The Thoughts of Microdac
Published on Jan 10, 2014
A small space heater using toilet paper, a coffee can and alcohol.
-All open flames need oxygen to burn; all living creatures need oxygen to live. Leave a window cracked opened so you have fresh air coming into your shelter while the fire is burning. When you put the fire out, you can close the window. 4.) It's best not to leave any fire burning while you're sleeping.
-i use this qt size with alcohol all the time in my little aliner trailer and it works great, no smell or carbon to inhale..
-John leslie
4 weeks ago
Who will keep a gallon or several gallons of alcohol at home? and you need a high concentration of alcohol in order to burn. Also, in a small space, the burner will consume the oxygen in the air, so be careful.
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thagrit
2 years ago
Skip the toilet paper. Put sand in the can like those ethanol fire pits.
-I highly recommend ventilation and a fan set at low to keep the heat from staying in the top of the room. you probably should only use this in an emergency. the clay pot is a great idea. probably helps radiate the heat more evenly. thank you for the great idea.
- Large can filled two thirds with sand.
-TO KEEP WARM USE CLOTHING LIKE THE INUIT UP NORTH. IT IS THE PRESERVATION OF BODY HEAT THAT WILL KEEP YOU WARM. BUY DOWN CLOTHES (CHEAP AT GOODWILL) AND COVER WITH WATERPROOF COVERINGS. WOOL IS ALSO GOOD. DRESS IN LAYERS TO REGULATE.
Then you can provide heat with food --- and keep the heat in with warm insulated clothing.
STAY WARM - STAY ALIVE - DRESS FOR SUCCESS. Do not waste your money on fires when warm clothing will do.
ESKIMOS KNOW THIS - THEIR CLOTHING KEEPS THEM WARM MOSTLY, NOT THEIR LITTLE FIRES.
If you must build a fire for some shelter --- vent it out with a chimney and then burn all kinds of free stuff - wood is good.
INSULATE AND VENTILATE. INSULATE AND VENTILATE INSULATE AND VENTILATE WARM AND SAFE.
-Recommend using very solid rock material, i.e. not cracked or degraded -- otherwise risk the rock exploding from heated trapped internal water, etc. For those questioning if this amount of heat can make a difference, I say "Hell yes!" Been there in sub-freezing and sub-zero camping conditions and marvel at how even a single lit candle can cut the edge of the cold if you're in a small closed tent space.
- Fairy Tales
2 years ago
In 2004, we had a big icestorm in Québec, Canada. We didn't have any electricity for a MONTH. And yes, i was able to heat my living room and kitchen at 18celcius with one burner like this one and a Spring alccol burner from Switzerland ( it is made for restaurant) and use to make flamed coffee or fine trout filet. It is a cooking stove made by Spring. During that infamous month, we had some minus 20C. The artisanal burner was made with insulation wool as a wick. So, i was able to cook on my stove and getting a lot of heat from both burners. I had a window open a bit for air intake. No odor. Yes it work, i had tested it for one miserable month. exterior temp at minus 20C getting to 18C for 2 rooms. I was using around 1 gallon of methyl by 24 hours. Important note: Here in Québec, we have well insulated house. Last week we had a couple of days at minus 36Celcius. I was boiling some water in a 5 gallon big canning pot for a bath mixed with some room temp water in the bathtub. The powerline tower were falling, 1-2 feet of ice in the street, trees and branches in the street, hospital running on generators, gas station not open, groceries out of stock or closed, a lot of houses fire, no more dry wood, no more generator anywhere we have to import from USA, no more candles, no batteries, emergency was full of injured peoples, the army were installing all their generator in school against frozen pipes, all schools were closed, everything was closed. I had to make 200 kilometers to find some open city to buy some foods and methyl. Water was always running a bit to prevent freezing. A real nightmare. They made a movie with it ICESTORM. After 1 month, i was under depression, my son too and my cat was barking, poor him. I had no income for a month as a sub contractor on small parcels delivery with 3 trucks payments to do, ooch the wallet was flat as a pizza.
- Steve
3 weeks ago
I made three of these for my garage to work in - I had them all going great but unfortunately had by lawnmower gas tank near by - lucky I went over to the house for lunch, and was not in the garage - big explosion and garage burned to the ground. - so word to wise no gasoline containers near by! the fumes can ignite. Fire Dept told me that is what happened so next time I got a be more careful. Just a word to the wise!
- George Of the jungle
2 years ago
There is a video by a survival expert that made a winter emergency shelter where he dug a pit over which he put up his tent. He then heated large rocks outside the tent over a fire and brought them in the tent and put them in the pit. He said it kept his tent at 70 degrees all night - with no fume or CO2 problems. I bought a fire pit and lava rocks so I could do the same thing at my house in case the power is out for an extended period.
- SAR TRACKING
3 weeks ago
Microdac - Your video is like a public service announcement which can save someone's life . Folks who are SAR / search and rescue keep these heaters in snowmobiles , automobiles and backpacks . Getting an individuals core temperature up with hot soup or coffee is a life saver .
I have done some experimenting using a carbon monoxide detector 3 feet away from these heaters = No Alarm . IMO , these heaters can be used safely within the confines of a tent or automobile if there is a source of fresh air and a stable base to sit the heater on . I use 1/4" thick plywood wrapped in aluminum foil and use foil with holes punched in it over the toilet paper . Your idea of using rocks seems viable and interesting .
Thanks for a well edited video with life saving data . Happy Holidays
Lefty - Western States SAR , San Juan county New Mexico
- Terry Ketron
1 month ago (edited)
The paint cans are available online "unlined" and they might be safer to burn alcohol in than the "lined" cans since the lining will likely produce some toxic fumes. Just Google "unlined paint cans". I bought 6 one gallon sized unlined cans for about $5.75 each in a case of 6. Home Depot didn't have them but a paint store like Sherwinn-Williams might carry them in house.
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Atmos
10 months ago
Place a few small pieces of broken tile (say 3 or 4 - about $ coin size ) around the base of your flower pot,then place a much larger up-ended flowerpot over the whole assembly with the lip sitting on tiles , The added pot will then heat up & radiate like a storage heater." 3 of these assemblies.will keep a 120 sq ft room quite warm,for qute a few hrs in an emergency.
- Deborah Elliott
2 years ago
DO NOT USE QUARTZ ROCKS! Those will explode!
- EattinThurs61
1 year ago
John Hilsmeyer if stones wet inside they explode, alcohol eats oxygen and gives out lethal gas. Sand and outdoors and correct type of stones, maybe. Charcoal can be stored for centuries, but also is bad indoors (carbon monoxide). Sandstone? Soapstone stores heat best and one can cook on surface without grease.