Ultralight Outfitters Beer Can Stove System for Esbit Fuel

[paul johnson]

Richard,

I’m emailing David directly. At least you were thinking. I apparently was not.

Thanks for the suggestion. It’s appreciated.
pj

Bill,

I understand now how the “Biru” nickname came about after reading a follow-on post of yours. Tactful explanation, unless i’m mistaken.

[Miguel Arboleda]

I’ve been interested in the Ultralight Outfitters Beer Can Stove, but haven’t been able to find Foster’s been can sizes here in Japan. The nearest I’ve found so far are the 1000 ml and 500ml cans (both available in vending machines, in addition to the 3 liter, small keg-like cans). I’ve been unable to find any good can openers either (I’ve asked my brother in Boston to find me a Good Cook can opener though). Like Dave’s dilemma, ordering anything from overseas would be astronomically expensive to and from Japan. So unless I can find a proper .75 liter can I’ll have to resort to making my own beercan stove, probably using a 1 liter can… Would anyone know how to make a silicon lip guard ring?

[David Lewis]

Miguel… what about a big can of Sapporo? It’s got a funky shape (very sexy looking actually… you’d be the envy of all those other UL backpackers with their ugly Fosters cans)… but it’s about the right volume (650 mL/22 oz.). It’s not as big around as a Fosters… so it would be hard to eat out of or cook in… only good for boiling water… but it might work! And also… the can does not flare out below the lid… like almost every other can… so you don’t need a Good Cooks opener!!!! ANY side cut can opener would do the trick! It must be a side cut opener though.

Here’s a pic:
http://www.sixthseal.com/images/sapporo.jpg

I just had another thought. If all you are ever doing is boiling water… why even remove the top?!?! That way you get a built-in lid :P

[David Lewis]

If anyone is ineterested… the following marco shot of a Zwiesel side cut can opener on a Foster can shows why you need the Good Cook or Rosle opener.

As you can see, the big cutting wheel on the Zwiesel bumps into the flare at the top of the can… so you can’t get a grip on it. I assume the Good Cook has a different style of cutting wheel… but most openers have a really big wheel like this one.

[Arapiles .]

Hi Bill

Oh, I see "Biru" = Bill, not beer. My apologies for the mistake – but forgivable, I hope, given the topic! I must admit when I first moved here the use of "biru" for both beer and building did cause me quite a bit of confusion.

[David Lewis]

Hey Bill and Paul. I can get the Fosters cans here… so an opener would be much more useful to me as the cans will surely need to be replaced from time to time. I called around this morning though to a few other places and one place had a side cut opener that sounds like it might work. The clerk explained it to me on the phone and she said that it looks “really weird” compared to a normal side cut openers and she said the two rotating parts are “really small”… it does not have a big cutting wheel like the others. I don’t remember the brand name… but it was a really long and weird name that I didn’t recognize. So I’m gonna to take a look at it and if that doesn’t work… I may take you up on your kind offer :)

[David Lewis]

Miguel… a rubber band would probably work just as well for the lip guard. With these side cut openers, there are no sharp edge at all. I don’t have my Ultralight Outfitters stove yet… but my guess is that the lip guard is more to give your lower lip a cool surface to rest against while sipping rather than protect you from a sharp edge. Again, with a side cut opener, the edge is very blunt. So a wide elastic band would do the same thing I imagine.

Also… WRT to post about the Sapporo can… I just noticed that this can has a lid on both ends. That could be a bacteria trap if you ever have any food or drink in the can.I just mentioned this can as I assume you can get them in Japan.

[Patti Binder]

Hi folks,
Just curious about how well these things work.
Have any of you done any testing on your new stove systems yet, or are you just sitting around admiring, weighing, and talking about them;?
I’m wondering if the sleeve/windscreen has an effect of concentrating the heat from the flame up the sides of the can, and thus heating the water faster and more efficiently. I haven’t decided if I’ll get the set yet. So, could someone do a controlled test both with and without the wind screen either in still air or with a wind screen further away to eliminate the heat-funnel effect of the screen being so close? In my experience with a tall titanium pot, it takes noticeably longer(than a flatter aluminum pot of the same capcity) to boil with wood or esbit or even when I tested it on my electric stove burner.
Also, just curiouser, does the pot snuff out the esbet tab and can you pick up the hot pot with the windscreen right away, or do you need a “pot holder”? Any other observations?
Many Thanks!

I’m thinking that a rubber band on the edge of a very hot can would probably either melt or dry up and disintigrate prematurely. They make silicon that is very heat resistant(muffin and cake pans are made from it.) The rubber band thing is a good idea though,if we could just find heat resistant silicon rubber bands.

[Bill Fornshell]

I just got back from the Post Office. I made a small box that would hold a Fosters Beer Can and/or the Good Cook Safe Cut can opener.

I checked postage to Japan for the Beer Can alone, for the Can Opener alone and for both at the same time.

I checked shipping to Canada only for Good CooK Can Operner since Fosters Beer is sold in Canada. The Surface Mail rate was a little more than the Regular Air Mail for some reason so I am only listing the Air Mail rate.

To cover Texas sales tax and to keep it simple the Fosters Beer can would be $2.00 and the can opener would be $11.00 plus the cost of shipping.

To Japan: Postage Only
1- Beer Can alone –
*Regular Air Mail – 7-10 days = $6.40
*Express Air – 3-5 days = $17.00
2- Can Opener alone –
*Regular Air Mail – 7-10 days = $8.40
*Express Air – 3-5 days =$21.00
3- Beer Can and Can Opener-
*Regular Air Mail – 7-10 days =$9.70
*Express Air – 3-5 days = $21.00

To Canada: Postage Only
1- Can Opener only –
*Regular Air Mail – 5-7 days = $3.10

I don’t drink beer so the beer gets dumped. I checked with a few friends that drink beer and they don’t drink Fosters Beer.

[Miguel Arboleda]

David, thanks for the info on the Sapporo bottle (and sorry to take so long to answer… the time lag puts me to sleeping when most of you are awake!), but I’ve never seen that particular Sapporo beer can here before (and Sapporo is my second favorite beer in Japan.. Ebisu being the first). It must be, as is written on the can, an import version. I visited a few grocery and liquor stores earlier this evening, but no 650 ml cans.

Also you idea for the lip guard being replaced by a rubber band is a good one, though I wonder about the taste of the thing. Have you ever put a rubber band in your mouth??? I did come up with the idea of using my recent BandAid Africa bracelet as a lip guard. Has no taste and looks nice in white.

Bill, thanks so much for taking the time to check out postage prices to Japan. I appreciate it. The prices are not as bad as I imagined, but still a bit steep for something like a beer can… I have to follow your example and try to use ingenuity to figure out the problem rather than spend more money than is strictly necessary. It’s just a matter of time, I guess. Necessity is the mother of invention, no?

[David Lewis]

Hey Patti. I don’t have one yet… so I’m not able to offer any testing. As for the rubber band… good point… it was just an idea. Still… it would be so far from the bottom of the pot that I don’t imagine it would get that hot. And you wouldn’t have to use it while cooking. Nevertheless… Miguel could order the stove… it comes with the lip guard… he just can’t get Foster’s cans.

[David Lewis]

To be honest Miguel… I don’t think the lip guard would be needed anyway. But I don’t have a stove setup and haven’t done any testing under any conditions yet… so who knows. But you probably right… the rubber band was not a great idea :)

[David Lewis]

To be honest Miguel… I don’t think the lip guard would be needed anyway. But I don’t have a stove setup and haven’t done any testing under any conditions yet… so who knows. But you probably right… the rubber band was not a great idea :)

[David Lewis]

For anyone who can’t find the Good Cook can opener (I think you can only get it in the US) I found a can opener today that also works. I think it’s the same design (in terms of how it works) as the Rosle opener. Like the Rosle, it’s more expensive though. The opener is made by Cuisipro. I just made the Foster Cook Pot and it’s awesome. Weighs nothing… and the opener keeps the metal ring at the top of the can… so it’s nice and strong too. And I can get my hand inside for cleaning no problem.

http://www.cuisipro.com/site/pages/pc_e_can_open.asp

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi David, While you found another can opener I may have found the Lip Guard.

There a ton of them listed on ebay.

rings on ebay

What do you think? I even think I saw them for sale at Wal Mart with names on them. I may have to take a walk and check it out.

[David Lewis]

Thanks Bill. I’m losing track of what all those different colors stand for… lol. Are those bracelets not rubber? In any case, I bought the Ultralight Outfitters stove… so I will be getting a silicone lip guard.

I also just used my can opener to make a Heinekin 710 mL pot. It’s awesome. I like it much better than the Fosters pot. The raised areas and barrel shape make it much stronger… and it’s only 2 grams heavier. It’s also a little shorter… making it easier to eat out of… if you wanted to. I’m going to take some aluminum sheet and make a windscreen / stand for it tonight… once some of this beer wears off!!!! LOL.

One other little tip. Rather than open the can fully before taking the lid off… I just very lightly pryed the pop tab… just enough to relieve the pressure before cutting the top off. Then I twisted the pop tab off, cut off the lid and saved it to use as a pot lid. It’s heavier than a peice of foil of course… but it’s a perfect fit and might work a little better. 6 grams.

[Bill Fornshell]

David and others: Google “Silicon Rubber Bands”. You are in for a big surprise. I am about sure this is what Ultralight Outfitters is using. They come in every color of the rainbow and about any combination you can think of. You can also get about anyword or words you want stamped into the band.

I am on my way to Wal Mart to see if that is where I saw them for sale with peoples first names on them.

I also am going to see if they have the Heinekin 710ml cans and buy one if they do.

[Bill Fornshell]

I got a 710ml/24oz Heineken Beer Can and it will work with the Ultralight Outfitters Stove. However. It is to wide in its middle to work with the windscreen acting as a doublewall drinking mug.

I agree with David and think the Heineken Beer Can is stronger than the Fosters Beer Can.

Here are a few pictures. I haven’t removed the can top yet.

[David Lewis]

Hey Bill. Thanks for the pics. I think the Heineken can is actually a LOT stronger. I think it could survive in the pack quite well without having to have a stainless steel wrapper. You could always stuff it with some clothing too to make it less prone to damage in the pack. My plan now is to make an aluminum windscreen/stand for the Heineken pot and to then get some neoprene and sew a small band to fit between the two big bumps in the can (i.e. covering the same area as the green printed label). This will act as a cozy so you can hold it when hot. The windscreen/stand will stow inside the pot.

[Hajime Kawasaki]

Hi Bill
Thanks a lot for your information.
I am much amazed that you really experiment the Flux ring to alcohol stove. and respect your scientific mind.
It’s a pity to hear that your Flux ring atachment did not work ! (in Japanese , we say “Zannen !”).
But I believe the principle of the more surface, the more effective heat absorption.
Any alternative idea do’nt you have ?

I am searching for the web shops selling 750ml can ,but I could not find them yet.
In Japan,maybe we can not get 750ml can.
So I try the snow peak Java press can.

It looks that the coil on the press will absorb the heat of flare…..

[D G]

Has anybody considered the possibility of this stove being used with a tiny alchohol stove sitting on the ESBIT tab holding tray?

I couldn’t help thinking that as an alternative/backup to ESBIT tabs a tiny alchohol stove might work. The tray for the ESBIT tab could even work as a priming tray.

Just a thought.

[Joshua Mitchell]

I’m a big fan of the heine can. very strong. btw, Bill, from the pictures, it looks like you lose the “autosnuff” ability of the stand when you use the heine. Is that the case?

http://www.ultralightoutfitters.com/index.php?h=packing&n=stove&s=set

[David Lewis]

Daniel… yes… I plan on trying it with a MoGo Firefly… it’s a very tiny alc. stove that should work well with such a small pot. And the distance looks about right.

[Dondo .]

Daniel, I tried it with Sgt. Rock’s Ion Stove and it works well. The fuel efficiency of the Ion stove and the Esbit tabs are similar,about.5 oz. per boil. There would be a weight penalty for the stove(.3 oz.) and my fuel container,a Lil’ Nipper bottle(.7 oz.)

[Bill Fornshell]

1- David’s idea for a neoprene “Band/Cozy” to help hold the Cook Pot when it is hot is a good one. I made one for my Heineken Cook Pot. This is very easy and I just “hand” sewed it. The cozy weighs 0.35oz.

2- Hajime, Thanks for the nice comments. If you get a Snow Peak “Java” press let us know how it works.

3- Daniel, I put my Brasslite Turbo I stove on the stove pan but the stove is to tall. There is 2.25″ of space between the pan bottom and the underside of the Fosters Can. I looked at both the SGT Rock Ion stove and the MoGo Firefly stove. I have never made a soda can stove and think I will try the Ray Garlington (YACC) stove and see how it works.

Link to YACC

4- Joshua, you are correct, you lose the “auto stuff” ability with the Heineken can

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