Somewhere browsing the web or usenet, I ran across the following link: link.

This had some interesting ideas for improvising in survival situations such as being stranded in your car in a snowstorm (but should be even easier for a "shelter-in-place" situation), and believe it worth reposting if you missed it.

One idea I found particularly interest was to make a heater with the following components: (1) a small 13 oz coffee can (2) a roll of TP with the core removed (3) a pint of rubbing alcohol ($0.33 @ Wally*World). Soak the TP with the rubbing alcohol for a few minutes and then light it. It's claimed to be safe indoors including inside stranded cars.

I gave it a brief try and it seemed to work OK. The TP fit the coffee can well coming to about 1/4" below the rim and mostly filling the diameter (compressing to take up the space of the removed core). I believe that you need to push the TP to the bottom so the rubbing alcohol doesn't pool below the wick. Again, I've only tried it briefly but I'd guess that it needs constant monitoring to keep the wick (TP) properly soaked or it will start burning. Alcohol should be safer than other fuels to store indoors.

Enjoy.

Mikey2

-- Mikey2 (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), December 16, 1999

Answers

Interesting. Thanks for the link.

-- Amy Leone (leoneamy@aol.com), December 17, 1999.

That is the coolest thing I have ever read! Thanks! I forwarded the story to several friends!

Melissa

-- Melissa (welovekids2@efortress.com), December 28, 1999.