Spose this is a dumb question, but where can I buy alcohol stove fuel?

[joe carpenter]

I live in California and I can't buy it locally. Anybody know where I can order it?

Joe Carpenter

[jpatrick]

Isn't it denatured alcohol? Any paint store.

Jeff

[joe carpenter]

That used to be true in California, but it is no longer sold here in retail stores. I need to order it from somewhere.

Joe

[lupussonic]

France.

I bought a 2 and a single burner Origo, then found out it is impossible to buy the DNA fuel for them in the UK. To buy it, one must apply for a license as an industrial user, or as a craft user (limited to 2 litres per year). In the UK we put naptha and dye in it and call it meths, because mommy government can't trust us not to get blind drunk on it.

My advice, build a still.

[jeffcapeshop]

France.

I bought a 2 and a single burner Origo, then found out it is impossible to buy the DNA fuel for them in the UK. To buy it, one must apply for a license as an industrial user, or as a craft user (limited to 2 litres per year). In the UK we put naptha and dye in it and call it meths, because mommy government can't trust us not to get blind drunk on it.

My advice, build a still.

haven't tried it myself but was looking at stoves recently and read that this stuff from B&Q was OK - https://www.diy.com/departments/la-h.../540224_BQ.prd - have you given that a go?

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

It's easy to get in Europe - which is exactly no use at all to our man in California...

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....nd-Substitutes

Apparently no-can-do... legally BUT

-Isopropyl Alcohol. Most drug stores contain the 95% pure variety, with the remaining 5% being water. It works, but flakes need to be thoroughly ground up and allowed to sit for a day or two. It also doesn't dry as fast as DNA.
--Camping Stove Alcohol. I'm not sure why this is being sold, but it is. It is nearly 100% pure and can be found in surplus stores and camp supply stores.
--Ethanol. Food grade ethanol is still available, but one must pay excise taxes on it. It is pretty expensive, but the good news is you can make a batch of shellac in the morning and get wasted in the afternoon. A true dual purpose win-win.
--Everclear. I've been unable to find any strength more than 151 proof. I haven't tried this yet.

Some windscreen washer liquids work - look for stuff rated to -60C
Heet (mostly methanol) will work - beware the fumes https://www.amazon.com/28201-Gas-Lin.../dp/B0016GXNC4


Distilling your own isn't too difficult - but your local law enforcement may take a different view

[Peerie Maa]

https://www.amazon.com/isopropyl-alcohol-99/s?k=isopropyl+alcohol+99%25

[Etdbob]

Huh? Ace Hardware carries denatured alcohol and is available in Cali.

[pvg]

Huh? Ace Hardware carries denatured alcohol and is available in Cali.

Yup, I live in Calif and buy denatured alcohol at the local lumber/hardware store...

[Hugh Conway]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-St...SL26/100139444
says 5 in stock in seaside for pickup. It also says it’s not for sale in California

[goodbasil]

Available here up north.

[Lemsteraak]

Wow, I wonder if California still sells 85 Ethanol out of the pump?

A long time ago I worked for a railroad and they did a profitability study to determine where to concentrate their marketing effort. In Oakland CA the most profitable loads were tank cars going into a really small operation. I went and talked to them with my boss and he was bringing in a special alcohol natpha stove fuel. When my boss said, Who uses that these days? The owner bristled and said that there are a lot of folks that need it to can foods, hence the number of tank cars. I quizzed him and he told me that there were a lot of very resourceful low income people living in the East Bay.

We have denatured alcohol in the hardware stores here in Oregon. I wonder if you can get it from your local distillery? Oh yeah, I live in Portland, I guess not everyone has a distillery down the street

[RFNK]

France.

I bought a 2 and a single burner Origo, then found out it is impossible to buy the DNA fuel for them in the UK. To buy it, one must apply for a license as an industrial user, or as a craft user (limited to 2 litres per year). In the UK we put naptha and dye in it and call it meths, because mommy government can't trust us not to get blind drunk on it.

My advice, build a still.

I don't think it's actually a nanny state measure. I think it has to do with excise. Any drinkable alcohol attracts excise so they poison it to make it undrinkable and avoid the tax.

[suzyj]

‘Round here we use it to make hand sanitizer.

[juanlien]

It's easy to get in Europe - which is exactly no use at all to our man in California...

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....nd-Substitutes

Apparently no-can-do... legally BUT


Some windscreen washer liquids work - look for stuff rated to -60C
Heet (mostly methanol) will work - beware the fumes https://www.amazon.com/28201-Gas-Lin.../dp/B0016GXNC4


Distilling your own isn't too difficult - but your local law enforcement may take a different view

following

[Hugh MacD]

Might try looking for ethanol:
https://shopfactorydirect.com/ethano...RoCc1gQAvD_BwE

Kinda spendy, but it says they ship free to the lower 48. Cheaper than driving to Medford or Ashland for a Home Depot or Ace.

[Jamie Orr]

I live in California and I can't buy it locally. Anybody know where I can order it?

Joe Carpenter

I think we the stuff we used to use was called methyl hydrate. I bought some in a hardware store fairly recently, but not in California, so that may not help.

Jamie

[adamarthurryan]

I use methyl hydrate in my home made soda can stove. It's a stove for camping on land, not for use on a boat, but I believe methyl hydrate is okay for marine stoves as well.

It's 99% methanol and burns very clear. And it's very cheap - a couple bucks a litre. Toxic of course, but it is widely used afaik.

Isopropyl is supposed to burn hot but sooty.

[Nicholas Carey]

I live in California and I can't buy it locally. Anybody know where I can order it?

Joe Carpenter

i just checked West Marine. The Santa Cruz store is out of it, but it show Monterey as having 2 1-gallon cans in stock, and San Carlos as having 1 1-gallon can in stock.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/seafi...26?recordNum=4

66B6A36B-778B-4F10-AA3A-4D938C7142A1.jpg

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

What stops you ordering it via Amazon?

[Canoeyawl]

Sherwin Williams on Front st has it, or can get it (qt, gallon or 5 gal pail $80)
Denatured alcohol is standard stuff for shellac thinner, and is cleaner than what is sold as fuel.

[joe carpenter]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It is not sold in California. I have attempted to order it on Amazon and others and they are all unable to ship to California. Checked ALL the local sources and it is gone, kaput, zero. Oregon is a bit of a drive.

Joe

[pvg]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-St...SL26/100118908

[Nicholas Carey]

I believe it must labeled and sold as fuel alcohol, not as a solvent.

There may well be a lot of stores that just threw up there hands and said, "why bother?", but that's another issue.

Pretty sure CARB's beef with it is, that as a solvent, its evaporation puts a lot of unburned hydrocarbons in the air.

When you burn alcohol (at least methanol and/or ethanol), you get CO2, H2O, and heat. Probably some nitrous oxides that come along for the ride due to the atmosphere being 78% nitrogen.

But (A) it's about as clean burning a fuel as you'll get, and (B) excluding ethanol in gasoline, alcohol burned as a fuel, as a percentage, minuscule. Chafing dishes, fondue pots, and backpacking and marine stoves don't amount to a hill of beans in the grand scheme of things.

What they care about are unburned hydrocarbons. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smog#Photochemical_smog

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Do not be tempted to try non-alcohol fuels in an alcohol stove - that ends badly.

[Dave Hadfield]

I use this product in the origo burner on Drake. https://www.thebioflame.com/contact/ It's sold at our ubiquitous hardware store, Canadian Tire, and other places.

Perhaps they'll ship?

[mike morasci]

Built and used a lot of pop can stoves over the years, if you can't find denatured alcohol in the hardware stores, try "Heat" in the auto parts stores. It's denatured alcohol for pouring in your gas tank to help with water that collects. It's what I currently have on my boat for use in my Swedish military alcohol stove and it works fine.

mam

[Bluegill]

I am a backpacker and I use a Swedish alcohol stove for cooking food. I use EverClear 90% alcohol that is available in liquor stores. I prefer to use alcohol for cooking that won't kill me.

[Etdbob]

Built and used a lot of pop can stoves over the years, if you can't find denatured alcohol in the hardware stores, try "Heat" in the auto parts stores. It's denatured alcohol for pouring in your gas tank to help with water that collects. It's what I currently have on my boat for use in my Swedish military alcohol stove and it works fine.

mam

I've made and used about every type of alcohol stove invented, and have made great use of a Trangia 25-3 for many years.

Yellow Heet gas anti freeze is 99% methanol and works wonderful in alcohol stoves. Red Heet is 99% isopropanol, which is a petroleum product, the condensate of propelyne gas. It must NOT be used in an alcohol stove!~

It's easy to remember, Yellow Heet Good, Red Heet Bad.

Heet is sold everywhere, and is a great way to refill an alcohol stove when cycle touring.



I work at Ace Hardware, and the Acenet says denatured alcohol is indeed sold in Cali. Might try asking for it. It is mostly methanol, and is labeled camp fuel.

https://www.acehardware.com/departme...lvents/1438332



It's what I usually use in my stoves.


Bluegill - If you like the military Trangia, you'll just love the civilian Trangia. It's two ounces lighter and ignites the side jets much faster than the military unit. Doesn't hold quite as much fuel, but I have no trouble cooking for four on mine. Doesn't leak when you cap it with fuel inside either.


Bluegill, The mini trangia setup weighs just 11 ounces! Hows that for saving pack weight?