Dang it all, Aluminum Will Burn...

[olyman]

I've bin doin the empty can or two for along time. It does seem to help.

I've checked my clean-out, then added the cans to a HOT fire. Checked the clean-out a day later and usually find some creosote that has flaked -off.


I make aluminium casting from aluminium that i melt down in an old cast dutch oven, put in my stove. Woods plenty hot enough. In the summer I do it outside.

Aluminium cans don't make good casting, do to the poorer quility of the aluminium. I use old aluminium cast lawn mower engines or automotive waterpumps, or the like.

possible--but i find that hard to believe----al cans a drawn aluminum--and if the alum aint good quality--well--------

 

[Junkrunner]

possible--but i find that hard to believe----al cans a drawn aluminum--and if the alum aint good quality--well--------

I've tried cans and they don't work. Recycled too many times, maybe? Speekin from experience.........

 

[Wood Doctor]

Beer bottles on the end of a metal rod can become interesting sculptures in the fireplace. They can disappear in the right wood/air combinations.

Good grief! Glass melts down in a hot wood fire? I wonder how many know this?

Never tried that. I assure you that I will. :yourock:

 

[Highbeam]

Bunch of city boys? How could you not know that pop/beer cans melt in the fire?

Glass bottles will melt and you can shape them with a stick. The trick is cooling them without cracking. If you take them right out they will crack as they cool but if you leave them in the fire until morning you can fish them out usually uncracked. Made plenty of ash trays as kids this way.

Here's your next fun trick. Nice fire burned down to a pile of red coals. Flatten out a spot in the coals or even a nice flat spot in a raging fire. Paper cup, filled halfway with water. The paper will not burn past the water line until the water boils out.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I was told by a fireman that throwing a can in the fire weekly would solve creosote build up problems. I don't have that problem, so I can't comment.

Never heard of that, Coog, but I suppose it's possible. I'll pass that on to a bar owner who burns 15 cords of wood a year in two hot stoves and has no idea what to do with 300 aluminum cans a week. He hates creosote.

 

[anymanusa]

who doesn't know al cans melt in a fire?

So if I have blue flames on my oak in the fire pit, does that mean the temperature it way up there with natural gas on a gas stove?

 

[logbutcher]

who doesn't know al cans melt in a fire?

So if I have blue flames on my oak in the fire pit, does that mean the temperature it way up there with natural gas on a gas stove?

Yes....you win nothing.

FYI and for you PNW and Alaskan hippie rejects: our marine aluminum Snorkel stove in the hot tub has a thick red warning line marking the top plate of the stove. The warning is to keep the water level above this line or the stove WILL melt at WOT. The stove loads from the top, heats a 700 gallon tub in about 3 hours al dente.

LOvely experience to sit @ 5 F on a clear winter night ( like now ) with your drinkeepoo on the so convenient shelf star gazing and soaking at say 110 F. Did I say it can be romantic if you're not alone ?

This talk of aluminum meltdowns just reminded me.................................

 

[leadarrows]

You guys ever boil water in a fire in a paper cup?

You can do it. The cup wont burn until the water boils down. As the water boils down the top of the cup burns down right behind it.

Copper wire in a fire makes the best color show.

 

[woodcutter69]

i have watched aluminim cans melt before but how come aluminum foil will not melt. ive tried several times and there is still a glob of foil laying on top of the red hot coals.

 

[Wood Doctor]

i have watched aluminim cans melt before but how come aluminum foil will not melt. ive tried several times and there is still a glob of foil laying on top of the red hot coals.

To check your theory, stuff an empty aluminum can with some foil. Then when the can melts, see if the foil goes down with it.

 

[Taxmantoo]

i'm waiting for some one to throw magnesium in their fire next.

I've heard of it done with a magnesium mower deck and a campfire.
Took a couple of hours to achieve ignition temp, then it got very impressive. People all over the park knew something was going on when it flared. Didn't do the fire pit much good either.

 

[Taxmantoo]

Never heard of that, Coog, but I suppose it's possible. I'll pass that on to a bar owner who burns 15 cords of wood a year in two hot stoves and has no idea what to do with 300 aluminum cans a week. He hates creosote.

In Illinois I used to see reverse vending machines in grocery store parking lots for aluminum cans. They don't have those in Nebraska?

He could crush them and haul them off to the scrapyard every time he gets up around 100lb.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Yep, he does do that on occasion. The problem is that the bar is located about 40 miles from the recycling centers. So, he has to gather a whole truckload to make it worth his while. I've built three can crushers for him, and some of these recycling center vending machines won't accept crushed cans. The centers operated by humans usually do.

I once delivered a whole truckload of cans for him to the centers. At $0.35/lb, we collected $140.

 

[Smokinjo]

There is a true benefit to burning an aluminum can in a insert with glass doors. If you burn a can in the insert a couple times a week, it will keep the glass doors fairly clean versus having to clean them constantly to be able to see the fire. This does work as I have done it for a while. Cleaning the glass can be a real PIA without the cans. I burn good seasoned oak as well.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Cleans Glass Stove Doors?

There is a true benefit to burning an aluminum can in a insert with glass doors. If you burn a can in the insert a couple times a week, it will keep the glass doors fairly clean versus having to clean them constantly to be able to see the fire. This does work as I have done it for a while. Cleaning the glass can be a real PIA without the cans. I burn good seasoned oak as well.

Now that's worth a try. If it works, I'll report back. Cleaning the glass doors every two days is a PITA.

 

[mga]

I've heard of it done with a magnesium mower deck and a campfire.
Took a couple of hours to achieve ignition temp, then it got very impressive. People all over the park knew something was going on when it flared. Didn't do the fire pit much good either.

damn...that must have been one bright fire!

 

[Wood Doctor]

I've heard of it done with a magnesium mower deck and a campfire.
Took a couple of hours to achieve ignition temp, then it got very impressive. People all over the park knew something was going on when it flared. Didn't do the fire pit much good either.

Yep. Take a look at this:
"Magnesium is located among the alkaline earth metals on the periodic table. This element belongs to the group 2 and period 3 of the periodic table and has the atomic number 12. The average atomic mass of the element magnesium is 24.305. Its boiling point is 1090 degrees Celsius or 1994 degrees Fahrenheit. The metal also displays a very good conductivity of heat and electricity. It must be noted that Magnesium is a very reactive metal and does not exist in a free state in nature. It reacts with a slow pace with cold water and at a very rapid pace with hot water. The oxidation process of magnesium is very rapid and if kept in open, a layer of oxidized magnesium is formed on the surface of the metal. Magnesium also burns very rapidly, when it is at room temperature. This burning process is very furious as it produces a blinding white light."

That means a wood fire will set it off. I suspect nothing is much brighter--maybe an oxyacetylene torch.

 

[chowdozer]

Now that's worth a try. If it works, I'll report back. Cleaning the glass doors every two days is a PITA.

Wipe the glass down with soap the put the glass in. The soap will cut down on the buildup and make removing the creosote easier. I always kept 2 sets of glass. One set in the stove, one set in a stainless pan with oven cleaner in it.

 

[logbutcher]

Why "clean" the clear ceramic ? You want to look at a fire or do you want heat ?
Like Charlie the Tuna: " You want tuna that tastes good, or tuna with good taste ? ":hmm3grin2orange:
Forget it. Don't bother. Get warm. IT'll get clean with a good hot fire.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Tried ChowDozer's Idea Today...

Wipe the glass down with soap the put the glass in. The soap will cut down on the buildup and make removing the creosote easier. I always kept 2 sets of glass. One set in the stove, one set in a stainless pan with oven cleaner in it.

... or something like it. I think it's going to work. Here's what I did. Wet two paper towels slightly and add a squeeze or two of ordinary liquid hand soap. Cleaned the glass and left a little soap scum on (not much, just a little). Doors were clean and fire looked great.

I'll see if it works again tomorrow. Burning up a couple of aluminum cans I have never tried, but that's next on the list. My stove (Federal Airtight 288) will have no trouble knocking those cans dead.