Too Cute Tuesday is a weekly event involving a craft, a cocktail, and friends. To join the fun, visit our Facebook page or see all the TCT posts in one location here.

I was at a party a couple months ago when my friend Joe told me he could make a camping stove out of two cans and a utility knife. I of course made him do it on the spot. What a perfect craft for Too Cute Tuesday and a great way to recycle a couple of cans! (Remember, we are trying to make all our crafts earth friendly since Earth Day is this month.)

Since I apparently don’t drink anything out of cans, I had to buy some beverage, in my case generic store brand diet coke, so I could craft. Rum, cola, knives, and fire? We have a fun and potentially dangerous night on our hands.

Materials
2 cans
Utility knife
Scissors
Nail or thumbtack and hammer
Liquid fuel and lighter

Safety stuff: Fire extinguisher, Place to burn safely, trained firefighter (optional)

Cocktail of the Night: Rum and Coke (might as well use the Coke, right?)



Sue and I tried to follow the instructions and make 32 holes around the outside of our can. We gave up after about half that because pushing the thumbtack through the can was actually kind of hard on our hands!

For those of you wanting really exact directions, Instructables has a very specific tutorial. As you know, here at TCT, we like to make it simpler if we can (which means sometimes it doesn’t work… but then sometimes, it does!)

1. Pour cocktail right away, since you need two empty cans to attempt.

2. Poke holes around the bottom of one can, and a few in the middle. This is where the fuel will get poured in and where it’ll burn off.

My camping stove worked well (gasp). I know, I'm as shocked as you are.

3. Cut the holey can so only the bottom and about 1 inch of the body of the can remain. Cut the bottom off the other can the same way. You’re going to fit the two pieces together eventually.

4. Fringe the other can so you can fit the holey can bottom on top of the fringed one. Both can bottoms will be facing outward.

Andrew brought utility knives and the goal of making this craft way simpler than it was. Here he is 'fringing' the bottom of the second can.

5. Go someplace where you can contain a blaze. Pour in liquid fuel and set on fire. Boom, you have a stove (well, hopefully not ‘boom’ but you get the idea.

So these can stoves are lightweight, which makes them great for backpacking, and small which means they won’t take up too much room in your pack. Aren’t you crafty, outdoorsy, and earth friendly at the same time?



Need marketing help?

X