Wax cookers

[Dies Irae]

Pretty nice thing. It costs nothing and use mostly what you already have at home. This point of view is an essential part of my preps.
They are also an integral part of my dead boxes, they can be used for both cooking and lighting.
If I'm not carrying a gas stove with me, I'm using this little gadget.
These things can always be carried, like in a car where I don't want to carry a gas cartridge in the summer.
Things needed:
Can, wax, cardboard.
Simply melt the wax and pour into cans with rolled cardboard. The little red in the middle is a waxed match, it may or may not be, but it will make the ignition much easier.
Depending on the size of the can, the burning time is around 4 to 10 hours
They can be extinguished and reused, just suffocate the flame and let it cool down for a while.
A minor downside is that it will blacken your dishes, but it's not much worse than an open fire.
As for cans, you can use practically any can you got, just avoid those that are rubberized inside, those stink a lot more at first.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Nice idea. Did you use beverage cans?

 

[Dies Irae]

Any can will do . Beverage,food,paint,etc. Just clean the inside a bit and look for those without the rubbering inside.

 

[Amish Heart]

One of my grandson's came to visit a number of years ago and we spent the day making these out of tuna cans I saved. Must have 50 of them stored. He did an experiment to see how long that flamed stayed lit, and it was like 10 hrs or so.

 

[GaRp58]

I have a few of those made with cardboard also, but I put them in my expended and empty butane/propane little gas cartridges. Beer cans, coke cans all work. I also dropped an entire roll of toilet paper into melted wax and let it soak itself full and then cool off. Once lit, it also burns for over an hour but with a large illuminating flame like a torch. Both are watertight and last a while.
Good idea Dies Irae.
BTW: I think they are or were called "buddy heaters" a long time ago in the Boy Scouts of America.

 

[Digout]

A minor downside is that it will blacken your dishes, but it's not much worse than an open fire.

The Downside is actually an advantage.
The next time you use the blackened dish, it will absorb the heat better.

 

[radiogoon]

Pretty nice thing. It costs nothing and use mostly what you already have at home. This point of view is an essential part of my preps.
They are also an integral part of my dead boxes, they can be used for both cooking and lighting.
If I'm not carrying a gas stove with me, I'm using this little gadget.
These things can always be carried, like in a car where I don't want to carry a gas cartridge in the summer.
Things needed:
Can, wax, cardboard.
Simply melt the wax and pour into cans with rolled cardboard. The little red in the middle is a waxed match, it may or may not be, but it will make the ignition much easier.
Depending on the size of the can, the burning time is around 4 to 10 hours
They can be extinguished and reused, just suffocate the flame and let it cool down for a while.
A minor downside is that it will blacken your dishes, but it's not much worse than an open fire.
As for cans, you can use practically any can you got, just avoid those that are rubberized inside, those stink a lot more at first.

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I was making these in the Boy Scouts in the 70's...We were also making waterproof matches.

 

[radiogoon]

Time to break out my Handbook and Fieldbook and become a prepping guru on YouTube.

 

[GaRp58]

Time to break out my Handbook and Fieldbook and become a prepping guru on YouTube.

Everything we did as kids for fun, is now prepping and survival...get your books out and make millions of clicks you click-bait monster...

 

[UK-Ghost]

Wax cookers are one of the ones I make, they are ideal for emergency care or kit bags, no leaks/spillage, never go off.

 

[Digout]

UK-Ghost,

Could you supply some photo's of the cooker itself please or a link to the details?

 

[UK-Ghost]

UK-Ghost,

Could you supply some photo's of the cooker itself please or a link to the details?

The cooker is an old shoe polish tin
Corrugated Cardboard strips cut to JUST over the tin height, packed as tightly as possible.
Leftover candle wax from Tealights and candle sticks melted and poured over.

The pot stand cooker is an old tuna tin.

They're cheap to make, fuel stable and easy to dot around different kits.

 

[Digout]

Thanks UK-
Ghost

 

[Arcticdude]

I have several Sterno stoves that these wax candles work good in. They are small but will hold a small pot or pan. You could also burn twigs or pine cones in it too. They're light weight, fold flat and cost very little too.