1700 An Awesome DIY Multi Fuel Heater

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[@plusorminusandtime]

This guy is doing vastly more for the British Citizen than the entire government. Maybe this guy should be Prime Minister.

[@goldenegg1063]

Even a baboon would do a better job at running this country, than the rich psychos who keep voting themselves in lately !

[@gudgengrebe]

Agreed. Our governments care only for their own bank balance.

[@pauloneill9880]

You have helped the struggling cold in the UK more than the Government in 5 mins.😉

[@joshuadelisle]

You sir are a genius. 👍 Thank you for making people's life's that little bit more cosy this winter. Cheers J

[@Buzzhumma]

I just made a short video using glass wool and synthetic motor oil . Burned better than I expected considering its only 40% mineral oil and the rest is friction modifiers and detergents etc but the flame was deep dark orange. I will have a look at glass insulation wool when it's finished and cooled down !👍🏻

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I'll jump over and have look mate

[@Br1cht]

I so enjoy your pure, unadulterated happiness when you create, quite endearing(and of course, smart solutions).

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thank you very much mate

[@ralpha4350]

That is so well put. I truly enjoy the same about him! Tada!

[@Xonikz]

I was having bad luck creating alcohol stove things based on internet designs (needed to start in ultra cold environs) and after a bit just resorted to burning alcohol in a tiki torch with an adjustable flame height wick. Worked like a charm and I didn't have to figure anything else out. I now have an idea for a simple design that will allow the user to package the whole thing up including the preloaded alcohol fuel and take it with them on the go.

[@billallen6109]

I don't know how I haven't stumbled upon your channel before but you've definitely kept me busy between watching your old video and the high frequency you upload at. Definitely an under recommended channel. Keep up the good work.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - cheers mate

[@EastBayFlipper]

Well earned 🏅

[@jamesgray3607]

Self heating heater

[@pauloneill9880]

He teaches self reliance and self confidence. The nanny state and it's big tech minions only want consumers.

[@dariusjuodokas9458]

5:28 is the end of the video. And the black screen lasts from there up until 8:01 Regardless, nice idea with the cans :)

[@imwacc0834]

The last 2:30 was an ad for the Helen Keller Foundation 🤣

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - error in the edit I am fixing

[@islandsedition]

doesn't matter how experienced you are, or how small the flame, we all have a little jump when the fuel ignites. 😆

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - well spotted mate

[@wyldezyde]

Cant wait to share this with my grandson.. Favorite class in home school one we had to add, DIY Hacks!. Thank you!

[@thefilthyfivetff5570]

Really really really enjoy the enthusiasm!!! Thanks for sharing and I will definately build this and the 1702-video stove. Thanks again and keep up the good work!!!

[@WayPointSurvival]

Love the enthusiasm and the presentation style!

[@nath88ukvrentertainmentand22]

This is brilliant. Love your videos alot of the stuff i already was taught. But there are some amazing ideas. Love your thinking. Keep the videos coming.

[@briansmithenergy248]

Respect love and gratitude. Amazing energy to you and to flow. Priceless. Thank you for helping and sharing

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@joohop]

Great Work Earthling Bless Up

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@AstroVanTribe]

Kind of binging your videos - Thanks for doing what you do - I'm trying to come up with something I can use in my van when camping/living in it - I like you chemical reaction heater as well

[@joinedupjon]

FWIW there are more great ideas for home made alcohol stoves on Tetkoba's alcohol stove YT channel... Really clever. I thought he'd stopped a few years ago but I'm pleased to see he's been uploading again.

[@videogamesinjustmyshoes.6802]

Excellent upgrade that. Video ends with a minute of black btw

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I know it cut out the real ending - don't know why

[@truey90s]

ended on a cliffhanger

[@sksx9269]

@@ThinkingandTinkering where do we get the carbon felt from Mr I'd like to buy some ?

[@byronsowntime]

made the forever wick..awesome idea. If the roll is too tight it doesn't wick as well and the looser the roll the bigger the flame, in my set up any-hows. Thanks for the knowledge. PLEASE KEEP KICKING FOR US.. WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER..THANKS.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Great tip mate thanks for sharing and I am really pleased it worked well for you

[@bexbugoutsurvivor]

your joy is infectious. Subbed and loving it....

[@TimeSurfer206]

Robert, I believe that a bigger plate, to absorb and radiate, would be better than a thicker one. It also looks like a good candidate for the fully enclosed, outside vented stove I saw in video I don't remember...

[@theaccidentalmechanics]

Robert, you would make a great super villain with your laugh, enthusiasm and the tadaaaa when you achieve a simple useful thing, except you are doing good to your community/ humanity. all the best sir :) still love all your videos and inventions

[@elvishards8161]

Your enthusiasm is off the chart,great personality great channel and educational fun,reminds me of the old skool teachers

[@terrystroble8657]

This guy was great on "Last of Summer Wine".

[@7117db]

Excellent!! Thanks very much just in case we need heat, this could save lives!!

[@robertpitt8418]

Loved the added oddity at the end, its nice to make an impact ; )

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

spicing things up mate lol

[@robertpitt8418]

@@ThinkingandTinkering all in its own good time ; )

[@rickparker8036]

Always coming up with ideas that offer REAL solutions…..that almost anyone can do. Keep at it!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@victoryfirst2878]

JOB well done fella. This would heat my basement on the cheap. Nice idea and works.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wait until you see the final version mate lol

[@victoryfirst2878]

@@ThinkingandTinkering I am looking forward to see your idea Sir. I would bet it will be good. Looking forward mate !!

[@incognitoalias2808]

I had been searching for the right can combination and what I found here in the states was the large tomato cans and the Walmart Family Size soup cans are the perfect fit because the family size Campbell's is just a bit to small,, good luck stay warm don't let Klaus freeze you out.......

[@travismoore7849]

Good job on the heater. I like that is smokeless. I had wanted to mention a concentrating solar trough for heating a working fluid like oil for an oil heater. And sealing the oil loop so it is insulated some from the cold and natural convection keeps the warm oil inside and the cold out side. And an oil tank for a thermal storage.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice mate - like an oil filled radiator?

[@travismoore7849]

@@ThinkingandTinkering Yes same idea but using concentrating solar to warm it up.

[@In_fluss]

Bloody awesome. I like the ending😉 Really great idea thank's 👏👏👏

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@350pauli]

Great job that’s a real practical solution I think that people can use 👍👏

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

thank you mate

[@Wugawamp]

Love this! Great channel. Fun, useful stuff! Greetings from NE US.

[@CulinaireZaken]

I really like your channel. It's practical informative where you hand several "bits" of usefull information you can easily put together to a working project! I still fear the day i'll watch the news and see you walked away by cops while laughing and saying "you see, that's how easy it is to make your own weapons of mass destruction!" 😁 All joking aside, thanks for all the information . I'm almost finished with my waste oil rocket mass heater for the greenhouse.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome - I am looking forward to seeing that mate!

[@smob0]

I've seen these made out of 2 soda can bottoms for backpackers. They are tiny and light, but put out enough heat to cook something on.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

yep and you can get copper coil versions too - I jus thought this was super simple

[@JesusSaves86AB]

Awesome, I make little rocket stoves and tea candle heaters with cans. Put another pot on top full of sand or bricks for a thermal battery. Going to experiment this winter with thermal mass options for my tiny wood stoves. The heat some tiny stoves put out is plenty for small spaces if you can capture it.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thanks for the tips!

[@harrymills2770]

Make a brick surround for your tiny stove. Better yet, make a tiny stove out of bricks. There are traditional thermal batteries, like the Russian hearth. Anyone using wood should use thermal battery/mass-heat concepts. That sounds right up your alley, if you're already making rocket stoves, because you have insight on how they want to breathe. The bad thing about the rocket is it requires tending. Heat mass means you only have to have the fire going a very short amount of time.

[@HEMPPUBLISHINGCOM]

Big smile on my face! Great invention for the World, using Hemp Alcohol.... Thanks again Brother....

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@Moist_yet_Crispy]

Awesome! For off grid applications you could put a small pot of water on the plate and use TEGs on that to harvest some electricity while heating the space you have. Oh, I didn't see part two

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oops - but good thinking mate

[@justlo0k33]

Love your content and attitude! Brings a smile to my face while learning practical skills!

[@gaz1tinsley]

Wow thats brilliant Mr Chuckle ;)

[@jivka6518]

Thanks man love your straight talk …..

[@raywharton9425]

A few years ago me and my roommates could only barely afford heat for our rental house in Colorado. So we used the furnace to keep everything about 40 so the pipes wouldn't freeze, and we made a blanket fort where we would all hang out and drunk warm beverages. Set up Christmas lights and had some very nice decorative wall hangings incorporated into the blanket and furniture tent. Seeing this I was thinking if one wanted to stay warm on a cold evening with the slightest fuel usage for a stove similar to this you could make a cozy corner, givve some careful thought to not lighting things on fire, and set up a few space blankets above and around. Because that hot steel will release so much of its heat as IR mylar tech would work very nice to direct it specifically at the chilled human loooking to get cozy.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice advice mate- cheers

[@Jimbo878]

another great video, I collected some "bricks" from an old storage heater (I think they contain kryptonite 😳, never come across weight to mass like it, apart from lead), I think they would make a very good radiator, although would take a lot longer than a steel/copper ingot.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice mate!

[@jamesross1003]

Sounds good. Give it a try and let us know.

[@jsl4228]

Make sure they're not asbestos bricks - depending on the age of the storage heater they came from, they might be. I think up until something like the late 70s or possibly even into the 80s, some storage heaters used asbestos containing bricks.

[@yourekittenme.]

According to another site, if you can “write” with a brick like chalk, then they’re safe to use in a rocket heater-type scenario.

[@harrymills2770]

​@@jsl4228 Yeah, the serpentine family are heavy minerals. Optimized for heat storage, it's not in its fibrous form (asbestos), so I don't imagine there's any risk to the lungs from the stuff.

[@nac9494]

Amazing work.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Poppy_love59]

Mr Smith, you're awesome !

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oh wow - cheers mate

[@metalmangamer]

If you want a fuel source a good one for putting in a wood stove or heater, just get a wax cardboard and normal cardboard mix in water until a glue like consistently then press them into bricks dry them out and then they should burn like wood

[@thomashverring9484]

I'm going to have to build something similar! Great video as always! Thank you :^)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome mate - I hope you do a video I would love to see it

[@stev838]

I used the outer stainless tube from a coffee pump with a flower pot on top ran sterno. Hours and hours over 300 f out put

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice

[@gazzaka]

The flowerpot men !... Excellent I will try that :-)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

An upgrade to that might be some form of extenal tank that would have a controlled fluid feed into the centre tank, as at the moment refilling it would require the heater to be cold.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I like that suggestion and I am mulling that one over

[@STho205]

Yes, the alcohol stove...a larger version of the tuna or cat food can stove burns out the fuel in well under an hour. For the steel plate and pot, I use a small Lodge iron pot upside down with an insulated handle. Easy to remove when the fuel is gone...can cools down...refill...light...put the still hot iron pot back on top. I don't know if a terracotta pot atop the iron pot would help, but i have put the apparatus inside a large pot rightside up. Easiest pot heater is a can of sterno which burns 5 hours, with a flower pot on top.

[@wildessex8615]

Thank you! x

[@Buzzhumma]

Looks kind perfect to me although I would add some 1mm holes 10mm below the outside top edge to maximise the oxygen for the longer carbon chained fuels .

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice one mate - cheers

[@Xanderbelle]

The Sopranos ending ! (Rob got 'hit' 😆... where's luke?)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@williammiller6043]

Thanks!

[@Spinningininfinity]

Bill or Ben will be nice and warm this winter.... Better make another one‼️🙂

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@middleway1885]

Very fun project... Cheers!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@BakedProductions]

LOVE these videos, but a word of caution to those trying this, if you fill the fuel more than half, I experience it bubbling out of the can stove, and causes a volcano of methyl hydrate to cascade out like a geyser, nearly starting our house on fire.. be careful when playing with these stoves.

[@rtdl2]

Please do a video on those 'soda can' style passive solar heaters. Also, whether or not the ones that are supposed to go inside the window would heat a room better than simply letting the sunshine in through the glass.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

will do mate

[@WSmith_1984]

Collecting and concentrating solar is great solution in my opinion. I second this request.

[@thegasman.gasman.7643]

Third request here. Great tutor. Cheers for taking the time to, it can’t be easy, but much appreciated.

[@justinw1765]

@@WSmith_1984 Yes indeed, if you have the Sun. Alas, we have so many trees that its not practical for us unless we spend A LOT of money to remove a number of rather large trees. We would like to since a good portion are sweet gumball... but we just don't have the money.

[@Pwecko]

Was there supposed to be three minutes of blackness at the end? Great idea. Now all you need is some safety features.

[@Wuuz]

probably to hit 8min mark to get midroll for ad things (just youtube things for monetisation)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

error in edit mate - I am fixing it - and yes I agree a few shield and anti spill would be good as would separating the fuel from the burn head - on it!

[@DavyOneness]

I have made these "Penny stoves" for backpacking cooking before out of Guinness beer cans , lots of good backpacking versions of light weight alcohol stoves out there.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

for sure

[@Drjtherrien]

If you have one of those finned heat sinks for electronics put it on top of the steel and it'll transfer the heat to the air even more effectively.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice!

[@gman64able]

Sir I love your videos

[@johnhoward3271]

Will make quite fine cook plate for just about any pan .

[@lawrencemonroe4199]

anaerobic digestors AKA septic tanks may be a kick in the right direction for small amounts of heat. if a hot water heater is set up to burn the methane as an oversized pilot light, or if properly saved a burst heating system.

[@boblordylordyhowie]

Passed your channel onto the Scottish Mens Shed Association so their members can watch your videos for inspiration.

[@SolarSeeker45]

Now THAT is a practical plant pot heater!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

yup lol

[@stephenwhite1026]

yo that looks like the fancy feast from 9 yrs ago but still great idea keep them coming mate

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@davidbarnes241]

Love the thinking process explained and the humour of your presentation style. One thing, I noticed the methanol was clear, with no purple dye, is that available please?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

yep - it's on amazon - the stuff with purple dye Is methylated spirit - it's really ethanol with a bit of meths chucked in

[@davidbarnes241]

Thank you for the clarification 👍

[@triumphmanful]

can I do this with the veg oil heater ? No smoke is a big plus here. The misses won't like smoke from my heaters. Thanks , mate, you are top notch !

[@kevinleebailey]

Bill & Ben would be very proud ! 😁 👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - indeed

[@MerwinARTist]

You continue to amaze your audience .. like a real magician!! lol 🙂

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate - oh your thing is on it's way !

[@MerwinARTist]

@@ThinkingandTinkering Awesome!!!

[@saeedhossain6099]

love it! there's also the coke can alcohol stove

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

and a copper coil version - they are all good! I just thought this was super simple

[@evka3220]

Great work!!! Im going for it...one question however. What about the carbon something...is it like the one used in aquariums for filtering? Do you possibly have a link on amazon or could you send a link for your shop etc? Thanks a lot 👍👏👏👏

[@woodworks2123]

I wonder if it would work better if a larger pot was used. I'm meaning really large, like the tall terracotta pots or the terracotta water butts. Could this be a genuine room heater. Or even a tall terracotta pipe.

[@austinmetro6317]

I think you did a vanishing trick at the end Rob!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

trying a new ending lol

[@edwingolddelirium]

So nice i need that pressure cooker for that felt.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cool

[@ecospider5]

No smoke. Well done.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@paomakes]

The ending, Rob, should we be worried? 😉🤗

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - just an oddity in the upload - don't know why but how strange

[@hakajiru264]

When we didn't have heating in our old chemistry lab we would just put a refractory brick on top of a bunsen burner. Would heat up the room real good.

[@golpedeasa3996]

You are amazing!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - cheers mate

[@tisstuart]

I have made a lot of these for camping trips. In my advice. After knowing the area around these improvised devices is fire-safe. One thing to keep in mind. DO NOT allow the fuel container to overheat !! It Will Explode at some point, even if that only means a runaway thermal reaction. If the fuel vaporizes it builds pressure and accelerates the fire to maximum. Think of a Bunsen Burner. It is designed to be in a tray of ice. To control the temperature of the fuel canister. A running creek works fantastically.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

this isn't the little soda can version mate - there is plenty of pressure release in the way the burner jet is organised

[@markwilliam3162]

great video as normal

[@offgridwanabe]

Add some phase change material to the initial heat source and save some heat for later.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@theevilovenmit]

Have you looked at penny stoves? there is a variety of alcohol burning stoves you can make using aluminum beverage cans. The simplest that I know of involves the bottom half of 2 cans, one is press fit into the other with a bit of wicking material inside creating a gas tight seal, the gas pressure strengthens the walls during fitment so you can bear down on it. Then you flip it upright so the can bottom faces up, poke holes in the depression in the center for fueling, a coin goes on that during burning to seal the port. Poke holes along the outer rim to create gas jets, use a sewing needle and pliers, 16 holes should suffice. To ignite you make a thin pool of fuel around it and set it ablaze, this heats the body of the stove until it can self sustain.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I know them mate - but thank you

[@dremaboy777]

Very nice 👍🏽

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@verumpraevaleat8177]

you are a combination of Dr Emmitt Brown from BTTFuture , Dr Julius Sumner Miller (why is it so ?) and crusty the clown. Absolutely love your videos and your style. Thankyou .

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@KeithOlson]

FWIW, I came across 'carbon welding blankets' on Amazon which show pictures of someone holding a blowtorch against them, so I'm pretty sure that they are pure carbon. They can come in a pair of 12x12" or 20x30cm squares for around $10-12, which makes them completely affordable.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

there are a couple of types - just make sure they say pure carbon felt mate

[@bipbip6626]

@@ThinkingandTinkering what should be the width? [ i ve just seen your previous video, where you burn a vegetable oil wick]

[@paulreinhardt6052]

I’d like the heater, but much rather have whatever it is that makes you so happy!! 😂

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

what is there to be unhappy about?

[@michaelherrmann8180]

The "real" plant pot heater, which was also used in WW2 afaik, does work with convektion and radiation. At least how I understand it. You need 2 Plantpots with a hole in the bottom for it. You place your teacandles under the smaller pot and the bigger pot is placed over the small one. This way it does quite a good chimney effect and part of the air whats coming from the small pot circulates back down in the space between the pots and sucked in and heated again. But I guess your multi fuel heater will be a nice upgrade for my setup. I'll give it a go in the next few days and then report back.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice one mate - let me know

[@MegaPierzak]

I've got some issues buying pure carbon felt, can I use steel wool?

[@MrBillTroop73]

Years ago in my very first crudely made You Tube video, I was able to show how to create a capillary action stove that didn't use a separate wicking material. Instead, it relied on the lifting attraction between the walls of the body and the insert. This worked so well that it became the stove of choice for our Scout troop.

[@albertanasoul]

do you still have the video? That would be interesting to see

[@MrBillTroop73]

@@albertanasoul Yes, it's the first video on my channel.

[@moonshiner2977]

Great idea I am going to heat my home with methyl alcohol from now on, it is the green thing to do.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I agree

[@alero666]

hey enjoy all your vids. my question is can i convert my kerosine heater to burn alcohol? very expensive here in canada. can i just replace the kerosine with alcohol? juast wondering .

[@carlofavaretto5598]

Robert are fantastic

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - cheers mate

[@hubrisnaut]

I've been thinking about this because these small fuel burners make sense to me. I was given 8 gallons of methanol from a hardware store closure this summer and want to make a stove-heater, beginning with that fuel. I live in a small apartment attached to friends' family home with children, so it has to be super safe. I've seen many designs. Wondering which one will be very safe and efficient.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

methanol heaters are sold mostly for marine - check out a few of the designs

[@rblongfellow]

Do not put this in your home. Especially if there are children living in the same building.

[@hubrisnaut]

@@ThinkingandTinkering I am frugal and don't mind building something but if buying a safe and efficient burner makes better sense, I'm fine with that.

[@WSmith_1984]

@@hubrisnaut marine versions will be designed to be spill proof I would imagine, also they are likely constructed with safety being absolutely paramount.

[@hubrisnaut]

@@WSmith_1984 I'm going to look into buying something like that. I was given approx. $150 worth of fuel for free so that is the budget. If it was only myself to worry about, I would just do a build. Although I am extremely confident, in this instance, I could never forgive myself if I built something and it went terribly wrong for other people.

[@goldenbox7803]

I love to use an alcohol stove when camping. Food for thought. 😘

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

indeed

[@redactedsapien9090]

These heaters are awesome but what are the different fuels off-gasing? Being indoors in all likely the gases could build-up in an enclosed space so that's slightly concerning for anyone with respiratory issues also could certain fuels be carcinogenic? Would love a video on this. Thanks for all the great content 😃👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@phillipwesley4429]

Hello mate I’ve made the heater with the 22mm and the 15mm pipe and the stainless steel mesh but it seam to be quite a fierce flame have you got any idea where I’ve gone wrong

[@dansmif]

I've just realised who Robert reminds of - a young Anthony Hopkins! He should have made this heater with a tin of fava beans and then had a nice chianti fufufufufufu 😂

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

now that would have been awesome lol

[@adventureswithfrodo2721]

These are just alcohol stoves that we made 20 years ago. for camp stoves. Though you have to be careful on how much you fill the cann. You can get the alcohol boiling and it can be dangerous.