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250190 RH Hutchins <rhhutchins@h...> 2014‑08‑26 Expanding Aluminum
If this is OT, I trust the listmoms to file it in the round file.

I'm trying to make some beer can stoves.  I'm making a dozen or so to 
give to friends.  The design I'm using calls for a top (with a hole in 
it to receive fuel) and bottom which sandwich in a baffle made from the 
spout of the bottle-shaped been can.  The process means that the bottom 
piece must be stretched ever so slightly to allow it to slip over the 
top piece.  The instructions I've seen call for all kinds of techniques 
and I've tried most of them with mixed success.

One of the problem is that the aluminum is so thin that it dents very 
easily; so great care must be taken to avoid this as it pretty much 
ruins the design and the function of the stove.

After cutting out the requisite pieces, I've tried stretching the bottom 
sides with no success.  I've placed the bottom on another can and gently 
pressed on with a press but then I can't remove it.  I've cut the other 
can away and removed it but the bottom didn't expand enough to 
accommodate the top piece.

I hope that this description makes SOME sense.

Can anyone suggest techniques that I might use.  I have a number of old 
tools - including my feeble brain that just entered its 73rd year - that 
I might put to use but am at a loss which to try.

Bob Hutchins
Temple, TX, USA
--
250193 "Peter H" <p-j-h@w...> 2014‑08‑27 Re: Expanding Aluminum
http://vimeo.com/64726512

	See the section beginning at 3:15.
Best of luck.

Cheers
PeterH in Perth

	p.s. Just in case you cannot access the video:

	What is shown at 3:15 is a simple method of crimping

	which occurs when the fuel vents are created in the top section.

	A pocket knife is used to press evenly spaced creases around

	the top part of the can along the length of it, much like a stovepipe
joint.

	The knife makes a small dent at the shoulder of the can top which

	becomes a vent channel. The crimped lower edge of the can top

	can now be inserted into the bottom part of the can.

	-------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----   From: "RH Hutchins"  
To:"old >> Unknown" 
Cc: 
Sent:Tue, 26 Aug 2014 16:03:49 -0500
Subject:[OldTools] Expanding Aluminum

 If this is OT, I trust the listmoms to file it in the round file.

 I'm trying to make some beer can stoves. I'm making a dozen or so to 
 give to friends. The design I'm using calls for a top (with a hole in

 it to receive fuel) and bottom which sandwich in a baffle made from
the 
 spout of the bottle-shaped been can. The process means that the
bottom 
 piece must be stretched ever so slightly to allow it to slip over the

 top piece. The instructions I've seen call for all kinds of
techniques 
 and I've tried most of them with mixed success.

 One of the problem is that the aluminum is so thin that it dents very

 easily; so great care must be taken to avoid this as it pretty much 
 ruins the design and the function of the stove.

 After cutting out the requisite pieces, I've tried stretching the
bottom 
 sides with no success. I've placed the bottom on another can and
gently 
 pressed on with a press but then I can't remove it. I've cut the
other 
 can away and removed it but the bottom didn't expand enough to 
 accommodate the top piece.

 I hope that this description makes SOME sense.

 Can anyone suggest techniques that I might use. I have a number of
old 
 tools - including my feeble brain that just entered its 73rd year -
that 
 I might put to use but am at a loss which to try.

 Bob Hutchins
 Temple, TX, USA
 -- 
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250194 "Cliff Rohrabacher, Esq" <rohrabacher@e...> 2014‑08‑27 Re: Expanding Aluminum
Don't stretch the can.  Use a knife edge to crease ( crimping is what 
you are doing)  the top half around several places to shrink the top 
half and insert that into the base.
250205 RH Hutchins <rhhutchins@h...> 2014‑08‑27 Re: Expanding Aluminum
Thank you for the responses.  The video shows a little different 
technique than the one I planned to use, but I'm definitely going to 
give it a try.

bh
Temple, TX

On 8/26/2014 7:35 PM, Peter H wrote:
>
> http://vimeo.com/64726512
>
> See the section beginning at 3:15.
> Best of luck.
>
> Cheers
> PeterH in Perth
>
>
> p.s. Just in case you cannot access the video:
>
> What is shown at 3:15 is a simple method of crimping
>
> which occurs when the fuel vents are created in the top section.
>
> A pocket knife is used to press evenly spaced creases around
>
> the top part of the can along the length of it, much like a stovepipe 
> joint.
>
> The knife makes a small dent at the shoulder of the can top which
>
> becomes a vent channel. The crimped lower edge of the can top
>
> can now be inserted into the bottom part of the can.
>
>
250208 Brent Kinsey <brentpmed@c...> 2014‑08‑27 Re: Expanding Aluminum
On Aug 26, 2014, at 4:03 PM, RH Hutchins  wrote:

> If this is OT, I trust the listmoms to file it in the round file.
> 
> I'm trying to make some beer can stoves


If not OTC, certainly galootish! Repurposing something, using hand tools to make
a useful item, tinkering...definitely galootish.

 I am thinking I can use this in my (ventilated) shop to heat a double boiler to
cook hide glue, i already have the alcohol in the shop.  I am going to have to
make a couple for my nephews camping kits.

Brent K.
Who is now playing with aluminum cans and googling beer can stoves...-----------
-------------------------------------------------------------
250210 RH Hutchins <rhhutchins@h...> 2014‑08‑28 Re: Expanding Aluminum
On 8/27/2014 5:51 PM, Brent Kinsey wrote:
> Ok Bob,
> Thanks for sending me down the rabbit hole....
>
> After googling and watching numerous videos I had to go to the 7-11 to buy a
bottle shaped beer can (which I won't drink) a different sized energy drink
(which I also won't drink) and a couple of soda cans.  I am now also lamenting
the demise of the Heineken keg shaped can (which I would have drank) even though
I didn't know that I gave a rats behind about can shape, and had no idea they
had quit making that can. (if you are wondering, search out the "penny stove" on
the web...here.  http
://www.jureystudio.com/pennystove/index.html)
>
> I now HAVE TO make some of these: a side burner, a penny stove (self
pressurizing), the penny wood burner, and there are probably a half dozen more
to try.
>
> I did see someone using a press to expand the can and it led me to wonder if
we used an un-opened soda can as the die, lightly greased the inside of the
piece to be expanded then pressed them together...the full can wouldn't dent or
crush and the lubricant should make it easier to twist the expanded piece off.
The expanding jaw chuck from a lathe might work as a spreader if you used a
strip of tin cut to fit around the chuck to even out the round pressure so it
would spread more evenly.
>
> Geez, see what you did to me?
>
> Brent K.  Just slightly north of you in OK.
>
You're welcome, (heheheh)!

Nothing like giving someone a slight push to start them down another 
slippery slope . . .   or rabbit hole.

I tried the press but was notably unsuccessful using a full can as a 
die.  Oh, it pushed into the other piece easily enough but even using 
different oils and vaseline I was unable to separate the two pieces 
without cutting one of them away with scissors.  It was that failure 
that caused me to post the original question.  If you try this, don't 
forget to punch a hole in the bottoms so that you don't get an air lock.

I'm going to try the one that Peter in Perth posted the Vimeo link for.  
It seems easy enough to do and promises a very good perimeter flame.

BobH
looking for some rain a little bit South of Brent K.

Recent Bios FAQ