a useful item to have, a non-electric heater. I realized I didn't have any of the items to hand so I priced them out & came up with a conservative $93.00 (including fuel). Amazon sells an indoor propane heater for $84.00 & kerosene heater for $105.00. If I had most of the bits it would be worth the go. Unfortunately for me I'm stuck getting the completed piece instead. I did enjoy your video, it was creative & clear enough that I felt confident I could succeed building it. Thanks
yes u cd use jeff besos as a wick
Dude! I could build this for nowt
Get supplies at thrift stores &
Habitat for Humanity Resale Stores. I only paid retail for the fuel. Including fuel, I spent less than $15.
I think the main appeal of a lot of these projects is that you can knock them up with things you've got around your shop, etc.
I have no clue what accent that is (sorry, USA here) but this man is a delight and I will listen to him all day
Love it. I love the mantle. Ibhave been using ethanol soaked lost insulation in a bean tin as a prototype and was wondering how to go about making a mantle. Your whole device is brilliant. Simple is always good.:)
Impressive! It could be used in many situations as an alternative heat source. Great job!
After several failed attempts I was finally able to successfully create one, now! can I make it use vegetable oil as a fuel supply, I believe I can, if it wasn't for these videos my family would have froze this winter, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS!!!!
One more suggestion could you do a room temperature check before and after the heater has been in operation with a 1 hour spacing? As well as provide some brief details of the room size and how well it is insulated so that viewers will have a realistic indication of what they can expect otherwise brilliant video.
A simpler way to figure out how much heat is released is to look at the amount of fuel consumed. As the fuel is burned, the heat will be released. Methanol has about 57,000 BTU per gallon. Some fuels like diesel have about twice that amount of heat. Just taking a guess from the size of the can he is holding I suspect there is about 1 cup of fuel, maybe a little more. If one cup of fuels lasts four hours, it would burn about 8 cups in 24 hours. That would be about 1/2 gallon of fuel per day so about 28,000 BTU per day. To simplify this that is about 1,000 BTU per hour. It could easily be more. Maybe 2,000 BTU per hour.
This is the wrong kind of thinking. You won't be cold in a cold room sitting next to a radiating heater
@@cryptickcryptick2241 wrong kind of thinking, see my comment
@@arjanmuyen3684 While it is true a radiative heater can direct heat at an individual, and make that individual both "warmer," and make that individual "feel warmer." The amount of heat that is directed is important. It is well known in the world of physics and in the wold of heating and air conditioning how much heat a space needs. In the United States, a normal 1500 watt 120 volt electric heater gives off 5,115 BTU. According to my calculations, the heater here gives off between 1/4 to 1/2 of the that amount of heat. One small portable electric heater is generally not considered enough heat to heat a house. Sometimes it can heat one small room in a house.
Just a heads up - you can get a 2 ft section of aluminum duct already formed in a half circle for $5. Works great 👍
Great video thanks, very educational.
I have been inspired to make two versions using methanol as the fuel.
Firstly, an off the shelf pocket meths stove with a 4" tall 1mm mesh mantle jubilee clipped around the stoves screw thread. I have topped the mantle with the lid of a jam jar. It works great either on its own or underneath one of the off the shelf BS-150 Outdoor Cosy heater caps from video 1786. When the BS-150 is used, I can boil a camping kettle in minutes.
Second version is a duplicate of the tin can burner in this video, but instead of making the surround stand in this video I have simply placed it inside an existing old cast iron chiminea. As the chimney flue is not needed I have just put a cake tin on top and it keeps my tin mug of coffee warm as well as heating me in the garage.
I wouldn't have considered doing these if it wasn't for your videos. So I'd either be using a gas camping stove or installing a wood burner chimney. I'd now be happy to take the chiminea indoors now if our central heating goes down. Thanks again.
Wow somebody on YT with some actual worthwhile practical advice.
Excellent job.... If you forgo the handle on the lid you could use one of the fans that narrow boaters use to distribute the heat. Your enthusiasm is very infectious!!!! Looking forward to the methanol production vid!!
don't some of those stove top fans generate electricity as well? You could charge your phone at the same time.
next modification: DIY Stirling engine fan, LED light and phone charger in one!
Or use the top to boil the kettle.
@@tomfool43 not enough voltage in most of not all situations to charge your phone from a thermoelectric ceramic generator. It'll spin a fan, though
@@williamclay190 You might be surprised at the amount of power these TEGs can put out. Don't go for the expensive ones though, they are made for really high temperature gradients and won't work in this situation. The ones on eBay for about £4-5 work quite well. Connect them to a LTC3780 (that's what to search for) based buck-boost converter (very high efficiency) to give a steady voltage output.
The addition of a mantle as well as a reflector is genius not to mention the overall aesthetics of the brass feet and handle. Nicely done, Sir! I've got all the parts to build a similar-size stove as this one. I think I want to scale this up just a little bit--not a great deal. One additional thing I thought of was to add a small magnet to either the bottom of the fuel can or the floor of the lower cake tin to provide some additional stability. I will probably not use a neodymium magnet as that might be too strong of a pull on the fuel can. Of course there is the law of diminishing returns w/ all of this but I think it will be worth the effort to find out.
Let us know how it turns out!
@@Goody2shzToo Will do! It's clear why Robert has 300k subscribers. One thing I will do little different is the handle. Here in the USA, some people have cast iron wood stoves (sometimes called Ben Franklin stoves) and they have metal springs around the handles so you can touch them without getting burned. I think I will try that instead of the brass handles. And I will try my best not to "go crazy" with this heater as Robert admonished. I probably won't do a continuous feed line; I'm going to keep it simple!
Well, I don't know hot this burns, but magnets lose their magnetism in high heat. That's why there are refrigerator magnets and not oven door magnets. So, this may be too hot for magnets to work and once the magnets are done in by heat, they are done. Of course, I found out by sticking frig magnets on an oven. Little magnets. So maybe, they just weren't great magnets! IDK.
@@katyaflippinov9197 that’s true but I’m thinking the bottom probably won’t get as hot as the top. Of course I won’t know until it’s assembled and working. Another option would be to bolt in the bottom of a slightly larger can in which to place to fuel can. Half the fun is trying out different things!
This would be MAGNIFICIENT for emergency heating, and better yet with a few bricks of limestone behind it, you'd have a very serviceable radiant heater! I could see one being in the fireplace this winter for the inevitable power outage. Once you get it up to temp, provided you have somewhere for the exhaust to leave your domicile (a flue for instance, cough), waste oil would be another contender. I save all my oil from oil changes to power my forge, but this would be an excellent stand-in when I'd rather save my readily burnable fuels for generators or whatnot.
Solid home run, Robert! 👍
I like that idea mate - I am thinking of a fuel tank and feed system but I was worried about the heat with a fuel tank so close because it does get hot - the bricks idea would help with insulting the fuel tank and storing the heat - brilliant add mate - and yes the waste oil would be good
What about totally build arround with limestone or other heat resistant bricks? Will it be efficient?
I’m 3 min into the first vid I’ve ever seen from this channel and I can already tell I’m gonna sit here and binge until morning. It’s currently 11:43pm
Thank you for yet another fantastic, useful, and entertaining video! It really is a nice-looking a little stove once it's all put together.
Brilliant as usual always informative and entertaining
cheers mate
I just stumbled across this video and it actually gave me exactly the info i needed to make rocket stove in to a heater. Had the idea but now i know the materials that will work. Thank you for great video sir
Robert, if you cut a 4" hole out of the top where the handle is, you could probably boil a kettle full of water for tea or cook on it. You could use a disk shaped piece of steel to cove the hole when not in use or another baking tray on top with your brass handle attached to that if you like, then the cover can be lifted off.
Burning your hand could be a problem with handles on top as someone is bound to try and pick it up while hot, there's always that someone 😆
It could be a stove and a heater. I'm thinking similar to how the top of a pot belly stove works, it might be a slow cooker but what's the rush anyway while taking five 🙂
I like this idea of yours by the way, looking forward to more updates, stick with this one for a bit please 👍
Pretty cool!
@@muggy7960 Thank you!
I love this! Could you suggest any other fuel to use as methanol is not that cheap to buy unless its bought in large amounts. I have a Chinese diesel heater that I used to run on red diesel. I will run it on Heating oil that I managed to get cheap from a friend but that wont last forever and being a future proofing kind of person Im trying to find alternatives to use. I think a mixture of heating solutions will work best for me. I live off grid on a boat using solar for electricity. I still love every video you make and cant help connecting with your sheer, unabashed joy at the results of your experiments! I hope you know the difference you are making to many peoples lives by the information you are imparting. Well done Robert..you lovely lovely Man! :o) xx
I have something for you tomorrow! I won't spoil it now but look out for tomorrow's vid - it may help
@@ingulari3977 No, it won't be on him. If you stab yourself in the face with a knife, it that on Victorinox? You take your life in your hands every time your cross the road or take a breath. Being mortal can make you miserable and avoidant or curious and experimental. It's an aesthetic choice kinda thing. I think I detect which one you've chosen.
Followed the video and added magnets underneath the cake tin to hold the burner in place. Great work once again mate 👏
Real eye opener. Thanks!
Just curious ...what ventilation and exhaust are needed and would it set off smoke alarms?
Probably not smoke alarms since it seems to burn cleanly, but you definitely need ventilation because it is producing CO.
Your vids are brilliant Robert. Just subscribed after watching this one. Definately going to build this one, it will be great in my little workshop (yes it's well ventilated). Cheers
Thank you very much for your time. It took me a while to get accustom to the accent but I did. Thank you again for the straight forward explanation and demonstration, great idea. Enjoy Life and keep being a blessing, from Bridgeport Connecticut
I have been making some heaters lately too! strangely similar design (been using beer kegs and gas and a steel cylinder with holes in it, but i expect this fuel option with fine gauze mesh would result in simlar output.) will send an email soon. excellent work! (yours is a superior design as much more simple components)
Came for the reflector, stayed for the brass.
lolololol
Yes and though there's brass, there's no muck that I can see!
. . . A nice little heater,
That really kicks A__!
😂 That was awesome
@@ThinkingandTinkering any ballpark estimate on the BTU output? Looks so awesome and efficient. Thanks 👍
That is absolute amazing and looks amazing. I can't believe I've just found your channel today. And you've found a new subscriber.
the brass fittings and black cake tins really make it look the part, actually looks a lot more expensive than it really is, nicely done.
I made one and it exploded. That small hole at the top acts as a ignition hole.
Made the hole much bigger ( 8 mm ) and dropped a short carriage bolt 6 mm in as a gravity pressure valve.
This works good. No explosion since. Also easy to refill through the hole .
Do you get an acrid smell when it's lit??
@@chasejdmartin No, but i intend to place this burner in my woodstove and leave the door open .
Where did you get your felt from? The one I made really does stink and gets you in the eyes. I've checked the felt I've got it doesn't melt or burn
@@chasejdmartin From Aliexpress It was a 3 week delivery.
@@chasejdmartin Yes, mine gives off acrid fumes as well which irritates my eyes and makes them water. I'm using 99.9% pure methanol and 100% carbon felt.
That stove is GENIUS! I love it! I’m going to make one. Thank you!!
Brilliant video, as soon as I saw it come up on my feed I knew it would be the next thing I build. Finally got all the components together (a fun part was standing in the canned food aisle testing out various combinations, finally settling on a stout Dinty Moore’s beef stew can and a large dog food can, now both my dog and I can have a snack 😊)
I haven’t read all of the comments so I’m not sure if it’s been asked, but have you thought of a way to turn it off? Possibly an oversized “snuffer” that you could put over top of the can once the mantle is removed?
EDIT: remember to put something over the hole on top of the interior can. Trust me.
had you not thought to eat the dogs instead?
I won't be building the heater but you have inspired me to bake a pea can pie.
Absolutely brilliant Mr. Murray. Love the unbridled enthusiasm. Bout to trek around Australia and I will no doubt be taking a lot of your wisdom with me. So refreshing to see workable content. Thankyou very, very much.
It may be hard to find metal cans that are not coated with plastic (especially tomatoes which are acidic). Don't see why this design is not sold commercially. Great Job!
Worst case you can just burn the plastic out (outdoors we hope!) and still use the can. But definitely a plastic-free can would be much better as you say.
Hi Rob,well done I want to make some of these,but was thinking about fumes smoke,how much smoke does it give out.I want to use this for keeping my conservatory warmer which has plants.
Neat heater!!! This is my second winter living without grid electricity and I have been heating with experimental heaters. I have been playing with candles, alcohol stoves, oil lamps and kerosene. I love the mantle and reflector design. I intend to try it next. I'm currently using a big aluminum air cooled cylinder head suspended just above an oil lamp. It gets hot and the aluminum cooling fins dissipate the heat into the room. It's not perfect but it is cheap and runs all night. The idea came from the terracotta candle heaters and the fact that I have condemned cylinders laying around everywhere. The next improvement is going to be a fan for circulation.
Looks like it would be easy to add a chimney to vent outside, or the whole thing could be used in a fireplace instead of wood. Have you considered adding a thoriated lamp mantle for a brighter light? Very nice project and great, simple design.
Hey good idea...I could put it in my old retired prefab fireplace, maybe put a computer fan nearby to blow heat out...thanks.
Re chimneys.. Lightweight backpack stove enthusiasts sometimes make such out of long strips of titanium rolled in a spiral. Can get a long length packed up a smallish convient volume. Once red hot/cooled Titanium will want to spring back into chimney shape. Long chimney also radiates lots heat.
. Up Draft from such a chimney is also great for getting a wood fire or BBQ going
What is a thrilled mantle? Interesting.
@@garychandler4296 thoriated mantles are the things used in Coleman lanterns to make them put out a lot more light than the mere flame will produce. The mantle glows white-hot.
@@ordinaryaverageguy76 Thanks. I hink other metallic salts might do nearly as well, and possibly ceramic wool or fiberglass. Incandescence puts out more UV, and seems to me, more heat.
Awesome work!!! Luv its simple design and cost effectiveness!
Thank you! Cheers!
I love this guy, he seems like really warm hearted human being
What a fabulous invention, Robert!
Thank you for sharing it with us 🙏🏻