Have you been to the sporting good store lately and thought about buying an ultralight backpacking stove? I have. I was disgusted at how much they cost. It's funny - you have to pay more for less material. Maybe they cost so much because they're harder to make due to the super small parts. Yeah right.
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I did some research on the good ol' internet and found a few good stoves that seemed to be worth giving a shot  at trying to make. I took the good parts of a few different ideas and came up with this one. The principle is the same, so feel free to experiment.

The whole stove cost about $12. The jost expensive item was the denatured alcohol. All the items used to create the stove, along with the tools required can be purchased at your local hardware stove. Here is a list of items required to create this simple, yet effective stove:Â

You'll also need a pair of pliers, a screwdriver and tin snips.

Step One: Use the tin snips to cut a piece of sheet metal approximately 3-4 inches tall and long enough to wrap around the paint can while leaving a hole about 3 inches for access to light the stove.

You won't have to be exact. The best thing to do is try to measure out approximately how much you'll need, then mark it with a marker.

Be careful with the edges of the sheet metal after you've cut it. It can be sharp.

You might need two hands with the next step. It took me a few tries to get it figured out.


Step Two: Place the hose clamp around the bottom of the paint can. This will make it easier to slide it up over the windscreen in a second.

Loosen the hoseclamp enough to make it over the windscreen once it's in place. Make sure you have your screwdriver ready.

I found that when I tried to form the sheet metal to the paint can it helped make it easier to hold there while I slid the hose clamp up over it.

You may need a second pair of hands to get it to work without throwing the whole contraption across the room. Once you have the windscreen in place, slide the hoseclamp up over it and screw it down tight. The photo below should be similar to what yours will look like once it's attached.


Step Three:  Once your windscreen is attached you'll need the tin snips again. Clip out little sections of the windscreen however you like to allow for air flow.

I chose the method I did because it allowed a flat surface for the pot or pan to sit on and air flow for the flame - but not too much so wind won't affect it greatly.

Tighten the hoseclamp down nice and snug.

Before you do, make sure the windscreen is even so whatever you put on top won't fall over.

The good thing about this setup is that you can use a multi-tool to loosen the hoseclamp to pack it all up.

Step Four: Fill the paint can up to the top with cotton balls. You'll want to pack them in firmly. The cotton will act as a wick for the alcohol. For a quart sized can I was able to pack in a full bag of cotton balls. Next you'll want to fuel the stove, pour in a decent amount of alcohol and light it.

A short video clip of the stove in action: